Thursday, March 31, 2011

Why I Love YA

  1. Genre rules don't always apply - you're limited only by your imagination.
  2. Sometimes literary and commercial are one in the same.
  3. I can let loose my inner teen.
  4. Hot bad boys! What?
  5. No fear. YA writers go for the gusto. They take risks that adult writers don't always take both in craft and in subject matter.
  6. Reaching readers of all ages. YA spans a multi-generational audience.
  7. Fantasy is mainstream, more easily accepted by YA readers. Just look what Harry Potter and Twilight have done for the genre.
  8. The characters are easy to connect with. YA tends to be very character driven, which I love.
  9. There are so many GOOD YA books out there, I know the quality of what I'm picking up is likely to be high.
  10. YA writers are the friendliest most frawesome group of people I know.
What do you love about YA?

*No offense to any MG or adult writers out there. But I gotta show my genre love. ;D
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39 comments:

  1. Laura PaulingMarch 31, 2011 at 3:34 AM

    You pretty much cover it. More and more I find myself really liking a cross between literary and commercial; and a cross between character driven and plot driven. I know. A lot to ask. But really, I enjoy a lot of different things. I love a great MG too but they tend to be more upper MG borderline YA. And the writing community is pretty awesome!

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  2. SarahMarch 31, 2011 at 4:02 AM

    That's it! I agree wholeheartedly with all these points. YA books are some of the best-written I've seen, and these days I rarely read anything else.

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  3. JessMarch 31, 2011 at 4:42 AM

    Yes!! All of these things are so true about YA. I especially love number 2. Tons of YA books these days are full of gorgeous, literary writing (this includes free verse) and people are buying them up. Commercial and literary??? Yes, please :)

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  4. Christi GoddardMarch 31, 2011 at 5:07 AM

    I couldn't argue a single one of these, even if I wanted to. I especially love #7 because I can't write a story that doesn't have something weird going on.

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  5. JEMarch 31, 2011 at 5:24 AM

    Ah, I'm actually not a fan of YA. I've tried and tried to get into the genre, but with each book I pick up, I want to scream by the time I get past the first chapter (or maybe even the first few pages). That's not to say I haven't found some YA I love, but it's been very few and far between.

    ~JD

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  6. Meredith McCardle March 31, 2011 at 5:32 AM

    Yes! I agree with your list completely. I'm totally biased, but I do think YA is the best market there is. :)

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  7. Matthew MacNishMarch 31, 2011 at 6:52 AM

    Number 2 is my very favorite! I love that.

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  8. S.P. SipalMarch 31, 2011 at 7:39 AM

    You're so right. And coming from a perspective of working in a school -- the love that kids show for the books that really wow them is just awesome! They're also painfully honest and want real stories that speak to them.

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  9. Lisa Gail GreenMarch 31, 2011 at 7:47 AM

    Wow! You guys are awesome as usual. :D And not just cuz most of you agree with me. He he he. It sounds like the BEST thing to most people is the blurred line between literary and commercial and I love that too! Obviously I guess since I wrote the post!

    Justine - I'm SOOOO glad you were honest! I am really curious what it is that drives you away so quickly? In all seriousness I would love to know. I think it would be interesting to all of us, and good for us to be aware of when writing. Although clearly it's not for everyone, as there are so many different tastes out there. Either way I <33 you for visiting and sharing!

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  10. Bethany ElizabethMarch 31, 2011 at 8:24 AM

    I love YA too, but my heart will always be fantasy/scifi, generally adult. Maybe because there isn't all that much YA high fantasy? I loved Ender's Game, and that's sorta YA scifi. :)

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  11. Lisa Gail GreenMarch 31, 2011 at 8:26 AM

    Bethany - Oh but there is YA high fantasy!! Check out MISTWOOD by Leah Cypess if you haven't yet. It's wonderful! ;D I'm reading ACROSS THE UNIVERSE right now and loving it, and that's totally SCI-FI. And of course HUNGER GAMES. Ahhh, I love it!

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  12. Lori M. LeeMarch 31, 2011 at 8:28 AM

    Hmmm. yes, yes, and yes! :D

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  13. Suzy, The Grey BrunetteMarch 31, 2011 at 8:34 AM

    You've pretty much covered it but I would also add awesome book covers!!

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  14. Lisa Gail GreenMarch 31, 2011 at 8:36 AM

    Lori - :D

    Suzy - GOOD ONE!!!

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  15. Julie MusilMarch 31, 2011 at 8:50 AM

    Ah yes, all excellent reasons to love YA. I love how it expresses teen emotions that really don't change that much as we move to adulthood (unless that's just me). A lot of those same insecurities linger on...

