Why I'm Glad I Wasn't A Teen Author

[This post has been sitting in my drafts for a year or more, for no good reason, so I'm posting it now, with some minor edits.]

So before I start, a disclaimer: teen authors (by this I mean published teen writers) are great. There are a ton of them, and as a young teen I collected those names to stuff into my mental box of heroes. (I actually have some blog posts listing teen authors, in fact). I think it is awesome that teens get published young, and I say good for you, if you accomplish something like that.

However.

I wouldn't be surprised if every young teenage writer aspired to get published before their 18th birthday. I daydreamed of it so many times. I would get an agent. People would email me, asking for interviews on how someone so young would get an agent. My local newspaper would have an article about me. My teachers would hold up my book in class. Peers would suddenly be name-dropping my name. "Oh, yeah, I went to school with that girl. Yup, she had poofy hair and didn't talk much, but she was so cool. But yeah, I knew her."

This post is maybe just a way of making myself feel better for not being published as a teen, but I think that's legitimate. I think it's okay to say that I like how my life has turned out, and the reasons for it.

So, here are some reasons why I'm glad I wasn't published as a teen.

1. My writing still has a long way to go

I thought my writing was pretty good (at least my family told me so haha) as a teenager. Maybe it was, comparatively. But when I look back on anything I've written, especially stuff I wrote as a 13-15 year old, I cringe. Everything needs work, as far as I can tell. (And that's just me. I'm sure any critique partners would notice much more). But I'm glad I didn't put that work out into the world and that instead I let myself just write, practicing and improving over time.

2. No pressure

This might not be a good thing, considering how much I don't prioritize my writing, especially when I have schoolwork to do. But I'm glad that I am able to write on my own terms, and don't have to worry about deadlines or anything. I can make my own goals for myself, and jump all over the place with genres and such, and just enjoy writing and creating story and characters.

3. No job

Publishing a book is a business. This is obviously something not a lot of 13-year-olds would realize, and I certainly didn't. But publishing a book is a business, and being an author is a job. What 13-year-old wants that kind of responsibility? I sure didn't.

4. I can still have fun

I've had so much fun with my writing. I enjoy writing, because I do it for me. I enjoy reading, because I do it for me. Once you become an author, you have to be careful of everything you say about books and fellow authors. And your writing is always being picked a part. As a non-professional reader and writer, I have a lot of freedom.

5. I learned a lot

I have had the opportunity to learn so much, about publishing, about writing, about interacting with writerly people online (almost entirely thanks to this blog). If I would have been published at a young age, I think I would have stumbled through a lot of the process, and rather messily at that.

All of that being said, someday I still hope to be published, but I definitely don't think it's too late just because I'm exiting teenagerdom. Being a success at a young age doesn't make you more of a success, which is definitely something that I've had to come to terms with.

Basically I'm just really thankful for the way that my writing and reading and thoughts about both have been developed, as well as my involvement in the online writing community.

I'd love to hear your thoughts. What are your thoughts on teen authors? Did you daydream about being one? Do you wish you would have worked harder to be published earlier? 

Editor's note:
So I probably wrote this more than a year ago, since I said I was "exiting teenagerdom", and I have been a legal adult for four years now. To be fair, I never really did the work of trying to get published - writing queries, researching agents, committing to a thing for more than three drafts... But that's because I didn't want to. My 13-year-old self might be horrified at me now - I'm already so old and I still don't have a book out! Sorry, 13-year-old me, I've been busy doing other things, and you know what, it's been great! Also publishing is maybe not all it's cracked up to be! Leave me alone!

Basically, if you happen to be a young writer reading this, just write. Worry about everything else later. 

I'll leave you with this quote from Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird:

"Publication is not all that it is cracked up to be. But writing is.”

Book Recommendation: The First Third By Will Kostakis

One of my favourite things is finding amazing books that aren't hugely popular, books that maybe not everyone everywhere has heard about (read: The Hunger Games, Divergent, etc).

