Zombies Don't Guest Blog

The Top-5 Things
Writing About Zombies Has Taught Me
About Writing YA
By Rusty Fischer, author of Detention of the Living Dead

I always love it when a new book comes out because I get to take all I’ve done in the past year and start blogging about it for guest posts! So, this time around, I wanted to apply what I’ve learned while writing about zombies to what I’ve learned about writing YA. And the weird thing is, they’re surprisingly similar.

So here is my guest post on The Top-5 Things Writing About Zombies Has Taught Me About Writing YA:

The First Thing Zombie Writing Has Taught Me About Writing YA:
Watch Your World

When you write about zombies, you have to be very careful with the world you’re building. I learned this the hard way after my debut YA novel, Zombies Don’t Cry, came out and I got dinged by a few reviewers for my zombie science. To me, it was simple: lightning strikes teenager, teenager becomes zombie, hilarity ensues.

Well, for a lot of people, they wanted more; much more. As in: How, exactly, did lightning make her a zombie? What kind of zombie is she? Why can she talk? Etc.

So whether you’re writing about zombies, vampires, werewolves, faeries, kingdoms, dragons or just your normal, everyday, non-monster teenager, watch your world. Know what color your main character’s best friend’s hair is. It sounds silly, but how many times has an editor popped me by saying, “Rusty, last chapter she had red pigtails, now she has raven black long hair. Which is it?”

The more you know your world, the more real your characters become for you and your readers.

The Second Thing Zombie Writing Has Taught Me About Writing YA:
The Story is the Thing

I love writing about zombies. I love writing YA. So it’s only natural I’d love writing about YA zombies. But there’s a point, I think, early on, where subconsciously you think, “Well, this is about zombies; that’s enough!” I mean, yes, every story has a plot but there is SO much more to writing a zombie book, a YA book or ANY book than just the hook of trying to write a zombie mash-up book or “Twilight for zombies” or whatever.

Writing in a really cool genre isn’t enough to pull off a really cool story. You have to start with the story and then, for me anyway, the genre has to come second. For me, zombies aren’t a genre anyway. They just happen to be what I write about. And young adults are the characters, the people, I most relate to so they’re who I write about.

But it’s really easy to get so caught up in a trend, or as in the case of zombies, a tidal wave and think, “Man, if I just make those vampires I was going to write about zombies instead, I can have this to a publisher by the end of the month…”

But if you’re really going to write about zombies, they’re not just interchangeable monsters you can swap out with, say, vampires or werewolves. They’re a different breed and you have to know and respect that breed. Just like YA; it’s not just “kids,” it’s a very specific, very sophisticated audience with certain rules and lingo and all the rest.

And above all, zombie lovers, YA readers and YA themselves, demand a good story. Something rich and alive with characters they care about and an arc they can follow and get invested in and feel a little sad about when it’s all over. That’s not just zombie or YA writing; that’s any writing.

That’s good writing…

The Third Thing Zombie Writing Has Taught Me About Writing YA:
Know Your Niche

So, I learned this one pretty fast: not all zombie books are alike. Did you know this? I did not. You see, when I set out reading YA zombie books, I read the first three I could get my hands on at the time, which would be: You Are So Undead to Me by Stacey Jay, Zombie Queen of Newbury High by Amada Ashby and Never Slow Dance with a Zombie by E. Van Lowe.

Now, if you’ve ever read any of these three books, you know they all are a very specific type of tongue in cheek, funny, zany, teenage drama type of zombie book, which fit perfectly with my sensibilities. So naturally, those were the types of books I was drawn to read and the type of book I initially wanted to write.

But… but… lots of zombie publishers, readers, reviewers, agents, bloggers, fans and so on like another type of zombie book; a gorier, straight-up dystopian end-of-the-world Walking Dead type book. And they’re quick to let you know it, too!

I never thought “cute” would be a derogatory term, but it is to certain reviewers when they come upon a certain zombie book about a certain sentient zombie who can, you know, drive and go to school and wear berets to cover up the lightning scar on the top of her head.

