Why write books for young adults?

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There are several compelling reasons to write books for young adults. It’s a fresh, ever burgeoning genre that is easy to adapt to and lots of fun to write. Yet there are other reasons that motivate authors on deeper levels and often result in a sense of unparalleled fulfillment.

Besides the fact that the market is flourishing, many authors choose to write young adult novels because it gives them an opportunity to wield influence upon a demographic that is still impressionable. The adult market may enjoy everything from the classics and paranormal romance novels to science fiction and fantasy books, but their attitudes and beliefs are already formed and difficult to sway or affect.

Many of the teenagers who read young adult novels seek characters that they can relate to and an understanding of what they’re experiencing in life. They want to feel like others have experienced or are going through the same situations and experiences that they are. Books for young adults give readers the chance to live through the experience with the protagonist and see how they handle everything from drugs, peer pressure, sex and racism to surviving an apocalypse and saving the world. While the latter two situations are typically fodder for science fiction and fantasy books, when blended with the young adult genre, the protagonists will face issues common to young adults, despite their otherworldly settings.

Another common reason that authors write books for young adults is that it gives them a chance to rewrite their own teenage experiences. If prom sucked or teenage years were spent covered in acne and despair, an author can write a totally different experience and live vicariously through their protagonist. Someone who never dated during high school can write a series of paranormal romance novels where they live out their fantasy of dating the hottest guy in school and ending up happily ever after once they’ve overcome an array of supernatural obstacles. On the flip side, if high school was a breeze or possibly too normal, writers can raise their protagonist in a coven of witches or a castle in an imaginary land of demons and fairies.

The best young adult novels give readers hope by helping their characters go through their experiences and ultimately survive. While this is an amazing experience to be able to provide readers with, it also brings the responsibility to offer unbiased ideas and viewpoints.