It's A YA Thing...Try and Understand
So, I've had time to sleep on the whole miscoding thing. And I'm...still angry!
Wait...okay, first the sweet thoughts.
I HEART the YA community. This is a community of writers so supportive, so willing to circle the wagons around "one of their own," it's an awesome experience.
Two years ago, I discovered the Teen Lit Group. If it weren't for them I'd still be wandering the publishing desert in search of an agent. I'd still be dealing with ups and downs alone without cyber hugs and virtual chunky monkey ice cream.
More than a year ago, I discovered the Blue Board. If it weren't for that cozy nook, I'd be without a comprehensive resource tool to get insider info on different editors, publishing houses, processes or a place to talk about who I don't heart on American Idol.
When Borders miscoded So Not The Drama as African American, it didn't just inhibit my ability to reach my young readers (and that's HUGE) - it also distanced me from a place I call home, YA.
:: this is DRAMA waving to its peers from across the bookstore::
My book can be cateogrized a lot of things - juvenile, humor, social issues, teen lit, fiction, contemporary, soap lit. I don't care which one of those you pick as long as it remains a Young Adult!
A book that sits among the adult fiction titles will never be seen as YA to any adult who may consider So Not The Drama for their young reader. And it won't be SEEN at all by a young reader because, well, those crazy kids, wouldn't you know it, they roll right to their own section of the bookstore when they're looking for books.
Go figure!
What in the world will we do with kids today? They're just too smart for their own good, looking for YA in the YA section!
Geez!
Over the the last two years, I've given my fair share of advice to aspiring writers. One of them is - don't fret over categorizing your books, leave that to the industry. They'll get it right. They'll know what to call your book.
Man, do I have egg on my face.
This advice, apparently, does not apply to everyone...namely me.
Nonetheless, thanks everyone who has:
*Shouted out a kind word to me.
*Reminded me that despite this, it's a wonderful thing to have So Not The Drama on shelves (albeit in the wrong section).
*Vowed to secretly move the book to its rightful spot on the shelves (you go, rebel authors!).
* Felt my anger, confusion and bafflement
Thanks everyone who are:
* Purchasing/have purchased a copy
*Booktalking So Not The Drama and sharing it's tale.
* Educating booksellers where DRAMA isn't or is shelved as African American that the book is first and foremost a YA
* In the struggle alongside me and understand that no matter whether we're WWB (writing while black), we're YA writers first.
Most of all, thanks to people who understand that it's a YA thing!
Wait...okay, first the sweet thoughts.
I HEART the YA community. This is a community of writers so supportive, so willing to circle the wagons around "one of their own," it's an awesome experience.
Two years ago, I discovered the Teen Lit Group. If it weren't for them I'd still be wandering the publishing desert in search of an agent. I'd still be dealing with ups and downs alone without cyber hugs and virtual chunky monkey ice cream.
More than a year ago, I discovered the Blue Board. If it weren't for that cozy nook, I'd be without a comprehensive resource tool to get insider info on different editors, publishing houses, processes or a place to talk about who I don't heart on American Idol.
When Borders miscoded So Not The Drama as African American, it didn't just inhibit my ability to reach my young readers (and that's HUGE) - it also distanced me from a place I call home, YA.
:: this is DRAMA waving to its peers from across the bookstore::
My book can be cateogrized a lot of things - juvenile, humor, social issues, teen lit, fiction, contemporary, soap lit. I don't care which one of those you pick as long as it remains a Young Adult!
A book that sits among the adult fiction titles will never be seen as YA to any adult who may consider So Not The Drama for their young reader. And it won't be SEEN at all by a young reader because, well, those crazy kids, wouldn't you know it, they roll right to their own section of the bookstore when they're looking for books.
Go figure!
What in the world will we do with kids today? They're just too smart for their own good, looking for YA in the YA section!
Geez!
Over the the last two years, I've given my fair share of advice to aspiring writers. One of them is - don't fret over categorizing your books, leave that to the industry. They'll get it right. They'll know what to call your book.
Man, do I have egg on my face.
This advice, apparently, does not apply to everyone...namely me.
Nonetheless, thanks everyone who has:
*Shouted out a kind word to me.
*Reminded me that despite this, it's a wonderful thing to have So Not The Drama on shelves (albeit in the wrong section).
*Vowed to secretly move the book to its rightful spot on the shelves (you go, rebel authors!).
* Felt my anger, confusion and bafflement
Thanks everyone who are:
* Purchasing/have purchased a copy
*Booktalking So Not The Drama and sharing it's tale.
* Educating booksellers where DRAMA isn't or is shelved as African American that the book is first and foremost a YA
* In the struggle alongside me and understand that no matter whether we're WWB (writing while black), we're YA writers first.
Most of all, thanks to people who understand that it's a YA thing!
posted by Paula at 6:54 AM
2 Comments:
Wow. So, will this get fixed, or is it permanent?
Kensington is working on fixing it now. So hopefully it'll be a non-issue in a matter of...weeks, most likely.
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