Why do you write YA/children's lit? http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803 kitandkat People kind-of got into this on the college students thread, so I thought I would start its own topic. Why do you write YA and/or children's lit? For me, I've always known I would write about kids or teens. I just love all the stuff that happens when you are growing up and learning who you are, and I love that both genres empower kid and teen characters - just because they are young doesn't mean they can't make a difference somehow. I find that kids' and teens' viewpoints on the world are really interesting. My novel this year covers a long time period in my main character's life, from teen to adult. The adult parts are interesting to me because I don't usually write about adults and their problems, but I've noticed they still have the same bent. She's in college/grad school for most of that part and to me that encompasses the same coming-of-age theme... she's not totally on her own yet (and then the rest is residency... again, she's still in more of a student environment than independent). Fri, 14 Oct 2011 23:21:58 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_65840 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_65840 aprilspen It may sound really simple, but I write for children and teens because I LOVE it. I always have. Even when I was a teen I knew I wanted to be a children's writer, and I started studying it after graduating at 17. (Walking into my first writing class and having one of the other students say "My story has swearing in it, do you want me to censor it for you?" was my lovely introduction to being a young writer. My writing teacher fixed him up real good, and after a while they started treating me like an equal). BUT ANYWAYS. Children's literature is just magical for me. In the past few years I've been keeping a journal of all the books I read, and I've read about 200 novels and 300 picture books for "research", and I've only not enjoyed about 10 of them. I never get bored of reading children's or YA. Ever. And I hope I never will. (Can't see it happening). I have about 50 books and many more short stories in the works, and I know this is what I want to do for the rest of my life, and I'm willing to be patient until it happens. Cecil Castellucci said one time that when you decide you want to write, add ten years to your waiting time until you get published and start becoming successful. So I am willing to get more life experience, work hard, and just be persistent until it happens. I think literature is really important for the younger generations - after all, hooking them on reading at this age is what drives the book industry for adults, so it's important to make sure the best quality books are getting into their hands! I also love how diverse the age group is. There are a few billion kids in the world, and they are all different - I love that there are so many different types of books out there for this age :) And writing for kids is the funnest thing ever! Plus the people you meet who are also writing for kids are awesome; and really supportive of each other, I've found. I had a lot of reasons, sorry! Sat, 15 Oct 2011 01:00:18 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_66719 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_66719 ValerieValerah Like the two above: it is what I love to read. I had a tough time as a pre-teen/ teen and books were my escape. At almost 30, I still read a ton of books and middle grade is a genre I just never grew out of. Kids that age learn that parents have faults, people can be cruel and that there is grey between black and white. There is so much material to work with that mg rarely feels like a formula like romance or mystery books. Sure there are cliches but the cliches are somewhat closer to the truth: bullies, distant adults, red headed best friends... Sat, 15 Oct 2011 07:39:07 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_68384 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_68384 DefyGravy I love reading middle grade. YA never held my attention and anything written for adults is just too dark for me to enjoy. I'm sixteen and still love to read stuff written for eleven-year-olds. Most of my friends (who are all determined to be as 'adult' and 'mature' as possible) think I'm immature, but there is so much depth to middle grade fiction that nobody seems to notice. And besides. Why bother being (or writing about) an adult? Kids have more fun. Sat, 15 Oct 2011 08:24:31 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_68618 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_68618 MissAngelAdorer You summed it up. I could read want I wanted to despite being young, including adult books, but I don't really read much past middle grade or young adult. They just don't have the same charm for me. This year is actually my first attempt at true young adult, with my Nano and a rewrite of my first (horrible) attempt at a story (tt's superhero fiction, by the way). But, yeah, I just love kids books, especially award winners like the Newbery Medal. And yes, children's writers are such nice people. Sat, 15 Oct 2011 08:35:50 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_68664 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_68664 hitman2097 Apologies if I repeat a lot of what's been said. I agree with everyone so far. It's really important to me that young people read. I don't care what, just get them to pick up a book and start reading. I've heard plenty of really young teens and kids say that they don't like reading. I've heard plenty of PARENTS say that their kids just don't like reading. I want to take those parents by the shoulders, shake them and yell, 'Wrong! They just haven't found a book that interests them yet!'