Writing and Selling the YA Novel Read Online Free PDF Page B

inspired by a true story in Newsweek about teens in a small town who started a gay/straight student alliance. The teens captured my imagination, and I wanted to know more about their lives: What had brought them to that point, and what would happen to them afterwards? I explored those possibilities as I wrote my book (using fictional characters and plot, of course). Although that novel didn't sell, it's still a story I'm proud of. It's a 250-page novel that wouldn't have existed without that one-page article.
    When you watch the world around you, keep an eye out for conflict and tension. Part of what appealed to me about that particular news story was that the teens were meeting with resistance from the school board and people in their town. This intrigued me. I wanted to know how they would handle the opposition and how the situation would get resolved. Conflict makes for great stories, and although we wish it didn't exist, it's everywhere. When you read about conflict, see it on TV, or even if you witness it firsthand, ask yourself if there's a book somewhere in there that you'd be interested in writing. Does the real-life situation make you curious, angry, sad, or joyful enough that you'd want to capture those same emotions in a novel?
    Patricia McCormick did a fabulous job of turning conflict into a powerful, emotional story with her novel Sold, which is about a girl from Nepal who is sold into prostitution. A chance meeting with a photographer working undercover brought the issue of girls in brothels to McCormick's attention. She describes on her Web site how she knew immediately that she wanted to try and tell this story from a single girl's point of view. The resulting book received a National Book Award nomination.
    What's happening in the world that's of interest to you ? What do you think would interest teens? Ask yourself how a teenager might fit into a story that catches your eye. One of the unique aspects of writing for young adults is that the teenage point of view is seldom portrayed in the media when it comes to world events. We most often hear from adults, and occasionally someone might interview a small child, but generally teens are overlooked. When we take the time to explore their view of the world, the results are almost always fascinating.
    One word of caution, though: Just because you intend to write for teens doesn't mean you should ignore anything you perceive as being outside the teen perspective. When it comes to finding ideas, be open to everything. Even situations that seem adult can be explored from a young person's point of view. Do politics interest you? Maybe your character is a summer intern at the United States Capitol. Are you a huge fan of NASCAR? Perhaps your character is the child of one of the drivers. How does he feel about his parent's risky profession?
    Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi is a great example of a graphic novel that explores adult situations from the perspective of first a child, and then a teen. This story is the memoir of a woman who grew up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. Throughout the course of the book we witness acts of war and experience the hardships of political repression through Marjane's young eyes. The result is a book that brings history to life in a way that a strictly adult novel could not.
    Marjane Satrapi not only doesn't hesitate to explore adult issues from a young person's perspective, she also does something we can all do at any time. She delves into her memories. I know what you're thinking: "But I didn't grow up during the Islamic Revolution! My life is not nearly that interesting."
    Isn't it?
    Who can say what might be fascinating to someone who hasn't experienced it? And unless you're writing a memoir, you don't need to use your memories in a literal manner. Use them to spark ideas instead. Choose an event from your own teenage years and ask yourself why it stands out in your mind. Is there a strong emotion attached to it? If so, maybe