Last week, I went ham on the question and told you my life story, but I had some amazing observations to share with you from other authors that I think were too relevant not to share. I asked the authors two questions that I thought readers would appreciate
A stack of YA category books.
Why did you select the YA/NA genre?
Sophie Fahy, author of Through Her Eyes, a YA Thriller, told me that she selected YA/NA, “Um, because I'm a sixteen in my head?” With her adorable chuckle. “I chose the YA/NA genre because when I was younger, reading these types of books with protagonists similar age to me, let me escape reality. Now, I want my books to do the same and I also want to send messages through my books that the reader somehow resonates with and to show life struggles that are tremendously overlooked.”
The author of the YA Contemporary Romance Joy’s Summer Love Playlist, Piper Bee reflected that, “YA struggles still resonate with me today. I love the potential, the uncertainty, the identity, the ambition! I find the prospect of heading into adulthood having learned something meaningful to be very satisfying.”
“I want to write stories I wish I had access to at those times in my life,” Brandann Hill-Mann, the author of the speculative fiction The Hole in the World, shared, “I write what I wish had been normalized then, and what I think more teens and younger adults need to see normalized now. Sexuality in all its forms. Different types of loving relationships. Making mistakes (and living with the consequences). Hopefully, someone will read one of my stories and feel less like the unhappy weirdo in the room, and more like the weirdo in the room who is comfortable in their own skin and not ashamed of who they are. Teens and new adults have questions, and they need to know they’re not the only ones asking them, and that they should be asking them.”
Author of the YA Contemporary When Life Gives You Lemons Instead of Lattes, Rayna York shared, “We moved a lot when I was a kid. At sixteen, there was a pivotal move that changed the course of my life. I based my first novel around it. I never published it, but have felt the most comfortable writing in that age category. My subsequent novels have been based on dreams, and since I am always a teenager in my dreams, well . . .”
Like most writers who choose a category, Ally Aldridge, author of Ocean Heart a YA Fantasy, shared that, “I have always loved reading and writing YA. I love how they are mature enough to make choices, but everything is still very new. There are many firsts still to have, and they’re also that new independence where mistakes might be made. It’s a fabulous transition age and works well with fantasy.”
Last, but definitely not least, Julia Scott, author of the New Adult dystopian thriller, Mirror Souls and it’s follow up The Anahata Divide, shared that “There’s a huge sense of adventure that comes with first stepping out into the world and navigating the trials and tribulations that come with being a young/new adult. I suppose that’s what draws me to writing about those characters. Adults come with so much baggage and preformed concepts, whereas earlier on in life there is a fresher perspective and a naivety that can get you in all sorts of trouble! That can make it fun to both read and write.”
What advice would you give new authors about what they should consider if they’ve selected the YA/NA genre?
Sophie: Don’t be scared to write dark YA/NA. You see a lot of books in this genre which are all rainbows and butterflies and to be honest, unrealistic. Teenagers are resilient. They go through life troubles like the rest of us. Some have gone through the most unimaginable things.
Piper: Remember that YA doesn't have to be a certain way. It can be sweet or gritty (or both, if that's your style)! The characters do not have to be typical young adults, and they don't have to do typical things. They also can! Focus on what makes them human and what you want for them, not on what people might say about the book or whether it "fits."
Brandann: Sometimes a plot seems ‘too mature’ at first, and we forget that teens are at that bizarre cusp of child and adulthood. The demands on them are confusing and the goal posts ever changing. We expect them to make life changing decisions while not giving them room to have the experience to make them until that magical moment of 12:01 on their 18th (or whatever age) birthday when we demand they should ‘act like’ adults. Take risks. Remember that those years are a chaotic dance of dumb decisions and life choices fueled by hormones and still-developing brains. Let them be immature. Let them be unlikeable. Let them make really big mistakes so they can show that the consequences are not the end of the world. Let them have to make choices adults feel are too adult to make.
Rayna: I have heard that 40-60% of young adult books are read by adults. Just like with animated movies, it’s okay to have an adult component in YA books. But it’s important to determine the line between YA and NA when writing so it’s age appropriate. But as the authors have mentioned above, young adults deal with tough, real life issues--ugly situations that scar. But do they want to read about it in a book or do they want to escape into something more pleasant? I wonder. Maybe a little bit of both. Regardless, any writer has to find their niche, write what they know or can relate too.
Ally: Writing a novel is a big commitment, it’s a marathon, not a sprint. Write whatever you enjoy writing. Worry about what genre it is when it’s finished. Write the novel for yourself first and have fun writing it.
Julia: Try to look back and remember how you felt as a young or new adult, and the issues that concerned you most, rather than what is already out there in the mainstream YA arena. Better yet, speak to actual young or new adults to see what they deal with in life and their biggest issues! It’s always refreshing to read YA/NA fiction that is more realistic rather than fiction that writes what they *think* YA/NA should be.
I hope these last two blog posts have been helpful in exploring this question! As always, comment if you have thoughts, reflections or questions. Or visit us all on Instagram. I know each of these authors welcome authentic engagement!