. So your 13 year old son doesn't like the mandatory Shakespeare and Salinger that his English teacher gave him? BIG surprise. Get that boy a book about awesome space adventures, complete with a bunch of explosions and bad guys getting their skulls crushed or whatever. He'll steam through that stuff like his life depends on it. And while he's reading, he's learning. Expanding his vocabulary. Becoming more intelligent. Becoming more worldly. All without having moved beyond his bedroom door. Young Adult books are, by necessity, stripped of pretense. Young readers will sniff your literary indulgences and flourishes from a mile off and will be six hours into a videogame before the book has had a chance to get across a single paragraph. If you want to hold the attention of a young reader you need to get to the point. You need to tantalise them and keep them wondering what happens next. It's an exciting kind of fiction to read, and a challenging kind to write. I write for young people because I never want to hear a young person say they don't like reading. If I'm ever lucky enough to get published one day, I'll be the guy who's there to give those kids their explosions and skull-crushy goodness. YA. Dirtier than Salinger, Bloodier than Shakespeare. Sat, 15 Oct 2011 08:36:51 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_68673 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_68673 daqu Because I like it, and I'm good at it. Last year for NaNo I was going to write adult fiction, but I had to come up with a YA plot at the last minute because I missed the world of teenagers and high school so much. Sat, 15 Oct 2011 09:35:45 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_69090 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_69090 Dennis Dunjinman The Fun Factor. What's the Fun Factor? Well, I can't define it in concrete terms, but it's about how fun a story is to read, and how fun it was to write. A lot of YA books are dark, and in comparison to the adult ones I read (which are not extruded-thrillers that are put out once a month by career writers), it's like authors for teens think the world is a dreary place. This may be your reality, but it's defintiely not mine, because mine is a more fun and happy place, even if bad things happen in it. There's more opportunity for imagination and play in the kid world because there haven't been nearly as many blinders put on. I like adventures and colorful places. And since I was raised with the mentality of "big kid" (not miniature adult, but kid with more abilities), I like to see kids going to great places and doing things they never thought possible. That's the sort of thing that makes it fun. Sat, 15 Oct 2011 10:12:51 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_69382 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_69382 Loki Mischief-Maker Because I could never quite find the books I really, really wanted to find when I was 14. So I'm going to write them, for the next 14-year-old like me who goes looking for them. Uh . . . that's probably not the great answer everyone else is giving, but it's definitely true for me. Sat, 15 Oct 2011 11:08:32 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_69850 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_69850 Eika Loki, that's probably closest to mine. I write YA because it's more interesting. Adults, you're expected to do things. As a kid or a teen, everything and anything is set up to stop you, And this is wonderful, because that means you're just THAT MUCH MORE CAPABLE when you do anything. Also? There's no BS. Every adult book I've read has had at least a chapter or two where I yawn. I'm often told 'you have to give it 50 pages before it gets interesting'. Guess what? I don't. And I won't. If that's expected, or even average, for some adult books, count me out. Kids books, you get straight to the point. You can still do foreshadowing, but everything has to be interesting, has to at least SEEM to make sense at the time, and there's no forgiveness. Also, YA is what I read. I was reading it in elementary school; I preordered a YA book last week (it's coming out the 26th) and I'm a college senior. I don't see that changing. Write what you want to read. Write what you LOVE to read. It's that simple. Sat, 15 Oct 2011 12:15:07 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_70538 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_70538 brianarants Hmm, because I'm still in that age group? I think it might be it, because as I get older, my characters get older. Although, I'm sure of another reason: I'm not as sociable and amazing as the characters create. In a way, I'm missing my years of doing radical, crazy things like my characters have been doing, even now. But the thing is, I'm not sad about it (alright, maybe sometimes but it's my own fault). In a way, I'm living through my characters. I find their stories far more interesting than my own. I get to do things by writing about them. Such a loner writer thing to say, but it's the truth. :] Sat, 15 Oct 2011 12:23:12 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_70620 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_70620 Jen_Doe "When you read a book as a child, it becomes a part of your identity in a way that no other reading in your whole life does. " - from You've Got Mail. Sat, 15 Oct 2011 12:58:00 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_71021 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_71021 Jen_Doe Sorry Brianarants, I meant that as a reply to the OP, not you, I just hit the wrong button. :) I'll look so much more clever (or at least less stupid) when we can edit our posts... Sat, 15 Oct 2011 13:01:07 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_71047 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_71047 allwritemel I can't help myself if I'm honest. When I was younger I LOVED the Enid Blyton books (one example) and many others as well and I was sad when I wasn't able to read any more (as I can't have children I don't even have the excuse to buy them again, although I'm determined to buy the whole set of the Famous Five series!) The books did have a certain charm and I find myself automatically going back to that point - there's a lot of that charm missing in the adult books. It's hard to explain. Also I have problems because when I've written adult books I've been told that I HAVE to insert a sex scene or three! Ridiculous - as I pointed out ot one publisher, everyone knows what goes on behind closed doors but he wouldn't have it and I felt it owuld spoil the story so ... we parted company. That's something you rarely (if ever) have to worry about in children's books. Also, I have a lot of dealings with children so I listen to them and write the stories they say they want to write - I'm terribly nosey but I always ask! :-) I love poking around the children's sections and I'll often buy some of the books to see what I'm up against (I was so proud when one publisher said I wrote like Jacqueline Wilson! The children I told said this was a great compliment). I keep being told I'm stupid to write children's stories but i refuse to give up. My book, The Wishing Tree would never have been sent out if it had not been for a little girl who read it while I was busy helping someone else. I have several notebooks and I