The Character Therapist: THE Post to Read if You Write Young Adult Fiction

Monday, September 10, 2012

THE Post to Read if You Write Young Adult Fiction

A while ago, I was asked what the difference is between YA character development and that of the development of characters for adult fiction. The actual writing process is much the same, yet the themes from a developmental perspective might be different...however, still universal (thus the appeal of YA books to adults).

Young Adults Are In Transition

According to Erik Erickson, the Adolescent stage of development (ages 12-19, depending on who you quote) marks the beginning of when what we do makes more of a difference than what is done to us. The YA reader is neither child nor adult, so they are grappling with who or what, exactly, they are.

They are trying to define themselves with their actions, which can be translated into behaviors that alter their appearance, such as tattoos, piercings, and dying their hair, or where they choose to spend their time (church v. mall v. the downtown "strip" where they ride in each others' cars---you know you did this). All of it is an attempt to figure out the main question children this age want answered: "Who am I and where am I going?"

This can be summed up by saying a YA will have an identity crisis (Erickson was the one who is credited with coining this term). Life gets bigger and bigger the longer they live it, and they realize they no longer are the center of the universe eventually. They grapple with social and moral issues. Teens are building up their ideals, because at this time, it's easier to think in terms of ideals than reality, because a teenager has little experience. So give them something to idealize, care about, ponder.

Bros Before Hos 'Rents

Crass, but true. The most significant relationships teens have are with their peers. They most likely aren't going to want to read about a teen hero's problems with his parents. Romance is burgeoning during this stage, so not including a romantic theme would be a mistake (according to developmental theories, anyway).

The main thing is for the reader to identify with the character, so your YA character should be struggling to find their place in the world, what they want to do with their life, who they want to be. It's cliche, but coming of age stories work for this age group.

A Warning: Don't Sell Teens Short

Teens deserve more than just fluff, and sometimes YA gets the wrong impression that it's just a "quick read" (because they are indeed oftentimes shorter books)....but that should not translate to "shallow." This age period is one where they are experimenting and need to be reminded of what all is out there, both good and bad.

Books like Twilight, Divergent, and The Hunger Games fly off the shelf because of the character development. These are teens in transition, trying to figure out life, love, and survival. (Have you walked the halls of a high school lately? Not too different from post-apocolyptic descriptions of America, folks.)

Many YA books are written in first person point of view, and I think that's by design. Teens (and adults) are literally drawn in from page one....becoming the heroine or hero, feeling their conflicts and vicariously living them out. We can only hope that our books will give teens similar strength, commitment, drive, and integrity to jump life's hurdles.

So in closing, be real. Grapple with hard, strong emotions....because you can be sure the teens out there reading your stuff are doing the same.

Let's Analyze:

What are you're thoughts on the differences between character development for YA v. adult fiction? Anything you want to add?

Comments (17)

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Jennifer Shirk · 654 weeks ago

Great points, Jeannie!

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BK Jackson · 654 weeks ago

Funny, as an adult looking for fiction, that pretty much describes what I'm searching for. For me it boils down to reading about heroes who are trying to figure out how to make a difference in the world (though often not consciously) and their role in the larger scheme of life.

The one big difference for me is that, perhaps owing to my age, I do not enjoy most first person fiction. I'm currently trying to read the first book in the Percy Jackson series, The Lightning Thief, because a couple kids in my Jr High Sunday School class both listed it as a favorite book. But I am distracted by the first person narrative. But I can see why first person would appeal to them.

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therapysites 4p · 654 weeks ago

Your blog post is worth reading for. I appreciate the good points you have in this post. Fiction stories are good. Honestly, I fun of reading some fiction nobles, and even movies. Actually, this fiction stories is the product of such creatives minds. Yes, their imagination is quite broad to make stories like that one of Ice Age Series, because in the end of the story, there's a lesson we should learned. Great post!

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briannasoloski 62p · 654 weeks ago

I just finished a short story collection featuring a high school senior who is transported back in time through her history book. This post has me thinking I need to go back to the drawing board and start over.

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Abigail · 654 weeks ago

I think you nailed it. :-) YA is ALL about exploring identity and what makes me fundamentally me that is different than everyone else. Interestingly, the period of identity definition for this current generation is stretching beyond the usual high school and college years and into one'slate 20's and 30s even.

