I first met Jennifer Chen when we were in an online Facebook group together. I watched as her career continued to soar, and as she made the progression from widely-published journalist to acclaimed YA debut author.

YA is a topic I haven’t covered yet on the podcast, and as someone who admittedly did not read YA until Jen’s book, I was smitten in so many ways: by the dialogue, the scenes, and overall the craft Jen uses throughout her book.

I know you will find so much value through our conversation:

In this Episode

• How Jennifer started her YA writing journey
• Going on submission during the pandemic, and eventually getting a 2 book deal
• The exercise of narrowing down characters
• The art of writing time pressure into your story 
• Jen’s advice for excavating specific emotions for your characters

Watch on You Tube

About Jennifer

Jennifer Chen is a freelance journalist who has written for Today, New York Times, Oprah Daily, Real Simple, and Bust. Jennifer has a MFA and BFA in dramatic writing from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. She is a proud volunteer for WriteGirl, a creative writing and mentoring organization. She lives in Los Angeles with her TV writer husband, twins, two pugs, and a cat named Gremlin. 

Contact Jennifer

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jchenwriter 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jchenwriter/ 

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jchenwriter 

Substack newsletter: https://jenniferchen.substack.com 

Website: https://jchenwriter.com

 

Connect with Estelle:

Estelle’s Bookshop (where you can buy the books from the authors in this podcast): 

https://bookshop.org/shop/EstelleSErasmus

Her website: https://estelleserasmus.com (sign up for her newsletter and receive her free pitching guide).

Writing That Gets Noticed: Find Your Voice, Become a Better Storyteller, Get Published: https://estelleserasmus.com/books/writing-that-gets-noticed/

Adjunct Instructor, NYU (Sign up for her latest classes-Writing That Gets Noticed is now a course for the Journalism Certificate) https://www.sps.nyu.edu/professional-pathways/faculty/1068-estelle-erasmus.html

Her Substack https://estelleserasmus.substack.com (with craft advice and writing opportunities)

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/EstelleSErasmus/

X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/EstelleSErasmus

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@estelleserasmus

Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/estelleserasmus.bsky.social

Take a Class with Me 

Here is a short promo for my new NYU Course Writing That Gets Noticed, in case you were wondering what it is all about.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pc8pnyuHzTA

Here is the link to register. Spots are limited.

Where I’ll be Next

Let me know if you will be at AWP. Maybe we can grab a cup of coffee?

Also, let me know what you want me to cover in the podcast, Freelance Writing Direct and on my Substack at [email protected]

 

Where I Just Was

At Podfest Expo 2024 in Orlando, FL.

I usually don’t post more than once a week, but you will be seeing one from me very shortly. Here is a little preview of the talk I moderated and participated on with Ronit Plank, of Let’s Talk Memoir and Bianca Marais of The Shit No One Tells You About Writing. More soon.