panicked, wondering which book I'd accidentally brought to work on during my break ... luckily it was The Wishing Tree (which I'd given up on - I'd have been gutted if I'd realised I'd brought that during my break because I had 3 others I had to write but it must have been fate because she told me it was brilliant and wanted to buy it. I got it out that same night and, apart from some howlers, I realised it wasn't that bad a story and the only editing it needed was spell check and a little bit of pruning - not a bad job after all. That same book is now being made into a film! Anyway, there are so many reasons I write for children but those are the main ones. Hope nobody minds me putting my twopennorth in! Mel Sat, 15 Oct 2011 13:11:11 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_71168 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_71168 AliceUnrequited I write it because I was always looking for a fantasy novel that had a well-written and developed romance subplot and never really found what I was looking for. I could only ever find books where romance was a driving force of the plot or where it was so incidental it seemed like the author was just up and saying "oh, by the way, she's going to marry the boy from the market that she met the first day she came into town." I wanted to see relationships being forged between characters and the gradual realizations that something more than friendship might be possible, but I didn't want there to be nothing but the relationship. If you take the romance out, does the plot still go? I hated it when the answer to that question was no. So I guess I write YA fiction because I'm still looking for that book I never got to read. Sat, 15 Oct 2011 14:11:15 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_71924 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_71924 jefflion Because I'm a sucker for coming of age stories, and they usually fall under YA. Simple as that. ;) Sat, 15 Oct 2011 14:49:20 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_72361 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_72361 Eika Alice, I've read tons of those books. In fact, I'm a bit sick of it. Know what I've never seen? A YA book where there isn't a crush in there. Whether it's the MC or a friend, an outright relationship or just a crush, boy or girl, if the characters are over 12 or so and there's someone of hte opposite gender there will be romance. Or romance mentioned. Or implied. Younger ages, there are still dozens of crushes and mentions of it or cooties or blaugh. I am 21 years old and I've had one kiss, which I didn't enjoy. I have never actually wanted to be in a relationship, straight or non. I know there are others out there; I've talked to them. At the same time, I recognize dozens of kids out there, teens, who are being told-- as I was-- 'If you're 13 and not interested in making out, this is a problem with you. Everyone is. See? Even in the books you escape to.' And while others out there grow into it late, that's not the point; at thirteen, I can name 10 of my friends who (now) admit they weren't interested in that age. TV, movies, books, and peer pressure all say that EVERYONE is interested in that age, and not even having a crush or a boyfriend or whatever is abnormal. When I write, there aren't always relationships. If there are, they're not a big deal. And it IS still possible for boys and girls to be friends without sexual attraction playing into it, even in the teen years. ...um. *steps off her soap box* Sat, 15 Oct 2011 14:56:41 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_72449 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_72449 Lempicka I never set out to specifically write YA at first, it's just that everything I write I get told 'Hey, that's perfect for the YA market' or something along those lines. I guess my writing style and preferences are just geared towards writing for that particular age group. But then, all of my favourite books are either YA or children's lit. I always prefer reading books aimed at those people, so maybe that's why I write for it as well? Sun, 16 Oct 2011 04:14:35 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_79850 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_79850 aprilspen Well said! and agreed. Sun, 16 Oct 2011 05:10:26 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_80080 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_80080 aprilspen I love reading about why you all love writing YA/Children's literature :) It makes me excited. Sun, 16 Oct 2011 05:13:41 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_80089 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_80089 Maemi Writing about teenagers just has more appeal for me (at least in original fiction; I write fanfiction for fandoms where the characters are adults so of course it can't be avoided there). It's an emotional part of people's lives, and despite the fact that most people realize high school means a lot less than you thought it did at the time as they grow older, people can still sympathize with the plights of teenagers. And of course you can make a lot more interesting things happen than just who's-crushing-on-who etc :P Sun, 16 Oct 2011 07:17:53 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_80652 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_80652 SophieWofy In all honesty, it's probably because I'm still quite young (I'm 20.) I write what I know, and what I know is high school, coming of age stuff. So that's what I write. I'd like to say it's because of something a bit better, but it's not. I just don't know enough about the adult world to accurately write adult, and I'm not really a fantasy sort of girl. So YA it is. Sun, 16 Oct 2011 07:35:16 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_80757 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_80757 WrittenWord I don't necessarily write genres--I write books. I have four completed first drafts of novels and several WIPs, and they span a number of genres. I wrote them all for different reasons. My mainstream fiction book, Laugh, Kookaburra, Laugh, I chose to write because I was a sophomore in college and I wanted to immortalize my friends. May Day, a collection of interconnected short stories, I wrote because I wanted to honor my aunt's memory (she'd just died of breast cancer). I wrote Painted Wings and Giants' Rings, my YA low fantasy work, because it was a story I'd been looking for as a child and never found. I wrote To Slight the Jacket Blue largely for fun. This year I happen to be writing