Author: Paula Perron

August 28, 2018

WHAT IS NEW ADULT FICTION?

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In preparing my new book for publication I ran into a dilemma when asked: What Genre is it?

I thought it could be a Young Adult contemporary romance, or maybe a paranormal romance. It has the content of a paranormal romance in that it is an unusual story.  It is set  in the modern world, with the protagonist a Twenty-Two year old  female college student, with issues focusing on leaving home; developing as a woman; becoming independent; considering different career choices, and could be classified as “ New Adult”  for aged 18-25.

I asked Google, and found that there is much on this subject.

In Molly Wetta’s Newsletter, she says New Adult was first  marketed by St. Martin’s Press in 2009, after asking for submissions similar to young adult but focusing on the 18-25 or 30, group still discovering who they are and what they want. Some believe it is the step between young adult and adult books. Some like it. Others think it is a foolish and absurd category.

Blogspot.com also addressed this subject. They say the YA target audience is teenagers.  The NA target is older and living in the present, trying to be independent after leaving home for the first time. They are juggling new adult experiences and attempting to  handle life in the present, and at the same time deciding how they fit into the adult world.

Goodreads lists New Adult fiction as focusing on the period in life where you are becoming an adult. The contents are more mature in that they may face a serious relationship and heartbreak.

However, there is a need for books about characters aged 18-25 . Many of the new novels are fast-paced, focusing on experiences in life beyond the teenage years, and the publishing world reports that more and more titles are being marketed as New Adult. A reason could be because they found that NA fiction is reader-driven, and popular with readers who prefer e-books.

This is such an interesting topic— you may want to read more. As previously stated, there are many opinions on this subject and I could not cover all the information I found. Listed below are the internet addresses of those I referred to.

Goodreads:           https://www.goodreads.com

Blogspot:   http://avajae.blogspot.com

Ebscohost.com: MollyWetta:https://www.ebscohost.com/novelist/novelist-special/what-is-new-adult-fiction-anyway

 Happy Writing, Paula

July 17, 2018

HOW TO SELF-EDIT

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The final draft of your book is done.  Now you get to  relax?.  No, you can’t.!

The next step is to self-edit—the edit you, as author, should do. After all, it is a Draft , and only you are familiar with the story, and can easily correct  all self-made errors , like noticing  where your story wanders away from  the scene being played out. Or when characters are not clearly defined ,and how about incorrect spellings, punctuation errors, and poor  word choices.

First print all the pages of your book. Then as you read, correct the errors you find on the printed  page, and  then on the computer.

A FEW SUGGESTIONS:

  1. Use words your reader can relate to—Simple words and not  words needing the use of a dictionary.  Remember, the more the reader stops, the less interest he or she has in  continuing.
  2. Show don’t Tell.— Use an action word to show, anger, instead of saying : He is angry. Example: He slammed the door behind him
  3. Do not use the word almost. Example, She almost cried.   The character either cried, or did not.
  4. Don’t sermonize or preach to your reader.
  5. Try reading your novel out loud. You may find areas where improvement is needed
  6. Omit Clichés and use “said” for dialogue instead of “explained, declared, etc.”

After you complete your self-edit, then retain the services of a professional Editor so your book is finally ready for publication,  and, at long last, you can either rest, or begin another story.

 

Don’t ever give up in frustration, Paula

 

 

 

 

 

July 2, 2018

AMERICA’S INDEPENDENCE DAY

 

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AMERICA’S INDEPENDENCE DAY

On July 1st 1776, Congressman Richard Henry Lee of Virginia presented a Resolution, later adopted in the late afternoon of July 4, 1776, as follows:

“RESOLVED: That these United colonies are, and of right ought to be Free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be totally dissolved.”

This important Resolution was made a designated National holiday for all Americans to  remember a significant moment in time, when the  United States declared itself a FREE Nation.

We, as Americans enjoy the freedom and independence fought for by our ancestors, and should take this opportunity to be thankful for the men and women who built this country, fought for the freedom of this country, and still serve to keep us a free and independent Nation.

Happy July 4th, Paula

 

 

May 29, 2018

CONFUSED ABOUT KEYWORDS?

 

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I was also, until I found a Booklet with the best advice, and easy to understand information on the subject of keywords.

What are Keywords?

They are the words and phrases that searchers enter when looking for something on the web. The search engines like Google, Bing and Yahoo scan websites, for these words

Example:  You have a website catering to baking and selling pies؅—a customer types in pies, and receive a list of websites selling pies.  However, you specialize in Apple Pies. You need a more specific phrase other than “pies” such as “Best Apple Pies”, which may offer a list of potential customers interested only in apple pies. Choosing the right keywords can bring you success by bringing the search engines to all websites specializing in best apple pies, rather than pies.

Before you make this important decision, think like a customer and type in all keywords relevant to apple pies. Google suggests about 15-20 keywords. If you are a prime member of Amazon, you can download, FREE, books on Keyword planning.  For Google click below:

(https://adwords.google.com/home/tools/keyword-planner/ ) .

Did you know that statistics show that when people search on line, the landing page gets clicked on 70% of the time.  So, the landing page needs Keywords. However, search engines crawl over each page of your website. Hence—all pages should contain the keywords your audience is searching for, thereby improving maximum visibility of the website.

Do you write Articles or a Blog?  Use a keyword relevant to what the article is about, or the topic of your Blog.  They should be placed in two places, as suggested by the Reference Guide. First, place your keyword in the title—next, once in the article body, especially in either the first or last paragraph.

Well, we are not baking apple pies—we are Writers, and authors, who need to find the best Keywords for our latest story. Test it now by typing in keywords relevant to your genre, be it History, Thriller, Romance, Young Adult, or Horror, and see what keywords fit. You should come up with lots of good choices, which you can use over and over.

For more information, including :Common Keyword Mistakes”, How to Know if you have the Right Keywords, Search Volumes, and more,  pick up the book below:

‘THE UNTIMATE SEO KEYWORD REFERENCE GUIDE”
by Gary Bernier and Stephen Semple.

Happy Searching,
Paula

May 11, 2018

 

              HONORING ALL MOTHERS

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All that I am or hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother.”  Abraham Lincoln

 

It was not that long ago that the first celebration of Mother’s Day occurred, when Anna Jarvis, in 1908, held a memorial for her mother at St. Andrew’s Methodist Church in West Virginia.

 It became an official U.S. holiday in 1914, and is celebrated yearly on the second Sunday in May.  Soon after, Hallmark Cards and other companies started selling Mother’s Day cards. The Holiday grew, and grew until now, weeks before, all stores are filled with flowers, candies, perfumes and jewelry to give mother..

However, there is more to Mother’s Day than Gifts. It is a time to show your thanks for all the times she was there for you, and still is— with deeds done without asking —with kindness, compassion,  and strength given you to cope with life’s ups and downs, and for guiding you through tears and smiles, all with an unconditional love.

Try speaking from your heart, thanking her for the all she has done in guiding you to become the person you are

            Happy Mother’s Day to all Mothers… Paula