Working on a future newsletter with a no-holds barred look back at The Project, I wrote on Instagram not long ago. If you have any questions, now is the time to ask.
I'm late to the party (finished reading The Project this week and am Still Processing), but thank you for sharing a look into its creation. The story and structure of this book is so spellbinding, and as a writer it feels like an immense privilege to hear about your research and the construction of Lo's arc. All of your protagonists stick with me, but it feels like Lo especially has embedded herself deep in my mind and heart.
Thank YOU for reading, Kimberly. It is an equally immense privilege to have your readership as a fellow writer, and to be read so thoughtfully and with such consideration. Thank you so, so much--as I said, lots of people chafed at Lo. It means a lot to me when she finds the readers who get her--thank you for being one of them :)
Love how the new cover echos the original. I have so much to say! I'll try not to go on too much 😁. Firstly because I'm not on any social media (maybe one day) I didn't even know people had a problem with Lo, let alone were hating on her ☹. I took her as she was, complexed and flawed and hurting and was gutted for her when she fell prey to Lev's manipulations. But not surprised. Cults use grooming, although it is not often referred to as that, they find what their victim is missing and offer it. Anyone can be groomed, everyone is vulnerable. Out of curiosity, did Lo get much blame for what happened to her from some of your readers the way Georgia did?
Thank you for sharing the writing craft stuff, I love reading about other writers processes and techniques! Feel free to share more ❤. About any of your books 🥰
As for genre, what a murky water that is, can writing not become more fluid and less defined as music and movies and people are becoming? Why does it have to be pigeon holed and labelled? Also, since when was a nineteen year old not a young adult? 🤔 I took a short class one time that was to do with plot and planning a novel and I suggested that maybe my target audience was YA, and the class teacher (a YA author themselves) shut it down straight away saying no my writing and/or subject matter was too dark, and that YA had a hopeful ending. The teacher had actually only read a brief plan (not my actual writing voice) and I hadn't even decided on an ending at that point 🙁.
Also, meant to add that it's awful to have everything judged against your most successful book ☹. Don't stop doing what you want, and pushing boundaries and growing. I'm sad that Gillian Flynn hasn't released a book since Gone Girl (she had said she was working on one quite a while ago) I wonder if she feels the same pressure of judgement and expectation.
Thank you! I'm so glad you dig the cover as much as I do 🙂
& Even more that you appreciate what I set out to do with Lo. There was a vocal proponent of reactions that blamed Lo for 'sleeping' with Lev--what she did was not framed as being groomed, her trauma and vulnerability were discounted. I really think that reaction was largely by people who thought Lo was an avatar for their feelings about cults (ie they would never be indoctrinated, Lo was on their side) and they felt so betrayed by her they responded in anger. I can't say that definitively of course, not being those readers, but it was definitely a vibe I got. It was similar to Georgia, but Georgia bears the brunt of that type of response.
I also agree with your assessment that 19 still qualifies as young adult! And UGH at whoever your teacher was!!!! "Too dark"--books like The Chocolate War are defining in the category, authors like Robert Cormier... he never gave happy endings at the expense of the stories he tried to tell. That said, I do think in the last couple of years (maybe due to the bleak times we've been living in?) there is less receptivity to grim stories, or maybe just a higher demand for happier ones. But hard-hitting YAs still have a place. I'm sorry that your own work was not given a more careful reading by someone who you were trying to learn from. It's powerful that you knew that what they were offering you was questionable though. Always listen to that inner voice!
& Thank you for your kind encouragement. It's sometimes tough to have Sadie continue to overshadow new stories 5 years later (I'm grateful for its success and wouldn't change it, to be clear), but much of that also relates to how subsequent books were marketed primarily and nearly exclusively to readers of Sadie. I of course want to bring those readers along to what I do next, but each book is its own thing for its own readers. When ITG and The Project hit with them, I'm assured they're out there. :)
I LOVE Gillian Flynn and I hope she returns to fiction too someday too. FWIW, she's acquiring books for a publisher named Zando--you should check it out! It's as close to a new GF as we might get. But hopefully we will eventually get one!!
Thank you so much! I really appreciate that. This is Not a Test is much harder to tie to the other universes because it would suggest either a zombie apocalypse was ahead or behind the books that referenced it and that would create more questions than I could answer 😄
Oooh thank you. I found the craft talk and the whole retrospective fascinating, I really love having a glimpse into your mind and how you shaped the whole thing.
Thank you so much, Becky! I never know if this kind of stuff is just interesting to ME 😂 and I am always thrilled when someone gets something out of it. Thank you for reading it and leaving a comment!
I devoured this newsletter, Courtney. I love that we can talk about the ending in such a public space with you. I was shocked that Lo went into the cult, but it was what she wanted all along, to feel loved. For me, the ending wasn't just courageous, but it was true to the character. You never shy away from the truth. Xo
hayley!! that means so much because that commitment is so beautifully on display in your own books and the same reason i admire, respect & love them. <3 thank you
I'm late to the party (finished reading The Project this week and am Still Processing), but thank you for sharing a look into its creation. The story and structure of this book is so spellbinding, and as a writer it feels like an immense privilege to hear about your research and the construction of Lo's arc. All of your protagonists stick with me, but it feels like Lo especially has embedded herself deep in my mind and heart.