So, yeah, it’s not your job to write solely for reviewers but if you don’t want to be shocked when/if you get slammed for your very specific type of writing, know what you’re writing going in. Know your niche, live it, breathe it, inhabit it.

Know if it’s gory or cute, funny or clever, dark or lighthearted, and own it. Don’t just know your niche, but own it. Me? I’ve kind of settled into this place where a lot of people describe my books as “B-movies in print.” Now, a lot of serious writers might get ruffled feathers to be described that way, but I love it. Why? Because that’s exactly what I’m going for.

Confidence is a really underrated writing skill that is constantly ebbing and flowing. The more you know and own your niche, the more confidently you’ll write in it.

The Fourth Thing Zombie Writing Has Taught Me About Writing YA:
Know Your Publishers

You would think it’d be easy for a zombie writer to approach a zombie publisher and get… zombie published. I mean, you publish zombie books, I write zombie books, let’s get together, yeah, yeah, yeah.

But for every zombie publisher, there is a personality. Some really, really like gore; some like no gore. Some won’t touch YA; some won’t touch certain types of YA. Some like “Romero” zombies, some “28 Days Later” zombies, lots don’t like “sentient” zombies; the list goes on and on.

Now more than ever, publishers seem to be getting really, really particular about their brand. Particularly zombie publishers. I’ve had a lot of publishers send out really nice rejections that say things like, “You know, we know this would sell well and it’s ‘hot’ right now, but it’s just too violent for our current line…” Or not violent enough. Or too funny, or not funny enough, etc.

Of course, I’m no fan of rejection but this process has really taught me to fine-tune and tailor my submissions much more personally than I have in the past. I’ll really get to know a publisher (or agent) before submitting now. I’ll follow them on Twitter, “friend” them on Facebook, subscribe to their blog, etc., just to get the drop on what kinds of books they put out, how often, how they promote them, where they promote them, etc.

Knowing as much as you can about a publisher before you submit isn’t cutting edge news, but now more than ever it’s a prerequisite for getting published, be it in zombies, YA or gardening books.

The Fifth Thing Zombie Writing Has Taught Me About Writing YA:
Zombies — and Kids — Just Want to Have Fun

Probably the most important thing writing about zombies has taught me about writing YA is to have fun. Yes, I said zombies, YA and “fun” in the same sentence. I’m not even saying to have slapstick, wearing a clown nose fun (unless that’s your thing), but if you’re writing at all, it should be fun.

If you’re writing about what you love, it should be fun. If you’re writing a 60,000-word YA zombie novel on deadline, it should still be fun. You have to have fun with your writing, no matter what you’re writing about.

Am I saying every day is going to be daisies, wine coolers and lollipops? Heck no. But even so, the idea you’re working on should be fun, crafting a really clever line of dialogue should be fun, capping off another chapter should be fun and writing “the end” at the bottom of the last page should be fun.

