Why Write Young Adult Fiction?

Whether you’re reminiscing your teenage years or you’re still living them, the dramas and revelations of adolescence is an inspiration to writers and readers alike.

First loves, first heartbreak, first rejection, first success; teenage years are shaped by revelation, rebellion and self-discovery. Here are some great reasons to read and write young adult fiction.

Write What you Know

Young adult fiction feels like a fairly recent phenomenon, but its origins can be traced back to the 1960’s. 

While certain novels featuring teens were already popular — such as J.D. Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye — the publication of S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders changed the face of teenage fiction as we know it. Hinton’s debut was dark, gritty, filled with conflict and dysfunction. We followed two rival gangs as they made their way into the world. Hardly light reading, so why is it still considered a classic?

Because it did something no other book had done before; it spoke directly to teenagers. Something within its pages resonated with them, capturing the anxieties and conflicts as well as the ups and downs of coming to terms with their place in the world. Since, the times may have changed, but the rites of adolescence haven’t.

Even if your teenage years were a few years or perhaps decades ago, the experiences and emotions you went through are echoes of what every teen experiences. 

You may not have walked on the moon, trekked through the Amazonian rainforest, or captured a unicorn… but you have experienced what it’s like to get your first crush, feel powerless under an authority figure, or worry about your future. Tap into these experiences, and you’re onto a winner.

A Chance to Experiment

Writing for teenagers is more than just including a few 15-year-old characters. Ultimately, it’s about capturing a unique teenage voice that feels authentic.

That sounds tricky (which is why we have an entire course to help!), however there’s an immense freedom that comes with it. If the voice is the only thing that makes a YA novel YA, any type of story, genre or tone is on the table.

Want to write a retelling of Homer’s Odyssey set in a post-ecological disaster Los Angeles? How about a romance-fantasy where a disembodied spirit occupies a new body every day? Maybe you’d prefer a verse novel that paints the portrait of 15th-century artist Artemisia Gentileschi’s life and struggles?

Do these premises sound too bizarre? Then it may surprise you to find that they’ve already been written, and you can read them here, here and here! Nothing is off limits. As a result, YA fiction is incredibly fun to read, but also so much fun to write.