Hello,



I am 14 years old and I am almost completed with a 200 page novel. My father and mother have said I was always artistic and an amazing writer. I am an amazing poem writer and I have a good feeling that my book is very entertaining. I know that for a fact. I do have an editor/publisher cousin all the way in Atlanta, Georgia, but what happens if we can't get ahold of her? She is kind of christian publisher more of too and my book is not like that. It is just a teen fiction meant to entertain. How could I get my book noticed? How could I get it to stand out? And if I can't get ahold of my cousin... how can I help find a way to maybe see about getting it edited and published? Any ways to help make this easier? Thank you very much...


-♥- Love,
Crazy:)

You Can try putting your area + publisher in the search engine to find local publishers.

Also make sure you mail a copy of your work to yourself and DO NOT ever open it so you have proof of the date so nobody can steal it from you.

In 1980 my friend started veggie tales and her publisher stole it from her and you see where that went. She hasn't made a dime from veggie tales since it was sold. She even had it copywrited but no lawyer wants to touch it.

Thank you, I sure really do want credit for this... but any other helpdul hints maybe??

I'm sixteen and have also written a book. If you have a friend in publishing that's good but if you need another way, I recommend finding a publisher that ahs already punlished books like yours and send them a sample.

But the dilly is that this is my first book (that I would want to be published) because I have written three others before but just for my own self and my friends, so no publisher has seen my work

I might be able to help. I'm a librarian and will help you figure out possible publishers, what editing is needed, etc. What is the main idea of the book (i.e. the plot) in ten words or less? Could you post a couple of paragraphs here so I can get a feel for your writing style?

P.S. I've had a bunch of things published.

OK, but my writing is for teens, (obviously), I wouldn't know my writing style but the book I'm writing now has romance, friendship, and violance in it and it it to entertain the teen readers but also to maybe teach them a lesson on friendhip because in the end it kind of goes along the lines of that I guess... here is a part in my book, a few paragrapsh...



