Today's Trope: The Love Triangle

First of all, I hate the title of this trope, because it's not a true triangle. It's a V, with one person being the love interest of two people who they have to choose between. A true triangle would be if person A likes person B who likes person C who likes person A. But it's far too late to try to change the name of such a well received trope, so I guess we're stuck with it.

Anyway. In a love "triangle" *sigh* one person has to make a choice. The most common sequence of events that I've seen in love triangle dramas is when the center person is already dating someone and a new person comes into their lives that they are interested in. Do they stay with the person they're already with, or do they dump that person and go with the new person?

My first instinct is to say: go with the new person. If you were really in love with the first person, you never would have noticed the second. That seems the easy answer.

One of the ways I've seen the drama build is when the central person can't think of a good reason to break up with their current partner. That person hasn't done anything "wrong" per se. They're just not the right person. But if you realize the person you're with is "wrong for you", that should be a good enough reason to break up with them. Yes, you're probably going to hurt their feelings, potentially even break their heart. But you're not doing them any favors by staying with them out of shame or pity. And you're doing any favors to the person you want to be with by avoiding that relationship.

Worse, sometimes these dramas will have the central person actual cheat on their current partner with the new love interest. Please, please, please break up with someone rather than cheat on them. They will be far more hurt by the cheating than you breaking up with them to be with someone else. And the person you're cheating with probably feels like crap, too, being the side piece and all.

All that being said, I have written love triangles a time or two, because they do feel so realistic. This is something that people face out here in real, 3D life, so it should be reflected in fiction as well. In one romance, I did an unrequited love triangle, where the central person stays with their current partner because they never developed an interest in the second person who was yearning for them. But in the other story, I had the central person make the switch, and it was a very angsty moment for him, which is always fun to do to my characters.

I feel that this trope is definitely a standard for a reason, and will remain as such. I just wish it was named correctly.

Today's Trope: Enemies to Lovers

I've seen it a dozen times before, particularly in YA romance stories. Two people meet and there's immediate conflict between them. They argue. They fight. They can't stand each other. Then, somehow, someway, that intensity between them turns from anger to passion. Suddenly, without either of them wanting it, they find themselves falling in love.

I tend not to like this particular trope. I don't really like bully redemption stories, and a lot of lovers to enemies stories involve that. I don't really like stories where people are denying their true feelings by acting out in anger, either. It seems disingenuous.

So, naturally, the latest story idea I got and was compelled to start writing down is a YA enemies to lovers romance. *sigh*

As I'm writing it, and getting into the heads of my characters, I'm beginning to understand better how this whole trope works ... I think. My main character is physically attracted to the love interest right away, but dislikes his personality. Meanwhile, the love interest is projecting a negative attitude because he thinks he dislikes the personality of the main character. In reality, both of them are projecting falsified versions of their personality for different reasons. Their true personalities are actually very compatible.

Creating a false persona can be common in teen years, as people are still trying to figure out who they are, what matters to them, and how to fit in with their peers. Judging people on the surface is common as well. Feeling comfortable enough to be yourself around someone can be particularly difficult if you don't feel like you can trust them.

It's difficult to write, though. I want to make sure their growing feelings for each other make sense and feels natural to the reader. The passion they feel for each other from the beginning is actually always an attraction.

Today's Trope: Teenage Romance

I've written a few YA stories and a few romance stories, and it's got me wondering something. Since most people don't end up staying with the person they dated in high school, how "forever" do you have to make the relationship seem when writing fiction?

For example: in the YA series I'm currently querying, my main character starts dating during his junior year of high school (book 2). That relationship goes poorly and he ends up dating someone else his senior year (book 3). That relationship goes very well and they're still together when they graduate. But this isn't the person my main character is going to spend the rest of his life with. He meets that person after college (not sure what book number that will be). But my MC loves his book 3 LI. He's devastated when they break up in book 4. It's just a fact of the human condition, most high school sweethearts break up.

I recently started a YA romance one-shot, and I'm having more trouble with this one. The problem I'm coming up against is that I don't want to think about my MC and his LI breaking up, EVER. They're great together and they really love each other. But they meet when they're 15. If this were the real world, what would be the chances that they stay together for the rest of their lives? Pretty much none. It's fiction, so I can pretend they stay together forever. 

