search for books and compare prices
Tables of Contents for Writing for Young Adults
Chapter/Section Title
Page #
Page Count
Introduction
1
3
PART ONE The Nature of the Beast
4
14
One What Is Young Adult (YA) Literature?
5
7
History of YA Category
Paperback YA Novels
Hardcover Literature
Two Writers and Readers of Young Adult Literature
12
6
Why Write for Teenagers?
Who Writes for YAs?
How Old Are YA Readers?
Today's Readers
PART TWO What's On the Young Adult Shelf
18
53
Three Dark and Dreary or Light and Airy? Young Adult Genre Fiction
19
15
YA Genres-Mystery, Horror, Romance, Fantasy, Historical, Inspirational and Adventure
Book Packagers
Tips for Writing Series Fiction
Four Nonseries Young Adult Literature
34
9
Hardcover YA Fiction
Mainstream Fiction vs. Series
Topics for YA Novels
Fewer Taboos
YA Poetry
Picture Books for Older Readers
Short Stories
Literature is Timeless
Five The Beauty of a Rainbow: Multicultural Young Adult Fiction
43
11
What is Multicultural Literature?
History
Who Writes It?
How to Write About Another Culture
Researching a Culture-Outer Trappings and Inner Heart
Emphasize Similarities
Six Truth is Beauty: Writing Nonfiction
54
17
Select Your Topic
Select Age Group
Consider Photographs
Research is Necessary
Nonfiction Query Letter and Proposal
Making Nonfiction Appealing
PART THREE First Things First: Four Steps for Getting Started
71
39
Seven Step One: Think Like a Writer
72
10
Establish Goals
Set Up Writing Area
Writing Equipment
Self-dicipline and Motivation
Keep in Touch with YA Writing and Publishing Industry
Eight Step Two: Visit the Idea Tree
82
6
Sources for Ideas
Keeping Files
Start with What You Know
Which Ideas to Develop
Nine Step Three: Research Your Subject
88
13
Get Organized
Primary Sources and Interviews
Secondary Sources
Researching Teenagers
When to Stop
Ten Step Four: Get Ready to Write
101
9
Outlining
Titles
Point of View
Theme
PART FOUR The Craft of Writing Young Adult Fiction
110
46
Eleven A Grand Opening
111
8
Hooks
Prologues and Forewords
Twelve Creating Believable Characters
119
12
Know Your Characters
Supporting Cast
Names
Give Your Characters Goals
Character Growth
A Likable Protagonist
Villains
Make Your Characters Come Alive
Thirteen Putting Words in Your Characters' Mouths
131
7
Dialogue vs. Conservation
Uses of Dialogue
Tips for Writing Good Dialogue
Fourteen The Bump Road of Plot
138
6
Peaks and Valleys Make the Journey Interesting
Give the Protagonist Goals
Obstacles Create Conflict
Tension, Suspense and Pacing
Transition
Climax and Denouement
Fifteen The Power of the Written Word
144
7
Master Parts of Speech--Nouns, Verbs, Adjectives and Adverbs
Show, Don't Tell
Poetic Devices
Evoke Emotions
Sixteen Practice Makes Perfect: The Necessity of Revising
151
5
First Draft
Second Draft
Final Draft
Self-editing to Make the Manuscript Sparkle
PART FIVE The Business Side of Writing
156
41
Seventeen The Voyage Begins: Submitting Your Manuscript
157
14
Manuscript Preparation
Research the Market
Finding the Right Publisher
Query Letters
Cover Letters and Proposals
Multiple Submissions
Waiting and Rejection
Eighteen Let's Make a Deal: Contracts, Editors and Agents
171
10
Advances
Royalties
Subrights
Editors
Agents
Revisions
Nineteen The Writing Life: Is It Worth It?
181
16
Some Income Statistics
Speaking at Schools
Self-promotion and Networking
Taxes and Bookkeeping
Depression, Rejection and Writer's Block
Is It Worth It?
APPENDIX
197
14
Organizations of Interest to Writers
197
2
Writers Magazines
199
1
General Reference Books
200
1
Specialized Reference Books
201
2
Agents and Contracts
201
1
Proposals and Query Letters
201
1
Words, Grammar and Self-editing
201
1
Sources for Research
201
1
Author Promotion and Marketing
202
1
School Visits and Speeches
202
1
Contest and Awards Resources
202
1
Magazines for Young Adults
203
1
Web Sites for Authors
204
1
Review Sources
205
1
Sample Query Letter
206
1
Sample Cover Letter
207
1
Sample SAS Reply Post Card
208
1
Sample Acknowledgment Card
208
1
Tips for Breaking Into the Children's Publishing Market
209
2
INDEX
211