Comments for distraction no. 99

Comment on How the Signing Went, Me on Buzzine by Fiona Skye

Fiona Skye — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 00:07:48 +0000

How completely and utterly exciting for you! I wish we could have been there. Hannah needs her copy signed!

Comment on Please Do Not Send YA by Maman

Maman — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 23:13:14 +0000

The Nova Colony is the best idea. I will run it for you! And could offer an expressive therapy creativity block
workshop.

Comment on Please Do Not Send YA by Julia

Julia — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:25:09 +0000

Well, there you go… I just wrote a whole long comment and somehow deleted it. Probably for the best – as I was finding nothing to great to say about academia and writers! lol

Suffice it to say, Nova – you start a writers’ in-depth workshop & I’ll be first in line to apply for a spot!

Comment on Please Do Not Send YA by Twitted by AALBooks

Twitted by AALBooks — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:15:33 +0000

[...] This post was Twitted by AALBooks [...]

Comment on Please Do Not Send YA by Sara

Sara — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 12:41:55 +0000

This is fascinating and frustrating on so many levels. I once applied for an MFA in Poetry program and made the mistake of mentioning in my application the possibility of a YA novel in verse. I had no idea that would make me a pariah.

If you start the Nova Colony, I’m there! (Perfect name for it, btw.)

Comment on Please Do Not Send YA by Anne M Leone

Anne M Leone — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 09:35:00 +0000

Ohhh, I love Molly’s suggestion. Especially since Tin House was clearly so helpful to you and your career, I think they would be interested in your opinion and perhaps it would give them an opportunity to seriously consider whether they have any preconceived notions.

Though I must say, I would SO come to the Nova writers’ colony! =)

Comment on Please Do Not Send YA by uberVU - social comments

uberVU - social comments — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:24:31 +0000

Social comments and analytics for this post…

This post was mentioned on Twitter by novaren: Would love thoughts on this. Writing workshop doesn’t accept YA fiction, why not? Why bother? Where to instead? Blog: http://wp.me/pM1Z-GX...

Comment on Please Do Not Send YA by Molly O'Neill

Molly O'Neill — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:03:56 +0000

I wonder if some of it comes down to the academic-types running these conferences and screening applications: if they don’t “speak” YA, they can’t know how to judge what’s good or holds promise or how to workshop it–so they just remove the “problem” altogether. I’m NOT saying that’s right (obvs, I don’t think it is!) but I’m just trying to understand it from a practical standpoint. Or maybe they think of YA as more commercial than the kind of literary writing they’re all about? (Again, if so, they’re wrong.)

Honestly, Nova? I think you should write to Tin House, in a non-confrontational way, and ask them WHY. Explain that the story you workshopped there went on to get you a YA contract, explain a bit of why you’ve found your voice in YA/MG, but how the skill set is the same. Maybe point out the Yaddo thing as a counterpoint to their rules. You never know–maybe you’ll be able to start a dialogue there that will benefit future YA writers.

Or maybe you and E should buy yourselves a beautiful little piece of land in some interesting corner of the world and you should start running a writers’ colony of your own….

Comment on Signing at Hometown Bookstore by courtney

courtney — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:01:20 +0000

That is so awesome. And you will be amazing.

Comment on Please Do Not Send YA by jadepark

jadepark — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 02:56:31 +0000

Mills MFA has/had a great YA writing prof, so MFA programs that have a focus on YA exist, but only rarely.