Well, I discovered one of those books the other day, and I would love to share my love of it with you.

Backstory...

As you probably well know by now, Melina Marchetta is my favourite author. I especially love her books Jellicoe Road, Saving Francesca and The Piper's Son (also the Lumatere Chronicles. So yes, all her books except Looking for Alibrandi). All of her books have very strong family and friendship elements to them, which is basically my favourite elements of any books ever.

Well, a few weeks ago Melina Marchetta had an interview with this young author Will Kostakis on her blog, and she talked about this book and the family and friendship elements of it. I thought, huh. I'd probably like that book.

YES. YES I DID.

In fact, I might even have loved it.

That book is The First Third by Will Kostakis. It follows a 17-year-old Greek boy Billy while he struggles with his "yiayia" being in the hospital and essentially dying. His yiayia even gives him a bucket list to complete, which has ridiculous things on it like find his mom a husband, bring his older brother back home, and fix his little brother, who seems to not want to have anything to do with anyone but yiayia for some reason.

There are so many things I love about this book. I loved how the focus was on the family and the relationships within it. I loved how developed each character was, and how there was too many layers to count in each one.

For example, Billy's best friend Sticks at first just seems like one of those typical crazy quirky John Green-esque sidekicks, but he actually has issues of own. It adds a lot to the dimensions of his character, and also to the dimensions of the relationship between Sticks and Billy.

So, family dynamic, friendship dynamic, characters, A+.

I also just really love Will Kostakis's writing. He's definitely skilled with words and getting across elements of the story very effectively. He uses Facebook statuses in really interesting ways for plot and character development. Sometimes it's kind of hilarious.

And the last scene is perfect. But you'll have to read it to enjoy the wonderfulness of that part of the book.

I would recommend this book if you love family or friendship stories, or if you like anything by Melina Marchetta, Jonathan Friesen, or John Green.

It's only $6.99 on Amazon, and you can also visit Will Kostakis's website at www.willkostakis.com if you want to find other places to buy it. Also, I highly encourage you to read this interview that Hypable did with Will Kostakis, because the thing he said about the book are awesome.

Have a good week!

Interview With Young Author Steph Bowe!

I'm sure a lot of you may have heard of Steph Bowe, the young Australian author of the book Girl Saves Boy. She's also quite well known for her blog, which you can find here. I love her blog posts, they always give me something to think about.

Anyway, guess what? Today I have an interview with her!

You can find some more information about Steph at her about me page here. Now, onto the questions!

Why did you decide to put in the effort to get published as a teen? What motivated you?

I've loved reading and writing for as long as I can remember, and I've wanted to be a published author since I was about seven. I was motivated to pursue that by my enjoyment of writing, and the need to finish stories and share them with people, in the hopes that they would be affected by my writing in the same way I am by the brilliant books I read. At the time I was completing high school by distance, so I had the time to work on my novel, and I was blogging and communicating with lots of writers and readers of YA fiction. Once I had finished my novel (my third novel was the first one published), I figured I had nothing to lose by sending out my work.

How were your parents involved in your journey to publication?

I asked my mum if she would mind if I tried to get an American agent. She has always been aware of my passion for writing, and I had sent a couple of submissions to publishers before (for a previous novel). Apart from that, my family was hardly involved at all - I had mum there to discuss things with, and she met with publishers with me (and of course, before I was eighteen, she had to sign contracts on my behalf) and went with me to interstate speaking appearances. My life as a writer is mainly my own, though, but the support of my family has been very important in giving me confidence to pursue writing professionally.

What have you experienced in the publishing world that adult authors might not have to deal with?


Criticism involving my age (for example 'You were only published because you are young, you're not actually a good writer', 'Teenagers can't write!', etc.), which overall has been quite minor. There is also an expectation from some agents and publishers that because of my young age I would lack professionalism.

How do you think being a teen affects or influences your writing?

