Being a kid can be difficult, right? It's hard for 16 year olds to get taken seriously; it's even harder for younger kids to get someone to so much as blink and say 'Oh, how cute.' I'm not talking about agents or editors -- they're actually not judgmental in the least (Just look at Kody Keplinger) -- I'm talking about a lot of older writers. I suppose in a way, I can't blame them. I mean, I can see how trusting someone half your age with something as personal as your writing could be daunting.
However, that does make websites that focus for teens so valuable. Places like Inkpop.com (Yeah, yeah, someday I'll shut up about it someday) are great for that. I have twice the confidence I had before the end of March. (Because, yeah, that's just what every 16 year old needs -- an ego.)
But sometimes, the competitive edge to places like inkpop swallows everything else. Don't get me wrong, I love the site, but it does get so desperate to reach the Top Five that sometimes, the basic rule of 'I'd like to improve' gets thrown to the side.
That's why I like this website. It's just barely starting out, but I think it has amazing, amazing potential.
3 comments:
I know the feeling, when I tend to tell people I'm 21 they usually do a double take. The important thing is you show them that yeah you might be young, but you can tell one heck of a story!
I'm working on some YA stuff right now, so if you're ever interested in Beta Reading/Swapping for critiques let me know. Here's my email: stribble13@yahoo.com
Thanks for mentioning our site! You've been a great at helping us make it work for serious and talented writers like you. It's the feedback we've gotten from teens that have shaped it and continue to shape it into something that will work for them.
All I'm saying is I better get a thank you when you publish a book ;)
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