How Dark Can You Go?

[sheadakota]

I have a question for all you YA authors out there. I have been dabbling with this MS for awhile now- not my usual genre, but it has become something I didn't expect-

It started out as a simple story about a neglect kid in the foster system finally finding his place on a horse farm after learning that he doesn't have to be perfect to be accepted for who he is-

Yeah- that's how it started- on the second re-write- it turned into something darker- I have my 14 year old MC dealing with cutting and attempted suicide before he comes to to the point where he accepts that his foster family wants him just as he is- I also deal with alchohol abuse with one of this boys adult 'brothers'

So too dark for YA?

[Shady Lane]

No way too dark.

*shameless self promotion buuuuut* have you seen my Edgy YA thread? Might shed some light.

[sheadakota]

No way too dark.

*shameless self promotion buuuuut* have you seen my Edgy YA thread? Might shed some light.
Yey! Shady- I was hoping you would see this- I'll check out your thread- this MS has been unfinished for about 2 years now because it was just too boring- I am having fun with it now but wasn't sure if I went over board- I keep gettin comments that my MC is way to mature in his thoughts and dialogue for 14- but my response is he has been through more trama in those 14 years than most adults- it forces one to grow up quick- Gott go read your 'edgy thread' now!

[Sage]

I agree with Shady. Definitely not too dark. I think there's also a dark YA thread. Maybe I'll go search for it. But the edgy thread works pretty well for this issue too.

[sheadakota]

very cool, guys, Thanks- I mean the book is already 3/4 of the way done, (with the second pass) so it wasn't a question as to wether I was going to write it dark- just a question of where it fit.

I read the edgy thread- excellent info there-

Oh- I have another question for you- what do you think of the title? It's called- Center of the Storm

Storm is a horse's name on the farm- the horse has almost as many problems as the kid- in the end they save each other- I promise that's not nearly as dorky as it sounds :P

[HeronW]

Kids go through what adults do, just at different levels of understanding. A divorce to a 5 yr old means daddy's gone away; to a 10--the kid might think he's to blame for the break up; at 15--the child might blame the parent who's at home or think wtf, no one cares about me.

[Shady Lane]

Yey! Shady- I was hoping you would see this- I'll check out your thread- this MS has been unfinished for about 2 years now because it was just too boring- I am having fun with it now but wasn't sure if I went over board- I keep gettin comments that my MC is way to mature in his thoughts and dialogue for 14- but my response is he has been through more trama in those 14 years than most adults- it forces one to grow up quick- Gott go read your 'edgy thread' now!


:D

I so love how I'm like the patron saint of pushing the envelope around here.

[sheadakota]

:D

I so love how I'm like the patron saint of pushing the envelope around here.
Ha! Can I have a patron saint that's young enough to be my daughter?