But I'm also a bit of a realist. (Not a helpful personality trait for a writer.) I want to write my romance books with a hint as to what comes after "the end". For an adult romance one-off I recently wrote, I ended it with a proposal. That's about as close as we can get to "and they lived happily ever after" in modern fiction. I can't exactly do that with a couple of teenagers. Maybe showing them going off to the same university? Do an epilogue of them 10 years in the future when they're having their first kid? Ugh. Then there's my brain telling me that there's no way these two would stay together all through high school and college without at least temporarily breaking up and trying their own things; dating other people or moving away for a few years. That can be part of healthy development.

What to do, what to do, oh, what to do? I guess I just write the story that's living in my head and hope the readers can extrapolate the kind of future I envision for the characters.

Finding time to write

I have not been published yet. I'm querying my first novel, but I haven't gotten my first full request yet (it hasn't even been a month, so I'm not too worried). Even if the novel gets picked up, and I manage to get a few more books published after, the chances of getting to the point of being able to live off my earnings from book sales is pretty much none.

So, I have a day-job. I'm lucky enough to get to work from home 3 days of the week. But my commute into the office is about an hour, so on the days I go in, I lose 2 hours of my life to sitting in a car.

Then there's family obligations. I live with family, and I enjoy spending time with them. I want to make sure they know that I love them and cherish them, so I try to give them time and attention.

When do I write? Well, every chance I get. I've heard it said that you should set aside a set time every day that you can focus on writing. I've tried that, but too often, things get in the way. A work project runs late and I can't just step away. There's a traffic accident on the freeway and it takes me an extra half hour to get home. My sister asks me to pick up my niece from ballet. We completely ran out of bread and I need to make an emergency trip to the store, so I might as well pick up the other things we're low on (literally happened just yesterday).

Instead of trying to carve out writing time, I set myself up so that any moment of the day could be writing time. I have a notebook and pens in my purse. I put a notebook specifically for my WIP in my work bag and take it to the office. I keep a notebook and my laptop next to me when I'm watching TV. Any little moment when inspiration might strike, I have a tool at my side that will allow me to start writing. Yes, I try to stick to a writing schedule as well, but I don't rely on it. Instead, I take the available moments as they come and keep myself prepared. It's served me well thus far.

Wrong POV

 

Have you ever been working on a project and realized you were speaking from the wrong point of view or using the wrong narrator? It happened to me with a new story I came up with yesterday and I was quite surprised. I started writing a YA romance from the perspective of the new kid who comes to town and how he changes the life of the school jerk. But, as I wrote, I realized that too much of the story actually takes place when my MC was not in the room. Yes, he is the catalyst for change in the other character's life, but it's really the love interest's story that needs to be told.

Now I have to rewrite the first 3,000 words or so in order to switch perspectives, but I think the story will make a lot more sense and be more compelling with this change of main characters. Sometimes the story tells you how it's supposed to be written, and we, as writers, just have to sit back and listen.

Switching works mid-project

 

So, I am currently querying a YA novel that I intend to be the first in a series of at least 5 books. I'm nearly done writing the 2nd book, have started the 3rd, and have the main plot points down for books 4 and 5. I have plenty to work on with this project and a very good reason to continue to move forward with it, as I imagine literary agents will be more interested in picking up a series if they know the 2nd book will be ready within a year of the 1st being published.

So, what do I do? I set aside my series and begin writing a romance novel, something I've never done before. I hardly even read romance - only if I want a quick, silly, pick-me-up. Sure, I have romantic elements in the stories I write, but I've never made it the focus of the piece. Somehow, someway, working on my YA series and dealing with teen romance inspired me to come up with an adult romance storyline that is quickly turning into a full novel. In 2 1/2 days, I've already written over 20,000 words! If this was NaNoWriMo, I'd be kicking everyone's butts.

I want to finish my YA series, of course. I want to get the 2nd book done soon enough to entice literary agents to pick up the project. But I have to follow inspiration when it strikes. Maybe this romance novel will continue to fly out of me, as it has over the last couple of days, and I'll be done with it soon enough that it will be like I hardly stepped away from my YA series at all. I have to let this play out and see.