a YA novel. The reason for this is twofold. One, I promised a pair of boys I used to teach, four years ago, that I would write a novel for their age group and dedicate it to them; this is going to be that book. But the main reason I'm writing it is one that several people have, unintentionally, pointed out in the "Would You Read This?" thread: most of my target audience (11-17) was too young to remember the events of September 11, 2001. They've grown up in an age of terror. My plan is to show, from the perspective of a boy about their age, the effects that a single day had on the nation, and on individual lives. Sun, 16 Oct 2011 07:43:21 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_80798 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_80798 myviolettears Because I write what I know. I'm still in high school so it would be hard not to write a character who deals with those problems. Sun, 16 Oct 2011 09:14:43 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_81343 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_81343 lizo27 I like that. It pretty much exactly sums up why I write YA. Sun, 16 Oct 2011 11:12:09 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_82291 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_82291 Zahra Because I love it. My characters are almost always in their late teens/early twenties. It happens so much in that age: you go to school/college/university, fall in love, have kids, move to new places, become the "real" you in a way... The whole coming of age- thing. And I'm only 23. I guess I write what I know. Mon, 17 Oct 2011 17:13:49 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=2#forum_thread_comment_100468 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=2#forum_thread_comment_100468 donne.r I agree with you, Aprilspen--MG is absolutely magical! Mon, 17 Oct 2011 20:08:47 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_102667 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_102667 rebel_cheese I write it because YA novels are the only novels I've managed to complete. XD Mon, 17 Oct 2011 20:10:43 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=2#forum_thread_comment_102697 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=2#forum_thread_comment_102697 aj chase okay, wow. my answer to this is a little long but very significant. so i'll just link you to the blog i wrote about this subject and if you want to read it that would be awesome and if you don't that's cool too. http://ambergilchrist.com/?p=79 but it's long so this probably isn't the place to quote it. but i'll just paste the first para here and you can go look if you want. From the blog post--- "I’ve given some thought to why I write YA and there are two answers to that question. The reason I started writing YA, which is for a different post, and the reason I continue to write it at the expense of all the adult novels that I used to write. But I never had a definitive answer really formed out in my brain until I had an epiphany the other day." Tue, 18 Oct 2011 01:18:56 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=2#forum_thread_comment_106198 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=2#forum_thread_comment_106198 ohmynoti Because it's always more interesting to have a conversation with somebody whose ideas about the world aren't set in stone. Tue, 18 Oct 2011 02:14:46 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=2#forum_thread_comment_106495 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=2#forum_thread_comment_106495 nitaspitas Because it's pretty much all I read, it's what I teach, and it's what I'll study (I'm starting an MLIS program in January). I don't think I could write in another genre if I tried... Tue, 18 Oct 2011 03:11:36 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=2#forum_thread_comment_106732 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=2#forum_thread_comment_106732 agalamode My simple, one sentence answer would be because I like that age group, and I want to inspire young people. There is so much potential for things to write about, and inspiration for that age group comes easily for me. I like to have strong, independent teen and YA characters that are very self-dependent. Oftentimes I feel that some YA lit emphasizes that relationships define who their characters are, and I want my characters to feel comfortable with themselves and have relationships be part of them- not all of them. Tue, 18 Oct 2011 15:23:52 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=2#forum_thread_comment_112865 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=2#forum_thread_comment_112865 JennyGibali I agree! Tue, 18 Oct 2011 16:35:04 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_113911 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_113911 JennyGibali I agree again! :P Tue, 18 Oct 2011 16:35:29 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_113920 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_113920 Beacon80 When I made a list of my story ideas, over half of them were best suited for Young Adult or Middle Grade. I decided why fight it? Tue, 18 Oct 2011 17:20:58 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=2#forum_thread_comment_114735 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=2#forum_thread_comment_114735 MissAye815 that is such a good quote! Tue, 18 Oct 2011 17:51:26 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_115234 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_115234 pstarr There's a lot of different reasons for me. I tend to read a lot of YA, because the plots are much more interesting to me than a lot of mainstream adult literature. (Middle class suburban family drama? Ergh. WW1 steampunk with bio-engineered animals? AWESOME.) Someone mentioned upthread that YA/MG allows you to get to the point quicker, which is something else I like- no meandering around for chapter after chapter. The big reasons, though, are a little closer. I went through a lot of crap in middle/high school, and reading books that had characters I could relate to were a big deal for me, and that's what I try to write. Also, a lot of my writing covers the fact that high school is not the end of your life, there's better things out there, which I don't think a lot of the bigger titles touch on. Tue, 18 Oct 2011 19:13:08 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=2#forum_thread_comment_116323 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=2#forum_thread_comment_116323 Veela-Valoom Because it's what I love to read. Wouldn't make sense