Are you interested in crafting compelling stories for the teen and young adult audience? Well, you've come to the right place! This post will explore the essential tips and techniques for crafting a successful teen or young adult (YA) novel that captivates readers. While writing for teens requires a balance of realism, relatability, and engaging storytelling, with a few tips you will be on your way.
Don't "Preach"
For teens, there is nothing worse in YA literature than preaching. "Preaching" refers to overtly trying to deliver a heavy-handed message in your story. This approach often comes off as a lecture rather than a natural element of the story, which ultimately irritates teen readers as it feels condescending. Plus, preaching can disrupt the authenticity of a story. Therefore, you should focus on showing characters as they navigate their challenges, and learn from their experiences. This allows readers to form their own conclusions and ideas more organically.
Consider the Characters' Ages
Considering the ages of your characters is crucial when writing a relatable teen novel. This is because the ages of your characters will directly impact the authenticity and relatability of their experiences. Believe it or not, there are a lot of differences between 18-year-olds and 15-year-olds (even if they're only 3 years apart). Therefore, if you are seeking to write a realistic YA novel, make sure you consider the characters' ages. By accurately portraying the ages of your characters, you can dive into the specific issues they face. For example, a 14-year-old protagonist might grapple with the transition to high school and forming new friendships, while a 17-year-old character might be dealing with college applications and the pressures of a first job. Overall, make sure that you research and reflect on issues that are age-appropriate for your characters. This will not only enhance the realism of your narrative but also foster a better connection between your readers and your characters.
Weave in Milestones
In my blog, I have said time and time again that when writing about teens you need to weave in milestones! There are a lot of milestones celebrated as a teen, some being: birthdays, first jobs, graduations, and driving tests. For your fictional teen characters to feel authentic, you need to weave in milestones. This is because as a teenager time often feels very slow, which is why many teens look forward to particular milestones. If your characters have a similar attitude, they will feel more authentic to readers. Therefore, as you write your YA story make sure that your teen character has a milestone or goal that they are looking forward to. This goal could be as simple as obtaining an object, but it could be more complex. Some examples of teen milestones are graduation, getting one's first car, taking the SAT, or going to prom.
Don't Rely Just on Slang
Relying solely on slang when writing a teen novel is definitely problematic as it can quickly become boring and clichéd for teen readers. While incorporating some slang can add authenticity to your dialogue, overusing it can make the writing feel forced and unrealistic. For example, if a teen girl character starts every sentence with slang terms like "Fetch" or "Heyyyy," it may distract from the story and make the characters seem shallow or caricatured. As a result, rather than using internet slang to appeal to teen readers, you should write 3D teen characters. To do so, make sure that all of the characters have their own goals, fears, quirks, wants, and triggers.
Include a Hopeful Ending
While not all teen novels have hopeful endings, the majority do. This is because hopeful endings offer a sense of closure and possibility to readers, especially young ones who often seek hope and reassurance in literature. Now it is important to note that there is a difference between hopeful endings and happy endings. While a happy ending may tie up loose ends neatly and portray characters as having solved all of their problems, a hopeful ending shows that life is full of ups and downs, but there's always growth potential. Ultimately, hopeful endings resonate with teens who are often looking for stories that end on an upward note.
Young adult novels are a large industry that is actually engaging not only teens but adults as well. Who doesn't like reading a story with a relatable high school setting, engaging characters, and a hopeful ending? Yet, as beloved as YA novels are, writing them can be quite challenging. Thankfully, the tips outlined in the article above are sure to help you start writing the best YA novel ever.
Comments