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taylora's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
Great book on writing craft, specifically for a YA audience. Ally Carter was really through and thoughtful, but also loved all of the opinions and information from other YA authors. Made it feel less like one person's advice and hearing from a whole round table of authors.
dholdy's review against another edition
4.0
A MUST READ if you’re an aspiring writer. It’s targeting teens writing fiction but I found it very helpful as an adult writing nonfiction.
daniisafangirl's review against another edition
5.0
This was excellent. Super informative & helpful. I have in the back of my mind an idea to write a book & if I ever sit down to write it, this will be super helpful. I've also found some new authors I want to start reading from. :D
tabby2920's review against another edition
5.0
For a best-selling author, Ally Carter must receive a lot of questions from her young readers about the writing process. What better way than to put them in a book! What I loved about this book is that it is not some generic reference book where it dictates what you should of shouldn't do. Ally Carter talks seriously to her readers and always makes clear that If they choose to pursue a writing career, their choices and the process will be up to them. She adds her own personal touch by placing her own personal experiences, including inspirational statements from her best-selling writer friends. This is a perfect book for anyone who is thinking about writing professionally.
wanderonwards's review against another edition
4.0
Overall, this was a great book on writing that fills a niche for teen writers.
I loved the interviews with other YA authors and completely agree with one of Ally’s main points: the book writing process is unique to the individual. What works for one writer doesn’t always work for another, and you will only discover what does and doesn’t work for you by writing. Through the author interviews and the questions Ally answered, I think this was clearly shown and each author’s unique writing process was approached with respect. Face it, some writers do best with a detailed outline and others do best with only the major plot points (as two examples). Neither approach is inherently wrong, but one approach might be wrong for a specific individual. One of my favorite author comparisons in Dear Ally was the word count chart, listing each author’s word counts for their shortest & longest books. This was fascinating!
I think this book does two major things: it helps inspire teens to be excited about writing and it clearly illustrates how writing is a passion and how publishing is a business. However, I think it falls into more of a writing FAQ book and less of a writing craft/how-to book, especially since some sections lacked sufficient detail (for instance, the whole 24 pages spent on “Editing Your Book” without once describing the different types of editing or how to identify which one your manuscript needs, but more on that below).
Before I explain why I couldn’t rate this book 5 stars, I have a couple of general comments:
1. I think it would have been a good idea to list helpful writing resources in the back, like the writing software Ally recommended throughout the book, or other books on writing for teens to check out.
2. For teen writers going to college, Ally mentioned choosing ‘either/or’ for college majors: either choosing a writing major or choosing a major for a job you’re interested in (usually one that a requires a degree). But, you can choose both: either through a double major or a double degree (which I chose to do). Both options require different levels of extra work that may not be feasible for you, but I would highly recommend seeing if you can fit it in. I definitely received more out of both of my degrees because I could directly apply what I was learning in one to the other. If a double degree or double major isn’t for you, try fitting writing in as a minor.
3. I also quickly got tired of the same 1-2 sentence book plugs throughout the book. I understand Ally's desire to promote her own work, but some variety in the descriptions would have been nice - especially since some of her advice was to give the reader some credit.
4. Besides inspiring teens to continue writing, this book is intended for teens wishing to traditionally publish and Ally gave the impression (hopefully accidentally) that by choosing to self-publish, your manuscript isn’t ‘good enough’ to be traditionally published. While that certainly is the case in some self-published works, there are so many factors that go into making that decision that quality of work may not be the reason. I would highly recommend watching The Courtney Project’s recent video on several self-publishing misconceptions (find it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTbP2pepgOA).
Now, while I did enjoy reading Dear Ally, there is one major issue I had that meant I couldn’t rate it 5 stars: how she approached the editing process. Personally, as a writer and freelance editor who has read a lot of writing advice books, I feel I can speak with authority on my writing process as well as general editing and writing advice.
One of the questions included in Dear Ally was “Do I need a professional editor, or is it okay if my mom’s friend edits my book?” and I don’t think Ally’s answer was close to sufficient. As a traditionally published author, she knows she will eventually have an editor look over her work. But, how do teen writers (or any writers in general) edit their manuscripts to a level that will catch the eye of an agent?
I don’t think she really answered the question, other than explaining: “And, ultimately, it doesn’t matter who is giving you notes on your book. What counts is knowing which notes to use and which notes to ignore and then figuring out a way for your book to be as good as it can possibly be (pages 199-200).” Since I don’t think she described how to do this, and to prevent possible misinformation, I will try to fill in some of the gaps here. Of course I also recommend doing your own research, but it’s much easier when you know what to look for (but, please note: this isn’t meant to be comprehensive and I currently don’t write with the goal of publication - I write because it’s my passion and I personally want my work to be the best quality I can achieve).
