If you read this blog at all, you know that one of my favourite people in the world is Eileen Cook. Writer, hilarious person, and great friend. She holds my hand through all this publishing craziness and I talk her off ledges when it gets to her. She is a true friend and I am so pleased to have her here to discuss what it’s like to change from writing adult fiction to writing for teens. So, please welcome Eileen Cook! And don’t forget to check out her fabulous new YA, What Would Emma Do?

Without further ado…

When Joelle asked me to comment on the difference between writing adult books versus those for YA, at first I was stumped.  Despite what some people might think, it isn’t any easier to write for teens as compared to adults. It is still pretty much a process of coming up with word by word until you reach 300 or so pages, and hopefully a well thought out story. Most plots of an adult novel could be reset and morphed into a YA story.  YA books cover all genres and themes.  There are however some things that make writing for a YA audience especially enjoyable. 

First Time:  As a teen you get the opportunity to experience a range of things for the first time. From great experiences (falling in love) to terrible experiences (the first time you’re dumped) you never forget the first time.  Even when in the case of being dumped you really wish you could forget. The first time you experience something it is as the whole world slows down and you have a chance to notice every detail. 

Everything Matters More: Perhaps it is because there are so many first experiences, or perhaps because as a YA you haven’t worked up a crusty layer between yourself and your emotions yet, but teens don’t just feel things, they FEEL things. For example, say a teen is taking a math test and suddenly realizes they studied the wrong chapter. They know that failing that particular math test means they might fail math all together, which means their whole GP is screwed up, which means that they never get into a good college, if they don’t get into a good college then they’ll never get a good job and if they don’t get a good job then they’ll never be able to support themselves and if they can’t support themselves then they’ll end up as some kind of weird homeless person who wanders around wearing dead people’s shoes and talking to building… AAAAH!  This intensity is a heck of a lot of fun to write.

Injustice: When you’re a teen everyone keeps telling you how these are the best days of your life.  That’s because most likely they don’t remember it very well.  Being a YA is filled with injustice. Once you’re an adult you can make your own decisions, good or bad. As a YA, the adults in your life can totally mess with you. You can live your whole life in one town and in the beginning of your senior year your parents can decide to pick up and move to some middle of nowhere hell hole town and you have to go with them. Injustice is a great way to increase tension, and writers love tension.

I’m not sure writing for teens is different than writing for adults, but I have to admit I’m having a ton of fun doing it.

 Thanks, Eileen! And good luck with your fabulous book!