Dear Ally, How Do You Write a Book?

by Ally Carter

Overview

From bestselling author Ally Carter, the definitive guide to writing a novel for the NaNoRiMo generation, including helpful tips from other YA stars.

Have you always wanted to write a book, but don't know where to start? Or maybe you're really great at writing the first few chapters . . . but you never quite make it to the end? Or do you finally have a finished manuscript, but you're not sure what to do next? Fear not -- if you have writing-related questions, this book has answers! Whether you're writing for fun or to build a career, bestselling author Ally Carter is ready to help you make your work shine. With honesty, encouragement, and humor, Ally's ready here to answer the questions that writers struggle with the most.Filled with practical tips and helpful advice, Dear Ally is a treasure for aspiring writers at any stage of their careers. It offers a behind-the-scenes look at how books get made, from idea to publication, and gives you insight into the writing processes of some of the biggest and most talented YA authors writing today.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781338212280
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	03/26/2019
Sold by:	Scholastic, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Pages:	336
File size:	26 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

About the Author

Ally Carter is the New York Times bestselling author of the Gallagher Girls, Heist Society, and Embassy Row series. Not If I Save You First is her first stand-alone novel. Her books have been published all over the world, in over 20 languages. She grew up on a farm in Oklahoma and has never caused an international incident (to her knowledge). You can visit her online at allycarter.com.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Introduction 1

Chapter 2 Getting Ready 16

Chapter 3 Planning Your Book 29

Chapter 4 Building Your World 55

Chapter 5 Creating Your Characters 67

Chapter 6 Developing Your Plot 95

Chapter 7 Finding Your Process 121

Chapter 8 Starting Your First Draft 146

Chapter 9 Editing Your Book 183

Chapter 10 Beating Your Writer's Block 207

Chapter 11 Writing Your Series 226

Chapter 12 Publishing Your Book 242

Chapter 13 Planning Your Future 294

Editorial Reviews

Praise for Not If I Save You First:* "A fun thriller with equal parts action and angst . . . Gripping and smart, this book will appeal to readers looking for a thrill-ride with some darker twists." — Booklist"Maddie's grit, humor, and cleverness make her an engaging action hero . . . Fans of survivalist fiction will be impressed by the well-researched, immersive Alaskan landscape and all its beauty and brutality. A tightly plotted thriller helmed by a firecracker that never loses her spark." — Kirkus Reviews"A tense romantic thriller . . . The characters are dynamic and engaging . . . the fast-paced thrills will keep readers up late." — Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher

03/01/2019

Gr 7 Up—Carter and a host of popular young adult authors answer young people's questions about how to write, edit, publish, and promote a book. These varying perspectives offer practical advice from how to create diversity in characters without stereotyping or appropriating to how to write professionally. While Carter answers the bulk of the questions from her own experience, the guests' contributions offer a balanced approach and ensure multiple viewpoints from this field. For instance, David Levithan shares his perspective on writing characters who are unlike himself, Zoraida Cordova writes about how her world-building informs her characters' development, and Marie Lu shares the secrets to creating multidimensional villains. While the structure is logical and organized, there are some issues with clarity. Carter's sections differ from her guest's by a slight change in font, making it unclear at times who is answering the question. Aside from that, however, this book is an informative, conversational, and varied introduction to the world of writing. VERDICT Young writers will devour this fun and engaging guide to the creative process.—Leighanne Law, Scriber Lake High School, WA

School Library Journal

2018-12-09

A nonfiction how-to guide for teen writers by popular YA author Carter (Not If I Save You First, 2018, etc.).

Presented in an accessible question-and-answer format, Carter walks young readers comprehensibly and comprehensively through the steps of writing a novel, beginning with planning, worldbuilding, characters, and plot and ending with editing and a wholly realistic look at publishing. Breezy and honest, she encourages her audience to focus on the joy of writing, not the potential monetary rewards, and stresses repeatedly that there are many different ways to approach a story: "You have one job, and that's to find the process that works for you." Along the way, she addresses questions to and gathers data from a diverse crew of 30 established YA authors, among them Z Brewer, David Levithan, Soman Chainani, Melissa de la Cruz, Julie Murphy, and Jay Coles. Several pages are devoted to the timely and important question of writing characters who are different from oneself, whether in gender, ethnicity or other ways. Unfortunately, the section on story structure presents the classic Western three-act narrative as universal, a disservice to aspiring writers who may wish to explore forms from other cultural traditions. Entertaining and informative charts showing answers from her guest contributors reinforce the myriad ways there are to succeed as a writer.

Written in a friendly style, this guide contains plenty of information and encouragement; fledging writers are well-served. (table of contents, contributor biographies, glossary) (Nonfiction. 12-18)

Kirkus Reviews