I think I haven't had as much time and practice to improve my writing as, say, someone who started writing young and is now forty. But I think the fact that I am the same age as my characters, and often my readers, means I can relate to the emotions and experiences they're going through as teenagers much more keenly than someone who hasn't been a teenager for a decade or more. I hope that my youth makes my writing more honest.

What do you hope your readers get out of reading your book, Girl Saves Boy?

First and foremost, I hope that they enjoy it! There is lobster emancipation and garden gnome theft, and it's always nice to read a book that makes you laugh. I hope that my story is real enough for the reader to escape into for a few hours. It's ultimately a novel about the loneliness and uncertainty of being a teenager, and I hope if the reader relates to that, it helps them feel a little less alone. This is pretty much the goal of everything I write. There is an F. Scott Fitzgerald quote that sums up what I love about reading and writing pretty succinctly: “That is part of the beauty of all literature. You discover that your longings are universal longings, that you're not lonely and isolated from anyone. You belong.”

What does life look like for you in the near (or far) future? Any new projects?

I'm editing my second novel at the moment, have just finished high school, have a few festivals and school appearances ahead, and am working on first drafts of three more books (I am easily distracted!). Lots of writing and adventures ahead!

Thank you so much, Steph, for the interview!

You can find Steph Bowe at her website, Facebook and on Twitter @stephbowe. If you want to check out her book, you can find it here on Goodreads.

Interview with Young Author of "Saving Fort Smoky" Jenna Gustafson

Recently I read an interview on Literary Rambles with a 15-year-old published author. Not only was she young, but I learned in the interview that her path to publication was quite a unique one. (You can read the interview here). Naturally, this made me curious. And what should one do when they are curious about something (or in this case, someone)? Why, learn more, of course! So today I'm going to interview the lovely Jenna Gustafson, young author of the middle-grade novel Saving Fort Smoky.

Here's a bit about Jenna:

Jenna Gustafson lives happily in Montana with her parents and brother. While she has won local short story contests, this is her first book. She hopes to inspire other children to chase their dreams and understand that they are never too young to accomplish something.

Here's the blurb from Goodreads:

There's only one hope for Fort Smoky to survive. After a devastating fire ravages the homes of Fort Smoky, it's up to young Ben Clearwater and his sister and friends to help the residents and get to Fort Futureland to save the people before the harsh, cold winter sets in. To get there, they will have to trek through unknown mountains, relying on Running Wind's compass and Big Jim's maps of the land while struggling against the harsh forces of Mother Nature. Fort Futureland is a place of new and interesting contraptions, like cars and computers, the four children have never seen, and they are captivated. But the children soon uncover a sinister plot to destroy their beloved Fort Smoky. Will they be able to stop the evil leaders of Fort Futureland? Will they ever make it home? Will they be heroes for Saving Fort Smoky? Join young author Jenna Gustafson in this action-packed adventure of four friends teeming with courage, bravery, and determination. Readers will be caught up in this action-filled, futuristic adventure as they follow Ben, his sister, and friends while they struggle to save their home and family using their skills and cunning. It's an enjoyable read for upper elementary students.

Now the interview!

When did you first get into reading and/or writing?

The magic of reading began with my parent’s animated voices, bright colors, rhymes, and the feel of the pages between my pudgy fingers when I was little. Before kindergarten I went through a learn-to-read course which I detested. I was just in it for the sparkly stickers I got when I completed an exercise. Now, however, I realize that the course was the key to my reading and writing success. The priceless knowledge of literacy put me far ahead of my kindergarten peers, and allowed me to go places and do things I will never encounter in real life. In 4th grade I really took up an interest in reading and read Winnie the Horse Gentler and the Heartland series for hours on end, and haven’t quit reading since.


I began writing when I was about nine, when I received a journal for my birthday. It was just SO FUN to write about the interesting parts of my day, express my thoughts, my frustrations. My journal was where I could blow off steam, and being an introvert, this was a very therapeutic tool. My love for writing has only grown since then.

