Hello, friends! It’s been such a busy summer. I’ll admit, July was rough for me. I had some unexpected health problems, and my mental health took a hit alongside it. But after taking some time to focus on my mental health, I’m doing so much better, and life in general has been great. I hope… Continue reading Last Steps to the WriteMentor Showcase and Query Tips
Tag: YA writer
What it’s Like Being in a Writing Mentorship Program
Hello! My last post was all about the benefits of applying to writing mentorships, and I’m thrilled to say that since sharing that post, I was selected to be part of WriteMentor! Third time’s a charm -- or more like seventh time’s a charm, but who’s counting? (Me, I counted. It was 7 total over… Continue reading What it’s Like Being in a Writing Mentorship Program
Starting a New Novel
Hello hello! I mentioned in my previous post that I’ve started working on a brand new story. My third novel, in fact. I’ve been asked this question a bunch: how do you start a novel? I expect every writer has their own specific way of starting, but for me, it always begins the same: I… Continue reading Starting a New Novel
My Biggest Learnings From Book One
Hello hello! In my last post, I discussed what it's like entering and surviving the query phase with my current novel. The process has me feeling a bit nostalgic for my early writing days, and before I start drafting my third book, I wanted to share my biggest learnings from my very first book. It… Continue reading My Biggest Learnings From Book One
Handling the Querying Trenches
My characters! Art by the amazing morgana0anagrom (IG) Hello hello! Since my last post, I am so excited to announce that I’m officially querying my YA light fantasy adventure novel! Crossing all my fingers for good news, and sending positive vibes to anyone else on a similar road. Querying, or pitching a novel to literary… Continue reading Handling the Querying Trenches
2020 Goals
From my wedding day! Still dreaming of this. Hi everyone! It’s been a bit since I’ve had a chance to catch up here; between getting married, embarking on my honeymoon to Jamaica (my kingdom to have a Jamaican Smile blended drink again), and racing back into work just before the holidays, it’s been a whirlwind… Continue reading 2020 Goals
valerie c. norton 