Guest Post: Author Juliana Haygert

Today I am excited to have Juliana Haygert, author of "Her Heart's Secret Wish", stop by the blog to tell us a bit about her writing process! 

Like most writers, I started writing at an early age. But then it was just a hobby. During college, I stopped writing. Not sure why, though. Too busy? Even though I wasn’t writing anymore, my mind never stopped creating stories and making observations “ah, this would be an awesome detail for a story” and things like that.

Around 2008, the urge to write again was overwhelming. I started writing again, and I started thinking about it as more than a hobby. For the first time, I thought about trying to get published. While I wasn’t writing my first real manuscript, as I call it, I researched about the process, the agents, the editors, the wants and wishes, all of that dance.

Early into 2010, I finish my first real manuscript and submitted to agents. I’m serious. Man, I hope they don’t remember me. The writing was horrible. Horrible! Yes, the story was good and I have plans of rewriting it, but the writing … oh, gosh.

But I learned.

I created a blog, I became active on twitter (where the writing community is fantastic!), I read blogs about writing and other writers, I bought several craft books and devoured them, I learned more about the process, the dos and don’ts …

But, there was a big problem I had not foreseen: I write New Adult (if you don’t know what New Adult is, you can read about it here). Back in 2010, nobody wanted New Adult. Because of that, I almost gave up on New Adult. I started YA or adult stories, but they didn’t sound good to me. My voice wasn’t true. So I stuck with NA, even if I never got published because of it.

I found out small presses were more likely to accept New Adult. So I subbed to them. And I got contract for two novellas—one that was just released a few days ago, and another that will come out in February.

Today, New Adult is very popular and, because of many self-published NA books that hit the NYT bestseller list, several agents and editors are now accepting New Adult. Some friends and I created a blog dedicated to New Adult, called NA Alley—if you want to know which agents and editors are accepting NA, or get recommendation on which NA books to read, check our blog out!

I have plans to self-publish a NA Paranormal Romance novel in April, and a NA Contemporary Romance in June, but I think about querying agents again with another project.

The great thing about writing today is that we have options. We just need to stick with it ;)

Thanks, Avery, for having me here today!

From Goodreads: "With a renowned reputation as a player, she had everything figured out...

Twenty-year-old college student, Natasha is the life of every party and the reason behind many celebrations. The easiest girl on campus has all guys at her feet and more than a few in her bed.

…until he came into the game…

Having entered the academic world by chance, Professor Jason Stone is surprised to find one of his young students a huge temptation. The infamous Natasha has caught his attention. But is there more to her than meets the eye?

…and changed the rules.

As their unexpected friendship grows, so does their attraction to each other. When Jason’s Christmas plans are canceled and he ends up at the same party as Natasha, sparks flare, destroying the safe zone around them. Will they figure out how to break through their self-imposed barriers to be together, or lose one another forever?"

About the Author: New Adult author. Contributor at NA Alley blog.

Lover of: coffee, chocolate, wine, dancing, World of Warcraft, books, jeans, high heels, friends + family.

She would love to be Wonder Woman, Cheetara, Elektra, Buffy, Phoebe, She-ra, Rose, Korra, Cornelia, a blood elf shadow priest, and other various kick-ass female from comics, TV series, movies, books and games, but she settles for—the less exciting but equally gratifying life—a wife, mother, friend and a writer. Her heroines are like the ones cited above and she also writes about the heroes who drive them crazy—and occasionally hot.