WAG New gymnastics book!

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Hey guys,

I am currently in the process of planning a new novel about college gymnastics. I am a big gymnastics fan, especially of college gym, and I feel that the gymnastics community is crying out for more literature works on our beautiful sport!

Here is the plot (although it is only provisional): "Cailee Hilton is an 18-year old Level 10 gymnast and recent high school graduate. After a turbulent start to life; being raised under single mom, Amanda, Cailee has finally found the errors of her rebellious ways and has realized her dream: doing college gymnastics at a Division I school. After knuckling down in class, she has attained a good GPA and, her dreams of college gymnastics are edging closer. A J.O. National champion, Hilton is one of the best Level 10’s in the country and has had an endless flurry of scholarship offers from various big-time Division I schools over the summer. After signing with the LSU Lady Tigers gymnastics team, under the recommendation of the program’s head coach, Lisette LaFleur; Cailee instantly clicks with the team and adapts to student-athlete life rapidly. When not studying, or at practice and competing, she is often partying and perhaps, enjoying herself too much! After adding a super-cute LSU point-guard and an endless stream of house parties into the equation, will Cailee focus on the true importance of her college stay; or is she willing to sacrifice her childhood dreams, just on romance and an active social life?

After being ranked #1 in the Nation in the Preseason Coaches Poll, the team have a lot of pressure to remain consistent through the regular season and eventually, go on to try and capture the program's first ever NCAA National Championship! Battling through several injuries and problems throughout the season, the Tigers team are nowhere near their original prowess come Nationals. After squeezing into the Super Six in sixth place, the Tigers are almost certainly ruled out of contention for the title. However, a sturdy, competent competition for the Tigers comes down to Hilton as the team's anchor performer on their final event; the notorious balance beam! Will Cailee be able to hold it together on her weakest piece or, will she simply crumble under the lights?"

It is not perfect at the minute, but is definitely workable! At the moment, the story is called Perfect 16.0; as the LSU gymnastics team is comprised of 16 members and, they're eventually National Champions! However, this had led to widespread confusion from gymnastics fans; expressing their concerns that the title sounds too much like elite with the unlimited scoring system, as oppposed to the NCAA 'Perfect 10.0' scoring system! I would be willing to change the name if this will happen!
 
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I edited your post to remove the links. This site survives on ad money so we have to be careful to protect our paying supporters.

Feel free to discuss the concept here though.
 
Neat!

I'm going to give you some constructive criticism. Please know that I do not have a creative writing bone in my body. I'm coming from a practical standpoint.

Just a few thoughts - make sure your premise is realistic? Is it realistic for the top gymnast in the nation to not be committed to a college & scholarship the summer before she leaves for college? Probably not. Even kids going to college and paying their own way are usually applying to and getting accepted to college at some point during their senior year, definitely before they graduate.

I didn't bother to google, but are those real facts about a real college and real team? I'd suggest modeling the facts after a real team but be sure not to use real names, real college names, or real cities. It opens up a whole new level of scrutiny and possible legal ramifications if you are writing about factual places, especially if they become critical to the plot. I don't think the city is as much of a problem as the people and school might be.
 
What age group it is aimed at? I don't need my 11 year old reading about partying too much at college... Let's not plant those sorts of ideas. :)
 
i couldnt finish reading the summary- bored with all the proper nouns! lol. is there more to the story line to make the main character more dimensional? i need to hear more about that, if so, to know if it sounds interesting. good points about age of intended audience.

good luck! i cant imagine writing a whole book!
 
Neat!

I'm going to give you some constructive criticism. Please know that I do not have a creative writing bone in my body. I'm coming from a practical standpoint.

Just a few thoughts - make sure your premise is realistic? Is it realistic for the top gymnast in the nation to not be committed to a college & scholarship the summer before she leaves for college? Probably not. Even kids going to college and paying their own way are usually applying to and getting accepted to college at some point during their senior year, definitely before they graduate.
Yes this is definitely true! I don't know how things work with sports scholarships (I'd assume they'd be committed even earlier), but as a senior applying to colleges right now, the process starts WAY before the summer after senior year. Early application (which is what you almost have to do to get into many schools) deadlines are usually November 1 of senior year, and regular admissions are usually in December/January.
She would have to have the good GPA by the end of her junior year, and it is very difficult to significantly raise a low GPA if she only starts trying toward the end of high school. Most colleges require a decision by May 1, so by the summer, she would have to already know where she's going.
You may want to consider beginning the novel the summer before her senior year rather than the summer after. her senior year.
 

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