Why did you decide that you wanted to go through the hard work of publishing in seventh grade?

Mrs. Knudson, my English teacher at the time, gave us our children’s book assignment and made the fatal mistake of showing us an example of another young author’s hardcover children’s book. The fact that it was even possible to publish so young ignited my interest, and after some big dreaming and encouragement from my teacher and good friend librarian, I made up my mind, gave myself a challenge, and dived in headlong. I never really decided to publish my book. I was called. Publishing, to me, was something I had to do. Little did I know how hard I would have to work to get there.

Do you ever regret getting published so soon?

Absolutely not. I have lost nothing in the process, besides maybe my childhood. It has made me a better, more educated person, and has taught me a lot about entrepreneurship. Admittedly, I look pack on my old writing and see where I could make drastic improvements had I had more time and experience while I was drafting, but I still do not regret the leap of faith I took to get my story out to readers like you.

Why didn't you feel the need to get an agent or have your book bought by a larger publishing company?

Every so often I stumbled across an agent in my search for publishers. The idea of getting published by the big leagues was enticing, but judging by other first time author experiences, it was nearly impossible to secure a publication with top-name companies, and hardly worth it in the end. Traditional publishing houses are all about being, well, big. They’re after mass distribution, mass publication, and large sales, and if you fail to produce what they need, you are mostly worthless. Does that cold, executive-feeling world sound like a good starting place to you? It didn’t to me, either. I wanted a company that would allow me to keep my rights and walk me through marketing step by step. This is my first book, and I needed someone to hold my hand. Secondly, I didn’t have enough experience to interest quality agents. I also was working with a tight budget and didn’t know what an agent would cost, so I played it safe and choose Tate Publishing, the best of both self and traditional publishing worlds.

What is one reason you think people would enjoy your book?

I designed the storyline of my book around the fast paced adventure that I crave in novels. A child’s brain is exploding with imagination, and I gave them some western styled brain food that they will appreciate. I hope they are inspired when they learn that the author is not much older than they are, proving that in actuality, dreams are entirely possible.

What was your favourite part of writing Saving Fort Smoky?

I loved being able to manipulate the twists and turns of my plot just like my favorite authors, and watching the story unfold beneath my finger tips at my every whim. It gave me a sense of control, like being the queen of my own little world.

What is your favourite thing to do that is not writing related?

Between dancing, running, illustrating, and hiking, I have to choose hiking as my number one thing to do. I love the challenge and adventure of surviving off a pack on your back and tackling breathtaking terrain that the average person never sees in their lifetime. It’s funny how this interest reflects in my writing.

What would you say to other teen writers looking to make it in the publishing business?

I would encourage other teen writers to journal (it helped me express my voice a ton), and remind them to write from their hearts. People are drawn to passion. I would tell them to take as much advice from all the constructed criticism as possible, and to completely ignore the realist in themselves and in well-meaning adults. Also, never give up. If you don’t get accepted by a publisher the first time, don’t stop there! Take the steps you need to take and try again. Persistence is critical in overcoming the odds. Lastly, do your homework. A major pain, yes, but sooo worth the quality publisher in the end. You don’t want to get tangled up in a company that is actually a scam!

Just believe in yourself, trust in God, and you will go far.

Thank you so much, Jenna, for the interview!

Here's some places where you can find Jenna and her book, Saving Fort Smoky! Pass along the word to all the elementary school kids you know. :)

More information on Saving Fort Smoky:
Saving Fort Smoky on Goodreads
Saving Fort Smoky's website at Tate Publishing
Saving Fort Smoky on Facebook

Where to buy:
Saving Fort Smoky on Amazon.com
Saving Fort Smoky on Amazon.ca
Saving Fort Smoky at Barnes & Noble

Where to find Jenna:
Jenna Gustafson on Goodreads
You can also find Jenna on twitter @mockingjay14 (although she says to be warned, she doesn't use it often).