The SAS PTA elementary book fair will be held from November 30 through December 2 from 7:45 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. in the elementary library. Click title to volunteer.
from Singapore American School http://ift.tt/2fpr9NV
Monday, October 31, 2016
2015-16 Annual Report
The year's report reflects many of the events and milestones, key academic indicators, new programs and instructional strategies in each division, the way that we steward our finances, and much more.
from Singapore American School http://ift.tt/2eu8sU8
from Singapore American School http://ift.tt/2eu8sU8
Digital Citizenship Week
Digital Citizenship Week is here! Your child will have the opportunity to engage in activities that promote the use of technology safely, responsibly, and respectfully.
from Singapore American School http://ift.tt/2dXg6KI
from Singapore American School http://ift.tt/2dXg6KI
Active Parenting Workshop Registration
Active Parenting is a six part program where each session builds on the previous workshop, facilitated by the elementary kindergarten to grade three school counselors.
from Singapore American School http://ift.tt/2eu9Rdi
from Singapore American School http://ift.tt/2eu9Rdi
Let’s Chat Bulletproof Coffee and Finding Balance in Life this Fall
Okay, I’ll bite… what’s the connection between my #BulletproofCoffee and finding balance this fall?
I mean, I can understand how my coffee can wake me up in the morning, and how taking that moment to enjoy the sweet brew calms is an instance of quiet in my chaotic day… but where’s balance come into it?
Join our team as we share all about Bulletproof Coffee and how to find balance in life and health this Fall.
We will be having a fun chat, with tons of great prizes, with our special hosts @BPnutrition there to answer your questions! RSVP HERE!
Join the #BulletproofCoffee Twitter chat on November 3rd by RSVP’ing below
We will be having a fun chat, with tons of great prizes, with our special hosts @BPnutrition there to answer your questions!
Follow your co-hosts to keep up with the conversation.
RSVP below to WIN and check out our Terms and Conditions for details. Prizing is open to USA and Canada.
from Dai Manuel: The Moose is Loose http://ift.tt/2fochiP
FIRST LOOK – 2017 Taylormade M1
Today, we give you a first look (thanks to JDSclubs) at the 2017 Taylormade M1 Driver.
Take a minute. Collect your thoughts and questions.
Alright, so why the same name you are asking? A few reasons from what we have heard:
- Development costs on new driver tech is high, Taylormade is in a transition, this saves cost.
- It builds on a very established platform.
- Same name gives perception that they are not releasing new product. Right now that is advantageous.
- Taylormade M1 was the highest rated performing driver overall in 2016 MGS testing. It's really good.
So, what are the differences?
- New adapter.
- Carbon Fiber Sole Plates (Save Weight)
- Narrower Channels (Save Weight)
- Possible Heavier Weights
- Greater Adjustability
Your Thoughts?
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Why You Should Cultivate Daily Writing Habits
National Novel Writing Month starts tomorrow!
NaNoWriMo is a fun thing lots of writers do each year. In order to write 50,000 words in just 30 days, they write thousands of words every single day.
Whether you’re writing a novel in a month or not, though, writing every day is actually a really valuable habit to develop.
Great Writers Develop a Writing Habit
Don’t believe me?
Then check out these quotes from authors and bloggers, which will inspire you next month and beyond!
I found an amazing compilation of on-point quotes from famous authors on their daily routines. Here’s a taste:
“The repetition itself becomes the important thing.”
—Haruki Murakami
“I write every morning.”
—Ernest Hemingway
And after explaining her daily writing routine, Maya Angelou echoed that often-repeated sentiment:
“Easy reading is damn hard writing.”
More Writers on Their Writing Habits
I found a few more quotes on my own:
Stephen King famously wrote in his book On Writing,
“If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.”
And Jennifer Weiner has lots of advice for aspiring writers on her website. Tip number five?
“Write to please yourself.”
How to Develop Your Writing Habit
Our friend Jeff Goins has published a blog post on “Why You Need to Write Every Day.”
Of course BuzzFeed has a list for everything, including “19 Easy Rules to Write Something Every Day.”
Finally, the most important quote of all:
“Michael Jordan practiced. Joshua Bell practices. Tiger Woods practiced. Bill Gates practiced. Pablo Picasso practiced—so why don’t writers practice?” (Sound familiar?)
