Writing Excuses 7.42: Contemporary YA Fiction

Debut author Janci Patterson joins us to talk about contemporary young adult fiction. Her first book, Chasing the Skip, hit the streets October 2nd, 2012, and while Janci writes fantasy, this tale has no fantastic elements in it. Apparently bounty-hunting is plenty exciting without adding magic. We talk about the genre, the research Janci did, and some of the essentials of a good character drama. We also discuss how Janci starts with the pitch before outlining, let alone writing drafts, and how this process has helped her write books that are easier to sell to agents and editors. Finally, Janci talks to us about breaking in, and why she took the path she did. Audiobook Freebie! Legion, by Brandon Sanderson, narrated by Oliver Wyman