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Writerly Ways
May. 11th, 2025 11:04 pmHappy Mother's Day
This got me thinking again about YA fiction and the overly heavily reliance on bad moms or dead ones. We've talked about ways around this before but I'm always open to hear more ideas or examples. I think if we're going to go the bad parent routine then ones like Joyce Summers or Camilla Noceda are the way to go: working too hard and concerned with their daughters but a bit clueless. Camilla comes around much faster than Joyce
Of course, a lot of them go the route of dead Mom (looking at you Disney but it's not your fault. You use fairy tales from a time where mom usually died in birth).
The one I've seen less is Mom's a bitch. If I'm honest, my grandmother was and I have a student whos mother likes all her children but this student. Currently hospitalized, the student is the only one looking after her and the nurse said this must be your favorite kid and mom is like no, not at all. You watch enough ID Discovery you will see a mom (or father) pick one child to torture and the rest are raised with love. It's so bizarre and yet it's not uncommon.
What is uncommon is to see this in fiction (or should I say in the genres I personally read). Has anyone seen examples of it?
OPEN CALLS
Beyond Straightforward science fiction with great characters
Anomaly June 2025 Window Dark and disruptive SF stories that have strong emotional resonance under 300 words in length
The First Line – Fall 2025 Story must begin with: Her truck took the sharp turns of the mountain road with ease.
Radon Journal Stories and poetry containing elements of science fiction, anarchism, transhumanism, or dystopia.
Flashpoint Science Fiction Spring 2025 Window Science fiction, fantasy, slipstream, and everything in between
Three-Lobed Burning Eye May 2025 Window Speculative fiction with strong narrative voices
5 Paying Literary Magazines to Submit to in May 2025
The Bloomin’ Onion: Now Seeking Fiction Submissions
Game Over Books: Accepting Manuscript Submissions
32 Themed Calls and Contests for May 2025
From Around the Web
Writing Tips from a Neurodivergent Brain
Avoid These Common Book Title Mistakes That Can Tank Your Sales Also want to point out this is more important to the indie crew as publishers can/will change yours
How to Give Writing Feedback Like a Pro
Am I A Writer or Just a Person Who Owns Too Many Notebooks?
People Lose Thousands of Dollars at Failed A Million Lives Book Festival A word of caution
A Guide to eBook Conversion Services for Your Book
What is a Character Flaw?
How to Use TikTok to Sell Books: 12 Practical Tips
From Betty
Why Tossing In Calamity Won’t Make Your Story Exciting
#1 Sign of a Successful Writer? Persevering Through Failure.
10 Things I Learned Teaching Children to Write
Voice Revisited
More Thriller Words of Wisdom
Learning to Set the Stage with Description in Your Manuscript
This got me thinking again about YA fiction and the overly heavily reliance on bad moms or dead ones. We've talked about ways around this before but I'm always open to hear more ideas or examples. I think if we're going to go the bad parent routine then ones like Joyce Summers or Camilla Noceda are the way to go: working too hard and concerned with their daughters but a bit clueless. Camilla comes around much faster than Joyce
Of course, a lot of them go the route of dead Mom (looking at you Disney but it's not your fault. You use fairy tales from a time where mom usually died in birth).
The one I've seen less is Mom's a bitch. If I'm honest, my grandmother was and I have a student whos mother likes all her children but this student. Currently hospitalized, the student is the only one looking after her and the nurse said this must be your favorite kid and mom is like no, not at all. You watch enough ID Discovery you will see a mom (or father) pick one child to torture and the rest are raised with love. It's so bizarre and yet it's not uncommon.
What is uncommon is to see this in fiction (or should I say in the genres I personally read). Has anyone seen examples of it?
OPEN CALLS
Beyond Straightforward science fiction with great characters
Anomaly June 2025 Window Dark and disruptive SF stories that have strong emotional resonance under 300 words in length
The First Line – Fall 2025 Story must begin with: Her truck took the sharp turns of the mountain road with ease.
Radon Journal Stories and poetry containing elements of science fiction, anarchism, transhumanism, or dystopia.
Flashpoint Science Fiction Spring 2025 Window Science fiction, fantasy, slipstream, and everything in between
Three-Lobed Burning Eye May 2025 Window Speculative fiction with strong narrative voices
5 Paying Literary Magazines to Submit to in May 2025
The Bloomin’ Onion: Now Seeking Fiction Submissions
Game Over Books: Accepting Manuscript Submissions
32 Themed Calls and Contests for May 2025
From Around the Web
Writing Tips from a Neurodivergent Brain
Avoid These Common Book Title Mistakes That Can Tank Your Sales Also want to point out this is more important to the indie crew as publishers can/will change yours
How to Give Writing Feedback Like a Pro
Am I A Writer or Just a Person Who Owns Too Many Notebooks?
People Lose Thousands of Dollars at Failed A Million Lives Book Festival A word of caution
A Guide to eBook Conversion Services for Your Book
What is a Character Flaw?
How to Use TikTok to Sell Books: 12 Practical Tips
From Betty
Why Tossing In Calamity Won’t Make Your Story Exciting
#1 Sign of a Successful Writer? Persevering Through Failure.
10 Things I Learned Teaching Children to Write
Voice Revisited
More Thriller Words of Wisdom
Learning to Set the Stage with Description in Your Manuscript
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