Go Write Today
Do you want to be a writer? Do you want to write a novel, or a memoir, or short stories, or blog posts, or something else entirely?
Today, sit down and write.
And then tomorrow, do it again.
What’s your writing routine? Let me know in the comments.
PRACTICE
If you already have a daily writing habit, that’s fantastic! If not, now’s your chance to start. Take fifteen minutes to write something scary. When you’re done, share your writing in the comments and leave some feedback for your fellow writers.
Happy Halloween!
The post Why You Should Cultivate Daily Writing Habits appeared first on The Write Practice.
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What Would Happen if There Were No Equipment Contracts in Golf?
Golf equipment companies pay professional golfers to play their equipment.
You already know this.
But what if there were no equipment contracts? What if money were off the table and professional golfers considered performance only?
What would the equipment landscape look like?
Would Titleist still be the #1 ball in golf? TaylorMade the #1 Driver?
It's all about the Tour
You're probably also aware that The Tour makes for a pretty hefty number on the balance sheet. Big companies have big tour staffs, smaller companies…um, not so much.
If the goal is to make an impact on tour, it sucks to be the little guy on a budget.
Performance or not, you think these guys are going to play your shit for free?
Those who can afford to invest heavily in The Tour do it because there’s no more powerful statement than being #1 at something…anything at the professional level. Few things make for better marketing than to claim a portion of the credit for a tour player’s success.
Pay to play is why my inbox is bombarded every week by a multitude of companies taking an ownership share of a winner’s success. Club, shaft, and ball, footwear and spike manufactures too…they all want you to know that the most recent winner, used or wore its product while besting the field.
The implication is their gear is ALWAYS a contributing factor to success.
You buy what you buy because the Pros are paid to play what they play.
Does the Gear Really Matter?
From one week to the next, would the winner still be the winner with somebody else’s gear in the bag?
Would Dustin Johnson and Jason Day win without TaylorMade? Jordan Spieth without Titleist? Rory McIlroy without Nike? Stenson, Reed, and Mickelson without Callaway?
Absolutely not.
It definitely has to be the clubs, right? What other possible explanation could there be?
Let’s table that discussion for another day.
The Pyramid of Influence
Whether it’s through club counts or actual victories, manufacturers know that the consumer will overlook the fact that between the hot melt, the grinding belts, and the drawers full of exotic shafts fit to the nth degree, the product in the tour player’s bag is comparable in name only to what’s on your local store shelves.
But if it works for a pro, it will absolutely work for the average guy. That’s the subtext. That’s what we’re supposed to believe…and the majority of consumers do.
You buy what you buy because the pros are paid to play what they play. Not all of you, of course, but the pyramid of influence is what it is because it works.
But What if…
What would happen if professional golfers weren’t paid to play nearly every piece of gear in their bags?
What if, freed from the shackles of their multi-million-dollar equipment deals, instead of seeking out what pays the best, the best players in the world actively seek out gear that performs the best?
Crazy talk, I know, but let me finish the thought.
To some small degree, that might be what's happening now with Rory McIlroy, Brooks Koepka, Tiger Woods, and others formerly bound by their Nike bag requirements. This is basically uncharted territory. One of the biggest names in golf equipment, one with a sizable Professional Tour Staff effectively disappeared from the equipment landscape overnight. Its players are free to play literally anything, and Nike still pays them as long as the swoosh stays on the hat (and the shirt, and the shoes). For this brief moment in the history of golf equipment sponsorships, money should be no factor, at least not for the next little while.
For Nike guys, the next round of club choices might actually be 100% performance-driven. Wouldn’t that be something?
Koepka has already put a TaylorMade M2 driver in play. McIlroy did the same (along with a fairway wood) this past weekend in China. Even if TaylorMade can't use it in its next commercial, unpaid validation is unquestionably the best validation.
Tony Finau is back to playing mostly Callaway. Michelle Wie is reportedly playing a mix of PING and Callaway gear. And Tiger…there have been rumors of Miura, some wishful thinking around Mizuno, and even some chatter about Mr. Woods being part of a group seeking to buy TaylorMade.
Somebody find me an emoji to cover that situation.
Tiger’s new bag is among the greatest curiosities in the sport. He’s still the guy that moves the needle more than any other.
