After reading through all the fascinating links posted on the fabulous YA Highway today about the so called "YA Mafia," I had to write a blog post about it. (I'm totally supposed to be working right now, by the way. BAD AMY!)I rarely speak out about YA controversies because to be honest, I hate conflict and confrontation. I am, however, a lurker, and I've come across something that has made me want to speak my heart.I don't even want to focus on the issues part of this right now. I just want to urge everybody to take a big step back, (as well as a nice big deep breath,) and realize that what is going on here is an almost self destruction of our thriving, amazing YA community. Yeah, there are the big bad debates that get people ranting- appropriate content debates, online presence debates, fucking Twilight debates.
But when things like this happen, when a simple question is asked by a curious book blogger and it grows rampant enough to have writers and reviews war-wording like it's 1999 (I don't know, go with me here,) THAT is the stuff that can hurt your potential to learn from the amazing community that is YA.
It's hard to learn new stuff. I'm not even being sarcastic there- learning stuff as a kid is so much easier and natural than it is to learn stuff as an adult. But there is so much VALUABLE information and advice out there. Advice about writing, advice about reading, advice about what shows and movies are awesome and exactly which type of ice cream reigns supreme. Advice that can change your life, and help you build a career, and make amazing friends in the process.
So whatever you've taken from this whole YA Mafia thing, please, let it not hurt your chances of finding happiness within this roller coaster of a fascinating business. Be yourself, make smart choices about what you type online, put your best effort into your writing and let your work do the talking.
But, most importantly, enjoy the ride.
12 comments:
You dear lady are so right :)
Hear hear!
*gives standing ovation* YES!!
That is all.
Oh, and if ever I start a YA mafia, you're totally in it. Our time will be spent eating cookies, reenacting scenes from Harry Potter, and discussing the awesomeness of Betheny Frankel.
Sound like a plan??
Thank you, ladies!
Amparo: "It's leviooooo-sa, not levio-SA." Oh heck yeah. I'll bring the cupcakes.
I love this post.
I think it's easy to forget that no matter how much aspiring authors can learn by researching the industry and their genre there's still so much that only experience teaches. A lot of people (bloggers and authors) seem to think that the "answer" is so obvious, but for a lot of us it isn't. Of course us aspiring authors don't understand how hurtful it can be to get negative reviews and how angry-making it might be to be asked for a blurb by that reviewer-turned-author... how would we know how it feels if we haven't been there? Likewise the whole issue of if aspiring authors should review books at all seems very black-and-white to many, but there are so many shades of grey in this.
Like you said, learning is difficult.
great post!! LOL though somehow I've managed to stay mostly in the dark on the whole mafia thing... I think I will let your post be the only one I read about it... :)
You said it. Yes. Yes. And yes.
AMAZING post <3
<3.
that's pretty much it. :)
Well said!
Great, down-to-earth post, my friend.
Amen, sister.
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