Young-adult fiction, commonly called "YA fiction," has exploded over the past decade or so: The number of YA titles published grew more than percent between and , and other estimates say that between and , that figure was closer to percent. At their core, YA books are for and about teenagers and pre-teens, usually between 12 and 18 years old, but sometimes as young as Yet more than half of all YA novels sold are bought by older adults 18 or older, and certain titles published in the U. I asked eight writers and editors how they create characters and stories that feel real to teenagers, even when their world—and the world of the YA books they read—can feel like another planet. Below are eight of their most successful strategies. It was only after the novel was finished that she learned it would be YA, and even then, the decision was debated. It was that the novel actually saw the world through their eyes. The narrator is not observing things the people themselves are not.
What is YA fiction?
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In this post, learn how to write a young adult novel from beginning to end, including 4 approaches for the first chapter of your novel, how to write for teens without sounding like an adult writing for teens, tips on writing pitch perfect YA characters, how to write a young adult crossover novel, and more. On a basic level, young adult or YA novels are aimed at readers aged 13 to But as many people already know, adults read YA novels too. The 90,word "sweet spot" for adult novels is generally shortened to a 75,word or shorter "sweet spot. Click here to learn the key differences between middle grade and young adult novels. While a great opening will not guarantee a successful novel, a bad opening will usually guarantee a failed novel. That's because writers have a limited amount of time to hook their audience before they abandon a story and move on to something better. Fair or not, this reality places a great deal of emphasis on a compelling beginning.
Starting Your Young Adult Novel
Young adult is perhaps the fastest-growing category of new fiction today. Indeed, more authors are writing young adult fiction than ever before! That's why, if you're hoping to create something that will stay with readers forever, writing YA is a great way to do it. In this post, she shares her top tips for how to write a young adult novel that readers won't forget. Before Kate takes it away, let's quickly go over what YA fiction is and why it appeals to so many readers. Young adult fiction, or YA fiction, is literature that targets readers aged YA stories follow teenage characters as they grapple with the unique challenges of adolescence, such as navigating relationships and finding oneself. They realize that life must fundamentally change as they exit childhood and enter adulthood — a transition that results in a loss of innocence and shifting sense of identity. Indeed, these elements are hallmarks of both classic and contemporary young adult fiction. In fact, neither was marketed to teenagers, but caught the attention of young readers through their highly affecting portrayals of adolescent psychology.
Young adult fiction YA is a category of fiction written for readers from 12 to 18 years of age. The subject matter and genres of YA correlate with the age and experience of the protagonist. The genres available in YA are expansive and include most of those found in adult fiction. Common themes related to YA include friendship, first love, relationships, and identity. Young adult fiction was developed to soften the transition between children's novels and adult literature. The history of young adult literature is tied to the history of how childhood and young adulthood has been perceived. One early writer to recognize young adults as a distinct group was Sarah Trimmer , who, in , described "young adulthood" as lasting from ages 14 to The Heinlein juveniles were science fiction novels written by Robert A. Heinlein for Scribner's young-adult line, beginning with Rocket Ship Galileo in