First off, there is nothing wrong with having friends or family read your manuscript, but be aware that they might not know how to give constructive feedback. Many friends and family members want to support you & might not want to point out issues they come across, so try to find people you respect who will offer their honest opinions. Many writers choose one or two close friends or family members to be their alpha readers - the first set of eyes to see your manuscript other than your own.
Next, consider finding a critique partner - someone who is invested in writing to the same extent you are and will be able to offer valuable feedback. Usually this is another writer in the same genre you are writing in who has an understanding of writing craft (ie. plot and subplots, character arcs, novel structure, genre tropes, etc.) and who will be able to offer detailed feedback and help you when you get stuck. Generally, critique partners will exchange sections of each other’s manuscripts so both parties receive feedback. You can find critique partners in your local writers’ group(s), through Goodreads forums, Facebook groups, & through NaNoWriMo’s forums.
After adding in any alpha reader & critique partner comments, it’s generally a good time to look for beta readers to help with fine-tuning your story. Beta readers look for what works and what doesn’t work in your manuscript on a big-picture scale and are usually guided by specific questions you send them. There are a lot of questions you can ask beta readers, and a lot of resources online about finding, vetting, and using beta readers.
So, do you have to have all these different types of readers? Not necessarily, but it’s hard to determine what you do or don’t need if you’re not aware of them in the first place.
Finally, what types of editing are there, and how do you know which type(s) your manuscript needs? First of all, your manuscript will inevitably need at least one type of editing and you should work big picture (story-level issues) to small picture (paragraph or sentence level issues). Ally does offer some common writing advice of letting your manuscript sit untouched for a bit (length of time varies) before reading through from start to finish and noting places that need fixing. This gives you time to take a break and return to your manuscript with a fresh set of eyes, allowing you to catch mistakes you might otherwise have missed (although, even with this technique you will probably miss some errors, which is why having a critique partner and beta readers are so valuable).
1. Developmental editing is the big picture analysis on what is or isn’t working for your story and focuses on plot, character, themes, etc.
2. Line editing polishes your writing at the sentence and paragraph level and focuses on how you use language to convey your story to the reader, fixing things such as awkward phrasing, overused words, and run-on sentences.
3. Copyediting fixes technical mistakes, such as with grammar, and improves style.
4. Proofreading is the last pass before publication to catch any residual cosmetic errors, including formatting mistakes.
Basically, when you sit down to edit your manuscript, don’t start with a copyedit when you still have major plot holes to fix - you’ll end up just spending double the effort on a scene you may have to cut or completely rework. If you are planning to traditionally publish, you most likely won’t need a professional editor because one will be provided through your publisher. However, if you are planning to self-publish, you will need to have your manuscript professionally edited to catch mistakes you might have made. If you truly can’t afford a professional editor, do the best you can with free or low cost resources and then do your research and talk with professional editors (make sure they are both a legitimate business and qualified to do the type of editing you are seeking) to see what they would recommend.
Once again, this information was by no way supposed to be comprehensive, but I hope it helps writers (especially teens) who see this review and whose questions may not have been answered in Dear Ally.
I loved the interviews with other YA authors and completely agree with one of Ally’s main points: the book writing process is unique to the individual. What works for one writer doesn’t always work for another, and you will only discover what does and doesn’t work for you by writing. Through the author interviews and the questions Ally answered, I think this was clearly shown and each author’s unique writing process was approached with respect. Face it, some writers do best with a detailed outline and others do best with only the major plot points (as two examples). Neither approach is inherently wrong, but one approach might be wrong for a specific individual. One of my favorite author comparisons in Dear Ally was the word count chart, listing each author’s word counts for their shortest & longest books. This was fascinating!
I think this book does two major things: it helps inspire teens to be excited about writing and it clearly illustrates how writing is a passion and how publishing is a business. However, I think it falls into more of a writing FAQ book and less of a writing craft/how-to book, especially since some sections lacked sufficient detail (for instance, the whole 24 pages spent on “Editing Your Book” without once describing the different types of editing or how to identify which one your manuscript needs, but more on that below).
Before I explain why I couldn’t rate this book 5 stars, I have a couple of general comments:
1. I think it would have been a good idea to list helpful writing resources in the back, like the writing software Ally recommended throughout the book, or other books on writing for teens to check out.
2. For teen writers going to college, Ally mentioned choosing ‘either/or’ for college majors: either choosing a writing major or choosing a major for a job you’re interested in (usually one that a requires a degree). But, you can choose both: either through a double major or a double degree (which I chose to do). Both options require different levels of extra work that may not be feasible for you, but I would highly recommend seeing if you can fit it in. I definitely received more out of both of my degrees because I could directly apply what I was learning in one to the other. If a double degree or double major isn’t for you, try fitting writing in as a minor.
