Why writing books for young adults is so fulfilling

Source: Dwallsdotcom

There are many reasons to write books for young adults. For starters, they’re one of the best-selling genres around at the moment. But beyond commercial purposes, there are a lot of aspects that are extremely fulfilling for writers of all ages.

Writing young adult novels offers you the chance to embrace your inner teenager and make the most of your own immature ways. It provides the opportunity to relive your teens, complete with a happy ending— your own romanticized version of your adolescence as the plot of a series of young adult fantasy novels, with your alter ego as the star. 

You can rewrite your past with the accoutrements you always wanted and dramatize and embellish the facts of what really happened. You can attribute the protagonist with those supernatural powers you always dreamed of or the fairy godmother you coveted when you first read one of the original fairy tales, Cinderella. Or the evil stepmother, your choice.

What’s most fulfilling about writing young adult novels, whether you’re penning dystopian literature or science fiction and fantasy books, is that you have the opportunity to give your audience hope. Young readers savor being able to relate to the situations that many protagonists of young adult novels experience. While Katniss in The Hunger Games exists in a post apocalyptic world that we will hopefully never be able to truly comprehend, we can empathize to her burgeoning feelings for the boy she thought was her best friend, Gale, and understand the confusion she suffers through when she begins to have feelings for another, her partner in the Games, Peeta. Plus, the strength and courage Katniss exudes is inspiring and offers teenage readers the hope that they often seek when reading this multifaceted genre.

Another aspect that is very satisfying to writers of YA, especially those who pen young adult fantasy novels, is that you can create the most imaginative otherworldly settings and then still convey an inspiring message to readers. Whether it’s an elaborate post apocalyptic world such as the radiation-ravaged dystopias of Revealing Eden or Pure, the characters can still be real and embody human characteristics that readers of all ages can relate to and understand, and therefore, take away the message you want to share or the intention behind your writing. Few genres provide such a unique opportunity.

Why paranormal romance novels?

Source: freakingnews.com

It’s hard to believe that paranormal romance novels are still the highest selling subgenre of romance. One would think it’s purely the escapism factor, but with the influx of dystopian literature this year, even though much of it may have a depressing premise, the glimmer of hope most dystopian novels provide should be enough to overcome the undying obsession with vampirism and witchcraft.

Paranormal romance novels still subscribe to the hero as a knight in shining armor who rescues the female protagonist. While she may not fit the old school damsel in distress paradigm, she’s not quite the empowered female who survives an apocalypse to claw her way to some type of livable existence in a dystopian society. She’s not the Katniss or Eden Newman that we all kind of want to be deep inside.

The thing with some of the fantasy novels that are considered the best in the genre or have the highest sales is that they have these characters that possess imaginary supernatural powers that enable them to overcome tremendous obstacles and survive nearly any kind of attack to save their love. Meanwhile, the protagonists in novels that are dystopian tend to be real people with the skills, physical prowess and intelligence that may actually be within reach of most readers.

If you think about it, the supernatural powers boasted by characters in paranormal romance novels are actually a bit of a crutch. How strong is a character really if they’re able to fly at the speed of lightning, read their enemy’s minds and lift thousands of pounds with one finger?

It’s interesting that many readers consider to the best fantasy novels are those that have such little element of realism. We know that there are no such things as vampires and wizards, so perhaps fans of the genre prefer the purity of this type of fantasy. Maybe fans of novels that are dystopian prefer the mix, some fantastical elements with some elements of realism. It’s interesting to think about—which do you relate to more and why?

End of the world books, steampunk and dystopian literature

Source: deviantart.net

The most popular trends among young adult fiction this summer include end of the world books, steampunk and dystopian literature. While none of these are necessarily new, each has been a niche genre among books for young adults for ages. They’re all at the forefront of the book world right now, possibly because of the fascination with the prophecies associated with 2012, Nostradamus’ prophecies and the end of the Mayan calendar.

Steampunk originated during the late 1980s and early 1990s. It typically incorporates elements of horror, sci-fi, fantasy, alternate history and speculative fiction. The name is derived from the settings that characterize steampunk—eras where steam power were widely used. These can include the Victorian era, as well as fictional, post-apocalyptic times and alternate histories. They often contain futuristic innovations and technology that people from each era may have envisioned. Popular authors who delved into these techniques include Jules Verne and H.G. Wells.  

Technically considered a subgenre of science fiction, end of the world books are concerned with the end of civilization, resulting from an apocalyptic event or existential catastrophe such as a nuclear war, pandemic, extraterrestrial attack, natural disaster, supernatural phenomena, zombie outbreak or some other cataclysmic event. They've become a very popular theme among books for young adults over the past year.

Dystopian literature and end of the world books are very similar. Dystopia is the opposite of utopia—a society characterized by squalor, poverty, oppression, dangerous conditions, and often times, a struggle to survive. Dystopian novels usually extrapolate elements of contemporary society and integrate political messages and thought-provoking circumstances. End of the world books are typically set during or directly after the apocalyptic disaster, which is common with dystopian novels as well.   

What books from each of these genres have in common most recently are strong, feisty female leads empowered by the struggles they encounter in their world, whether it’s a post apocalypse world or an otherworldly setting. Good examples of this among dystopian literature include The Hunger Games and Revealing Eden.

Inspiration for young adult novels

Where do authors get ideas for writing young adult novels? Many writers are so prolific, it seems that they have a never ending source of stories in the back of their mind. That’s true for some authors, but for others, it takes a little digging to reveal the stories they need to tell.  

Source: trcbnews.com

Probably the best source for the premise of whatever you want to write, whether it be young adult fantasy novels or dystopian literature, is your own life. We’ve all had unique experiences as well as similar ones to others in the YA age range during particular phases of our lives—regardless of which you write about, you’ll be able to share your own unique perspective of situations that all readers can relate to on some level.

Many writers of young adult novels are way past the years of adolescence. While it could seem more difficult to write for a younger audience, it’s actually much easier. It’s easy and can be inspiring to write about past experiences, since you’ve been there and done that. Even if you’re writing young adult fantasy novels that take place in an otherworldly setting, it’s the perspective of the protagonist that you can relate to, even when they live in an imaginary world.  

As many writers and instructors say, “write what you know.” You’re only stealing from your own life, and when time has past, your insight to the situation is enhanced. Think about your own adolescence and what your biggest issues were, what types of relationships and friendships you had, and how you felt about your family. Now that you’re older and a little wiser, you can probably figure out why certain dynamics were the way they were, why particular situations occurred, why others acted a particular way and why you reacted the way you did.

Going through this thought process will truly enrich your story, the depth of the characters involved, and the insight and emotions of the protagonist. Even when you’re writing science fiction and fantasy books or dystopian literature, you’ll still be able to give a realistic, and most importantly, a unique perspective for readers to both relate to and enjoy. Plus, it can be a very cathartic experience for writers to delve into their past to create a new version of their teenage memories.