The Real #1
With Koepka, McIlroy, and Wie already moving on and others certain to follow, it’s got us thinking about what would happen if this free agent thing caught on.
If equipment companies stopped paying for play tomorrow, which brands would fall?
Which would rise?
Who would be the #1 golf equipment brand on the planet?
Then again, what if every golfer stopped caring what the professionals play and instead took the time to get properly fitted for everything in the bag?
Now that would really be something.
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Sunday, October 30, 2016
Brilliant #LightPool illuminates Blackpool in artistic style
‘When the Red Rose’ by Steve Messam
The large red balloon glows like a radioactive tomato, enticing visitors with its voluptuous beauty. Children run up to it and gaze in amazement. Photographers try to capture its scarlet vibrancy, cyclists glance at it as they whiz past – and an unobtrusive guard ensures no-one damages its fragile form. Artist Steve Messsam has created ‘When the Red Rose’ one of a series of beautiful artworks he’s making for Lancashire. It’s all the more impressive as it’s only here until November 2nd 2016.
‘When the Red Rose’ in daytime
I’m in Blackpool for the launch of LightPool, a festival of light and joyfulness running from October 29th to November 2nd. Barry McCann, Lightpool Ambassador, explains what #Lightpool is all about. “Lightpool is a wonderful celebration that ties in with Blackpool Illuminations. It was decided to expand what we offer at this time of year to include art installations along the promenade, live performances and also a special exhibition of Neon at the Grundy Art Gallery. We’ve also got brilliant 3D videos projected onto Blackpool Tower including Chasing Stars: our adventures in Space from British astronaut Tim Peake and a very quirky one called, ‘Down the Rabbit Hole‘, loosely based on ‘Alice in Wonderland’. Yoko Ono has a couple of installations including ‘Imagine’ at the head of the North Pier.
Imagine – by Yoko Ono
“We’ve got Lightpool Village where you can have a drink and watch the live performances that go on every evening on the Comedy Carpet in front of the Tower. You can even get your photo taken and projected onto the Tower! The festival is FREE, as of course are the illuminations and it’s bringing loads more visitors who are spending more time here. We’ve got so much to offer, and it’s great to have a bigger cultural offering for the town, but still linked to our seaside heritage.” Barry offers to show me round; our first stop is Neon; The Charged Line at the Grundy Art Gallery.
Neon Exhibition – Grundy Art Gallery
Bringing together one of the biggest collection of Neon artworks ever seen, it’s feast for the eyes. There’s a ballerina wearing a tutu of neon tubes, a trio of art-deco style moving panels, a bright red triangular installation that gives a great 3D effect and much more. Upstairs in the Rotunda Gallery are ‘images of original designs for 1930s neon Illuminations, taken from Blackpool’s unique and historic archive of working drawings,’ including some by Georges Claude, inventor of Neon. Education Officer Taneesha Ahmed says the exhibitions appeal to all ages, especially younger children. One of the big draws is ‘I Know, I Know, I Know’ created by Tracey Emin in 2002, but every exhibit is a delight.
‘I Know, I Know, I Know’ by Tracey Emin
We leave the Grundy and walked down towards the Promenade. It starts to drizzle but nothing serious. I’ve not been to Blackpool for a couple of years and the town is looking a lot smarter than it used to. It’s mid-afternoon on a half-term Friday and there a loads of people, mainly on the prom but also in the shops, bars, restaurants and cafes. As we near the North Pier I can see ‘When the Red Rose’, its redness brightening up the grey day. Steve has taken one of the Victorian shelters that line the Golden Mile and enveloped it in a red ‘balloon’ of material. No idea how he has done it but the effect is delightful.
When the Red Rose by North Pier
We walk along the shore to Blackpool Tower, that icon of British seaside exuberance, visible from all over North West England. We go upstairs to the Tower Ballroom where we watch couples of all ages dancing and enjoying afternoon tea, and I dream of appearing on Strictly Come Dancing …
The Tower Ballroom
From the window we get a great view of the beach and people starting to mill about for the start of the main LightPool events this evening. I’m getting peckish so we queue for ages at Harry Ramsden’s, but it’s worth it as the fish and chips really are very good. It’s getting dark and soon the Illuminations will be turned on and #LightPool will come alive. Barry takes me over to SnapCast, where Manager Tom Westcott explains how visitors can get their photo taken, as if turning on the Blackpool Illuminations and other poses. If they buy a photo souvenir they can then get their photo projected onto the Tower. Barry and I have our picture taken – what do you think?!