Changing POVs

 

For the first time, I am working on a story with multiple main characters and switching between their points of view. It's easy enough when they are doing their own things, but they interact a lot throughout the story, and I'm trying to figure out the best way to lead those scenes when either of them could be the focus.

I'm writing the story in 3rd person, as I'm not fond of books that change perspectives but maintain the 1st person narrative. That seemed to be a popular thing with middle grade books when I was young, and I don't want to repeat their mistakes. But that doesn't really solve the conundrum of how to maintain a consistent perspective when both main characters are in the same scene.

I'm thinking it makes sense to introduce one character at the start of the scene and try to keep them the narrator of the scene that follows, even when the other character has a strong role in the action. It's a difficult balance, and I'm not even halfway through my first draft, so I've got time to work it out.

Mixing genres

 

I'm having something of a dilemma. I'm currently querying a queer YA novel and writing 2 sequels for it. But I'm also planning out an urban fantasy series for a general audience. I have an outline for a high fantasy series that could go either YA or general audience, haven't decided yet. And, just for fun, I sometimes write "spicy" romance.

The problem I'm having is that I can crank out romance stories a lot faster than the other books I write, because they're very trope heavy and predictable. I don't spend weeks and months doing complicated character building. I don't do series arcs. I just write fun little stories about people meeting and falling in love. I'm beginning to wonder if I should be querying my romance stories in addition to my YA novel, and, if so, how would that go over with readers and literary agents?

I'm worried that literary agents and publishers won't want someone to put their name on both bon-bon romance paperbacks and more serious novels. If my spicy romance novels get published, will people take my other novels seriously? Ideally, I would love it if I could get every manuscript I actually finish to be published, regardless of the genre or the audience. I just want people to read my stories and enjoy them. But I don't know of many authors who cross the line between straight up romance and serious fiction. I would consider using a pseudonym for the romance novels, to keep them separate from my other works, but I don't want to be disingenuous. I write what I write, and I write all over the map. Do I present myself to literary agents as an all-around author and hope they're willing to work with me in each genre? Do I focus my time and energy on only one genre at a time and try to build up a readership there before branching out? It's a conundrum.

Overcoming Writer's Block

There is nothing that gives me anxiety like hitting a bought of writer's block. It consumes my thoughts and makes me doubt myself like nothing else. After all, if I'm really meant to be a writer, shouldn't I be able to keep writing, inspired/motivated or not?

But we all experience writer's block at some point in time. Lots of things can cause it: being tired from day to day life, characters aren't talking to you, inspiration fatigue, just finished a work and don't know what to do next, etc. Plenty of reasons exist for why the creative juices might dry up.

In my case, one of the leading causes of writer's block is depression. I happen to have bipolar disorder. My mood is fairly well controlled by medication and therapy, but there are times when I still fall into a depressive episode and can't just will myself out of it. It's incredibly difficult for me to write when I'm depressed. I lack motivation to do much of anything and my mind is too numb for inspiration to strike. But not writing causes me to feel more depressed, because writing is the greatest joy in my life. It's a terrible spiral that makes me feel worse and worse until the depressive episode ends and I can write again.

In August of 2023, I completed a "final" draft of a manuscript for a novel and sent it to a beta-reader. I spent time editing it and writing a few scenes for its sequel. Then depression hit and I stopped writing. At first, I thought I wasn't writing because I'd just completed a work and wasn't ready to move on. Maybe my brain was stuck in editing mode. But time went on and I still wasn't writing. I came up with ideas for the next book, but I just couldn't get myself to write them down.

This depressive episode lasted until February 2024 - the longest major depressive episodes I've had since I started medication. I was miserable the entire time. And I didn't write a single word. I managed to journal a few times, as my therapist kept encouraging me to do, but I'd usually only get a page of "I don't know what to write" before I'd give up.

After a few medication changes that did nothing, my shrink came up with a cocktail that finally worked and I came out of the depression. It was like a weighted blanket was removed from my creativity and I was suddenly writing again. And I wrote a LOT. I've nearly finished the sequel to the novel I'm now querying with literary agents and written some key scenes for the 3rd book in the series.

