Young Adult books are a popular genre to write for. I think many writers enjoy the YA age group because the upper teenage years are filled with a lot of conflict and questions. Many of the readers in this category are figuring out who they are and trying to find their place in the world. These kinds of questions and struggles create the perfect spark for stories, whether it’s an adventure fantasy or a contemporary romance. I’m not going to give advice for specific genres like fantasy, sci-fi, dystopian, historical, etc. Those all require separate posts to do them justice! Instead, I’m going to give general advice for writing for a YA audience. The focus is on who your audience is and what’s important to them. So, if you want to write for YA, are on the fence about it, or already write it on a regular basis, I hope you learn something new that you can add to your writer’s toolbox. 1. Characters should be diverse. Diversity can mean a lot of different things in fiction. It can mean including different races, genders, disabilities, etc. The world around us is diverse and made up of many different kinds of people with varying experiences. Fiction can reflect that, and readers want to be able to identify with your characters. An important thing to keep in mind is to avoid classic stereotypes. Every now and then the handsome jock or beautiful princess has his or her place, but YA provides the opportunity to explore more complex characters. What questions are your characters struggling with? What has shaped them into who they are and are they happy with who they are? If not, how will the story shape them into more of who they want to be? Don’t be afraid to try different characters or break out from the archetypes commonly seen in your specific genre of YA. 2. Culture is key. The culture we live in plays a significant role on our worldviews and beliefs. Many young people are becoming more vocal about their opinions and beliefs, especially when it comes to politics. In fiction, culture is still important, even if you’re making it up for a YA fantasy. The inner workings of our culture and society can provide a lot conflict, both individually and corporately. As you approach culture in your YA story, remember that it doesn’t have to mirror our own exactly, but should have snippets that ring true for the reader. You can’t create characters separate from culture. Everyone is influenced by the people around them, the places they live, and the governing bodies that have authority over them. The more you dive into culture, the more you’ll unearth the depths and complexities of who your characters are. 3. Think about adaptation. It’s becoming more and more common for TV and movie companies to adapt popular novels, especially YA novels, for the screen. If you watch Netflix or any other streaming service, you can get an idea of what’s trending and think about where your story might fit in. It’s always helpful to know who your competition is and in what way your book will stand out. It’s not guaranteed that your book will be produced into something for the screen, but it’s helpful to know what stories work well for that medium. The YA market is highly competitive, and as with any genre, you need to know what trending. It’s not impossible to break into, but the writing and story itself have to incredible for a publisher to take a risk on it. But that’s no reason to give up; it just means you have to keep working to put out your best writing. I think the YA market will only continue to grow as adaptations continue to permeate the TV/movie industry. We all love good stories, and no matter what genre you write for, it comes down to telling a good story. For teens and young adults, as they navigate the world and finding their place in it, they need stories that wrestle with these topics because it ultimately reminds them that they are not alone in whatever they are dealing with. Books can do that, and it’s part of the magic of storytelling. Until next time,
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May 2019
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