Lightpool Snapcast – Blackpool Tower
The Illuminations come on and Blackpool is doing what it does best; giving its visitors the best light show in the country. The Tower suddenly bursts into a rainbow of light announcing LIGHTPOOL in glowing neon. A band starts to play lively music. People jug about in time to the music. A brightly-lit heritage tram trundles past, looking like a gaudy old American steam-train and the LightPool village stands do a roaring trade in light sabres and fluorescent wands. Barry’s colleague Annette clears a space through the audience to make way for the first performance: Captain Kronos: Return to Planet Earth. There’s a carnival atmosphere that is enhanced by the dramatically innovative attractions that Lightpool brings to Blackpool.
LightPool
All too soon I have to leave to get a train back to Carnforth. As we walk back along the Promenade, we pass a memorial for Remembrance Day. The face of a young sailor gazes out at us from a huge poppy. In the distance, When the Red Rose, glows in the dark beside the sea. Only in Blackpool, only at LightPool …
We Will Never Forget
More about the LightPool Festival, on until Wednesday, November 2nd. Blackpool Illuminations are on until November 6th 2016. Thanks so much to Visit Lancashire for inviting me to experience this unique festival and to Barry McCann for showing me round and sharing his knowledge and love for his home town.
You can see another Steve Messam incarnation of ‘When the Red Rose’ at #LightUpLancaster over the weekend of Nov 4th and 5th in Lancaster. Details of Light Up Lancaster Festival here.
The post Brilliant #LightPool illuminates Blackpool in artistic style appeared first on The Quirky Traveller Blog.
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Friday, October 28, 2016
GIVEAWAY: The MyGolfSpy Staff Bag Tag
There are some wildly talented people in this world.
Just spend 5 minutes on the search feature in Instagram and you will no doubt have to agree (Since it's the internet I also know you will try and disagree).
The internet has given a voice and a canvas to all those that were given a talent. Their gift of genius no matter how big or small can lead you down a many of rabbit hole. One of those rabbit holes is what brings us to our article today.
I went down a rabbit hole, and this is what I found.
I have seen just about everything in golf. That was until I ran in to a post by a guy that ran something called BloodSweatAndThread. For all the other cut and paste designs and people in and around golf, I quickly realized this guy, well he was different. In a good way.
If you have followed MyGolfSpy for sometime you have no doubt seen some of his designs. We loved them so much we had him design our staff bag tags here at MGS. One of which we will be giving away to you today.
You might see this as just another bag tag made just another guy. We see it as something much different. This is a representation of everything we are about.
The truth is black and white, so are our tags. MyGolfSpy is different, so are our tags. The team that makes up MyGolfSpy is small but intensely passionate, so was the man behind the design. We give a damn about giving a damn, so does BloodSweatAndThread.
HOW TO ENTER
- He doesn't have a website but he does have Instagram, give him a follow.
- In the comments section, tell us why you read MyGolfSpy.
That's it.
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School Finance 605: Student Demographics Part 2
School Finance 605
Student Demographics, Part 2
Several weeks ago, we shared demographic information about where SAS students come from (read Finance 603 here). We now move on to information about why SAS families are in Singapore, how long students stay at SAS, and where our families live.
What brings SAS families to Singapore?
Most SAS students are here because of a parent’s job. This year, 50% of SAS parents’ jobs are in one of three sectors: 25% in finance, 15% in manufacturing (semiconductors, electronics, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals), and 10% in information, communication, and technology. Another three sectors account for around 7% each: oil, gas, and energy; consumer goods; and professional services (accounting, consulting, law, relocation, and outsourcing). Compared to last year, slightly more parents now work in finance, while 2% fewer work in manufacturing. The other sectors, including oil, gas, and energy, have remained constant since last year.
Other sectors employing over 3% of SAS parents include SAS itself, government (including the U.S. embassy and navy), and higher education. Smaller numbers work in trade, shipping and logistics, hotels and entertainment, nonprofits, healthcare, property and architecture, food and beverage, and mining. Around 5% of SAS parents provided no data on employment, while 0.1% reported themselves self-employed.
How long do students stay at SAS?