Because you know why? When you’re having fun, when you’re really enjoying the genre you write in, the characters you write about, the world you’ve built and the story you’ve decided to write, your readers will have fun as well.

~~~

So there you have it; a few years into this whole YA zombie paranormal genre writing scene and I hope I’ve learned a little more than a lot. I’ve tried to share just a glimpse of what I’ve learned in this guest post, and I hope it helps you no matter what genre you write in! I’d love to hear what you’ve learned on your own writing journey. As always, comment boxes are open below…

PS: And thanks, Vicki, for letting me stop by and bend your readers’ ears for a little bit. I hope I’ve helped!!!

Yours in YA,

Rusty

About the Author

Rusty Fischer is the author of Zombies Don’t Cry, as well as several other popular zombie books, including Panty Raid at Zombie High, Detention of the Living Dead and the Reanimated Readz series of 99-cent living dead shorts.

Rusty runs the popular website Zombies Don’t Blog. There you can read more about Rusty’s work, view his upcoming book covers and read – or download – completely FREE books & stories about… zombies!

You can also check out my reviews of Detention of the Living Dead, Ushers, INC., Vamplayers, and Zombies Don't Cry here at The Wolf's Den. And a HUGE thanks to Rusty!

Books...In...Space...

You might want to hit the More Info button for a neat link...

As part of his April 14th publication, Kevin McGill built a high altitude balloon system equipped with an HD GoPro camera, and a mount for the book. He sent it 100,000 feet up, which is considered near space. The near space area is between 65,000 and 350,000 feet.

Kevin explains:

"I wanted to show teens where a book could truly take them.
See, in the near future, fourteen-year-old hero, Nikolas, discovers that our moon is the cradle of all magical civilization. In order to travel there, Nikolas and company have to launch and ride a shuttle to Moon. When they read, they can go 100,000 feet above the Earth's surface, and more!"

Pretty cool, huh?

And besides giving us stunning visuals and a great adventure, Kevin is also offering a free Kindle Fire as the prize for the person who can correctly (or closely) guess the distance between the launch site and the landing site (not including the height of the tree).

Click HERE to enter.
But hurry—the contest ends this Saturday, May 5th!

But here's what all the fuss is really about:

~The Merman and The Moon Forgotten~
Nikolas & Company
Book 1
By Kevin McGill
Amazon

Nick lives in a time when one can extend their life indefinitely through cerebral downloads, zip from country to country in hovercars, and have every whim taken care of by the ever faithful nannydrones.

Nick hates it.

Aside from the refugee camps, overpopulation, and unchecked consumerism filling every city across the globe, Nick just doesn’t belong. That is when he hears the voice of a woman:

“The Rones lie about their true intent. They enter the city of Huron at the peril of us all.”

Shortly after, his slightly crazed grandfather reveals to him:

“All you’ve ever heard about the Moon is a lie, my dear Nikolas. He was not always a mere satellite, a ghost wandering the stars. In an age before our own, Moon was our twin, and in him bore the whole of magical life. The cradle of this magical civilization was a fantastic metropolis filled with fire-breathing winged lions, volcano-born nymphs, automaton-legged mermaids, and so much magic you can smell it. We called this city Huron, and you, Nikolas, are her steward.”

Meanwhile on the moon, the senior stagecoach driver Yeri Willrow thought he was performing a simple drive and drop for his mysterious passengers, until they are attacked by foul-breath red-eyed creatures. He soon learns that his passengers are a family of automaton-legged merfolk, and he is their only hope. Yeri suddenly finds himself tasked with saving the merfolk or they will fall to the peril of the creature most foul.

---

Oh, and just in case you were wondering, you should have read this post's title like this beloved Muppet Show intro:

Ah, the good old days...

Am I A Bad Person?

The other day, as I was perusing my regular list of blogs, I came across one that made me take a step back.

On Rachelle Gardner's blog, she posted a plea made by guest blogger, Marcus Brotherton. A hardcover a month, that’s all we ask. Essentially, he's asking for writers, readers, anyone interested in books or the publishing industry at all, to help the industry and spend $20 a month on books.

At first glance, I was completely on board. Sure! Anything I can do to help! We writerly people have got to stick together!

But then, I realized that I regularly go months without buying books. The majority of my reading comes from the library, where I can get just about any book if I'm willing to wait a couple weeks/months (depending on popularity and supply).