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  16. cleemckenzieMarch 31, 2011 at 10:00 AM

    I loves it because when I meet my readers I sometimes get hugs and thank yous. That's part of it. The other part is I get to play with the teen me again.

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  17. UnknownMarch 31, 2011 at 10:16 AM

    Yes, yes and yes! I mean, what's not to love about the most wonderfully confusing years of life? All the butterflies and firsts...yum. Oh, and I've got an award for you over yonder on my blog!

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  18. Kathy McCulloughMarch 31, 2011 at 11:22 AM

    Yay, Y.A.!

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  19. UnknownMarch 31, 2011 at 1:17 PM

    These are all great reasons--I couldn't agree with you more!

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  20. Caryn CaldwellMarch 31, 2011 at 1:58 PM

    These are fantastic reasons to read AND write YA!

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  21. Lisa Gail GreenMarch 31, 2011 at 9:43 PM

    Awwww, have I mentioned that you guys are ALL AWESOME??? Cuz you are. And yeah, I never grew up either, must be a YA writer thing...

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  22. Ghenet MyrthilApril 1, 2011 at 7:11 AM

    I agree with all of your reasons! Especially #5. I love how YA writers take risks. I honestly can't imagine writing anything else (except maybe middle-grade) and being part of this community is just awesome. :)

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  23. Margo KellyApril 1, 2011 at 7:56 AM

    let me just DITTO your list! LOVE IT. And, I love your blog! I've given you an award!! You can pick it up from my blog: http://www.margokelly.blogspot.com

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  24. nutschellApril 1, 2011 at 9:28 AM

    I love that YA takes me back to my teen angst days, without fear of reverting back to the emotion-ridden phase. :P By the way, drop by my blog sometime. You have an AWARD waiting for you

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  25. Margo BerendsenApril 1, 2011 at 10:06 AM

    This list is perfect - I hadn't thought of a lot of these like #1, 2, 5, 7 and 8.

    My personal reason for loving YA/MG and writing for kids is that the books that had the greatest affect on me where the ones I read from age 9-14.

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  26. Lisa Gail GreenApril 1, 2011 at 12:24 PM

    Hey thanks for the awards everyone! Ghenet - I love risk taking too!! And Margo - That is a GREAT reason!

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  27. HeatherApril 2, 2011 at 8:13 AM

    Yes and yes! I love all that and more. YA is the best because there are no limitations on what we can try. Teens are open to reading so much that it helps open our minds more. I love that! You're awesome for showing your genre love. ;)

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  28. Lisa Gail GreenApril 2, 2011 at 8:57 AM

    Heather - It's a symbiotic relationship! Love that!

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  29. Brenda DrakeApril 2, 2011 at 10:49 AM

    Hmmm ... When I'd find a reason why I love YA, I'd check your list and it was there. So I'll just say, "Ditto." Great post! :D

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  30. Leslie S. RoseApril 2, 2011 at 1:10 PM

    Agree, agree, agree. I love unleashing my teen self and being kinder to it than I was when I actually was that age.

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  31. Lisa Gail GreenApril 2, 2011 at 5:02 PM

    Brenda and Leslie - I guess I was preaching to the choir! :D YA rules!

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  32. UnknownApril 3, 2011 at 2:39 PM

    AGREED!! I LOVE the YA community, too! <3
    And I agree on the rest of things, too. YAY for our inner teens!
    And yanno? I'm 30 and I still buy some of my clothes in the teen section of the stores, lol.

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  33. Lynda R Young as Elle CardyApril 3, 2011 at 4:16 PM

    I love #2 and #3 :)

    Lyn
    W.I.P. It: A Writer's Journey

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  34. Lisa Gail GreenApril 3, 2011 at 6:04 PM

    Monica - if I still fit I'd do it too!

    Lynda - :D

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  35. Susan Kaye QuinnApril 3, 2011 at 7:16 PM

    #4 Oh yeah.

    And a lot of these are what I love about MG as well, although some are uniquely YA. Like those boys, for example. :)

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  36. Lisa Gail GreenApril 3, 2011 at 7:34 PM

    Susan - Yeah maybe that should've been #1...

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  37. Amie KaufmanApril 4, 2011 at 5:25 AM

    Hey, I'm a MG writer, and you've still hit lots of reasons I love reading YA too! (Fewer hot bad boys in MG, that's for sure.)

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  38. Lisa Gail GreenApril 4, 2011 at 7:06 AM

    Amie - that's great! I love MG too, but those bad boys put YA over the edge. He he he

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  39. Lisa Gail GreenApril 13, 2011 at 8:22 AM

    Teroapex - :D

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