The total time the average student spends at SAS, meaning the tenure of students who are leaving (including graduating seniors), was 4.5 years in June 2016. If we turn to the average tenure for current SAS students (assuming they stay through the current school year), we see this remains at 3.9 years. This number factors in our youngest students, who "bring down" the average because, of course, they can only have been enrolled at the school as long as there have been grades to serve them; a preschool student, for example, can only have been here one year.
Average years of enrollment
Looking at current students’ tenure by grade level, it is not surprising that tenure increases each year in the lower grades, hitting the overall average at grade 6. Middle and high school students’ tenures continue to rise, spiking to 6.5 years in grade 12. This indicates that many families make special efforts to keep their children at SAS through the socially and academically critical years before graduation. Currently, 7% of our total enrollment has attended SAS for ten or more years.
Average years of enrollment by grade
One interesting subset of SAS students that stays significantly longer than average is our group of Student Pass (SP) holders. These children, who make up 11% of SAS students, hold SPs instead of dependent passes, for three main reasons: they have come to Singapore primarily to go to SAS; they are staying here to continue at SAS after a parent’s job has moved on; or they are the children of Permanent Residents who do not themselves have PR status. Many students on SPs live here with one parent, or with a guardian. Current SP students’ average tenure at SAS stands at 6 years, compared with 3.9 years for all students, indicating that this group is particularly committed to remaining at SAS.
Student pass holders, 2016-17
How many students who started at SAS with my child will graduate with him?
Children who enter SAS in the younger grades will see many of their friends move away as they get older, but a few friends will remain right through to graduation day. This year, out of our senior class of 285, we have 23 students (8%) who started here in either the Early Childhood Center or kindergarten: three who enrolled in preschool, seven in pre-kindergarten, and 12 in kindergarten. A further 15 arrived in first grade and 24 in second grade, so over one-fifth of this year’s graduates will have been at SAS for ten years or more.
Of course, the later a student enters SAS, the more friends he will have who have been here the same amount of time or longer. And there is a positive aspect to our student body’s fluidity: many SAS students find that they become skilled at making new friends and more open, flexible and resilient as they go through life.
Where do SAS students live?
Our students live all over Singapore, with the largest concentration of SAS families in the area bounded by the PIE, CTE, AYE, and Clementi Road. This area includes neighborhoods near roads such as Bukit Timah, Dunearn, Newton, Stevens, Orchard, Tanglin, Grange, Holland, and River Valley, as well as the areas surrounding the American Club. The Woodlands neighborhood is also popular with SAS families, accounting for around 450 students. This number has declined since last year, and at 11% of students is lower than most people assume. Other areas with notable concentrations of SAS families include Sembawang, Upper Bukit Timah, Yio Chu Kang, Ang Mo Kio, the ECP and West Coast Highway areas, and Sentosa.
2016-17 distribution of SAS families in Singapore
Each dot indicates a house, condo, or apartment building housing at least one SAS student
We hope that this article helps you more fully understand this year’s SAS community. As always, we welcome your comments, questions, and suggestions for future articles. Please send them to William Scarborough, Chief Financial Officer, at wscarborough@sas.edu.sg. We look forward to hearing from you.
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Thursday, October 27, 2016
6 Keys to Write a YA Novel That Connects With Teen Readers
This guest post is by Eleanna Sbokou. Eleanna is a Team Lead at Inkitt, the first data-driven book publisher and an online community for writers, many of who specialize in YA novels. Inkitt’s mission is to democratize publishing by putting the decision in readers’ hands.
Writing a novel that appeals to a younger audience takes a certain amount of finesse—especially if you are no longer in that age bracket! It is not easy to venture into the minds of young adults and, essentially, “relive” your own past.
6 Tips for Connecting With Teen Readers
At Inkitt, I am regularly in touch with published authors who are eager to share their experience and provide support to emerging writers. Let’s have a look at six essential tips they have shared with us when it comes to writing YA novels.
I hope you find them as useful as I did!
1. See the World Through a Teen’s Eyes
All public forms of writing are dependent on understanding your intended audience. As we age, we naturally tend to move past the problems of our youth. At least, we try to!
However, for a YA writer, it is crucial to see the world through the eyes of a teenager in order to connect with them on a personal level. In fact, drawing upon experiences, emotions, and growth that you experienced in your adolescence is an excellent way to begin writing with the teenage voice.