As much as I love books, that $20 a month is a problem for me. Being unemployed is a matter of making sure you get what you need. I've gotten to the point now that I have to double and triple-check every book I pick up to see if I'm really interested in it, or if I can live with checking the library.

And even the books I do talk myself into buying are usually pre-owned or discounted with coupons. A majority come from Goodwill or Used Bookstores, such that I'm not even sure their sales would make a difference in the publishing industry.

So, I'm asking...does this make me a bad person? What do you think about utilizing the free (or cheaper) resources versus helping the industry?

Remember When Books Were Short?

No, I don't mean short in length, I mean short in size! I know I've made small mentions about this before, but I've decided it's about time I take a stand and get some more opinions on it. I mean, I'd like to be published eventually, and I guess if anyone knows more about it than I, I'd love to be filled in.

Anyway, I'll present my own problems and thoughts, then I'll open it up for replies and other opinions.

So, a couple weeks ago I was walking through my local Powell's when I happened upon an amazing deal. A used copy of Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder. Now, if you've seen this at any used bookstores, or perhaps, if you Google it, you'll notice that it's been reprinted a few different times:

There are a few more covers out there (possibly from different countries), but these three were the ones I saw at the store.

Now, I'm not usually a cover snob (except, of course, in terms of damage), but of these three, I'd probably normally veer toward the third. However, the deal was specifically on the first: it was used (and still in great shape) for only $3.50! And with all the positive reviews I've been reading, I knew I couldn't pass it up.

Yet, I wavered. I put it back and walked away. It gnawed at me. I returned and picked it up again. I bit my lip, chewed my nails, shifted my weight back and forth, and stood there for a good five minutes before finally gripping it and taking it up to the counter.

Why? No, it wasn't low funds (I had a gift card). No, I didn't have doubts that I would enjoy it. No, I was sure I didn't already own it... It was the fact that it was printed a while ago (possibly a first printing) and the second and third books were not in the same format.

Okay, call it anal retentiveness, call it OCD, call it gooberocity (okay, maybe not), but I prefer my series to be all in the same format. If one book is Mass-Market, I'd like the rest of the books to match. If one book is Trade-Paperback I'd like the rest to be, too.

Given my preference, I'd take Mass-Market anytime (which is good, since that's what the first cover is). Firstly, I own more books in this format, so it 'fits' better on my shelves. Secondly, they cost less, so the deal-finder in me is naturally inclined to prefer them. Thirdly, they are more compact, thus are easier to carry around in a purse, or whatnot, without receiving damage.

Alright, I hear what you're probably saying... "So what's your problem? Just buy the Mass-Market edition and leave us alone."

Well, I would...except, have you seen bookstores recently? Have you looked at the YA section? I swear, 95% of the books there are Trade-Paper! And I have no idea why!

Is it the cover? Do these new designs require more space, ie larger covers? Is it simply the old adage that bigger is better? Is this a buying trend? Are the publishing companies money-hungry? Are bookstores requesting the larger printings because they're easier to see on the shelves?

Okay, hang on a second. Before you paint me as conspiratorial, let me give you a better illustration:

I happen to own two copies of Tamora Pierce's Trickster's Choice. Since she's a well-known and Bestselling Author, her books are now being released first in hardcover. This hardcover was in September 2003 and sells for $17.95.

Since I generally abstain from hardcover buying, I held out and got the Trade-Paperback on the left. It was released a year later, in September 2004, and sells for $8.95.

The copy on the right is the Mass-Market Paperback. It was released 4 years later, in 2008 by a subsidiary of the original publishing company and sells for $6.99. I chose to buy this version because I own all her other books in this format, and, as I explained before, I like things to match.

Do you see any difference between the two? Okay, there's a little more text on the smaller version ("The New York Times Bestselling Author"), but really there's absolutely no difference!

Let's take a look at the backs:

I know it's a bit small...but if you can read both descriptions...they're completely identical. The only extra text on the Trade-Paper are the acclaims, which have been included inside the Mass-Market.

Other differences include the barcode size (larger on the Mass-Market), the mirror of the cover image (ghosted background on the Trade-Paper, cut-out and bordered on the Mass-Market), and font colors (green highlights on the Mass-Market).

