Author age and YA?

goatprincess · Jun 30, 2007

Do you think it's good or bad for a YA author to be a lot older than the intended readers? I was just noticing that a lot of people on this board are teens or early twenties writing for teens...and I was wondering if I'm really an old fogey writing for teens in my thirties.

Personally I think age doesn't matter. We can write well for any age, at any age...but I was wondering what other people's thoughts are on this. If you're young (say, under 25) and writing for youth, do you think this gives you an advantage or disadvantage? And, if you're over 25, same question.

scarletpeaches · Jun 30, 2007

JK Rowling's in her 40s. Jacqueline Wilson is in her 60s.

Claudia Gray · Jun 30, 2007

I'm in my late 30s, and I write YA. It's not a commercial disadvantage. There are times when I am worried about whether or not I'm enough in touch with what's going on -- but that's why I visit online forums I didn't visit before, and read other YA books, and stuff like that. (It also helps that my setting and characters are supernatural, which means I get a little more leeway.) I would imagine being younger helps in terms of not having to do the homework to be aware, and possibly it's a selling point if the work is otherwise excellent, but nobody's going to throw you out on your ear for being older.

maddythemad · Jun 30, 2007

I don't think it's a disadvantage as long as you remember what it's like to be a teenager. The only advantage to being a teen and writing about teens is you're living in the time you're writing about. Of course, that can also be a disadvantage, because you aren't really able to step back from it all and have perspective.

2¢ of a fourteen-year old

reenkam · Jun 30, 2007

maddythemad said:
I don't think it's a disadvantage as long as you remember what it's like to be a teenager. The only advantage to being a teen and writing about teens is you're living in the time you're writing about. Of course, that can also be a disadvantage, because you aren't really able to step back from it all and have perspective.

I definitely agree with this.

I think that as long as you don't sound like your preaching or saying what's right and wrong then anyone can write YA. Most of the most successful YA authors are 30-50, as far as I know. If you keep up on current stuff and read current YA books and maybe check out magazines in grocery stores to see what's "cool" at the moment I don't think anyone would ever care.

imo

Hapax Legomenon · Jun 30, 2007

reenkam said:
I definitely agree with this.

I think that as long as you don't sound like your preaching or saying what's right and wrong then anyone can write YA. Most of the most successful YA authors are 30-50, as far as I know. If you keep up on current stuff and read current YA books and maybe check out magazines in grocery stores to see what's "cool" at the moment I don't think anyone would ever care.

imo

Crap, now you're making me feel like an old fogey, even if I haven't turned 15 yet...

I can't stand those teen magazines. They're always wildly inaccurate, but that's what's represented in a lot of YA fiction, anyway. Maybe I shouldn't be writing YA?

Danger Jane · Jun 30, 2007

No, most teen magazines are really crappy. And mostly I think it's the readers that make it so. Case in point: Teen Vogue. Used to be pretty good--they had nice clothes that I could never afford. But the point was to look at the expensive stuff and find cheap stuff that's the same. Enough readers complained that the clothes were too expensive and now instead of Prada we get ads for Target, Wal Mart, and Macy's almost exclusively. And then you're a year behind.

I don't think you're at a disadvantage if you're not a teenager...look at a shelf of YA and check out the about the author section at the back--most, if not all, will be written by adults. Teenagers might have the advantage of experiencing what they're writing about, but adults have the advantage of experience (writing) and perspective (life). Some teenagers will be able to produce an articulate, interesting work, and get it published alongside the adult-authored work. But mostly it's by adults, because most teenagers don't have the experience under their belt to produce something salable. To answer your original question--I don't think age of author is a good or bad kind of thing.

(I say most.)

Harper K · Jun 30, 2007

Haphazard said:
I can't stand those teen magazines. They're always wildly inaccurate, but that's what's represented in a lot of YA fiction, anyway. Maybe I shouldn't be writing YA?

Don't get down on yourself! There are so many genres within YA that don't rely on current teen culture at all. Fantasy, historical, sci-fi, etc. And even in contemporary YA, if you realistically define your characters as not being into all that teen magazine stuff, there's no reason to worry about plugging in emo band names into your manuscript. The concept of "worldbuilding" is usually attached to the fantasy and sci-fi genres, but IMO there's worldbuilding to be done when writing contemporary as well. I write contemporary YA, but my characters fall into various subcultures that don't intersect too much with the teen culture being pushed by magazines and MTV.

The books that rely heavily on name-dropping pop culture stuff wind up having a very short shelf life, anyway. I was at a discount bookstore a couple months ago and ventured into the YA section. There were a bunch of remaindered teen novels from the long-ago years of ... 1999 - 2002. But these books were laughably culture-centric and time-sensitive. Hey, how 'bout that Limp Bizkit concert!