---------I sped to Shayna's school and walked in the front double doors after I parked in the visitor section. I strolled into the office and to the front desk secretary. I scrutinized the name tag a bit before choosing to speak. “Hello, Mrs. Canvas? I need…”
“Aren't you a little young to be a parent honey?” She was actually a very attractive woman compared to Ms. Smith. She had glowing red hair that flowed down just past her shoulders in pin tight curls. Her cheek bones were not over stuffed but filled in perfectly around the cheek. She had rosy red cheeks and wore dark red lipstick. She wore light makeup around the eyes and very light, cozy clothes. Her nails were nicely filled and painted. She looked maybe just in her mid-twenties. And she looked married by the huge rock she had on her ring finger.
“Yes ma'am, but my father, you see, he is just too busy to come here right at this moment. I am Shayna Barnum's sister; older sister. I am a senior at the high school back east?” I indicated; pointing a thumb down the east highway.
“Why, oh yes. Shayna. We have been waiting; here.” Her heart shaped head disappeared behind and under the desk. Where had she gone? “There you go,” she sighed with relieved gratitude. She handed me a small orange sticker, visitors pass.
“Oh.” I stuck it onto my pant leg and followed the beautiful lady into the next room over. Once the wooden doors closed behind me, along with her, I saw what I was guessing was the principal. I tip-toed over to him and shook his hand. “Miss Barnum, Shayna has been asking for you.”
“Hello Mr.…” I paused looking for a name tag; there wasn't one.
“Mr. Mixer. Hello, how are you today?”
“I'm doing quite fine Mr. Mixer.”
“And your principal said it was quite okay for you to miss a little bit of school to come right now?”
“Yes sir.”
“Would you like me to call and let him know you are sticking to your word, just in case?”
“Oh, yes sir, that would be very helpful; thank you.”
“No problem, now will you follow me into the nurse's office?”
“Um, sure, but is Shayna okay sir? Is she in trouble; hurt?”
“We don't quite know that yet. In trouble? No, she will just get a warning for now, but hurt? I just don't know.” Oh my dear god, what had happened!
The only thing I had the strength to do was nod my head and smile; hiding back the tears. I sure hoped she was okay. “Is there anything I can do sir? Was there any school property damage?”
“Oh, no, Shayna definitely knows better than that. Just take a look at her; maybe you can reach to her.”
“Re-reach t-to her? Is she sleeping?”
He looked at me and bit his lip before blankly answering, “Again, we don't know.”
“She's not dead is she!”
“No, she is still breathing. I just don't know if she is sleeping or somewhat unconscious. Here, let's go in now.”
I readied myself to walk in and see my sister, hurt; in pain. I walked on and she was lying on the nurse bed; she looked like she may have been asleep or anything like that. Another girl sat in a chair across from her, holding an ice pack up to her cheek. Was that…? Shauna!
“Shauna, baby, what happened?” I whispered; grabbing the ice pack out of her hand and studying her right cheek.
“Do you know this student Miss Barnum?”
“Yes sir, she is just like my little sister as well. She is my best friends little sister.” He just shrugged and went to go rub Shayna's hand. “Shauna honey, what's wrong.”
“It was the man in black.”
“Huh?” I looked at the principle. “Man in black?”
The principle just looked down and shook his head; his hands behind his back now. “When Shayna was somewhat awake, they would both speak of some man in black. I just don't quite believe it though.”
“But it's true!” she yelled then grimaced, holding the ice pack back up to her cheek.
He just shook his head again and whispered into my ear for only me to hear, “We have had no visitors today apart from you; no less a man wearing black. Visitors, especially older men we do not recognize, never get through without a visitors pass. And again, you were our only visitor. I just think that the blows they took, Shayna in the ribs, Shauna in the face…”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa, just wait a freaking minute. My sister got hit in the ribs? Who did that?”
He went on as if he didn't even hear me, “And I think that they just may be a little delusional.”
“Sir, will you puh-lease just answer my question?”
“Um, here's the story… from what it looked like, Shayna threw a book at Shauna and…”
“She did not!” Shauna screamed even louder; regretting it. She clenched her jaw again, trying to vanish the pain in her cheek. She whispered through clenched teeth so it wouldn't hurt as bad. “Why would she do that to her best friend, even on accident? That would kill her. She would never be that clumsy as to physically picking up a book with two hands and chunking it across the room. How could that be an accident? Exactly, it can't! So, why the heck would she do that purposely to me; her best friend?”
I actually think she may have had a point. “I still think that is just a back up story,” the principle whispered.
“Whatever, I'm through even trying!” she sighed; slumping down farther in the chair.
“And Shauna got mad when she threw the text book, so Shauna decided to use violence as an answer.” Shauna was just in the corner, shaking her head and disagreeing with everything he was saying. I thought I even heard her mumble repeatedly over and over again, “No, not true, liar.”
“So when they were at their break, and I don't know if this was an accident or not, but Shauna pushed her off the fence she was climbing on. Regardless Shayna shouldn't have even been climbing it at all, but she fell off, landing on her side and rolling into the metal, football equipment. We called the paramedics not too long ago; they will be here any minute.”
“Oh baby!” I ran over to Shayna, squatting down by her. “Shayna, baby can you hear me? Shayna, Shayna!”
She just laid there, breathing steady. “Well, obviously she isn't unconscious or she wouldn't even be breathing. Maybe she is just sleeping, or knocked out. That little spill she took could have taken the breath right out of her. I'm no doctor though.”
He just nodded and walked out of the room. “Shayna, darling answer me; follow my voice.” I whispered.
She shuffled from side to side; looking like she was dreaming. Or was it a nightmare? “Shayna?”
“Shelly?” she mumbled softly, groaning softly of the pain in her side she was rolling on.
“Baby, are you okay?”
“I think so, but my side is killing me.”
“Where does it hurt?” I asked her. She pointed to her center rib and I lifted her shirt. It was forming a bruise the size of a softball. “Oh honey,” I moaned. “It's only your first day, and you go off getting into a fight.”
“It wasn't me! And it wasn't Shauna either! It was that guy in black!” She struggled to talk and she tensed up. I patted her hair back along her hairline.
“Shh, hush babe. It's all fine. Rest yourself.”
She just relaxed back. Both the girl's reasons sounded so ridiculous and I was sure no man in all black, like a burglar, could've come to the school and done that. But then again, I somewhat believed them.--------------------------------