Teenagers live on the cusp between childhood wonder and adult responsibilities, and it is essential to put yourself into their shoes when writing a YA novel. What was your driving motivation as a teenager? What were some of your key moments of growth and how did they come about?
Teens tend to gravitate towards coming of age stories that give them hope for the future while acknowledging their current state of mind. By showing how our characters fall and pick themselves up again, we are giving teenagers an example for overcoming and growing in their own lives.
2. Identify Teens’ Philosophical Questions
The teenage mind is a complex, tumultuous place, and most of us can relate to the confusion, hope, and the intense emotion that defines an adolescent’s state of mind. We’ve all been there—and that’s exactly what you need to draw on to connect with a teenage audience.
The beauty of YA literature is in its ability to define the emotions and changes that teens go through as they move towards adulthood. During this transition, teenagers find themselves searching for an identity and look for answers to questions like the following:
- What do I believe in?
- Why am I here?
- What purpose does my life have?
- Does anyone understand me?
- What is love?
- What do I want in my life?
- Who am I really?
Questions revolving around identity, mortality, and love occupy much of the teenage mind. In order for a young audience to relate to a novel’s characters, the quest of the author has to be all about finding emotional authenticity and understanding the philosophical questions that they are struggling with.
The key defining aspect of YA novels is answering the question of why the characters behave the way that they do—not just describing what they do.
3. Be Concise and Straightforward
Although teenagers tend to grapple with deep philosophical questions, they haven’t developed the emotional attention span necessary to stay interested in long, drawn-out storylines. Teens love excitement, and they want to be taken on a ride filled with ups and downs that relate to their own spectrum of daily emotions.
The trick to connecting with the YA audience is to stay short and concise with your writing. As you are developing a scene, ask yourself, “Does this drive the story forward?” If not, cut it out.
Every story needs a good hook, and developing a detailed outline for the journey that your novel will take is a important first step in keeping your YA readers interested.
4. Avoid Slang
We’ve all heard the slang language of teenagers going about daily life, and trendy new words seems to change as much as their outfits. And that’s the big problem with using slang.
On one hand, it might help the author relate to teenagers in this very moment, but on the other hand, in just a few years’ time, these words may sound awkward and out of fashion. The goal of a YA novelist is to relate to their audience in a timeless way by delving into the emotional nature of teenagers that remains constant, regardless of how society changes.
Outdated slang can cause your audience to struggle with relating to the characters in your story—which is definitely not what you are going for.
In addition, slang words are often regional in nature. The language used by those in a small southern town will likely be very different than the popular slang of a major west coast city. While it’s tempting to try and relate to teens using their own “language,” overusing slang can do your novel more harm than good.
5. Take Risks and Explore Darkness
The word “risky” often comes to mind when asked to describe the behavior of a teenager. Part of a teenager’s development is pushing the boundaries of what is right or wrong, safe and unsafe, and so on. A skilled YA writer is willing to dive into this intense maturing process and create a storyline that allows teens to experience these risks in a safe, controlled way.
By delving into the dark side of your character’s personality, you are creating a bond with the teenage reader who is likely struggling with the same feelings. Additionally, by seeing how the character’s negative actions or risky behavior affects them in your story, it gives teens an opportunity to learn—without taking part in the behavior themselves.
Without internal conflict, impulsive actions, and emotional turmoil, your characters are likely to appear flat and uninteresting to teen readers.
However, there is a fine line between acknowledging the dark side of your character and simply overdoing it. If you put too much angst into the story, you may come across as unrealistic, inauthentic, or trying too hard to create a “stereotypical” teenager.
6. Give Hope
Your teenage readers may very well be going through dark times, struggling with their emotions, or be in the midst of personal conflict. However, as a YA novelist, it is your job to take them on a journey that expands their mind and shows them that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. In many YA books, the overriding theme is coming to the conclusion that life is worth living.
Teenagers often have trouble reaching out for help, and for some, reading books can even act as a form of therapy. Stories with a positive message can give hope to your readers when they need it the most, and it can help give them the tools they need to conquer even their worst days.
Now, nobody’s saying that your YA novel has to be all roses and sunshine. After all, exploring the dark side of life and defining common adolescent struggles is a core aspect to this style of writing. YA writing is about the journey, and having a direct message that guides your readers through the darkness is what makes a truly memorable novel.
