There’s a lot of confusion out there about how “hot” a young adult novel can (and should) be. The short answer: it all depends. Here’s the thing–there is no “line in the sand” where sexual content is concerned in YA fiction. To completely ignore the topic of sex in young adult fiction is, at best, … [Read more…]
Every year when I begin teaching a commercial fiction class for adults, I have at least one student who, when we start discussing Young Adult/Teen fiction, asks something to the effect of “YA fiction is just dumbed down writing, right?” I can’t tell you how disheartening this YA fiction stereotype is. Let me state it boldly … [Read more…]
I wanted to revisit the topic of “Why Write YA?” since it’s a question I get asked so frequently. Why write YA? Why read it? What’s the appeal, especially with adult readers? Why Write YA? The alternatives. Most YA authors are not teens or even young adults themselves, nor are a good percentage of young … [Read more…]
Those of you who write either Young Adult (YA) fiction or adult romance are probably aware of the new “trend” in town–the New Adult novel. In recent months, we’ve heard of several indie (self-published) New Adult novels hitting bestseller lists–and subsequently getting snatched up by major publishers–and of some established YA authors moving into New … [Read more…]
I thought I’d ring in 2013 with a few predictions about what to look for in the YA market in the coming year. No crystal ball here, just some guesses based on my own experience and observations. 1) Lots and lots of sci-fi, with a dash of high fantasy thrown in. Much in the way … [Read more…]