to write something other than what I read. Tue, 18 Oct 2011 20:43:45 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=2#forum_thread_comment_117606 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=2#forum_thread_comment_117606 mscarboncopy I guess because it's the world that I know well, lol. I mean, I've been a child and a teenager and I know the conflict and the craziness they're facing. Adulthood is something that I'm going through right now, so I don't know much about it lmao. Other reason is cause I enjoy reading YA books than 'adult' books. I think they're more interesting and always come up with crazy ideas and concept. Wed, 19 Oct 2011 12:37:20 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=2#forum_thread_comment_126820 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=2#forum_thread_comment_126820 kefururi This year, I'm writing YA to change things up and take a break from adult SF/fantasy. I usually read/write adult SF, but this year's novel idea is about teenagers, is set in high school, and involves deciding who you're going to be, so... it would be sort of weird to claim it was a different genre. Wed, 19 Oct 2011 14:14:58 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=2#forum_thread_comment_128320 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=2#forum_thread_comment_128320 TheatreLvr08 Because it's good. This isn't to say that adult or any other kind of fiction isn't, but YA and children's lit has to be written well because kids/youth won't stand for anything else. Adults are willing to sit through boring descriptions, but teens? No way. And the plotting has to be stellar, or again, they won't stand for it. Wed, 19 Oct 2011 18:30:41 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_132298 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_132298 rainstorm. I write YA because I'm thirteen. Well... I've read books written for adults, and I like YA more... it's more relatable I guess for me. Wed, 26 Oct 2011 18:33:53 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=2#forum_thread_comment_237975 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=2#forum_thread_comment_237975 Coffeedrinker It happened. I ended up with characters walking in from somewhere who were teenagers, even though much of the rest of the "cast" can be adult. So I didn't set out to write YA. I discarded those storylines at first, because I usually write very different books, and I am still grappling with the concepts and rules of YA. I do not agree with many of those, so what I write may end up being not really YA at all. But now I ended up with something which clearly is sort of a mentor/student or guardian/youth type of story which might make the cut. I'm not sure, as the story is as much about the mentor/guardian, as it is about the student/youth. So if it gets accepted by a publisher it would provide insight into an adult as much as into a youth. I'm not even sure teens would like to read such a story. Thu, 27 Oct 2011 02:01:33 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=2#forum_thread_comment_243673 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=2#forum_thread_comment_243673 BettyHep I remember the books I read at the age I like to write for, I remember those first heady moments of being sucked into a different world and the wonder at how I simply couldn't put those books down. I've always wanted to write for that age group, when reading becomes magical. I've tried writing other genres, but after a few chapters, I always drift back to 9-12's/YA. Thu, 27 Oct 2011 03:37:44 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=2#forum_thread_comment_244220 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=2#forum_thread_comment_244220 BettyHep You are so so so RIGHT! Thu, 27 Oct 2011 03:38:55 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_244229 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_244229 Teide Honestly, I wouldn't feel comfortable writing for adults. I'm fourteen and the vast majority of books I read are based at teenagers, so that's what I know. I don't feel like I could really get into the mindset of an adult MC either, having neither been there or done that... No, for now I'll stick to writing YA! I find my MCs are getting older as I do, too: this year's novel will be my oldest yet at fifteen! Thu, 27 Oct 2011 08:34:59 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=2#forum_thread_comment_246125 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=2#forum_thread_comment_246125 CaptainHelena i will never stop reading/writing YA. i feel like so much development happens in your teens. it's nice to know you can pick up a book and read about a someone who is feeling the same things you feel. it helps you know that you are not alone. i took a creative writing class once. one of my classmates commented on my work that my story felt like a YA novel. she said it like it was a bad thing. lol. it was exactly what i was going for. Thu, 27 Oct 2011 14:43:47 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=2#forum_thread_comment_251064 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=2#forum_thread_comment_251064 stephandrea_ That's why I write YA! Also, I felt so alone as a teenager I want to let teenagers know that they're not alone. And I felt less alone when I was reading. Thu, 27 Oct 2011 16:01:10 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_252280 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_252280 EmSaidSo My favorite genre is "coming of age", whether it's a movie or a book. I like that instant when a child experiences a shift in comprehension. Sun, 30 Oct 2011 07:29:27 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=2#forum_thread_comment_295248 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=2#forum_thread_comment_295248 ClimbingLies As a teenager, I don't think I could write for anyone other than teenagers. I don't know what it's like to be out in the real world, and school is always a convenient place for two characters to run into each other if that needs to happen. And most importantly, I think during your teenage years you find out so much about yourself and deal with a lot of things that aren't as likely as an adult. Thu, 03 Nov 2011 12:29:12 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=2#forum_thread_comment_431450 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=2#forum_thread_comment_431450 ShinyRaikou Because I am younge adult/children Thu, 03 Nov 2011 19:20:50 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=2#forum_thread_comment_444449 