Guest Post: "Make It Or Break It?" by Kelly York

In my writing folder on my computer, I have quite the collection of folders titled "MS - (working title here).” Some of these are nothing more than text documents of ideas. Random character names, notes on world settings, character relationships, or pictures. Some are plots with no characters attached. Some are, in fact, actual stories! They have a beginning! They have action and development!

And I'll probably never touch them again.

I hate saying "I'm abandoning this idea," because I usually don't abandon something entirely. More often than not I abandon the plot, but I bring the characters with me and reuse them elsewhere. (In fact, I've been etching out a story in my head for some time involving two characters. It’s entirely different from the original story and plot I started writing for them. Not even the same time period/setting/genre.)

This probably has to do with the fact that I'm very character-oriented. Plot and stories aren't the easy or fun part for me: the characters are. I never would have finished writing HUSHED if it weren't for the fact that I adored Archer, loved Evan, and loved to hate Vivian. I have to love my characters on some level or nothing will get done.

I've also noticed a trend: I can start a new story and be on a roll with it until I hit around 10,000 words. The 10k mark seems to be my 'make it or break it' line. If I stop there, I'm never going back to that story. If I can move past it, upward to 20,000 words, I'm going to finish it. (I do not have a single ‘abandoned’ MS in those folders over 10k.)

Currently I have not one, but two WIPs both over 10k. One is over 20k, and the other is nearing that mark.

Do any of you have a collection of unfinished stories you can't bring yourself to just...delete? Do you reuse and recycle bits and pieces from old stories no one will ever see into new ones, or do you have to start completely fresh every time? And what is your make-or-break point (if you have one)?

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Hushed - by Kelley York
Title: Hushed
Author: Kelley York
Genre: YA Thriller
Length: Novel
Launch Date: December 2011
ePub ISBN: 978‐1‐937044‐73‐2 | Print ISBN: 978‐1‐937044‐74‐9
Published December 6th 2011 by Entangled Publishing 

He’s saved her. He’s loved her. He’s killed for her.

Eighteen-year-old Archer couldn’t protect his best friend, Vivian, from what happened when they were kids, so he’s never stopped trying to protect her from everything else. It doesn’t matter that Vivian only uses him when hopping from one toxic relationship to another—Archer is always there, waiting to be noticed.

Then along comes Evan, the only person who’s ever cared about Archer without a single string attached. The harder he falls for Evan, the more Archer sees Vivian for the manipulative hot-mess she really is.

But Viv has her hooks in deep, and when she finds out about the murders Archer’s committed and his relationship with Evan, she threatens to turn him in if she doesn’t get what she wants… And what she wants is Evan’s death, and for Archer to forfeit his last chance at redemption.

Grab the book at Amazon or  Barnes & Nobel

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About the Author

Kelley was born and raised in central California, where she sRll resides with her lovely
wife, daughter, and an abundance of pets. (Although she does fantasize about moving
across the globe to Ireland.) She has a fascinaRon with bells, adores all things furry – be
them squeaky, barky or meow‐y – is a lover of video games, manga and anime, and likes to pretend she’s a decent photographer. Her life goal is to find a real unicorn. Or maybe
a mermaid.
Within young adult, she enjoys wriRng and reading a variety of genres from
contemporary with a unique twist, psychological thrillers, paranormal/urban fantasy
and horror. She loves stories where character development takes center stage.