What should you remember when writing YA?

sona65

Registered
Joined
Jun 5, 2017
Messages
8
Reaction score
1
Location
Somewhere in Neverland
I think it's important to note that teenagers who read young adult look for an expression of themselves in the books, as well as the world around them. Many YA books bring light to issues going on in our real world, with a twist.

Of course, YA is not only read by teenagers, but I feel as if the real world aspect is what makes YA special. As a teen myself, I find YA a great escape from the crazy world around me. It's nice to read about people who are also teenagers, going through things that I can relate to. It also helps that authors bring up problems us millennials will have to tackle as we grow into adults.

Of course, these issues are tackled with magic and make believe as well, which makes YA special :)
 

Ridel

Registered
Joined
Jul 7, 2017
Messages
17
Reaction score
1
Do not have romance consume the story and/or your main character. I think many YA stories have this problem especially if it is insta love. Sidelining the plot for romance can really mess up a book.
 

Sage

Currently titleless
Staff member
Moderator
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Oct 15, 2005
Messages
64,560
Reaction score
22,360
Age
43
Location
Cheering you all on!
There are times when I roll my eyes as a MC and LI pause to make out in the middle of high-stakes action, but I like romance in my YA, and so do most teens. Different novels call for different levels of importance on that romance. Sometimes the plot should revolve around the romance. Sometimes romance should be subplot. Sometimes it's not needed. Finding the right level is important.
 

emstar94

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 22, 2017
Messages
93
Reaction score
4
YA actually offers an opportunity I think no other kind of fiction does. It cuts straight to the point/heart of the matter (others have probably said this too..) it shares a message - a story - a perspective that isn't coated in several layers of something else. I don't know if I'm really making sense, but what I'm trying to say is when you are writing YA, let that message or story be heard loud and clear in its truest form and don't try to fancy it up into something more pretentious - just let it be.
 

Vicent

Registered
Joined
Sep 6, 2017
Messages
44
Reaction score
2
Do not have romance consume the story and/or your main character. I think many YA stories have this problem especially if it is insta love. Sidelining the plot for romance can really mess up a book.

THIS. Mind you, it can happen even outside of YA: sidelining the plot for something that should be complementary, enhancing, or even just plain ancillary to it. I also say one should grab a teenager and have him participate in the process a bit. I found quite a few times where the characters... just don't act like teenagers proper, nor have the thought patterns that should be typical of them. My best idea of that would be the novel refuge. Mike the main character... sorry he ain't no teenager to my eyes.

There are times when I roll my eyes as a MC and LI pause to make out in the middle of high-stakes action, but I like romance in my YA, and so do most teens. Different novels call for different levels of importance on that romance. Sometimes the plot should revolve around the romance. Sometimes romance should be subplot. Sometimes it's not needed. Finding the right level is important.

IMO that's better doing it either before or after the action. Like, say my WIP, LI grabs the Main Character by his jacket's neck and kisses him AFTER the battle's done (and mainly to make it a bit of a funny scene, since said MC is built like a bull, and the LI is more petite). Mainly because it doesn't break with the flow of the scene AND because it's (generally) dumb to mess around when things are dire. Acceptable breaks from reality are fine, but I think we shouldn't push too much.
 
Last edited:

Emermouse

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 30, 2012
Messages
896
Reaction score
89
Age
38
Location
In America
YA actually offers an opportunity I think no other kind of fiction does. It cuts straight to the point/heart of the matter (others have probably said this too..) it shares a message - a story - a perspective that isn't coated in several layers of something else. I don't know if I'm really making sense, but what I'm trying to say is when you are writing YA, let that message or story be heard loud and clear in its truest form and don't try to fancy it up into something more pretentious - just let it be.

I agree pretty much with every line you've said. It seems all the really innovative storytelling is being done in the YA genre. The YA genre seems to be addressing more of the social issues going on today than much of adult fiction. I have such a hard time reading much of adult fiction, because it feels like they write like old men and old ladies, tiptoeing ever so carefully, being like, "Oh, we mustn't outright say something. It would distract from our pretty prose." Whereas YA fiction plants its feet and writes like a boss, is all, "This is what I think and to heck with what you think of it."
 

valleycs

Registered
Joined
Jul 26, 2017
Messages
10
Reaction score
1
YA actually offers an opportunity I think no other kind of fiction does. It cuts straight to the point/heart of the matter (others have probably said this too..) it shares a message - a story - a perspective that isn't coated in several layers of something else. I don't know if I'm really making sense, but what I'm trying to say is when you are writing YA, let that message or story be heard loud and clear in its truest form and don't try to fancy it up into something more pretentious - just let it be.

I love this. THIS is it. This is why YA IS literature, why it is magnificent in its own right.

But otherwise, YA is that quintessential coming-of-age story. The first time the MC has to make a real choice. Has to grow up. Has high stakes.
 