That is a little section somewhere towards the middleof the book...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by crazychick56

ok, but my writing is for teens, (obviously), i wouldnt know my writing style

---

It does need some serious proofreading done by someone who is very good in English. Why are the girls' names so similar? I found that confusing.

Has anyone read it besides you?

My parents... that's all... but I know it needs proofreading... but that's why I'm asking so I can know where... and snce they are sisters I made it to where I hope the readers could figure out that the parents did that on purpose but the other girl I don't know, I just liked that name, she isn't mentioned much in the book I guess I can change it if it is that cofusing...

“She's not dead is she!”
“No, she is still breathing."
Why has she not yet been taken to a hospital? Shes "unconscious" and "still breathing"?? The sis gets there before the ambulance? Everyone seems to be so relaxed and chatty while these two battered girls are nearly unconscious?

You do have to be realistic, you know.

Here are my corrections. The following should be double-spaced:

I sped to Shayna's school, parked in the visitor section, and walked through the front double doors, then strolled into the office and to the front-desk secretary. [Why did she stroll? Isn't this urgent?] I scrutinized the name tag before choosing to speak.

“Hello, Mrs. Canvas? I need…”

“Aren't you a little young to be a parent, honey?”

She was actually a very attractive woman compared to Ms. Smith. She had flaming red hair that flowed down just past her shoulders in pin-tight curls. Her cheekbones were perfectly shaped and rosy red. She wore dark red lipstick, natural makeup, and very comfortable-looking clothes. Her nails were nicely painted. She looked maybe mid-twenties--and very married when the huge rock on her left ring finger caught the light.

“Yes ma'am, but my father, you see, he is just too busy to come here right at this moment. I am Shayna Barnum's sister, her older sister. I am a senior at the high school back east?” I thumbed in the direction of the east highway.

“Why, oh, yes. Shayna. We have been waiting.” Her heart-shaped face disappeared behind and under the desk. Where had she gone? “There you go,” she sighed with relieved gratitude. She handed me a small orange sticker, a visitor's pass.

“Oh.” I stuck it onto my pant leg and followed the beautiful lady into the next room. Once the wooden doors closed behind us, I saw what I guessed was the principal. I tip-toed [Why?] over to him and shook his hand.

“Miss Barnum, Shayna has been asking for you.”

“Hello Mr.…” I paused looking for a name tag. There wasn't one.

“Mr. Mixer. Hello, how are you today?”

“I'm doing quite fine, Mr. Mixer.”

“And your principal said it was quite okay for you to miss a little bit of school to come right now?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Would you like me to call and let him know you are sticking to your word, just in case?”

“Oh, yes, sir, that would be very helpful. Thank you.”

“No problem. Please follow me into the nurse's office.”

“Um, sure, but is Shayna okay, sir? Is she in trouble, hurt?”

“We don't quite know that yet. In trouble? No, she will just get a warning for now, but hurt? I just don't know.”

Oh my dear god, what had happened!

The only thing I had the strength to do was nod my head and smile, holding back tears. I sure hoped she was okay. “Is there anything I can do, sir? Was there any school property damage?”

“Oh, no, Shayna definitely knows better than that. Just take a look at her. Maybe you can reach her.”

“Re-reach her? Is she sleeping?”

He looked at me and bit his lip before blankly answering, “Again, we don't know.”

“She's not dead is she!”