It's easy to blame myself when I have writer's block. There must be something wrong with me. Unfortunately, with my troubles with my mental health, it's sometimes true that I'm the cause of my writer's block. But that doesn't make it my fault. And it doesn't mean that the writer's block won't lift if I just keep trying.

Yes, writer's block hits all of us. But I've realized something: I ALWAYS come back to writing. No matter how many times I've stepped away from my notebooks and laptop, I always come back. That's the part that matters to me. Pauses are temporary, and sometimes necessary to deal with other things going on in my life. But I know that I'll always return to writing. I just can't stay away. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

Writing a voice that's not your own

 

As writers, we're told to "write what you know." Writers who choose to create main characters very different from themselves sometimes get chastised for giving false representation. But how can we only write characters that we directly relate to? There would be a lot of books about loners who spend all their time locked up in their rooms with their cats and a cup of coffee or tea. That would be rather boring.

So, we have to write characters that greatly differ from our own experiences. We use our imagination and research to fill in the gaps between what we "know" and what we want on the page. It's what makes us creative types.

But what if you want to create a voice that's traditionally underrepresented and greatly differs from your own?

The main character in the book I'm querying is a young, gay boy who is both an artist and a basketball player and I'm ... none of those things. Seriously, not a single one. But I feel I do a good job at writing his story from his point of view (it's in 1st person). How can I write something that is largely underrepresented in literature and something I have no personal experience with?

Empathy.

Probably a writer's greatest tool is the ability to empathize with people who greatly differ from us. Frankly, the more underrepresented, the easier it is to empathize, because I know what it feels like to be seen as the "weirdo" in a group, to hide a part of yourself from friends and family so you aren't ostracized any more than you already are. I don't let anyone I know read my writing. I didn't even tell anyone I'd written a book until I started querying it. I understand what it's like to be a creative-minded person and feel disconnected from the world around me. In that regard, I feel greatly connected to my main character.

I've done a lot of research on art and basketball so I can write scenes with some sense of realism - enough that people who do know about such things won't immediately go "that's not how that works." I'm queer and I was once a teenager, so I can relate to the struggle of accepting one's sexuality and how to go about coming out to friends and family. But my ability to empathize is definitely what allows me to bring my character to life on the page. It's a tool that's greatly useful in the real world, too, but is downright necessary for writing realistic characters.

Using prompts

I regularly practice my writing skills by doing prompts - coming up with short blurbs about my life, my characters' lives, anything that pops into my head upon seeing the prompt. I try to let the words flow naturally without constraining the narrative to fit into any WIP or thinking of it as something I may want to use in the future. I write from prompts just to flex my writing muscles and imagination, and to break out of writer's block if need-be.

Sometimes the prompt inspires me to write about the main character in the work I'm currently querying. I've written scenes that took place in his past, long before the book takes place. These scenes help me better understand my character's thoughts and motivations as I move the story forward. They also help to better understand the side characters and how my MC interacts with them on a regular basis.

However, there has been a time or two when a prompt has inspired a scene that's actually made it into the book. I'll be writing from the prompt, as per usual, and I'll suddenly see how it ties into the story and can actually build upon the work I've already written. It can help tease out relationship dynamics. It can create a new tension between characters. It can help me see a side character in a new light that I want to bring out more in the book. I'm always surprised when a prompt inspires an actual, usable scene.

I highly recommend doing prompts to anyone struggling with their writing. You just never know what you're going to get.

Breaking up is hard to do

I'm working on a scene for a book that's a sequel to the YA novel I'm currently querying, and I'm getting stuck. Two characters have to break-up because they're about to go off to college in different states and don't see how they can maintain a serious relationship while apart. They've seen their friends try and fail and don't want to get to a point in their relationship where they're angry with each other or resentful that one or the other is unavailable or too distracted with school, etc.

They both know that a break-up is the best thing for them. Despite loving each other, they do understand that they're not "in love" - like the forever, get married kind of love. But they care very deeply for each other. On the one hand, that makes it easier to accept that they want what's best for each other, and give each other the chance to meet someone great in college and find someone that they could be "in love" with. But at the same time, they really don't want to give up what they have, because it's so special to both of them.