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=2#forum_thread_comment_444449 LuLiLa I write YA because I am a teenager and find there is too much of a disconnect between my own views and the way I act and my perception of adults. I find it much easier to write about children in my own age group, also if anyone ever calls my writing immature I can always just say it's meant for kids ^^ Also I just like having characters my age since I can relate to them and think of them as friends in a way much better than I would with older characters. Thu, 03 Nov 2011 19:33:13 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=2#forum_thread_comment_444810 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=2#forum_thread_comment_444810 Anjirika I write YA fiction because it's my wheelhouse basically. I find that you can get away with a lot in YA fiction that you can't with the more general adult stuff. Don't get me wrong, I loved writing my adult mystery novel last year but YA books are just more fun to write for me. Fri, 04 Nov 2011 11:50:57 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=3#forum_thread_comment_463492 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=3#forum_thread_comment_463492 aaalllyyysssaaaaa Easy. Because My brain is the brain of a teenager and always will be, and writing engaging material for adults would require that I have the capacity to think maturely enough to engage an adult. Also it would help if I acted my age. Next question? Fri, 04 Nov 2011 14:06:11 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=3#forum_thread_comment_466668 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=3#forum_thread_comment_466668 -amanda-b- Anyone, even adults, can enjoy YA lit. I work as a reading specialist with low middle school readers and I think it's so important for students at that age to have engaging, wonderful books that will actually make reading a worthwhile activity for them. If I'm going to write an awesome book, I'd rather see adults breezing through something written at the 4th grade level than teenagers struggling through something that's beyond their abilities at the moment. Sun, 06 Nov 2011 01:07:54 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=3#forum_thread_comment_514262 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=3#forum_thread_comment_514262 FelicitySpirit Because I'm so in touch with my inner child and I work with children so much, I want to write about and for the kids that inspire me so much. It's what I first and foremost reach for at the library and it's what I desire to write. Childrens lit and some YA has all the action,. the tragedy, the creativity and maybe more imagination required than other forms of fiction without the additional things authors add believing that without it the reader will bore and move on. Don't get me wrong, I have read and thoroughly enjoyed the other stuff but no where near as much as I have the Childrens lit. Sun, 06 Nov 2011 15:46:46 -0600 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=3#forum_thread_comment_530619 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=3#forum_thread_comment_530619 JDrovdahl I think I do it because partially I never grew up, not fully anyway. And also because every time I see a movie or read a book about YA, I always find myself feeling more impacted when the characters do something great. If an adult does it it's cool, but if a YA can do it than it resounds with me more. The greatest part about YA stories are that in the course of one book you can see such a change in the character, from a kid to an adult, that you miss out on with fully matured people. It provides the reader with an stronger connection to the characters. You get to watch them grow up, and I think that's cool. There's a freedom to it. Sun, 06 Nov 2011 16:47:53 -0600 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=3#forum_thread_comment_532352 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=3#forum_thread_comment_532352 wheadee I'm eighteen and I read a lot, I like teen stories more. Adult books bore me, even if I'm now legally an adult, I find them so depressing as they're faced with the "real world." I've read Nicholas Sparks, and I have to admit, he's depressed me to the core. Teens are young and the possibilties are endless. Our love is innocent and such. I always hate seeing adult stories about finding "new" love, it makes me think that love doesn't exist or last long. I like to write happy endings that my characters have to earn myself. Mon, 07 Nov 2011 05:18:50 -0600 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_546604 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_546604 baka_kit That's it, exactly. In my case, the teenager "like me" is queer and likes stories about spaceships and dragons and haunted houses, Tue, 15 Nov 2011 06:14:56 -0600 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_706681 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_706681 Heathertruett Madeleine L'engle said, if it is too hard for adults, write it for children. That rings so true for me. Tue, 15 Nov 2011 10:26:44 -0600 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_709026 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_709026 JGHarris Frankly, I was a bit of a loner kid growing up who always found solace in books. I know it sounds corny, but however bad something seemed at the time, it was always better after a few hours immersed in a novel. I mean, more often than not it was friends fighting or showing my parents a bad mark on a test, which seemed like the worst thing in the world at the time... but what's a bad math test compared to slaying a Basilisk? Exactly. So if I knew I could change even one kid's life the way that SE Hinton and JK Rowling changed mine, then in all honesty that would be the greatest success for me. Fri, 18 Nov 2011 18:47:35 -0600 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=3#forum_thread_comment_759268 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=3#forum_thread_comment_759268 Suzana Mazon Young Adults don't know the answers. They often don't even know the questions. Everything is possible, and something is only impossible when you prove it so. Adult genres often assume answers - usually to the wrong question. Adults know that so much is impossible, not because it really IS impossible, but because they believe it is impossible. Mortgages, jobs, responsibilities, children, aging parents make more things in life an impossible dream. I love the "anything goes" in Young Adult literature - the action, the