3. I also quickly got tired of the same 1-2 sentence book plugs throughout the book. I understand Ally's desire to promote her own work, but some variety in the descriptions would have been nice - especially since some of her advice was to give the reader some credit.
4. Besides inspiring teens to continue writing, this book is intended for teens wishing to traditionally publish and Ally gave the impression (hopefully accidentally) that by choosing to self-publish, your manuscript isn’t ‘good enough’ to be traditionally published. While that certainly is the case in some self-published works, there are so many factors that go into making that decision that quality of work may not be the reason. I would highly recommend watching The Courtney Project’s recent video on several self-publishing misconceptions (find it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTbP2pepgOA).
Now, while I did enjoy reading Dear Ally, there is one major issue I had that meant I couldn’t rate it 5 stars: how she approached the editing process. Personally, as a writer and freelance editor who has read a lot of writing advice books, I feel I can speak with authority on my writing process as well as general editing and writing advice.
One of the questions included in Dear Ally was “Do I need a professional editor, or is it okay if my mom’s friend edits my book?” and I don’t think Ally’s answer was close to sufficient. As a traditionally published author, she knows she will eventually have an editor look over her work. But, how do teen writers (or any writers in general) edit their manuscripts to a level that will catch the eye of an agent?
I don’t think she really answered the question, other than explaining: “And, ultimately, it doesn’t matter who is giving you notes on your book. What counts is knowing which notes to use and which notes to ignore and then figuring out a way for your book to be as good as it can possibly be (pages 199-200).” Since I don’t think she described how to do this, and to prevent possible misinformation, I will try to fill in some of the gaps here. Of course I also recommend doing your own research, but it’s much easier when you know what to look for (but, please note: this isn’t meant to be comprehensive and I currently don’t write with the goal of publication - I write because it’s my passion and I personally want my work to be the best quality I can achieve).
First off, there is nothing wrong with having friends or family read your manuscript, but be aware that they might not know how to give constructive feedback. Many friends and family members want to support you & might not want to point out issues they come across, so try to find people you respect who will offer their honest opinions. Many writers choose one or two close friends or family members to be their alpha readers - the first set of eyes to see your manuscript other than your own.
Next, consider finding a critique partner - someone who is invested in writing to the same extent you are and will be able to offer valuable feedback. Usually this is another writer in the same genre you are writing in who has an understanding of writing craft (ie. plot and subplots, character arcs, novel structure, genre tropes, etc.) and who will be able to offer detailed feedback and help you when you get stuck. Generally, critique partners will exchange sections of each other’s manuscripts so both parties receive feedback. You can find critique partners in your local writers’ group(s), through Goodreads forums, Facebook groups, & through NaNoWriMo’s forums.
After adding in any alpha reader & critique partner comments, it’s generally a good time to look for beta readers to help with fine-tuning your story. Beta readers look for what works and what doesn’t work in your manuscript on a big-picture scale and are usually guided by specific questions you send them. There are a lot of questions you can ask beta readers, and a lot of resources online about finding, vetting, and using beta readers.
So, do you have to have all these different types of readers? Not necessarily, but it’s hard to determine what you do or don’t need if you’re not aware of them in the first place.
Finally, what types of editing are there, and how do you know which type(s) your manuscript needs? First of all, your manuscript will inevitably need at least one type of editing and you should work big picture (story-level issues) to small picture (paragraph or sentence level issues). Ally does offer some common writing advice of letting your manuscript sit untouched for a bit (length of time varies) before reading through from start to finish and noting places that need fixing. This gives you time to take a break and return to your manuscript with a fresh set of eyes, allowing you to catch mistakes you might otherwise have missed (although, even with this technique you will probably miss some errors, which is why having a critique partner and beta readers are so valuable).
1. Developmental editing is the big picture analysis on what is or isn’t working for your story and focuses on plot, character, themes, etc.
2. Line editing polishes your writing at the sentence and paragraph level and focuses on how you use language to convey your story to the reader, fixing things such as awkward phrasing, overused words, and run-on sentences.
3. Copyediting fixes technical mistakes, such as with grammar, and improves style.
4. Proofreading is the last pass before publication to catch any residual cosmetic errors, including formatting mistakes.
Basically, when you sit down to edit your manuscript, don’t start with a copyedit when you still have major plot holes to fix - you’ll end up just spending double the effort on a scene you may have to cut or completely rework. If you are planning to traditionally publish, you most likely won’t need a professional editor because one will be provided through your publisher. However, if you are planning to self-publish, you will need to have your manuscript professionally edited to catch mistakes you might have made. If you truly can’t afford a professional editor, do the best you can with free or low cost resources and then do your research and talk with professional editors (make sure they are both a legitimate business and qualified to do the type of editing you are seeking) to see what they would recommend.
Once again, this information was by no way supposed to be comprehensive, but I hope it helps writers (especially teens) who see this review and whose questions may not have been answered in Dear Ally.
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