Thank YOU for reading, Kimberly. It is an equally immense privilege to have your readership as a fellow writer, and to be read so thoughtfully and with such consideration. Thank you so, so much--as I said, lots of people chafed at Lo. It means a lot to me when she finds the readers who get her--thank you for being one of them :)
Love how the new cover echos the original. I have so much to say! I'll try not to go on too much 😁. Firstly because I'm not on any social media (maybe one day) I didn't even know people had a problem with Lo, let alone were hating on her ☹. I took her as she was, complexed and flawed and hurting and was gutted for her when she fell prey to Lev's manipulations. But not surprised. Cults use grooming, although it is not often referred to as that, they find what their victim is missing and offer it. Anyone can be groomed, everyone is vulnerable. Out of curiosity, did Lo get much blame for what happened to her from some of your readers the way Georgia did?
Thank you for sharing the writing craft stuff, I love reading about other writers processes and techniques! Feel free to share more ❤. About any of your books 🥰
As for genre, what a murky water that is, can writing not become more fluid and less defined as music and movies and people are becoming? Why does it have to be pigeon holed and labelled? Also, since when was a nineteen year old not a young adult? 🤔 I took a short class one time that was to do with plot and planning a novel and I suggested that maybe my target audience was YA, and the class teacher (a YA author themselves) shut it down straight away saying no my writing and/or subject matter was too dark, and that YA had a hopeful ending. The teacher had actually only read a brief plan (not my actual writing voice) and I hadn't even decided on an ending at that point 🙁.
Thanks again for sharing ❤
Also, meant to add that it's awful to have everything judged against your most successful book ☹. Don't stop doing what you want, and pushing boundaries and growing. I'm sad that Gillian Flynn hasn't released a book since Gone Girl (she had said she was working on one quite a while ago) I wonder if she feels the same pressure of judgement and expectation.
Thank you! I'm so glad you dig the cover as much as I do 🙂
& Even more that you appreciate what I set out to do with Lo. There was a vocal proponent of reactions that blamed Lo for 'sleeping' with Lev--what she did was not framed as being groomed, her trauma and vulnerability were discounted. I really think that reaction was largely by people who thought Lo was an avatar for their feelings about cults (ie they would never be indoctrinated, Lo was on their side) and they felt so betrayed by her they responded in anger. I can't say that definitively of course, not being those readers, but it was definitely a vibe I got. It was similar to Georgia, but Georgia bears the brunt of that type of response.
I also agree with your assessment that 19 still qualifies as young adult! And UGH at whoever your teacher was!!!! "Too dark"--books like The Chocolate War are defining in the category, authors like Robert Cormier... he never gave happy endings at the expense of the stories he tried to tell. That said, I do think in the last couple of years (maybe due to the bleak times we've been living in?) there is less receptivity to grim stories, or maybe just a higher demand for happier ones. But hard-hitting YAs still have a place. I'm sorry that your own work was not given a more careful reading by someone who you were trying to learn from. It's powerful that you knew that what they were offering you was questionable though. Always listen to that inner voice!
& Thank you for your kind encouragement. It's sometimes tough to have Sadie continue to overshadow new stories 5 years later (I'm grateful for its success and wouldn't change it, to be clear), but much of that also relates to how subsequent books were marketed primarily and nearly exclusively to readers of Sadie. I of course want to bring those readers along to what I do next, but each book is its own thing for its own readers. When ITG and The Project hit with them, I'm assured they're out there. :)
I LOVE Gillian Flynn and I hope she returns to fiction too someday too. FWIW, she's acquiring books for a publisher named Zando--you should check it out! It's as close to a new GF as we might get. But hopefully we will eventually get one!!
I LOVED this book!
Just curious...is there a reason you never reference my other favorite book - This is Not a Test?
Thank you so much! I really appreciate that. This is Not a Test is much harder to tie to the other universes because it would suggest either a zombie apocalypse was ahead or behind the books that referenced it and that would create more questions than I could answer 😄
Sure, sure, use logic... XD
🤣🤣🤣
Oooh thank you. I found the craft talk and the whole retrospective fascinating, I really love having a glimpse into your mind and how you shaped the whole thing.
Thank you so much, Becky! I never know if this kind of stuff is just interesting to ME 😂 and I am always thrilled when someone gets something out of it. Thank you for reading it and leaving a comment!
I devoured this newsletter, Courtney. I love that we can talk about the ending in such a public space with you. I was shocked that Lo went into the cult, but it was what she wanted all along, to feel loved. For me, the ending wasn't just courageous, but it was true to the character. You never shy away from the truth. Xo
hayley!! that means so much because that commitment is so beautifully on display in your own books and the same reason i admire, respect & love them. <3 thank you