Inside, the books have the exact same page numbers (422). The maps are the same, and both even have the same preview of the sequel book. The Trade-Paper font is, of course, larger than the Mass-Market, but the smaller size isn't difficult to read. Especially for teenagers who, you would think, still have fairly healthy eyes/don't squint at small fonts.

So, which of these do you think I'm keeping? And which do you think you'd see on the shelves at bookstores?

Here's what I think might be going on... Bookstores/Publishing Companies probably prefer* the Trade-Papers for a few reasons:

1. They are essentially hardcovers re-bound in paperback, so are easier to continue printing.**
2. Larger books fill the shelves and are more eye-catching than smaller (especially for younger audiences).
3. It is perfectly reasonable to charge a higher price for a larger product (since material costs are higher***).
4. Some people may prefer this format.
5. Those who prefer the Mass-Markets might concede during the long wait.
6. Offering 3 separate formats will make more money from book fans/collectors.

Meanwhile, I prefer Mass-Markets for a few other reasons:

1. They are normally skinnier and so I can fit more on a shelf.
2. They are normally a uniform height**** and so allow for easy double-stacking in my bookcases.
3. They are compact and easily transportable in my purse or bag.
4. They are firmer and tend to resist flopping open and getting bent.
5. They cost less and so I can buy more.

As far as releasing Mass-Markets later than Trade-Papers, I don't mind a little bit of a wait...so long as I'm sure it will be released eventually. There are a few books I'd love to own, but if I buy them in Trade-Paper and then a month later (or even a year...or four) they're released in Mass-Market, I've just wasted money. But there's no way to know when or IF they're planning on Mass-Marketing a book...

So... What do you think? Do you have a preference one way or the other, or do you just buy whatever's available? Do you think this trend is here to stay, or will they eventually make the transition back to the smaller size? Should publishing trends change, or am I the one who should change?



*This is purely my own speculation—I don't have hard facts.
**I know that some 'Trade-Paper' books are merely softbound versions of hardcovers, but not all. I also do not know the specifics of printing costs. It merely seems logical that the less changes that have to be made, the less cost.
***Again, I do not know printing costs, so I don't actually know that it costs more to produce a Trade-Paper than a Mass-Market. Again, it seems logical that more paper and more ink per-book would cost more. Then again, perhaps they simply print less Trade-Papers than Mass-Markets so the ink/paper costs are equal...
****I currently own 20 Trade-Paperbacks and they come in 5 different heights...

Jumping The Gun

I think people are getting a little confused. Well, to be more precise, other people seem to be getting confused, then doing things to make ME confused.

If you haven't seen or heard about it already, I'm talking about Maggie Stiefvater's Linger, sequel to her other werewolf novel, Shiver. If you check Amazon or, really, any online retailer, they list the novel as being 'Available for Pre-Order' with the release date of 'July 20, 2010'. But it seems that someone decided to jump the gun, for if you walk into any Borders store it's sitting on the shelf, ready for purchase.

The 'official' release date has been moved up to the 13th, though I assume this applies mainly to online sellers. Maggie seems to be taking the news in stride, though I read somewhere that she had a release party and other publication-related events scheduled leading up to the 20th. Good for fans, not so good for publicity.

So, are the DO NOT OPEN UNTIL __ labels only for Harry Potter books? Are people simply misreading memos? Are these people being fired? Is this a huge problem for publishers/authors, or are fans simply getting an early treat? I know when movies are released a day (or two) early, there are major lawsuits involved—should book releases be treated any differently?

Should I just shut up and stop looking a gift horse in the mouth? What are your thoughts?

Coupon Addiction Or Disloyalty?

I just got an e-mail.

No, it's not from a friend or loved one.
No, it's not from Facebook or YouTube or Twitter.
No, it's not a reply from a job application (not even a rejection).
No, it's not spam (spam spam spam spammity spam wonderful spam!).

It's from Borders.
And it's a coupon.

Now, this isn't by any means a rare occurrence.
I usually receive a coupon from Borders once or twice a week.

See, I signed up for their free Borders Rewards card,
so I get e-mails with coupons
or events
or promotions
or new releases
at least once a week.

It's really nothing to get excited about.

Except, Borders tends to send out different coupons.

Usually, it's 25% off one item
(not including blah blah blah or blah).

Sometimes you get the occasional 30% off.