I've been running through possible scenarios for how they break-up, and all I know for sure is that it's a very emotional and difficult decision for the two of them to come to, but they both saw it coming. I can't decide who brings it up, though, so I'm having a hard time sitting down to write the scene. 

... 

Maybe I should just write out the dialogue without assigning lines to either person until I figure out who's saying what.

I think part of my hesitation is that I don't want to split up this couple. They've been really good for each other and supported each other through difficult times. It's been a healthy relationship from the beginning. Sure, they had their ups and downs, but they always worked through things because they cared about each other more than getting their own way. After previous relationships I've put both these characters through, it was a big step, emotionally, for both of them.

But now they need to move on. They have to continue to grow on their own so they can be ready for the next relationships I have planned for them.

I've never personally experienced an amicable break-up. I'm not still friends with anyone I've been involved with in the past. I'm using my imagination to write the emotions each character is going through during the break-up. I wish I had a bit more to go on, but I wouldn't be a writer if I wasn't decent at extrapolating from my limited life experiences to create life experiences for fictional people in fictional situations I can only barely relate to. So, that's my plan for this scene - don't write what I know, write what they know. Because my characters have a tendency to run the story themselves anyway.

"Manly" friendships in fiction

 

Fiction does men a great disservice when it comes to showcasing friendships. Too often, close male friendships are given homoerotic undertones that give off the impression that there is a romantic or sexual tension between the men, when they are just platonically bonded. In modern shipping culture, fans frequently create ships and fanfiction/fanart that depicts these close friends as being "more than friends". This perception that two men can't be platonically close without there being more to the relationship can make it difficult for men in real life to want to form close bonds with other men, for fear of being misjudged.

In the YA novel I'm currently querying, my main character is a gay teen who's two best friends are both straight boys. Throughout what will likely be at least a 3-book series, he is thought to be dating one or the other on multiple occasions. I considered leaving out this misconception, due to my desire to promote healthy male friendships, but I had to contend with what might realistically happen at a modern high school environment.

As an author, how do I balance modern shipping culture and expectations with what I would like to showcase in my work? How do I show healthy, platonic relationships between men without people trying to "read between the lines"? I haven't come up with an answer to that yet, but it's something I do consider while writing.

Today's Trope: Private Schools

When writing YA novels, why is it so much fun to set them at private schools? In fantasy novels, you frequently see kids with special powers being carted off to these schools to learn to use their abilities. But even non-fantasy works use private schools as a way to segregate the cast of characters from the "real world."

I actually attended a private school all through middle school, so I have some personal experience with the culture there. It is very different than public school. The teachers are different. The expectations on grades and extracurricular activities are different. And the mindset of the students is different. I wasn't immune to it - when you get in to a private school, you automatically think a little better of yourself. "I'm special." "I'm better than the public-school kids." "I deserve to be treated better." It's really hard not to think like that at first. Some kids grow out of it, depending on their interactions with the outside world. Some just don't.

Currently, in the novel that I'm querying, I refer to the kids who think grandly of themselves as the "plastics." I know that term has been used a few too many times already, so I'm open to suggestions on what else I should call them. But the truth of the matter is, there are a LOT of them at private schools. Usually they come from upper-class families and have been told they were special since the day they were born. Some of them are academically gifted or particularly good at sports, and may have gotten a scholarship to the school, thus "proving" they are better than those kids still stuck in public schools, and even better than the kids at the private school who aren't on scholarship but simply paid their way in. However the mindset was formed, they persistently think they are better than others, and lord it over them whenever possible.

These plastics (or whatever I end up calling them) make for excellent villains in YA novels. Some have the chance of being redeemed, if shown the error of their ways. Some remain "evil" throughout the story and must be defeated in some way. But they stand opposed to the "good guys" in the story by their very nature. You see some of this in public schools, as you always have bullies and those who think highly of themselves, but the tight-night environment at private schools, and the addition of socioeconomic disparities, make these schools much more intense when it comes to bully culture.

