In this post I have a few writer related questions that I hope to spawn discussion out of and I will also be making note of this months goals. I’ve decided writing them down will likely lead to a better possibility of accomplishing them rather than letting them slip around in my head and lose tract of themselves.

Writing Question #1: What’s your take on switching between characters in the middle of a chapter as long as it’s obviously denoted?

I ask because I initially wrote my story with breaks in each chapter for the character switch off, but most of the books I’ve read lately with multiple voices only do the switches in the chapter change. I kind of liked my way of doing it, but if it’s unconventional and difficult for readers, obviously I need to adjust my thinking.

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I’ve posed the next question before, but I didn’t have “writer” readers back then so I’ll spin it again.

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Writing Question #2: What is the max age the character can be in a young adult novel?

I’ve seen varying definitions of this age and my characters are 20, turning 21, which I personally still consider young adult. A lot surrounds being 21 for them. However, for 20/21 year olds they are very innocent – never having experienced things most teenagers do such as having friends or girl/boyfriends. Will they be too old to still be considered young adult? I worry about this because I don’t want them to be too adult and I don’t want to write them doing things more adult in nature when that’s not how I imagined them, but since 21 is so pivotal to the story I don’t want to make them younger either. Any insight on this would be greatly appreciated.

~Moving On~

Goals for June:

1. Rewrite Chapters 1-5 into Chapters 1-3. Continue revisions through original Chapter 9.

2. Sketch and draft revised layout for Bryce & Brynn’s family’s home. If you’re interested in seeing Teagan’s apartment you can view it HERE.

3. Read at least 3 of my newest books. And do not buy anymore books until I’ve read the ones I’ve just recently purchased, which shouldn’t be until July.

4. Keep up to date on FanNook with at least a post every other day on at least one of the sites. Also begin preparing book reviews and design work for future site launch.

5. Lose 10 lbs. via increased work out and a more restrictive diet.

6. Go to bed on weeknights by 11pm opposed to the usual 1/2am so that when 6am rolls around for work I’m not fighting myself to be alert.

7. Try to avoid buying or finding new music so that I am not distracted by yet another obsession when I should be writing. Remind myself that I have plenty (for now).

Ok I like the number 7, so I’ll stick with that many. Hopefully by this time next month I can gloat a bit about accomplishing them all. (Hopefully)

Random fact before I finish. I tallied up the books I’ve read since May of 2009 (since that’s when I started heavily reading things other than biographies, political and/or religious content) and the total is 26 books in just over a year. I doubt that’s a lot for avid readers, but it feels like a lot for me and I feel kind of proud. Several of those books I read 2-4 times each too, but I didn’t factor that in. Now that I read much faster and almost all of the time I wonder how many I will have read by this time next year.

Peace – Sarah

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