YA Book Pick: WANDERLOST by Jen Malone

Once a month, we choose an outstanding YA book to review. We want to spotlight books of interest to aspiring writers, as well as highlight some of our favorite books and authors!

This month's book pick is WANDERLOST by Jen Malone.

Synopsis (from Goodreads): Not all those who wander are lost, but Aubree Sadler most definitely is on this novel’s whirlwind trip through Europe.

Aubree can’t think of a better place to be than in perfectly boring Ohio, and she’s ready for a relaxing summer. But when her older sister, Elizabeth, gets into real trouble, Aubree is talked into taking over Elizabeth’s summer job, leading a group of senior citizens on a bus tour through Europe.

Aubree doesn’t even make it to the first stop in Amsterdam before their perfect plan unravels, leaving her with no phone, no carefully prepared binder full of helpful facts, and an unexpected guest: the tour company owner’s son, Sam. Considering she’s pretending to be Elizabeth, she absolutely shouldn’t fall for him, but she can’t help it, especially with the most romantic European cities as the backdrop for their love story.

But her relationship with Sam is threatening to ruin her relationship with her sister, and she feels like she’s letting both of them down. Aubree knows this trip may show her who she really is—she just hopes she likes where she ends up.

First Line: "I'm wedged into the pantry, between forty-seven rolls of toilet paper and an industrial-sized box of Raisin Bran." 

This line does a good job of setting the tone for the rest of the book—funny and intriguing! Why is the narrator stuck in the pantry? What kind of person buys toilet paper in  >47 roll quantities?

Highlights: There were so many highlights in this book! First of all, the main character is endearing and likable. I winced in sympathy throughout the first few chapters as Aubree's life went horribly wrong. I desperately wanted her to redeem herself—and I cheered when she did.

The romance was great. There was enough character development for the love interest so you understood why she'd fall for him, but it never felt like insta-love. Finally, the book was so funny! The elderly tour guests especially were hilarious.

Notes for Writers: One of the best things about this book is its amazing scene descriptions. You can see Amsterdam, or Salzburg, or Monte Carlo in your mind's eye as the action unfolds. If you want to improve your setting descriptions, this is an excellent book to study.

The Importance of Travel for Writers

I'm on a short vacation right now which included a 10-hour road trip. After a long discussion with my husband about how the picturesque landscape we were passing was going to figure into his novel-in-progress, I started thinking about travel as a writing tool. Here are some of the ways travel can make you a better writer:

1. Improved settings.
Let's go with the most obvious benefit first—there's nothing like actually experiencing a place to help you write about it effectively. Tools like maps, internet photos, and travel books can help, but it's going to be difficult to describe the heady smell of a French patisserie or the way desert air feels on your skin if you haven't been there in person.

2. Reduced stress.

It's harder to let the words flow when your day-to-day life is loaded with stress. There's nothing like a relaxing trip to refresh and rejuvenate your muse, even if you don't write a word.

3. More realistic characters and plots.

Meeting new people from all walks of life and being willing to experience new situations is essential for any writer who hopes to accurately depict the human experience. Don't just stick to guided tours or pre-defined paths. Most of my richest (and most useful) travel experiences have directly resulted from wandering around small neighborhoods or living like the locals.

4. A broader view.

We can all think of a book with a too-narrow worldview. Don't let this happen to you. Experiencing different cultures, exposing yourself to different points of view, and being open to new ideas will always result in better, richer writing.

One thing I wish I was better about is keeping a journal or diary when I travel. There's really no excuse for it now, either, since I always have my phone with me and can jot down notes when there isn't a scrap of paper in sight.

Why First Drafts Suck and Why That's Okay

"The first draft of anything is sh*t." 

-Ernest Hemingway

I'm working on a new first draft. For the first time in over a year, I'm sitting down in front of my computer and staring at a blank page. Sometimes the words appear in my mind and flow seamlessly through my fingers to the screen. Sometimes I feel like I'm wrestling them into place. But either way, I'm pretty happy with my progress at the moment.

A few years ago, I wouldn't have called myself a writer by any stretch of the imagination. I had written a few short stories, but I was a perfectionist. This meant every sentence got dissected right after it was written—and more often than not, it got deleted because it sounded stupid, or I freaked out about it not having the right lyrical flow, or I thought of a better idea for the beginning ten pages in and deleted the whole thing to start over.

The idea of writing a novel crossed my mind and was immediately dismissed. I made up stories in my head all the time, but I knew writing them down would mean years of arduous deleting and rewriting.

Then came the turning point. My husband suggested something that had never occurred to me: why not just write the draft, without any changes? When I protested that I couldn't let the words sit there like that, he said I could use a separate document to note changes to go back and do later--but in the meantime, I could carry on with the draft.

I tried out this process, and it really, really works for me. I outline the novel, and then I just write. Notes for what isn't working or what needs to be changed later or great new ideas go in a separate "Things to Change" document.

Now, here's the thing. My first drafts are hideous. Some people like to refer to first drafts as "vomit drafts," and this is most definitely accurate for mine. Locations change mid-stream. People who died in the last chapter magically jump back in because I thought of something else for them to do. Someone who starts out as mousy and shy in the first few chapters becomes a confident hussy in the last few.

But that's okay.

The magic happens in the revisions. I go straight down my Things to Change list and mold characterizations, plot, and setting into something that makes sense. Then I go over it again, and again (and about seven more times, but you don't really need to hear about all of those). 

The point is, writing this way lets me actually finish drafts. I've met an awful lot of people who tell me, "Oh, I'm writing a novel too. I started a few years ago and I have fifty pages done." They never got past the first draft. Now I tell them about my method. 

I've become a vomit draft evangelist! And I must be doing something right, because I've completed three novels and am working on my fourth.

What's your first draft process? Do you agonize over every word, or vomit it out?

Writer's Resource: Magical Places Tumblr

Do you write fantasy or science-fiction? If you do, you'll definitely want to check out this Magical Places Tumblr the next time you're creating settings or fleshing-out anemic ones. There are an unbelievable number of amazing shots. A few story ideas popped into my head just from scrolling through the page!

Here's a screenshot:

I wasn't really sure what Tumblr was prior to stumbling upon this page, so I looked it up. The short explanation is that it's a place for people to set up short blogs (officially called "tumblelogs," although most people seem to just call it "my Tumblr.").

Users can post things directly to their Tumblr, much like Twitter or Facebook, without having to go through another interface. Most Tumblr users appear to favor photographs, which leads to amazing sites like this one.

If you'd like to read more about Tumblr, there's a good explanation here: What the Hell is Tumblr?. You can also go to Tumblr.com to set up your own.