Today's Trope: Stereotypical gays vs "shocking" gays

We all know that anyone on the planet could be of any sexual orientation. It doesn't matter what their looks suggest, or their hobbies or mannerisms. Anyone can be anything. But we still see stereotypes in fiction.

Take, for example, the artistic gay. The guys who do drama or dance or paint. They are often depicted as being of either a gentle or dramatic nature. They may have a certain lilt to the way they speak. They may care an awful lot about their appearance. And, frequently in fiction, they are canonically not-straight.

Then we have the jock. The guy who's most comfortable getting sweaty and a little dirty. The one who actually enjoys working out and will still run a few laps for fun after a long practice in the gym. These are the guys who are naturally attractive, even if they don't try. Their fit bodies are attractive to the girls in their circle, and they're never short on options when it comes to dating. Which is why fiction writers love subverting stereotypes by making these characters gay. Though, usually their storylines focus on coming out of the closet and dealing with any backlash from the public that thinks jocks must inherently be straight.

What happens, however, when you have a character that is both artistic and a jock? That is a dilemma I'm exploring in the novel I'm currently querying. My main character is a gay teen who is both an artist and a basketball player. How does he balance the expectations his schoolmates place on him from each side? It's been a fun journey, figuring this out with him, and things get very hairy as the series progresses. How will things shake out? Hopefully I'll get picking up by a publisher soon so you can find out!

Today's Trope: Single Mother

Maybe it's just me, but I'm getting really tired of single mothers in books. Sure, lots of couples get divorced these days, that's totally normal. But where are the books about single DADS?

It's a strange occurrence in this country that fathers don't usually get primary custody of their kids in a divorce. There are some states, or so I've heard, that the courts don't even bother asking the divorcing couple what their plans are, they just automatically award custody to the mother, and the father has to petition to change that.

When working on my debut novel, the parents of my teen main character had just gotten divorced. The mother wanted custody so she could move her son with her out of state. But the teen had a scholarship to an elite school in his hometown and the father wanted to make sure he could stay and finish out his school years there. So, Dad gets primary custody. Ta-da! Trope averted. I didn't do it that way to intentionally go against the trope - it happened to make sense for the characters and I needed to create tension between the teen and his mother.

I'm enjoying the challenge that comes with writing a single father. He has to contend with his ex-wife butting in on how to care for their son. Eventually he will begin dating - though probably not until book 3. And there's very little in the way of examples in literature on how to do this. It's minimally-charted territory!

My parents divorced when I was in high school, which is part of the inspiration for my book. My mother got primary custody of me, and there are many times when I wished she hadn't, for reasons that I will not be putting in this blog. I enjoy the opportunity to fix my family’s mistakes in my fiction. That's part of why I write, I guess - to make the world that I wish I could have lived in.

Writing by hand

Part of my writing "process" - if that's what I should call it - is to write my first drafts by hand. I have dozens of notebooks, many of them still empty, that I keep close at hand so that I can write when inspiration strikes. I have a hard time coming up with brand new material when I'm typing into my computer. If I already have a good idea of what I want to say, or I'm continuing a scene that is nearly done, I can get fresh material on the computer. But writing by hand is so much easier for me.

Maybe it's because I don't get distracted by typos. Maybe it's easier to strike through a thought and rewrite it rather than delete and try again. But I feel a lot more connected to my writing when I do it by hand.

So, I've been editing a manuscript that I've recently started querying. There was a scene that just plain didn't work. Every time I tried to edit it on the computer, I felt like I was making it worse. Then I'd try stepping away from the computer and rewriting the scene just by hand, but that made the scene go a completely different direction than I'd originally intended. I felt that the answer was somewhere between the scene as it stood in the computer and the scene I'd just free-written. So I copied the scene from my computer into my notebook and looked at it beside the reworked scene I'd written. I began rewriting the scene, combining elements from each version, but doing it all by hand. Finally, I ended up with something I was happy with.

Writing by hand definitely helps unlock my creativity in ways that typing just can't.

Be careful what you query for

I've been querying my debut novel for almost two weeks. So far I have sent out 23 query letters and received 8 rejections. I take each rejection as a chance to improve my querying ability. I take a good look at the letter I sent and the other requirements they asked for, and try to figure out where I might have lost them. A couple of agents have provided some feedback, which I greatly appreciate, but do not expect as I continue this process.