Every time I go to my local bookstore's YA section now, I think of the current books that'll end up remaindered like those "old" ones versus the ones that will still resonate with people in 10 or 15 years.

Danger Jane · Jun 30, 2007

satori said:
Don't get down on yourself! There are so many genres within YA that don't rely on current teen culture at all. Fantasy, historical, sci-fi, etc. And even in contemporary YA, if you realistically define your characters as not being into all that teen magazine stuff, there's no reason to worry about plugging in emo band names into your manuscript. The concept of "worldbuilding" is usually attached to the fantasy and sci-fi genres, but IMO there's worldbuilding to be done when writing contemporary as well. I write contemporary YA, but my characters fall into various subcultures that don't intersect too much with the teen culture being pushed by magazines and MTV.

The books that rely heavily on name-dropping pop culture stuff wind up having a very short shelf life, anyway. I was at a discount bookstore a couple months ago and ventured into the YA section. There were a bunch of remaindered teen novels from the long-ago years of ... 1999 - 2002. But these books were laughably culture-centric and time-sensitive. Hey, how 'bout that Limp Bizkit concert!

Every time I go to my local bookstore's YA section now, I think of the current books that'll end up remaindered like those "old" ones versus the ones that will still resonate with people in 10 or 15 years.

Word. Plus, there's a difference for most readers between picking up a magazine and picking up a book. Magazines for me are super super light reading. But when I read a book I want to be challenged. No real need, at least for me, to study trends.

Shady Lane · Jun 30, 2007

I'd say, in terms of writing YA, it's good to be young. It terms of publishing YA, it's good to be older.

reenkam · Jun 30, 2007

Haphazard said:
Crap, now you're making me feel like an old fogey, even if I haven't turned 15 yet...

I can't stand those teen magazines. They're always wildly inaccurate, but that's what's represented in a lot of YA fiction, anyway. Maybe I shouldn't be writing YA?

Oh, no, I don't mean to actually use those magazines for information...I mean, I kind of love them because I'm weird, but I definitely don't use them as accurate bibles of teen information. I just meant for an adult who wants to be more...connected, I guess, they'd be good to see the kind of speech that's popular and everything.

Of course, that's mostly for contemporary stuff. Fantasy and historical books don't need any of that.

Oh, and those magazines are really good to see what YA books are popular at the moment...which helps you know what to check out in the bookstore

Melanie Nilles · Jun 30, 2007

I'm in my early 30's but write YA and adult SFF. IMHO, teens are current on what they like and what is going on with others their age, but (no offense to any young people here) they lack a wider view of the world that comes with experience. It takes time to lose that ego-centric focus of life and look at situations with a more objective eye.

Othere here have stated opinions I would only repeat.

Soccer Mom · Jul 1, 2007

I'm 40. And I never grew up. I like to read MG and YA and so I write MG and YA. Plus, I spend a lot of time around kids. I just like them. My teenage betas keep me on track if I start going all fogey on them.

Remember: Growing old is inevitable. Growing up is optional.

Ain't never growing up. So there. :wag:

Dancre · Jul 1, 2007

goatprincess said:
Do you think it's good or bad for a YA author to be a lot older than the intended readers? I was just noticing that a lot of people on this board are teens or early twenties writing for teens...and I was wondering if I'm really an old fogey writing for teens in my thirties. Personally I think age doesn't matter. We can write well for any age, at any age...but I was wondering what other people's thoughts are on this. If you're young (say, under 25) and writing for youth, do you think this gives you an advantage or disadvantage? And, if you're over 25, same question.

Well, I'm 43, so yeah, I'm a lot older than my audience. I don't think age has anything to do with it. It's a good story that matters.

kim

goatprincess · Jul 3, 2007

Dancre said:
Well, I'm 43, so yeah, I'm a lot older than my audience. I don't think age has anything to do with it. It's a good story that matters.

Agreed.

ixchel · Jul 3, 2007

It shouldn't matter as long as the writer isn't preachy or is so out of touch with teens the writing is out dated. Also teens have a bs radar and can tell.

polleekin · Jul 3, 2007

ixchel said:
It shouldn't matter as long as the writer isn't preachy or is so out of touch with teens the writing is out dated. Also teens have a bs radar and can tell.

Agreed, though that sort of thing is often more about writing ability than age. I've read some pretty preachy stories written by younger people, too. Though maybe age does come into play in that perhaps older writers are more likely to (unconcsiously, even) write down to the younger audience? I don't know. I have noticed that there are some writers who really, really want their work to be marketed as adult, not YA, because they feel it's too "complex" for YA-- said as though YA can't touch serious, complicated issues and themes.

