By Cam
Any writer, agent, or editor worth their salt will tell you that the one thing you absolutely ABSOLUTELY must have in order to get published is:
A Critique Partner/Group/Community
This is soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo true I can’t even tell you how true it is. Except maybe I just did since I have a hundred o’s too many in there. 
But let me tell you why.
A few months ago, I joined a new critique group that would be focused solely on YA. What’s this fantastic group called, you say? YA FICTION FANATICS. And let me tell you, the women in this group are not only talented, gracious, hilarious, and intelligent. But they’re also the most selfless, honest, loyal, and lovable writers (and women) I’ve ever “met.” I can’t even begin to sing my praises enough for how much this group has helped me shape LIFE AFTER SEND to make it the best it can be. Their feedback has been right-on, and I know — hear that, Universe? — I know I’ll find an agent to sell this puppy one day. And when I do, it’ll be because of these women (plus the guidance and wisdom of my AWESOME AWESOME MENTOR, WHO NO AMOUNT OF CUPCAKES WOULD EVER BE ENOUGH TO SAY HOW MUCH I ADORE HER).For reals, I am humbled to be a part of such a giving group.
I love the writing community. It rocks.
And memorize these names because one day, we’ll take over the world. One YA at a time:
Vanessa Barger
RM Gilbert
Rebekah Purdy
Barbara Sheridan
Traci Kenworth
Min Buchanan
Kara Lee Critzer
Jennifer Bianco
Martina Boone
Penny Randall
By Cam
Well folks, I’m officially on the last leg of NaNo. My current wordcount is 40,056 so I have just under 10,000 more words to write before Dec. 1 rolls around.
I think I can do. No–take that back. I know I can do it. But I’ll admit it was easier in the beginning to get the words down. And really it wasn’t until two days ago that it got hard. My problem is that a chatty muse woke me up at 6am with a brilliant story to tell…in a genre I don’t write. At least not yet. I’ve been hand-writing some scenes in a journal as they come to me just to appease the muse that won’t shut up, but I’m keeping mum about it until NaNo’s over. Then it’s off to another world!
But I wanted to focus on what this month is all about: Giving Thanks.
There’s so much I’m thankful for, too many to name in this post, but with the help of NaNo I’ve come to realize that there’s still some gusto in me. Since I seriously started writing in April, I can honestly say I’ve never written this many words before in one piece. I’ve gotten really close, and I’m sure if you add up all my partially-started stories and put them together in one document (albeit, a really incomprehensible document), I’d probably have an encyclopedia-length book.
But the beauty of this little thing called NaNo is that it forces you to dig deep and get it all out. November’s been the most trying and stressful month, but also the most complete. November’s filled with lots of coffee, chocolate, Sour Patch watermelons, late nights, mental breakdowns, fits of self-inflicted ego bashing, turkey, and typing. November’s torn me apart and glued me together. And it’s breathtakingly gorgeous. November has reinforced to me that I’ve truly found my own passion.
Writing.
And aside from my beautiful family, writing is what I’m grateful for this Thanksgiving. The gift of words has provided me with more connection to myself than anything I could’ve imagined. I believe it makes me a better citizen, a better wife, a better mother…a better me.
So I raise my glass…er, turkey leg…and say:
Thank you November.
Cambria Dillon - YA Writer
