Why You Shouldn't Write About Facebook

WOW! Women On Writing
Classes & Workshops

Spotlight Course: Writing a Middle-Grade Novel

In this issue:

Article: Why You Shouldn't Write About Facebook

Spotlight Course: Writing a Middle-Grade Novel Part 2

Greetings!

Do you have a middle-grade novel already started? Have you finished an entire rough draft that you want to revise? Either way, if you're ready to now tackle and complete your manuscript for submission, then we have a great class to help you reach your goal.

We're pleased to offer a brand new course by Margo L. Dill for MG novel writers. Advanced Class: Writing a Middle-Grade Novel Part 2 starts on Wednesday, April 4. Enrollment includes six professional critiques of different sections of your novel by the instructor (approximately 18,000 words--the critiques alone are valued at over $250). The Yahoo! group will stay open for classmates to network with each other even after the class ends. The course is limited to ten students, so reserve your spot now.

In the article below, Margo reveals why you shouldn't write about Facebook in your MG novel. You'll find out why, for once, it's okay to be vague! Check out this fun and helpful guide for MG and YA writers.

Also, you can still join in on the fun and inspiring class, Let Me Tell You a Story: Personal Essays for Beginners (starts today!), and don't miss out on Vampires Optional: Writing Young Adult Fiction (starts tomorrow!), plus many more classes starting in April, May and June. Our current course list is below.

Happy writing!

Marcia & Angela

Marcia & Angela
Classroom Managers
WOW! Classes & Workshops

classroom@wow-womenonwriting.com

Why You Shouldn't Write About Facebook

By Margo L. Dill

Recently in my critique group, we told a writer who is penning a YA contemporary fantasy novel to change her iPod reference to MP3 player. She immediately balked and said, "Ew, gross, no one calls them MP3 players."

She was right; but after she finished complaining, we explained how when teens are reading her book in ten or twenty years, mentioning the character's iPod can completely date the novel and put the reader back in 2012. What if iPods are like 8-track tapes in 2022? What if there's a different popular brand for MP3 players? It's an easy fix--to take out the brand name and change it. She eventually decided to say listening to music on his phone.

If you are writing a contemporary middle-grade or young adult novel, you're probably patting yourself on the back for all the references you're able to make to the things that are "cool" to preteens and teens--Facebook, Twitter, iPads, ichat, and more. But what you are actually doing is dating your manuscript, and you want to avoid this if possible.

Sure, if you're writing a contemporary story, your character either needs a cell phone or an explanation of why she doesn't have one. If your character needs directions or has a research project, he's going to use the Internet to find information. These are the types of "dating" you aren't going to avoid--if you did, your story would be unrealistic.

However, does your character really have to get on Facebook to write on someone's wall? Couldn't he or she send an e-mail instead or go to an unnamed social networking site and do the same task?

Here's a great example. For a few years, everyone was talking about MySpace. No one even knew what Facebook was--only college kids were using it. Do you hear anyone even talk about MySpace now? So all those young adult and middle-grade authors who wrote about MySpace have completely dated their stories. It's hard to think of those books as taking place in present day because the characters are using MySpace and not Facebook. See what I mean?

So what can you do? Go through your manuscript and highlight anywhere you've actually named--a brand name or proper name--a popular teen tool or gadget. Now try to replace the brand name with the common noun. Look at these substitutions:

Facebook: use social networking site

Twitter: use social networking site

iChat: use chat

iPod: use MP3 player or music player

Smartphone: use cell phone or phone

Skype: use video chat

Tom Tom: use GPS

You get the picture. It might seem silly, but do an experiment. Find a book that is supposed to be set in the present day that has a copyright in the early 90s. Did the author do a good job of not dating her manuscript and this story could still take place today OR will this forever be set in the 90s?

For once, it's not popular to mention Facebook or Twitter. For once, it's okay to be vague. How fun is that!

Advanced Class: Writing a Middle-Grade Novel Part 2

Instructor: Margo L. Dill

Workshop Length: 8 Weeks
Price: $250*
Start Date: April 4, 2012
Limit 10 Students

Course Description: There is no prerequisite for this class--if you took Margo's middle-grade writing course part 1, then great, you are all set. If not and you have a middle-grade novel already started or you have an entire rough draft that you want to revise, this class is for you. This is a course for people who have already completed the pre-writing exercises, have started their novels, and are ready to tackle and complete their manuscripts for submission. You should at least have the first three chapters of a middle-grade novel written to take this course.

In Writing a Middle-Grade Novel Part 2, we will focus on point of view, dialogue, overuse of descriptive words/repeated words, pacing, chapter endings, show vs. tell, and any other "writing problem" that seems to be bothering the class as a whole. At the beginning of this course, Margo will read a sample of your writing and create a list of common problems to tackle among classmates, besides the ones listed above. You will receive critiques on your writing from Margo and at least one other classmate, which means you will also be reading and critiquing other students. When you are finished with this class, you should be at least half-way through a middle-grade novel if not completely finished, depending on the length and how quickly you write.

The last week of class will answer the question, "What do I do next (when I finish writing this novel)?"

*Price also includes six professional critiques of different sections of your novel by the instructor (approximately 18,000 words--the critiques alone are valued at over $250).

Visit the Classroom Page for a complete listing and what you'll be learning week by week.

About the Instructor: Margo L. Dill has a historical middle-grade novel, Finding My Place, under contract with White Mane Kids due out in 2012. She has two picture books under contract, one with High Hill press and one with Guardian Angel Publishing, and is anxiously awaiting the illustrations! She also works as a contributing editor and columnist for WOW! Women On Writing, a book reviewer for The News-Gazette, and the memoir editor at High Hill press. She runs a blog about children's books and how to use them for parents, teachers, and librarians at www.margodill.com/blog/. She has also had several pieces published in children's magazines. Margo runs her own editing business, Editor 911, where she often edits middle grade novels for fellow children's writers.

Upcoming Classes & Workshops

Click here to see all of our upcoming workshops

Writer's Digest 101 Best Websites for Writers 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011