Maybe they'll have a week or two where it's 33% off.



But then...







Just when you least expect it...












40% OFF ANY ONE ITEM


And sure enough, I'm scrambling to figure out what I'm getting.

Doesn't matter that I'm unemployed and am low on funds.
Doesn't matter that I could wait and find it used for cheaper.
Doesn't matter that I'm probably buying something I don't need.

It's 40% off.
And it's for two days only.
(Actually, 99% of the time they extend the sale for 3 more days.)
(But what if they don't?!)


Hi everyone. My name is Vicki and I am obsessed with coupons.

Actually, I'm pretty much obsessed with sales in general.

I constantly scan the book section at Goodwill for books that I'm interested in; things I've seen on the shelves at Borders or Powell's. They sell paperbacks for $2, which, honestly, is a steal.

I also love looking around Jan's Paperbacks for good deals. They sell paperbacks for half the cover price plus a quarter ($.25), plus you can bring in some of your own books and get store credit. Finding an older copy of a book (back when they were all $4.99) can save you a lot of money.

Even when I was still in school, I'd order my books off Amazon rather than use the campus bookstore. Sure, you'd have to wait a little while and the condition wasn't always the greatest, but when you're in college every little bit counts. And sometimes having notes in the margins isn't a bad thing.

But recently I read a blog post by THE INTERN about being 'loyal' to the publishing industry.

A few years ago, INTERN read an essay (a rather irate essay, if INTERN recalls correctly) by an author who argued that nobody who doesn't buy new, hardback literary fiction at its full price should be allowed to write literary fiction (or at least, try to get it published). This author set the minimum new hardback purchase quota at something like twelve books per annum. Her reasoning was that authors and publishers of literary fiction rely on hardcover sales to make the whole kerfuffle worth kerfuffling, and that one is simply hypocritical (and a big meanie!) if one wants to see one's name in big letters on a hardcover book but, er, declines to buy them. [link]

Now, I own a total of ten hardcover books. Seven of those are Harry Potter, two others were gifts, and one was bought for IB English.

If you read my review of Bone Crossed, you'll remember my rant about being a Paperback Purist*. I find them bulky, not comfortable, and ultimately, more prone to wear than my paperbacks. ...Strange, eh?

I will admit, I baby my paperbacks quite diligently. I never crack the spines (and don't loan them out to anyone that does) and barring natural disasters (or torrential downpours) I keep them dry and clean.

With hardbacks (specifically my experience with the Harry Potters), I always remove the paper jacket so it doesn't get ripped, folded, or stained, leaving the (often ugly) covered cardboard exposed. The cardboard corners are rarely left unbent; the substance covering the cardboard (sometimes threadlike, sometimes paper-based) becomes stained and/or thins on the bottoms and corners, sometimes revealing the material underneath; in larger books the inner binding isn't always applied well, so the book starts to shift within its cover. Add in that these are only comfortable to hold while resting on a surface (table, bedcovers, armrest, stomach) because of their weight, and you've got an unattractive, bulky nuisance.

But let's say I did decide to change my buying habits and go completely hardcover... I still wouldn't buy at full-price.

As stated before, I shouldn't even be buying $2 books, let alone $24 ones! Don't get me wrong, I have authors I love (a healthy, distant love) and support wholeheartedly when I can. I simply can't get up the gumption to shell out $15 or more for a book when I know I can get a year from now for $6 (with coupon, or $2 if I strike gold at Goodwill). Even with required textbooks, why the heck would you spend $60 when you could get a decent used copy for $30?!

If you think about it, I could buy two paperbacks (with coupons) for the same price as one hardcover. So, if I'm buying twice as many books a year...isn't that better for the publishing industry? And if I review the books and/or recommend them to friends (or strangers) who have funds...isn't that even better?!

As far as, "if you aren't supporting the industry financially, you shouldn't be writing for it" all I can say is...shut the hell up.

You wouldn't tell an impoverished musician, "You can't buy CDs, so you can't sing." The same goes for writing. Just because someone has to rely on their library for all their literary needs, you can't tell them, "You aren't allowed to write."

Do I want to be published?
Hell yes.

Do I want to make money off of it?
Yeah, that would be nice.

Am I going to throw a tantrum if I ever see a copy of my book as 'discounted' or 'used'?
Heck no.
Just means someone else has a chance to read and enjoy it.

* Paperback Purist. I am totally coining that term!© Me!