I really liked your insight into the popularity of the first person perspective for this group being the ability to try on different identities/responses and live vicariously. It's an important point in that it allows teens/young adults to explore different moral or ethical paradigms (and their consequences) without screwing up their own lives in the process. :-) The catch is that YA authors can't write to this--even the slightest bit of preachiness iis going to kill the story for the reader. But just be aware that as you write, YA readers are unconsciously taking some cues and may incorporate segments of one of your characters as their own as they are constantly in the process of forming and reforming their identity.

Would love to see you write more on this topic!

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Lex Keating · 654 weeks ago

You sort of touched on this, so please forgive me for being redundant, but one of the "crowning glories" of YA fiction is the self-centeredness of it. I'm not saying that to put down YA fiction (I read it, I write it, I love it. Mostly.), but because the self-centered tone of "chick lit" doesn't carry off well in adult fiction. Grown-ups should be beyond whining and identity crises, but teenagers are entitled to these things. Just ask them. :) With adult fiction, especially in romance, part of the appeal is that the character we identify with suddenly *does* matter to someone. Teenagers are so intent on their own identity that selfishness is natural for them, and so as readers we find it a natural part of the story. This doesn't mean that YA is a selfish genre. Just that the I in identity comes before the U in community.

2 replies · active 654 weeks ago

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BK Jackson · 654 weeks ago

Lex,

I understand what you're saying. But when I read this:

"Grown-ups should be beyond whining and identity crises..."

I was thinking of all the people (adult people) I come in contact with every day thinking...they didn't get the memo....

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Lex Keating · 654 weeks ago

So was I... :)

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Shakespeare · 654 weeks ago

The "whining" is a definite possible side-effect of first person POV... it's easy for a first person narrator to get bogged down in contemplation about what is going on, and if the narrator is troubled--and what teen isn't when drama is going on--then the whining can go a little overboard. That's why I find action important in a YA book. Stuff has to be happening, and the main character needs to be DOING stuff. If he/she isn't, then the story really isn't moving forward.

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Heather Sunseri · 654 weeks ago

What an amazing post, Jeannie!! I mean, it's like you crawled up inside my head. I love how you point out that teens need more than fluff.

And I think you might have figured out why I read and wrtie YA. I feel I, too, am in a constant state of transition.

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Beth Steury · 654 weeks ago

Great post! YES, finding themselves, being selfish, discovering life, figuring stuff out, making the tough transition to adulthood. And I LOVE first person in YA. The best way to really get in their head. And real. Never forget the writing needs to be real.

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patti shene · 654 weeks ago

Wonderful post, Jeanine. It is what I look for when evaluating a YA ms. You hit the nail on the head for sure!

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Diana Sharples · 653 weeks ago

Great post, Jeannie! I must disagree, however, that first person is THE way to write YA. It's a popular style convention, but it's really an author choice, not a requirement for the genre. There are many popular YA authors who write in third person. It is true, though, that a key element is making a deep connection with the reader, and first person narrative is a means to doing that. But so is well-written deep POV third person. What teen readers want is a story they can relate to. I think much more important than first or third person narrative is voice. The voice has to reflect the worldview of the character. And if an author isn't careful, this is where preachiness can creep in. If the voice carries one hint of adult "wisdom" or "judgment," the teen reader will pick up on it. So, the characters have to be real, the issues have to be relevant to their world, and the voice has to reflect their emotions/perceptions/understanding/worldview.

Every story--even those that are plot-driven--has some kind of character arc, where the protagonist starts at one place in his understanding of himself or his world and progresses to a different place. Teens are intensely self-focused as they're figuring out their place in the world and who they are through their trials, but I don't know that all adult fiction is that much different. I've read plenty of adult novels where the character achieves some greater degree of self understanding or overcomes some stumbling block in his or her personality. Again, I think the most fundamental difference is the voice of the narrative. It must, must, must reflect the teen's self and world view to be successful as a YA novel.

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Janet K Brown · 653 weeks ago

There's an element of selfishness in teens that we don't always (sometimes) see in adults, but yes, hopefully the character arc circles to a place where they care from someone besides themselves.

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Janet K Brown · 653 weeks ago

There's an element of selfishness in teens that we don't always (sometimes) see in adults, but yes, hopefully the character arc circles to a place where they care from someone besides themselves.