RWrites

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jun 4, 2017
Messages
72
Reaction score
4
Location
AbsoluteWrite duh!
1. Text talk is bad, no matter what genre. People will not write gr8, l8r, and 4ever. It's cheap and it's obvious an "old person" wrote it.

2. Another thing is that YA writers will often have the teenager fall in love at first sight or in a matter of days/weeks. It takes a while to fall in love and there's so much that goes into it. If they have a background of crushing each other, etc it may help but romances need to be a slow(er) burn. Unless you're writing a story about how love doesn't last and the characters jump in because of pressure, then it would be good!

3. Possesive= abusive. This hot, smirking, manipulative, on and off boy is not cute and is dangerous. Avoid the whole smirking, blue orbs, I hate but I love you two seconds later trope. it's disgusting and makes people think that is normal and should happen. Sometimes books are the only means of relationship advice and that advice could kill someone. Read any wattpad book(there are some gems but the romance section is cluttered with this trope) and sometimes, published books will have this. Just avoid it, trust me because reads will GO IN if they find this trope.

4. Mary Sues. This character can do no wrong, has too many powers, etc. List out all the traits, powers, skills, etc of your MC. Now list off the flaws and weaknesses. If there are 20+ good things to 5 bad things, you have a problem. We all know that Mary Sues are bad, but we spend so much time crafting the novel, we don't even realize that our characters have become MS. Beta readers(that aren't friends, family, or other writers can help with this).

5. Killing off the token character. this happens a lot in YA and it makes me so disappointed in authors when they do this. They kill off the token POC/LGBT character and the other characters go on and go about how they should be there and that they wish they could trade places. Be aware and be sensitive, no matter what age group your writing in. Readers will see this and they won't care if your breaks reading the review, they will go in!

6. Purple prose. Sometimes we want beautiful quotes and lines that we completely ignore the fact that this 1) from the perspective of teens who will probably not ever think about this and 2) is frankly confusing and annoying to get through.

I could list off a few more, but I'm tired and NANOWRIMO is starting soon!
 

Dysnomia

Drowning in the depthless sea
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Aug 27, 2013
Messages
409
Reaction score
81
Re: text talk. While I agree not many people text like that anymore, gamers certainly still use shortcuts like that online (maybe ltr not l8r tho). Given how, yaknow, completing that raid is far more important than proper grammar and speech. Also, there’s always stuff like gr8 b8 m8 on sites like Reddit and 4chan as such.

So text talk isn’t always bad, just gotta know who the sort of character is and where they’re chatting at :)
 
Last edited:

JinxKing

Writerly Prince
Registered
Joined
Mar 26, 2016
Messages
43
Reaction score
8
I think the key thing to remember when writing YA or anything for teens, in general, is that they're not stupid, and they don't experience a watered-down version of the world. They're intelligent, passionate, and they tend to be determined in one way or another.

Another key thing would be that the actual lives of teenagers aren't rated T or PG-13. Many of them have experienced the darkness of the world firsthand and attempting to brush it under the rug or gloss over it can sometimes make them feel like you're spitting in their faces.

At the end of the day though, there's no one successful formula for YA; teens have individual tastes in literature just like everybody else, I think you just have to write something you're generally passionate or nerdy about, and they'll gravitate to it.
 

Lucian Hodoboc

Registered
Joined
Mar 16, 2019
Messages
16
Reaction score
0
Location
Eastern-Europe
Website
www.lucian-hodoboc.com
No one likes to be told drugs/sex/alcohol/whatever is bad, mmkay.
I disagree with this statement. There are plenty of teenagers who like to be told what's good and what's bad for them. Moreover, books are supposed to contribute to the development of the young adult's personality. If most books only present the negative effects of bad habits in the form of consequences while frowning upon straight moralistic preaching, we are perpetuating the idea that it is ok to dismiss the parents' and teacher's advice. If the novel has a happy ending and the plot contains a bunch of attractive events occurring until the consequences unfold, then what will some teenagers think? "Hey, I'll deal with those consequences later. Meanwhile, I want to focus my attention on these attractive events."

In my opinion, the more direct the preaching is presented in a novel, the better the chance for the lesson to be learned by its readers.
 

AW Admin

Administrator
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Apr 19, 2008
Messages
18,772
Reaction score
6,285
In my opinion, the more direct the preaching is presented in a novel, the better the chance for the lesson to be learned by its readers.

And the fewer readers the book will have.
 

eqb

I write novels
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 12, 2005
Messages
4,680
Reaction score
2,055
Location
In the resistance
Website
www.claireodell.com
Can't they do both?

You can't preach and entertain at the same time.

That said, you might have underlying themes in a YA book--about religious tolerance, or gender equality, etc.--but if you preach about those subjects, or preach about anything, you *will* end up with a boring book.

How much recent YA have you read?
 

AW Admin

Administrator
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Apr 19, 2008
Messages
18,772
Reaction score
6,285
Sure you can. Mr. Rogers successfully did it on his tv show for several decades.


Not a lot. Why is that relevant?

