Hello, lovelies! September has come and gone, and “the day job” is once again in full swing. Still, I managed to read and watch the good stuff last month and I can’t wait to share my thoughts below! Also, I started a MAJOR round of structural revisions for my historical fantasy WIP and found some great music to help me write!
I Read…
SAVE THE CAT WRITES A YOUNG ADULT NOVEL by Jessica Brody! Brody’s SAVE THE CAT is one of my favorite craft books, so I was dying to get my hands on her latest guide—especially since it’s completely dedicated to YA!
Similar to SAVE THE CAT, SAVE THE CAT WRITES A YOUNG ADULT NOVEL includes a comprehensive introduction to the basic plot points (or: beats) necessary for crafting a successful story. In addition, Brody describes ten universal story genres, how to apply the beats to each genre, and analyzes several popular, modern YA novels like SIX OF CROWS, WE WERE LIARS, and DIVERGENT.
Brody also talks about the unique aspects of YA fiction, how to apply the beats to multiple POV stories, and how to use a beat sheet to plot an entire book series. Last but not least: a “Save the Author” FAQ discusses issues that might come up when you’re trying to use the beat sheet for your own novel.
All in all, SAVE THE CAT WRITES A YOUNG ADULT NOVEL is a wonderful addition to SAVE THE CAT, and I will definitely be using it to brainstorm, outline, and revise my WIPs!
I Watched…
HEARTSTOPPER on Netflix! I binged both seasons in two days; I just couldn’t stop watching! The series is based on the webcomic and graphic novel by Alice Oseman. It’s wonderfully LGBTQIA+ inclusive and teenage-angsty and ALL THE THINGS!
Also, Kit Conner is flawless as Nick. Swoon! He is the golden athlete boy, but he’s not at all what I expected: he’s sweet and tender and earnest and a breath of fresh air. I couldn’t help but fall in love with this character, and the chemistry with Charlie made me feel alllll warm and fuzzy inside.
Sooo, the series is a representative, feel-good story that is emotionally intelligent and real. Also, there’s tons of kissing!
I Listened to…
Lorne Balfe’s The Musical Anthology of His Dark Materials! As I wrote in the intro of this post, I’ve just started a major round of structural revisions and Balfe’s music provides the perfect soundtrack.
The album mainly consists of short, rich themes that vary from darkly mysterious to epic and dynamic, to murky and sinister, worldly and exotic, ethereal and sweepingly elegant. It’s quite an emotional rollercoaster, and the dramatics are AWESOME for reworking my historical fantasy WIP.