This week Honestly YA welcomes editor, extraordinaire, Whitney Ross! I had the pleasure of meeting Whitney at a conference in Chicago this year and she's delightful.
Welcome Whitney!
1.
What book(s) spoke to you most during your teen years?
Do any of them continue to influence you now as an adult, or in your career as
an editor?
I
read Pride and Prejudice when my age
was in the single digits, and still re-read it every year. I actually missed a stop on the train
recently because I got so caught up in the story! It’s a character driven novel with a distinct
voice, qualities that I tend to focus on as an editor today.
A few YA favorites are Ella Enchanted, A Wrinkle in
Time and Mara, Daughter of the Nile. I still go back and
re-read these three periodically, and the stories never get old. If you haven’t
read them, go, buy, read! I can’t
recommend them more highly. All three have strong, distinct voices and
characters that you can’t help but wish were your friend. I loved reading books with admirable—or at
least sympathetic—characters, and that hasn’t changed!
2.
We talk a lot about “voice” here at Honestly YA. How
do you define it? Do you have any tips to help aspiring writers develop it?
“Voice” is so difficult to define, but I would
describe it as the phrasing and diction that makes a character come alive, feel
real and unique.
Don’t force it!
This tends to be more of an issue for YA authors trying to have a
specifically teen voice. Yet the YA
characters that we love the most don’t necessarily have a teenage voice, but a
voice that is their own. It’s distinct, fits with the character, and
is consistent throughout the novel.
The best thing you can do is know your
hero/heroine. How would he/she respond
in a certain situation? Are they funny,
sarcastic, shy, unselfish, brave? Make a
list, and make sure their responses are consistent with who they are. The “voice” will follow!
3.
We keep hearing how
crowded the YA market is. How can aspiring YA authors ensure their work stands
out from the masses?
Don’t write to trends!
The publishing timeline is so long that you’re going to be at least a year or
two behind. Instead, write what you
love. Write what you feel inspired to write. If you love it, chances are someone else will
too.
4.
Is there anything on your
current wish list? Anything you’re not interested in seeing at this time?
I’m always looking for a
unique YA fantasy with a strong female lead, and I’d love to see a YA
historical with a supernatural hook. But
most of the time, I end up buying things that weren’t on my wish list, books
that surprise me, and that’s always fun.
5.
What releases do you have coming up that you are especially excited
about?
I’m
particularly excited about Mindee Arnett’s The
Nightmare Affair, YA paranormal about a girl who’s half nightmare, half
human. It’s a fabulous read, witty and just so much fun. Check out Mindee’s website for more
information:
6.
Just for fun, who are
some of your favorite YA Heroes of all time?
What a fun question! There are so many wonderful YA heroes out
there, but I tried to keep my list limited to my absolute favorites:
Brigan from Kristin
Cashore’s Fire
Sean Kendrick from Maggie
Stiefvater’s The Scorpio Races
Eugenides from Megan
Whalen Turner’s The Queen’s Thief series
Shane from Rachel Caine’s Morganville Vampire Series
Shane from Rachel Caine’s Morganville Vampire Series
Cassel from Holly Black’s
Curse Workers series
Finnikin from Melina
Marchetta’s Finnikin of the Rock
Am I missing anyone that
you particularly love? If so, I’d love
to hear your recommendations!
***

Thanks so much for stopping by, Whitney! After those hero recommendations, you're welcome anytime. ;D
Lorie