Tuesday, January 24, 2012

i didn't know i was writing YA... and i'm still not totally sure.

Today, I'm participating in this:

more info here.
Hosted by SA Larsen at Writer's Ally. Want to join the team? It's as easy as blogging on Tuesdays about anything YA-related. ;) We'll see how well I can hold up.

So, confession time:

I did not know YA was a thing until I started reading blogs. In all honesty, I stumbled upon the microcosm quite by accident. Good thing, too, because my writing life has grown exponentially since then {about two years ago}.

And lo, the lightbulb shone. You know, that lightbulb. I had been fiddling around with the backbone of my story {which has changed so much in two years, I hardly recognize it... in a good way}, eye-deep in identity crisis, when it occurred to me.


My main character is 16.
Not 10.
Not 23.
Of course he's 16.
{maybe 14?}
{no, 16.}
No wonder I like those blogs.
I'm writing YA, too.


Commence euphoria.
Chase with more identity crisis.

Because, you see, here's my second confession, one I realized after a year and a half of total YA immersion:

I'm really not the biggest fan of a lot of YA books I've read.
Like, to the point where I had to call it quits.
For a while.

Is it because I'm no longer an actual teenager? I don't know. The few that I've absolutely loved are the books my teen friends like best, too.

Does it have something to do with the seemingly rapid pace of the market? Am I just a stinky geezer with unrealistic standards for what I read?

Whom is YA really for?

Recently, after finishing yet another book that was supposed to be OMGAMAZING, but was actually omgnotasgoodasitcouldandshouldhavebeen, I realized,

Maybe YA isn't for me?

Buh.

Okay. Time to stop being dramatic. YA is not the problem.

The real issue is that I've been pigeonholing myself. Having a 16-year-old MC doesn't mean I have to write dystopian. My duty is to write the story that wants to be told, as someone other than me probably once said. I'll worry about the marketing later {if I ever even need to}. 

I can't deny that a ton of the YA books I've read truly are OMGAMAZING. Human beings carry different opinions and live different lives. I'm never going to love some books, and that's okay. I can learn from every single one I read. And, no matter how unenjoyable a book is for me, I will ALWAYS respect the person who wrote it.
How could I not, now that I know?

That being said... I have to admit, it's kind of nice to be reading adult fiction, right now.

You know. Just for a while. 

Thoughts?

8 comments:

  1. You're wise to see that you will not enjoy every book you read, but can still respect the author. Bravo!! So happy you've joined the YATT supporters! I'm following you now.

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  2. Oh goodness, I have found myself in the same position. I write YA, but I really only like a few YA books. My favorites are the oldies. My subject matter is similar to what's being written today, but my style isn't. It worries me! But you are right -- all we can do is stay true to our stories!

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    Replies
    1. (I'm pretty sure I'd like your style better, anyway. For reals.)

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  3. Maybe we need a club of YA writers who don't read YA . . . at least not much.

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  4. Some adult fiction books are quite good.

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  5. Hehehe sounds like we're in the same book with this. The thing is, I like YA that doesn't try to be YA. For example the Hunger Games. It's YA, but no one would see Katniss as the eye-rolling teenaged twit that one can find in other YA books.

    :-)

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    Replies
    1. "YA that doesn't try to be YA." Yes, you hit the nail on the head!

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  6. Hey Juliemybird.
    I agree! I wondered if it was just me. I love writing YA, however aim for more of a cross-over market. And I have to say I've read my way through the selection at our local library and most didn't really spark my attention.
    Glad I'm not the only one :)
    I'm a new follower so look forward to your future posts ;)
    Jade

    ReplyDelete

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