Guest Blogger Week! - Jennifer Pun

This week we are pleased to feature several guests to the blog.  First up, television producer and future YA author, Jennifer Pun.  Welcome, Jenn!

Very excited to be guest blogging for the YA Muses whom I had the pleasure of meeting at last month's YOUR BEST BOOK workshop in Charlotte.  I've been asked to write about the best piece of writing advice I ever received.  Safe to say I have a lot to choose from!  But as I'm in the process of writing a YA sci-fi thriller, I think the best piece of advice I've received to date is to remember to go deep....into POV.

 

Why this piece of advice (and what the heck does it mean)?  Well, since I'm writing a story that requires a lot of plot twists, turns and revelations, I outline first and then write to "connect the dots of each plot point" so to speak. 

So step one...Sally heads out the door, step two...Sally meets ninja (p.s. sadly my manuscript does not have ninjas), step three...Sally fights ninja. 

I have to constantly remind myself that a good manuscript is not just about interesting plot, it's about connecting with the characters and as Lorin Oberweger says, it's like "being a parasite" say, on your protagonist's shoulder - you're just that close. 

So in the example above, the writer needs to convey how the situation is impacting Sally: what's making her step out that door? How does she feel when she meets the ninja? Does she want to fight the ninja?  How does Sally's view of the ninjas differ from someone else in that same situation?  Do the actions Sally take ring true to her character or does it sound like the writer (in my case a cool, hip, thirty-something lady (okay, maybe not "hip")?

I've learned that if you want your reader to care about your characters, to feel immersed and invested in the story, then you need to understand your characters and allow yourself to go deep...real deep, try it, you'll be surprised at what you find.

A little about me:  I'm Canadian (don't judge), television producer (for tweens) and currently working on my first YA sci-fi thriller.  I'm also a regular contributor to YA blog www.thinkingtoinking.blogspot.com.