Who would read my book? JK Rowling?

So like. Yeah. I need to take a break from what I am doing right this moment, so I thought why not write a blog post! It's been weeks since I've written a blog post!

I had this thought last night, as I was working on Chapter 8, and I started thinking back to Harry Potter and what people in publishing say not to do when querying. Janet Reid, a lit agent, can often be heard preaching "don't call yourself the next JK Rowling," or some variant of that quote...but you get the idea. And no, of course I don't think I am the next JK Rowling, but can I wonder if JK Rowling would read my book? Can I wonder if JK Rowling would read my book to her kids? What about Meyer? Would Stephanie Meyer Read my book? How about John Green? Hank Green? Maureen Johnson? Paige Railstone? Nerdfighters?

If I sit and read my book and give it honest criticism, I still hate my book. (I will never think it's good enough.) But when I think about JK Rowling or Stephanie Meyer reading my book...I think they actually would read it! I don't know either of them, so I can't say that they would enjoy reading it, but my truthiness, my gut tells me they would. (John Green wouldn't read my book. At least, I can't picture him reading it. To me, my book seems a bit too girly for John's taste-- but I wouldn't mind being wrong.)

Tonight I will more than likely finish up Chapter 8. That's a HUGE accomplishment to me because for a while I thought like I would never finish Chapter 8. But suddenly, things started to fall into place. Words started to come together. Scenes started to flow into each other. Before I knew it Chapter 8 was quickly becoming the longest chapter I've written.



A thought on Revisions

So. I've never actually written a novel before. I've had people read what I have written (I don't believe these people--despite the fact they're intelligent people) and say, "This is really, really good! Do you realize how good of a writer you are?" I always answer, "If I did, I wouldn't be writing."

I had an acquaintance last night ask me questions about my process. Do I outline chapters? Do I have the book outlined? Did I write little biographies and facts about my characters before I started writing.

The answer to all of these questions is no. The only thing I have on paper of any sort is what I've written. In my head I have vivid, dream-like scenes that I know roughly about where they'll take place. Each chapter is about getting to those dream-like scenes and making them all work.

I'm meeting and getting to know my characters as I write them. They surprise me sometimes. They say things I would never say. Some of them do things I would never do. Sometimes they get out of hand and I have to punish them, put them in time out and then rewrite those lines so I can free them again. My characters are like my children. I think. Maybe not. I've never had kids.

My two main characters are being written via my 16 year-old-self. I had one reader ask me, "How come you remember what high school was like so well?" Because high school made a huge impact on the way I think and feel and how I function in society. Some of those things imprinted on me I don't agree with and some of them are so very much a part of high school, I couldn't leave them out if I tried.

I will probably have many, many revisions.


10 things about my book I can share

1. It's set roughly near now. Then-now, now-now, future-now...I'm not sure but near now.
2. It's set in Michigan. West Michigan. Parts take place near Holland, Saugatuck, and Grand Rapids.
3. I would die and go to heaven if Selina Gomez could play the lead in the movie. (And I honestly think she'd want to!)
4. There is a treasure hunt
5. Parts take place on Halloween
6. Because it's high school, costumes are important--they make a statement
   
7. Someone likes someone and that person may or may not like them back
8. There are sparkling things (none of them are vampires.)
   
9. One character has many, many secrets
10. The title is not "Whitcap Shirt"