What should you remember when writing YA?

Zenera

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What things would you say you need to remember when writing YA? I personally do not write YA, but I want to give it a try, and know little about YA. Any suggestions?
 
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Momento Mori

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1. Read some YA books in the genre you're interested in firstly to see how they've done it.

2. Remember that teenage readers need to be interested in the protagonist. Many (but not all) YA writers make their MC a teenager themselves. Bear in mind that teens and MG readers read 'up' (i.e. books that are older than their age group).

3. If lessons are going to be learned by your MC, don't preach them. No one likes to be told drugs/sex/alcohol/whatever is bad, mmkay. Show consequences, but don't preach consequences.

4. Don't talk down to your audience, i.e. don't assume that you have to dumb down your language or use modern teen slang (it dates anyway).

MM
 

Mumut

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. Don't talk down to your audience, i.e. don't assume that you have to dumb down your language or use modern teen slang (it dates anyway).
MM

Totally agree with the above.

I write the same as I would write in any genre but the topic is the sort of thing really interesting to the YA audience. My setting is UK in 1347 and I've studied that period in history in some detail. I include as many facts that will fit with the run of the story, that will make them exclaim 'oh gross!' and similar.

I try to establish the heroine as an ordinary person - just like the readers but 2 or 3 years older. I keep the story going at a cracking pace once the nice, quiet young lady crashes into so much trouble it takes your breath away. I don't include swearing or sex but that's my personal choice.

But I don't have to make a mental transmutation to write YA. But maybe I'm just a big kid at heart anyway.
 

misslissy

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4. Don't talk down to your audience, i.e. don't assume that you have to dumb down your language or use modern teen slang (it dates anyway).

I don't have anything else to add, but I can't emphasize this point enough. That's the biggest mistake bad YA writers make. Nothing puts me off more than feeling like I'm being treated like I'm stupid.
 
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misslissy

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Not everyone likes books that end with something blowing up. Especially if it's a romance novel you know?

"John reached out for Jane. And then the whole world exploded instantly killing everyone."

Yeah, that just doesn't cut it for me.
 
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Dichroic

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1. They're people. And like people of anhy other age, they don't all think the same way of like the same things, even if it sometimes seems like they do. (Check the "What were you reading as a teen" thread for corroboration.

2. This is an age when many (not all) people are doing their thinking. Some (too many) people stop thinking as they become adults - reach conclusions and never question them again. But for a while there, many are more open to thinking about the big existential questions, the "Why are we all here" sort of stuff, and so YA authors (most especially in fantasy and SF, but other genres too) can get away with the sort of good vs evil or finding your place in the universe plots that writers of adult fiction are too often scared to try (or their readers are). Look at anyone from CS Lewis to JK Rowling to Scott Westerfield - characters change their world or take on major battles to save it all the while trying to find a place within that world.

(Can you tell I love a lot of YA still?)
 
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brynna87

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If you're writing for a teenage girl, well this is what I've learned both from gauging my own tastes and talking to many other teen readers.

1) write older. I try and keep my characters around 16-18 because it's very true that teens like to 'read up'. I hated reading about teens that were younger than me. So creating characters in their upper teens makes it more appealing to all the teens.

2)A little bit of romance always helps. You don't have to base the whole story around it, but having it there even if it's just in the background is very appealing.

3) Leave it open for a sequel. Every other YA book these days gets developed into a series, or at least gets a sequel or two. While books that stand alone are great, if your book is good and the teens really liked it, then they'll definately want a sequel.

4)And like the others have said again, don't simplify your language. If the writing is simple, then the teen isn't likely to enjoy it as much. Don't be afraid of big words...they make things more fun.
 

Zenera

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Dumbing down the language, I understand not wanting to make anyone feel stupid, however where does the line get drawn? What common errors make the writing seemed dumbed down. Any examples would be rather helpful for making this sink into my thick head. Thanks. =)
 

Metaphor

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I agree! Basic way to avoid dumbing down? Write as you would for adults. Teenagers aren't thick (well, most aren't anyway.). If you catch yourself thinking...

- Hang on, what if they don't get that?
- I'll have to leave out that subplot, because it's too complex.
- Maybe I should use a shorter word...
- I'll have to go into more detail, or they may not understand.

It is NOT good. Well, it is good if you think, no, that's fine. I will leave it. Think of it like this; if it's fine for you, then it's probably fine for a teenager.

Good luck!
 

DonnaDuck

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I just wanted to say thanks for the dumbing down part. While my MC is around 13 or 14, I was afraid the language was a little up there and that I should dumb it down. Now I won't. I have issues writing with younger kids in mind because I tend to over estimate the younger ones and underestimate the older ones. The voice I have to good now so I think I'll stick with it!
 

Zoombie

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Well...don't dumb them down, yes, but don't smart them up TOO much unless you have a credible reason for them being extra smart.

Like, they can know some fiddly words like juxtaposition or quantum wave-form collapse, but might miss out on other words like corollary or jaded man-loving superwhore.
 

DonnaDuck

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I don't even know what quantum wave-form collapse is so I definitely won't be using that one. Eh, no big words, not really.
 

Zoombie

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Oh, it's when you set an anti-matter device on a time-tunnel based engine. The device will detonate the controlling computers, making the time tunnel spew a exponential amount of radiation into the solid state vacuum of null space, most everything within 1000 light years!

Translation:

Big boom makes dead lots people.
 

brynna87

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And remember if you're writing in first person...write what your character would say. So if you're writing from the point of view of a 13 year old...you probably won't have her spouting of big ass words unless she's either a big reader or super duper smart ;) But if your character is 16 or 17 then have a free for all. After all this is about the time SATs happen and what not.
 
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Dichroic

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I think a smart 13-year-old is *more* likely to be using big words all the time. She wouldn't have learned yet how to dim her vocabulatry down to everyone else's level. A smart 17-year-old will know as many words or more but she may also have developed more protective coloring.
 

Angela_785

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Complex language is fine, as long as it fits the voice and the Main Character's thoughts/outlook. But if your narrative sounds like a professor rather than a sophisticated teen, that's a problem. :)
 
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MHanlon

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Write the best you can and let your publisher/agent/editor decide if the book should be marketed as YA.
 
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DonnaDuck

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Well, wouldn't that be something you need to know in advance considering what each agent represents? You're going to want to know if you have YA before querying so you know who to query to. Agents want to see people who know what their stuff is instead of querying blindly and letting them figure it out. Chances are, if you don't know whether it's YA or not by the time you've finished editing it to high heaven, it needs some more work. If it can fit into both, that's something the agent can decide. Otherwise you need to know where it's going to get placed on the shelves in bookstores and you only get one choice.
 

MHanlon

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It's the story that sells, not your ability to understand trends in marketing your story. That's all I was trying to suggest to you. And yes, the better you understand your story, the easier it is to write a compelling query letter to help sell your novel, no question.
 
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