Hey...YA!!
Bec Says
Today, I’m wondering how Young Adult—or teen—fiction is defined….not always an easy task. Wikipedia suggests a general target age range of 14-21. Suite101 defines YA fiction as follows:
“Young adult literature has certain unique features which set it apart. Books for teens are almost always written in the first person and usually have:
- a teenage protagonist
- adults characters as marginal and barely visible characters
- a brief time span (the story spans a few weeks, yes, a summer, maybe, a year, no)
- a limited number of characters
- a universal and familiar setting
- current teenage language, expressions, and slang
- detailed descriptions of other teenagers’ appearances, mannerisms, and dress
- a positive resolution to the crisis at hand (though it may be subtle and never in-your-face moralistic)
- few, if any, subplots
- about 125-250 pages in length (although many of the newer YA books are much longer)
- a focus on the experiences and growth of just one main character
- a main character whose choices and actions and concerns drive the story (as opposed to outside forces)
- problems specific to adolescents and their crossing the threshold between childhood and adulthood
Also, a lot of new YA lit is unique in that it is edgy: pushing the limits of socially acceptable content in teen books, especially regarding drug and alcohol use, violence, abuse, suicide, and social norms in human sexuality. This edginess pushes teenage fiction beyond appropriate boundaries for children’s books.”
Does anyone remember this clip from The Young Ones? ‘Nozin’ Aroun’. (If you do, you’re not a young adult. Sorry!) 🙂
So what about the writers? How do they avoid this kind of condescension and self-conscious bid for hipness? How do writers who are no longer Young Adults themselves manage to recapture the feeling and attitude of youth? What do you think? Which of your favourite Young Adult authors best reach their intended audience? What elements contribute to their success?
Music: Wheatus – Teenage Dirtbag