As I was studying how to write a query letter, the number one thing all the advisors said was to personalize the query to the agent. Research their existing clients. Read their wish lists. Stalk them on Twitter/X. Find out what it is that each particular agent is looking for and show how your work meets their desires. I'm trying to do a good job, but it's hard to sell myself - I've never been too good at that. 

But, in doing my research into the agents I've chosen to query, I've also researched the agencies they work for. I read their mission statements and look at their overall clientele, trying to gauge what's important to the company in general. So far, I've come across a couple of companies that I just don't like the sound of. Even if a particular agent on their roster seems like they might be a good fit, the company doesn't.

Granted, I'm still very new to this querying thing, so I don't always trust my instincts on this. There was an agency I queried last week that I was rather dubious about. The agent I selected to contact said that they were open to young adult novels from characters of diverse backgrounds with unique voices. My YA novel has a queer protagonist and a cast from a wide range of ethnicities and sexual preferences. The main conflict in my novel centers around family dynamics, parental pressure, and expectations that come along with going to an elite school, not the diversity of the cast of characters. So, I looked through the authors that the company represents and found a couple of books that had similar conflicts and family dynamics, and mentioned them in my query letter. But, while I was looking through the books they'd gotten published, I noticed a distinct lack of LGBTQIA+ materials. In fact, I couldn't find a single one with a queer protagonist.

I received a rejection the next day, saying it wasn't what they were looking for. Now, my instinct after reading through their clientele was that the "diverse voices" they were looking for did not include non-straight people, but, as that's not the focus of my story, I decided to try them anyway.

Then I got to thinking ... would I want to be repped by a company that regularly dismisses books with non-straight main characters? Even if they were willing to take a chance on my book, perhaps because sexuality is not the main focus, would I want to be associated with a company that's less inclusive than so many other companies that specifically request queer voices?

This is only the first manuscript I've completed and am ready to publish, but I have a ton of stories left in me, just begging to be put on paper. Many of my main characters fall under the category of non-straight. I want to be repped by a company that celebrates that kind of diversity, not just puts up with it. So, I'm going to be a little more careful when researching companies for my upcoming query letters. It's not just about finding an agent willing to take a chance on me, it's about finding a company that I'd be proud to stand beside.

Today's Trope: Tall, Dark, and Broody

 

Some tropes are so popular that the mere mention of Tall, Dark, and Broody makes readers assume they know exactly what's going to happen as the story progresses. Does that mean the trope is overdone, or is in need of reworking?

In the queer YA novel I'm currently querying, my main character is introduced to the new guy in the neighborhood, and I intentionally write him as the tall, dark, and broody type. This makes him incredibly appealing to my main character, and ready to overlook the possible dangers of falling for someone who's so hard to get to know. But I feel like I strayed far enough away from the trope that the readers will still be surprised by the outcome. Did I stray far enough? Did I stray too far? Is there such a thing as straying too far from a trope? Hm. Guess I'll have to wait for the book to get published so I can get feedback from the readers.

Writing a good pitch

 

I've been querying my debut novel for little over a week now, and I'm thinking my hook and pitch aren't strong enough to really grab the attention of a literary agent and could use some feedback.

Part of the problem is that my story has a bit slice-of-life. There's no fantastical element, no sci-fi, no world-building. It's contemporary and realistic fiction. But it's a story that means a lot to me and deals with issues that young people can certainly relate to. How do I put that in a pitch that will make it stand out from other slice-of-life books already out on shelves?

This is the pitch I've used thus far: "A gay former-jock must tackle parental expectations and high school shipping culture while dealing with distractions of old hobbies and new flames."

Boring, I know. It doesn't convey the emotional turmoil he's dealing with or the stakes of the decisions he must make throughout the book. But how do I summarize all the tension of a 79K word book into one sentence?

"Setting himself up for the future his mother envisions wasn't in his plans for his sophomore year of high school, neither was coming out of the closet, but expectations at home and pressures at school mean difficult decisions must be made, and soon."

Better?

Ugh. Why does this have to be so hard?