Because you clearly aren't very familiar with the YA books. Note, by the way, Mr. Rogers, who has been off the air for decades, wasn't writing YA novels.
 
Last edited:

eqb

I write novels
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 12, 2005
Messages
4,680
Reaction score
2,055
Location
In the resistance
Website
www.claireodell.com
Sure you can. Mr. Rogers successfully did it on his tv show for several decades.

Apples and oranges. (I also never had the impression that he preached.)

Not a lot. Why is that relevant?

Before you declare what YA novels should do, you should familiarize yourself with current books. (And with the current audience for those books.)

Try reading The Hate U Give, Akata Witch, Code Name Verity, just to name a few.
 

Lucian Hodoboc

Registered
Joined
Mar 16, 2019
Messages
16
Reaction score
0
Location
Eastern-Europe
Website
www.lucian-hodoboc.com
Genres constantly adapt and evolve and, besides, they're nothing more than a set of guidelines that the writers can choose to follow or not. While I do think that going with the flow can be good in some cases, in literature people have been known to succeed by breaking the mold, by thinking outside the box, by reinventing and innovating.

May I ask why you're dismissing the comparison between television and books? Television, books, the internet etc. - they're all mediums through which people can influence the younger generation. They're all tools that can be used not only to entertain an audience, but also to shape the type of entertainment said audience develops a sensibility for. Genetic predispositions aside, the human brain is quite adaptable to what it is exposed to.

As for Mr. Rogers, he might not have preached religious topics, but he sure did have a moralistic preaching style. He always told his young audience what is good to do and what isn't. And most of the times, he was very direct about it.

Thank you for your recommendations. I'll make sure to check some out when I have time. :)
 

eqb

I write novels
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 12, 2005
Messages
4,680
Reaction score
2,055
Location
In the resistance
Website
www.claireodell.com
Genres constantly adapt and evolve and, besides, they're nothing more than a set of guidelines that the writers can choose to follow or not. While I do think that going with the flow can be good in some cases, in literature people have been known to succeed by breaking the mold, by thinking outside the box, by reinventing and innovating.

YA is a marketing category, not a genre.

"Make books preachy" isn't innovative. It's boring and old-fashioned. Yes, all books carry some kind of message, intended or not, but when you emphasize message over story, you will lose your audience.

May I ask why you're dismissing the comparison between television and books? Television, books, the internet etc. - they're all mediums through which people can influence the younger generation. They're all tools that can be used not only to entertain an audience, but also to shape the type of entertainment said audience develops a sensibility for. Genetic predispositions aside, the human brain is quite adaptable to what it is exposed to.

I realize that. I just think you're wrong-headed about the whole topic. If you want to teach kids a lesson, write a textbook.
 
Last edited:

lizmonster

Possibly A Mermaid Queen
Absolute Sage
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 5, 2012
Messages
14,532
Reaction score
24,098
Location
Massachusetts
Website
elizabethbonesteel.com
As for Mr. Rogers, he might not have preached religious topics, but he sure did have a moralistic preaching style. He always told his young audience what is good to do and what isn't. And most of the times, he was very direct about it.

Television vs. books notwithstanding, Mr. Rogers' audience was preschoolers. YA is aimed at teens.

eqb has it right: whatever your message, you've got to make the story the forefront, or you're going to lose readers. You can of course, write what you wish, but if you want to sell it you need to entertain.
 

alexisdawnray

Registered
Joined
Jul 26, 2018
Messages
14
Reaction score
2
Location
Texas
Write about what you find interesting and don't dumb things down. Take yourself back to when you were the MC's age. Feed off of the experiences, emotions, and thoughts you remember. Ask yourself "what if" and make the most extraordinary things seem very feasible. Everyone wants to believe what was thought impossible isn't after all. Keep in mind that there are a ton of adults who read YA as well. You want to be entertaining all of them, not just the thirteen year old reader.
 

ReadWriteRachel

Probably drinking coffee.
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Dec 18, 2013
Messages
271
Reaction score
18
Location
Hands on the keyboard.
Thank you for your recommendations. I'll make sure to check some out when I have time. :)

I hope you aren't writing YA until you read some. It's absolutely vital that you're well-read in the genres and age categories you want to be published in. There's no room for argument there.

And I also second what others above me said. It's not just teenagers who read young adult books. I'm 25 and read (and write) a ton of YA in all genres, and I'd be annoyed if someone tried to preach to me or teach me morals through them. And there are plenty of people older than me who would read them and feel the same.
 
Last edited:

Lucian Hodoboc

Registered
Joined
Mar 16, 2019
Messages
16
Reaction score
0
Location
Eastern-Europe
Website
www.lucian-hodoboc.com
It's absolutely vital that you're well-read in the genres and age categories you want to be published in. There's no room for argument there.

Well, if there's no room for argument, then we're just going to have to agree to disagree. :) I think that one can learn the craft of writing in a particular genre, style or marketing category without reading a lot. There have been plenty of writers who wrote masterpieces without necessarily being avid readers.