Tap Into Your Inner Teen
If you’re ready to start writing a YA novel, there are many things to keep in mind while translating your idea onto paper. By connecting to the emotional state of the teenage mind, you can develop an authentic voice for your characters and connect on a deeper level with a younger audience.
Keep things simple, find your message, and let the power of your words take your reader on a journey to self-discovery.
What strategies do you use to write stories that connect to teen readers? Let me know in the comments.
PRACTICE
Take fifteen minutes to try your hand at writing a story for teen readers. Here’s your prompt:
“He was finally home. And although he did enjoy the ride, deep down he knew he’d never embark on such a journey again and risk losing everything.”
As you write, keep the following essentials in mind:
- What was ‘the journey’ about?
- Try to focus on a teenager’s thoughts and feelings: why do they feel this urge to try new things that are often not approved by their parents?
- Being back in a place that truly feels like home: think about the process through which a teenager reevaluates what ‘home’ is, tries to set their own rules, tests—fails—and evaluates once again.
When you’re done, share your story in the comments, and be sure to leave feedback for your fellow writers!
The post 6 Keys to Write a YA Novel That Connects With Teen Readers appeared first on The Write Practice.
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First Look: AFO Air Foil Black Fairway
20 SECOND INTRO
Model: Air Foil Black Fairway
Lofts: 3 wood (15*) & 5 wood (19*)
Adjustability: None
Left-handed Availability: None
Stock Shaft: Fujikura
Price: $149
Availability: Immediate
Defining Technology: Dual-slot technology with Nitrogen reinforced 17-4 Stainless Steel Face
2 > 1
Slot technology is ubiquitous. But dual-slot technology? That's a bit less common. Air Force One's latest fairway model – the Air Foil Black – is engineered with two slots, which combine to produce an accordion effect, the result of which, according to Air Force One, is higher MOI, faster ball speeds and optimal launch/spin conditions.
Specifically, at impact, the thin face flexes, which initiates the build-up of compressed nitrogen. As the face rebounds, the trampoline effect (often referred to COR or CT) is maximized, resulting in top end ball speeds across a greater percentage of the club-face. While this sweet spot is expanded, let's be realistic about expectations. Shots hit more than a few centimeters off center will still show a significant loss in ball speed and directional accuracy. That's just how it is...with everything.
INFORMERCIAL MUMBO JUMBO?
Thin faces are fantastic for producing fast ball speeds, but they're neither durable nor do they feel particularly solid at impact. This is where Air Force One's technology shines. The company uses strategically placed compressed Nitrogen to reinforce the club face, which gives the thin face the structural integrity it needs and a quality feel at impact . The largest upside to nitrogen is that it's weightless and weight is a precious commodity when it comes to club design. If this technology had a theme song it would be "Money for Nothing" by Dire Straits.
To some, a Nitrogen infused clubhead sounds more like science fiction or an idea cast off to the parking lot during an R&D brainstorming session. But the reality is, the technology works and AFO drivers, which also leverage Nitrogen technology, have routinely out-performed higher priced competitors in MGS testing.
It's only reasonable to expect comparable performance from a fairway wood with similar technology. We're not talking 10-15 yard guarantees over competitors, but for the player who could benefit a shallower-faced, easy to elevate fairway, I wouldn't be at all surprised to see appreciable gains.
NOT EVERYONE WILL BE SERVED
Left-handed players are once again left out and with only five shaft options (two of which are women's specific) we can't guarantee there's a shaft for everyone. That said, the target population for this club is the player who fits into a 60-70 gm shaft with medium to soft tip section. If so, either the Fujikura or Graphite Design G series should work well.
I hesitate to describe the aesthetics of the Air Foil as non-traditional, however, with two deep slots and a triangular look at address, it certainly stands out a bit, but not in an "OMG I couldn't ever bag that club" way.
WALK-OFF:
The Air Foil Black is a budget-friendly fairway wood which has a penchant for behaving more like a hybrid in that it is engineered to launch easier and fly higher than a traditional fairway wood. The added forgiveness is a nice bonus and this club certainly provides further validation that Nitrogen-infused technology is entirely legit.
For more information on the Air Foil Black Fairway, visit the Air Force One Golf website.
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