Josie · Jul 4, 2007

"I have noticed that there are some writers who really, really want their work to be marketed as adult, not YA, because they feel it's too "complex" for YA-- said as though YA can't touch serious, complicated issues and themes."

I haven't figured out properly how to quote someone on here, so apologize--

I am into writing a paranormal mystery in first person point of view (the heroine). I've decided to write her as 18 probably as I'd like her to be in her teens for a couple of years. I thought in my previous paranormals I've been writing for adults (older than teens). In the past week it occurred to me to make her 18 rather than an "older" woman like me. I think my voice sounds younger than I am, but then I am younger than I really am.

Reading this thread has given me that kick to write it for teens, or I guess keep the voice except her past is shorter than mine.

I have to say as a "late blooming writer" I do have a lot more to say than I did as a "teen", no offense meant.

I like teenagers as I like lots of people, and I was a teenager and think I remember it well, though times have changed.

Instead of rambling on and boring everyone, I do have a question.

Is there a list of publishers for teens and YA on this forum anywhere?

I've enjoyed reading the remarks.

Cheers, Josie

KVL · Jul 5, 2007

I don't recall ever looking at author details before reading a book when I was young -- I just read the darn thing

If I was curious afterward, I would read the bio on the back page.

Now that I write, I'm always reading the author bio before I read the book!

I agree with the other posters who say that it's the story that matters. I guess you can look at all the "old fashioned" books like the Nancy Drew series and the classics... they have all held up quite well I think.

althrasher · Jul 6, 2007

To paraphrase the great JK Rowling, who we all know and love...youth cannot know how old age thinks and feels, but it is a mistake for old age to forget...or something like that. Basically, it's easier for you to write about teens than for teens to write about adults. But you just can't forget.

Beware_of_Italics · Jul 6, 2007

reenkam said:
I think that as long as you don't sound like your preaching or saying what's right and wrong then anyone can write YA. Most of the most successful YA authors are 30-50, as far as I know. If you keep up on current stuff and read current YA books and maybe check out magazines in grocery stores to see what's "cool" at the moment I don't think anyone would ever care.

imo

I agree with Reenkam. Very well put.

I especially agree with not preaching to them.

alainn_chaser · Oct 7, 2007

Yeah I think most authors are in their thirties or older but they also usually start writing their books a lot earlier. Now a days too twenties is not that different from teens until you're out of school. Meaning twenty five for some people.

And don't forget there are a lot of different teenagers. I was hanging out with a friend of a friend the other week and she as explaining to me the fist bump.

Her: Okay you bump it... Okay now you expload it. Flex your fingers out.
Me: I wave.

Sometimes even I feel lame and out of touch and I'm sixteen. Then I hang out with other people and don't. It all depends.

Chicken Warrior · Oct 7, 2007

Yeah, age really doesn't have to matter. There's a better chance that teens are more in touch with teens than older people, but there are no hardset rules. Being young is definitely a dissadvantage in publishing, but only if you're honest

Sage · Oct 7, 2007

Chicken Warrior said:
Yeah, age really doesn't have to matter. There's a better chance that teens are more in touch with teens than older people, but there are no hardset rules. Being young is definitely a dissadvantage in publishing, but only if you're honest

Actually, being young isn't a disadvantage unless it shows in your writing. If you're young & good, agents & editors will be thrilled at being able to market you with your age as a selling point (for example, Paolini). If you're good & older, agents & editors will still be thrilled, they just don't have that extra marketability there.

Moon Daughter · Oct 8, 2007

Shady Lane said:
I'd say, in terms of writing YA, it's good to be young. It terms of publishing YA, it's good to be older.

I think that's kind of inaccurate. If your writing is good, no matter what your age, then it'll sell (whether it be in terms of YA or any other genre).

Author age and YA?

goatprincess

untitled

scarletpeaches

Claudia Gray

maddythemad

reenkam

aka cupcake

Hapax Legomenon

Danger Jane

Harper K

here's to the girl on the go

Danger Jane

Shady Lane

my name is hannah

reenkam

aka cupcake

Melanie Nilles

What're you looking at?

Soccer Mom

Crypto-fascist

Dancre

Just have fun.

goatprincess

untitled

ixchel

polleekin

Josie

KVL

althrasher

Prodigal Muser

Beware_of_Italics

Different from the rest

alainn_chaser

Kweh?

Chicken Warrior

Ahead of Your Time

Sage

Supreme Guessinator

Moon Daughter