Details

<p>Foreword xxi</p> <p>Introduction 1</p> <p><b>Part I: Getting Ready to Write Young Adult Fiction 7</b></p> <p>Chapter 1: The Lowdown on YA Fiction 9</p> <p>Chapter 2: Targeting Teen Readers 19</p> <p>Chapter 3: Managing Your Muse 35</p> <p><b>Part II: Writing Riveting Young Adult Fiction 61</b></p> <p>Chapter 4: Writing the Almighty Hook 63</p> <p>Chapter 5: Creating Teen-Friendly Characters 75</p> <p>Chapter 6: Building the Perfect Plot 97</p> <p>Chapter 7: Creating Teen-Driven Action 117</p> <p>Chapter 8: Setting Is More than Somewhere to Be 133</p> <p>Chapter 9: Crafting a Narrative Voice Teens Will Listen To . . . and Love 151</p> <p>Chapter 10: Talking Like a Teen 175</p> <p><b>Part III: Editing, Revising, and Formatting</b></p> <p>Your Manuscript 199</p> <p>Chapter 11: Editing and Revising with Confidence 201</p> <p>Chapter 12: The Finishing Touches: Formatting and Finalizing 219</p> <p><b>Part IV: Getting Published 235</b></p> <p>Chapter 13: Strategizing and Packaging Your Submissions 237</p> <p>Chapter 14: Self-Publishing: Is It for You? 269</p> <p>Chapter 15: Mastering Marketing 283</p> <p><b>Part V: The Part of Tens 311</b></p> <p>Chapter 16: Ten Common Pitfalls in Writing YA Fiction 313</p> <p>Chapter 17: Ten Facts about Book Contracts 319</p> <p>Chapter 18: Ten Ways to Make the Most of a Conference 329</p> <p>Index 339</p>

<b>Deborah Halverson</b> founded the writer's advice website DearEditor.com and was a veteran editor for young adult and children's fiction before picking up a pen and writing the teen novels <i>Big Mouth</i> and <i>Honk If You Hate Me</i>.

<b>Your hands-on, friendly guide to writing young adult fiction</b> <p>Are you interested in writing a young adult novel, but aren't sure how to develop a style that appeals to young readers? <i>Writing Young Adult Fiction For Dummies</i> gives you tricks of the trade and proven tips on all the steps to write a marketable YA book, from developing an idea to publishing your manuscript.</p> <ul> <li> <p>Get ready to write — get the scoop on everything you need to know before you begin writing, like pinpointing your audience, finding an angle that'll make your story stand out, and making use of outlines</p> </li> <li> <p>What a novel concept — find out how to shape your plot, create teen-friendly characters, develop a convincingly youthful voice, write natural dialogue, and find techniques for connecting with your audience</p> </li> <li> <p>Put on your editor's cap — discover how to rewrite and polish your story to transform it from a first draft to a seamless, fluid final draft</p> </li> <li> <p>Get published — find the right agent and/or editor, craft a one-of-a-kind submission package, and promote your novel once it's published</p> </li> </ul> <p><b>Open the book and find:</b></p> <ul> <li> <p>Helpful sidebars from notable YA authors</p> </li> <li> <p>Ideas for timeless themes</p> </li> <li> <p>Four easy steps to writing a killer hook</p> </li> <li> <p>Tips on writing believable characters, settings, and dialogue</p> </li> <li> <p>How to edit and revise with confidence</p> </li> <li> <p>Answers to the most common publishing contract questions</p> </li> <li> <p>Common pitfalls to avoid</p> </li> <li> <p>Advice on self-publishing vs. traditional publishing</p> </li> </ul> <p><b>Learn to:</b></p> <ul> <li> <p>Develop a writing style that appeals to young readers</p> </li> <li> <p>Turn your ideas into a compelling manuscript through writing exercises</p> </li> <li> <p>Submit your novel to young adult publishers</p> </li> </ul>

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