TCWT Book Club

Today we’re trying something a little different.

National Teen Read Week starts tomorrow, and we’re celebrating it by participating in a blog tour on Wednesday hosted by Inklined, a fellow teen writer site. But this got me thinking: What about reading and discussing a certain book? As I tend to stress, the most important part of writing is reading. Read read read in your genre until you feel comfortable writing something of your own. Reading gives you inspiration, helps you improve your own writing, and by figuring out what works and what doesn’t in a certain book (and then applying it to your own writing) does amazing things.

So, I thought: why not do a TCWT book club for National Teen Read Week?

I have no idea how many of you will participate, but I’ve decided to do this, and hopefully it’ll be a success.

The Book:

Looking For Alaska by John Green

Blurb:

Miles “Pudge” Halter’s whole existence has been one big nonevent, and his obsession with famous last words has only made him crave the “Great Perhaps”  (François Rabelais, poet) even more. He heads off to the sometimes crazy, possibly unstable, and anything-but-boring world of Culver Creek Boarding School, and his life becomes the opposite of safe. Because down the hall is Alaska Young. The gorgeous, clever, funny, sexy, self-destructive, screwed-up, and utterly fascinating Alaska Young, who is an event unto herself. She pulls Pudge into her world, launches him into the Great Perhaps, and steals his heart.

Why I Chose It:

John Green is fantastic. His characterization and romance and interplay between characters consistently blows me away, and his books are always emotional and honest. Although I have yet to read Looking For Alaska, I have heard great things, and I know it’ll be edgy and thought-provoking and will provide for a great discussion. Plus, I’m confident dissecting it will help show you guys what works and what doesn’t in books and by applying this to your own writing, you’ll improve leaps and bounds. (Yes, I’m using cliches now too.)

Content Warning/Disclaimer/Thing:

Even though this book is a YA contemporary, I’m aware it contains some edgy content. I’ve heard it’s nothing extreme, but I feel like I should warn you guys anyway. Parent sites recommend you be 16 or older to read it; this is NOT a requirement for us and any teen who wants to participate can participate, but please be aware of this. I don’t want to shock anyone. (To be blunt, the edginess is “sexually explicit content” and some minor drinking and swearing. I don’t endorse doing this and neither does John Green, but it’s dealt with in a way which shows that all of the above are wrong, according to everyone who has read it.)

Details of the Book Club:

- You must be 13-20 and comfortable with the slightly edgy content in the book. It’s nothing extreme, as I said, but it is there and I feel I should warn you.

- The book club starts tommorow (the 14th) and ends a week from then, on the 21st. I’m posting about it now so you have time to buy the book if you want to participate.

- You can participate even if you’ve already read the book. Either reread it along with us, or if you remember what happens, just participate in the discussions. But please, NO SPOILERS.

- You’re going to need a Goodreads account to do this. Yes, I know only like 3 of you are on Goodreads right now, so please don’t leave just yet. Goodreads, which is basically a site for reading, takes literally 2 minutes to join and you can make it private. I strongly encourage you all to do the book club, and joining Goodreads is extremely fast and easy (so basically: DO IT). Plus, the TCWT group I created is viewable only by members, so no one will be seeing your posts. Signup for Goodreads here:  http://www.goodreads.com/ When you’ve done that and created an account, go to the just-created TCWT group and request to be a member. You might have to wait for me to approve you, but you’ll get an email as soon as I do. Start posting in this thread once you’re approved to join the book club. Questions? Problems? Let me know!

EDIT: If the way to join the group I mentioned above isn’t working, then once you join Goodreads please instead friend the TCWT account (http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/9349244-teens-can-write-too) and I’ll add you to the group from there. Thanks!

- Be courteous of other people in the group, and please do not spoil anything. I made a list of days and how much we’re reading and when (it’s a short book, so it’s not much) in the above linked thread, but please please please disclaim what “day” you’re at (the book is broken up into “day”s, not chapters) before you start posting a potential spoiler.

Other TCWT Announcements…

- Be sure to check back in on the blog on Friday because we have a SUPER EXTREMELY HUGE CONTEST to announce. (Yes, the caps-lock was totally necessary.) You don’t need a completed MS to participate, either. Trust me, it will rock.

- Starting in a few weeks, I’m employing “Novel Writing Wednesday,” a weekly meme for this blog where I answer your questions about how to start/complete a novel, how to overcome writer’s block, how to revise, how to draft, or anything else you might be curious about. If you have a question you’d like answered, please email them to TeenRiter(at)gmail(dot)com. Thanks!