“No, she is still breathing. I just don't know if she is sleeping or somewhat unconscious. Here, let's go in now.”

I readied myself to walk in and see my sister, hurt and in pain. She was lying on the nurse bed and looked like she was asleep. Another girl sat in a chair across from her, holding an ice pack up to her cheek. Was that…? Shauna?

“Shauna, baby, what happened?” I whispered, grabbing the ice pack out of her hand and peering at her right cheek.

“Do you know this student, Miss Barnum?”

“Yes, sir. She is my best friend's little [or big?] sister.”

He just shrugged and began to rub Shayna's hand.

“Shauna, honey, what's wrong?”

“It was the man in black.”

“Huh?” I looked at the principal. “Man in black?”

The principal looked down and shook his head, hands behind his back. “When Shayna was somewhat awake, they both spoke of some man in black. I just don't quite believe it though.”

“But it's true!” she yelled, then grimaced, holding the ice pack back up to her cheek.

He just shook his head again and whispered into my ear for only me to hear, “We have had no visitors today apart from you, much less a man wearing black. Visitors, especially older men whom we do not recognize, never get through without a visitor's pass. You have been our only visitor today. I just think that the blows they took, Shayna in the ribs, Shauna in the face... ”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, just wait a freaking minute. My sister got hit in the ribs? Who did that?”

He went on as if he didn't even hear me, “And I think that they just may be a little delusional.”

“Sir, will you puh-lease just answer my question?”

“Um, here's the story. From what it looked like, Shayna threw a book at Shauna and... "

“She did not!” Shauna screamed even louder, regretting it. She clenched her jaw again, trying to lessen the pain in her cheek. She whispered through clenched teeth, “Why would she do that to her best friend, even accidentally? That would kill her. She would never be that clumsy as to physically picking up a book with two hands and chunking it across the room. How could that be an accident? Exactly, it can't! So, why the heck would she do that purposely to me, her best friend?”

I actually think she had a point.

“I still think that is just a backup story,” the principal whispered.

“Whatever, I'm through even trying!” she sighed, slumping down farther in the chair.

“And Shauna got mad when she threw the textbook, so Shauna decided to use violence as an answer.” Shauna was in the corner, shaking her head and disagreeing with everything he was saying. I thought I even heard her mumble repeatedly over and over again, “No, not true, liar.”

“So when they were at their break, and I don't know if this was an accident or not, Shauna pushed her off the fence she was climbing on. Regardless, Shayna shouldn't have even been climbing it at all, but she fell off, landed on her side, and rolled into the metal football equipment. We called the paramedics not too long ago. They will be here any minute.”

“Oh baby!” I ran over to Shayna, squatting down by her. "Shayna, baby, can you hear me? Shayna, Shayna!”

She just lay there, breathing steadily.

“Well, obviously she isn't unconscious, or she wouldn't even be breathing. Maybe she is just sleeping--or knocked out. That little spill she took could have taken the breath right out of her. I'm no doctor though.”

He just nodded and walked out of the room.

“Shayna, darling, answer me. Can you hear me?” I whispered.

Her head moved from side to side, like she was dreaming. Or was it a nightmare? “Shayna?”

“Shelly?” she mumbled softly, groaning softly as she rolled toward her wounded side.

“Baby, are you okay?”

“I think so, but my side is killing me.”

“Where does it hurt?” I asked her. She pointed to her center rib,
And I lifted her shirt. A bruise the size of a softball was forming. “Oh, honey,” I moaned. “It's only your first day, and you go off getting into a fight.”

“It wasn't me! And it wasn't Shauna either! It was that guy in black!” She struggled to talk, and then tensed up. I smoothed her hair back from her hairline.

“Ssssssh, hush, babe. It's all fine. Rest yourself.”

She relaxed and laid back. Both the girls' reasons sounded so ridiculous, and I was sure no man in all black, like a burglar, could've come to the school and done that. But then again, I somewhat believed them.--------------------------------