adventure, the angst, the exploration, the questions, the experimentation. Sat, 19 Nov 2011 13:49:03 -0600 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=3#forum_thread_comment_768446 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=3#forum_thread_comment_768446 scintillalux The one thing that always bugged me during high school was--and this could have been mentioned already--the book selections. I'm not saying it was all bad, but most of it was difficult to get through, especially for the ones who weren't regular readers. (The whole class, minus me.) They would complain about how boring the latest book was, and I'd have to agree. I wish my teachers had thrown in some fun books once in a while, books we didn't have to analyze to death. Their choices made students assume every book is boring, depressing, confusing, etc. Basically, untouchable. I'll never be able to write curriculum-appropriate books, though. My main reason? I want to give young adults the escape that I think saved my life during that time. Plus, it gives me immense joy. The same escape I get from reading the genre I get from writing it. I'm told that's not healthy, but I don't really care. Personally, I think it's healthier than snatching the nearest cookie...not that I won't go and hunt it down after I finish typing this. Sat, 19 Nov 2011 14:33:24 -0600 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=3#forum_thread_comment_768940 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=3#forum_thread_comment_768940 Vyctori I don't actually consider myself of YA author, just an author who writes stories and characters that are relate-able to and appropriate for the YA audience. My character's are typically teens or young adults, though I feel their stories and struggles could be that of anyone of any age. Sat, 19 Nov 2011 15:36:19 -0600 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=3#forum_thread_comment_769709 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=3#forum_thread_comment_769709 Emma Rosloff What I love about YA is the emotional element. Let's face it, when you're a teenager, you're at the center of your universe. That's not to say you're completely self absorbed, in fact there are plenty of teenagers out there who deal with pretty intense things that most adults don't ever face. But my point is that, at least in my estimation, you're at a crux in your personal development, and you absorb everything in your life through a very intense, personal lens. For the first time, you're beginning to understand who you are, and what you think and feel about things, and everything you experience is filtered through this new awareness. My character is sixteen and I try endlessly to put her to the test, to throw her in situations where she could be killed, and to have her face intense moral quandaries in which there is no right answer. I love that she has to make these decisions just as she's coming into her own. I find it truly compelling. Sun, 20 Nov 2011 00:18:28 -0600 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=3#forum_thread_comment_775915 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=3#forum_thread_comment_775915 shortyduapp Honestly, I write YA lit as a kind of catharsis. As a young adult (even though I'm 22 I still kind consider myself one) I struggled a lot with why things happened to me and to those around me. I feel that writing is a way I get these struggles out on paper. Also, by writing young characters who can triumph in the face of adversity I feel as if I am showing myself that I too can triumph. I know it sounds kinda cliche, but there it is. Sun, 20 Nov 2011 23:38:02 -0600 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=3#forum_thread_comment_788686 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=3#forum_thread_comment_788686 AnnEliseMonte I write YA because I love reading it. I struggle to relate to older protagonists and find the pace of adult books painfully slow, especially in the beginning. YA lets you skip the crap and get to the good stuff. Mon, 21 Nov 2011 00:58:16 -0600 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=3#forum_thread_comment_789338 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=3#forum_thread_comment_789338 loxosceles At first I set out to write an adult SF story, but the one teenager on the whole planet stole the show, and it became her story. Something similar happened for my 3rd NaNo. I was due to deliver a baby just before my second NaNo, and I was afraid of accidentally writing a mom-with-newborn character, so I chose to do something else. I decided to write a fairytale-inspired story about a little boy and girl - like Hansel and Gretel only more fun. This evolved into a MG/YA (not sure) twisted fairytale story with a complex plot - I'm rewriting it now - and I would have LOVED to read this book as a kid/teen. I believe in the saying: "Write the book you want to read." Maybe I'm just a kid at heart. (I'm 30 on the outside.) I was a voracious reader as a kid. It seems like kids' books are easier to follow than adults', and they have so much more fun stuff. Mon, 21 Nov 2011 21:34:09 -0600 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=3#forum_thread_comment_799549 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=3#forum_thread_comment_799549 donne.r Your story sounds like a great read, loxosceles. Tue, 22 Nov 2011 18:12:56 -0600 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=3#forum_thread_comment_809740 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=3#forum_thread_comment_809740 Akane I write Children's Lit/YA basically because it's my target group. My novel this year takes place in a Live Roleplaying environment that actually is the setting of a children's live roleplaying convention (LARP) I am part of the organisation team. And when everything goes as planned, my novel will be sold in eBook-Format or something at the end of our convention next year. I would have wanted to write the same story as an adult book because I actually like writing sex scenes and had an idea for a torture scene as well, but that's just the way it goes. It's the second time I am writing YA, however. The first time I did it because I was 17 myself and could not think of anything else. I will probably go back to Chick Lit next year. It may not be as significant as YA/Children's Lit, but it's the think I'm most comfortable writing. Thu, 24 Nov 2011 04:29:40 -0600 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=3#forum_thread_comment_828748 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=3#forum_thread_comment_828748 bookmonster77 [quote=Eika] Write what you want to read. Write what you LOVE to read. It's that simple. [/quote] I absolutely agree! And I think there just aren't enough good fairy tales in the world. Because that's what I love, stories like Ella Enchanted and The Enchanted Forest Chronicles and Howl's Moving Castle. Thu, 24 Nov 2011 10:43:58 -0600 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_830561 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=1#forum_thread_comment_830561 bookmonster77 I agree. Sounds like a book I'd love to read. Thu, 24 Nov 2011 10:50:06 -0600 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=3#forum_thread_comment_830625 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=3#forum_thread_comment_830625 deadbegonia because i am a young adult!:) when i was seven i would write fantasy, because i had no real life experience to draw on, now i'm fourteen i write YA, who knows what I'll write in ten years time? However, I do think it's more than that. Maybe because teenagers are experiencing everything for the first time. That and i really couldn't write in the voice of an adult. Sun, 27 Nov 2011 20:04:04 -0600 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=3#forum_thread_comment_868933 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=3#forum_thread_comment_868933 R_C_LandPsMommy05 Well, I'm 25, almost 26, but I'm really just between the ages of 8 and 13 at heart. I always will be. That's not to say I'm immature in other ways, I just like reading Harry Potter, Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Percy Jackson. I like video games. I saved up to go to Universal Studios and ride the Harry Potter rides. I would rather do that sort of thing than lay out in the sun for hours on end. I would wear a Harry Potter shirt to school or work. I love to laugh and I remember how it was to be 11. I would love to just sit around and play games with friends or family all day long. I am a dreamer and I have a huge imagination. I think you need these things to write MG. You need to be a little kid at heart. If you've forgotten who you were back then, you can't write children's lit. I am technically a grown-up, but does that mean I need to "grow up" in the traditional way? I don't think so. I'll always be a kid no matter how old I get. Tue, 29 Nov 2011 11:20:39 -0600 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=3#forum_thread_comment_887810 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=3#forum_thread_comment_887810 rckjones Hmm I'll bite! I wrote up my story idea before thinking about the genre. I just feel like I had a good story to tell this year that happens to fall under YA, because of the age of my protagonist. I guess I don't have quite the thoughtful, personal reasons for writing in the genre as a lot of folks have mentioned here, but I've still really enjoyed this NaNo. It is probably the most fun I've had writing a NaNo so far, actually. Tue, 29 Nov 2011 14:10:23 -0600 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=3#forum_thread_comment_889366 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=3#forum_thread_comment_889366 Princeshelby I'm still a teen, so it would be kind of awkward to write about adults for me. I'd probably write YA anyway, I still read kids books; always have and always will. (At least, that's the plan...) Fri, 09 Dec 2011 16:26:23 -0600 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=3#forum_thread_comment_956568 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=3#forum_thread_comment_956568 FamilyFriendlyComedy I write books, not genres - but I write all my books as if they were YA. What that means is (as you can guess from my name) everything is for the whole family. Any sensual stuff stays in the bedroom. Only hints of bad stuff. I believe there is ample entertainment to be found in the world, and ample conflict, without having it get all raunchy, curse-laden, and gory. My own mind can't handle lots of that stuff anyway even as an adult - whether it's a bit of Asperger's Syndreome or something else, I don't know. I also write with the message that I think today's youth will enjoy, that the good guys can win, right can triumph over might, the best thigns in life are free, like unconditional love, and that it can pay (even if it's not right away or even years down the line) to do right. Yes, life is complex and there are lots of things to consider, but that doesn't eras the fact that a young person - and even us older people - can still cling to basic truths we learned when little and feel good about it. I know that's not specifically a YA thing - I think those things can be a part of any book in any genre. (Well... not so sure about horror, but I wouldn't go there anyway.) I also know, however, that some people might label my books YA even when they aren't because they don't hve lots of gore, sex, etc.. So, "Brotherhood and Baseball" (Union win at Chancellorsville leads to shorter Civil War and better race relations) may not fit into the YA genre the way "Discovering Grace" (2 young people as the only Chrsitians ina dysfunctional family and trying to helpmake things better) or "Never let Me Go" (numerous seniors in high school and their trials and triumphs) do. However, I know that some young person might want to relate or look up to John Benton, Ed Smith, or even Abraham Lincoln, Octavius Catto, or Oscar Underwood. And, I think they should be as free to do so as I was to read Agatha Christie books when i was a preteen and felt safe explloring the lives of the people in her mysteries. Wed, 14 Dec 2011 09:00:40 -0600 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=3#forum_thread_comment_972155 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=3#forum_thread_comment_972155 Kaserl I'm a teen, so it's easier to get inside the head of someone my age. Also, it is a thousand times easier for a teen to drop school, their old life, and their family and run off alone or with some friends than it is for an adult. Adults have way too much to worry about, and in my experience, lack curiousity. Also, it bothers me that so many books for people my age (especially girls) center around romance or learning an important lesson. Not everyone wants a boyfriend, and some people like escaping their responsibilities and troubles in a book without having a moral pressed on them. Thu, 15 Dec 2011 19:28:28 -0600 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=3#forum_thread_comment_976497 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/4803?page=3#forum_thread_comment_976497