How To Write A Teenage Fiction Novel – When I finished revising my YA paranormal suspense novel, I have to tell you, it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever written. And it may need another adjustment. But in the process, I’ve read a lot of JA’s disturbing books and thought a lot about the good ones. Here’s what I learned…
YA mystery books are similar to adult mystery books, but the main character is a teenager instead of an adult. Also, you won’t find as much sex or violence in a classic mystery book as you would in a mature book, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t sex and violence.
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How To Write A Teenage Fiction Novel
Young readers are smart, and if you don’t screw up your subject, they’ll see right through it. Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable, dark, or deep. A good example is The Letting Go by Tara Altebrando. With dark and twisted characters, thoughtful themes, and interesting plot twists, this is one of JA’s mystery books that adults will enjoy.
Oasis Pages: Teen Writing Quest
Other great examples include I Killed Zoe Spanos by Kit Frick and One of Us Is a Lie by Karen M. McManus.
(Remember if you’re writing for a middle-aged audience, the mystery is easier, and there should never be violence or violence.)
In every book, mystery or not, the main character has to go through some kind of emotional or mental transformation from beginning to end. In YA books, transformation is a kind of transition from child to adult. Eventually the artist sees the world, or himself, in a new way, leaving a part of his childhood behind. In Caleb Roehrig’s Last Seen Leaving , for example, the main character not only deals with the disappearance of his girlfriend, but focuses on his own sexuality, and eventually focuses on his family and friends.
While straight YA mystery books are great fun, teenagers love the paranormal and psychological thrillers. As you brainstorm, ask yourself if there are ways to incorporate ghosts, mental illness, or other scary things, even just the idea of something paranormal, into your book. You can dive into a different genre like Kali Wallace’s Shallow Graves, opt for psychological suspense like We Were Liars by E. Lockhart, or dive into Nova Ren Suma’s fantasy girls.
How To Write A School Novel For Teens: 10 Steps (with Pictures)
Get to the secret quickly and avoid joining the crowd. When writing YA, there’s a lot of temptation to describe a character’s day at school, what they had for lunch, what their English teacher said, etc. but too much information can make your content cluttered and lose the interest of your readers. Enter the features and leave a tag, add to the site, or tag to distract the readers from the real answers.
Best-selling mystery author April Henry is a good place to start. She has written several YA mysteries, and if you’re looking for a decent mystery from someone who knows how to write fast-paced thrillers, look no further. I used to really like The Girl. So, my guilty pleasure, Sara Shepherd, author of the Pretty Little Liars series and The Lying Game. I’m telling you, that woman knows how to turn the pages!
You can also check out Sadie by Courtney Summers for its unique structure, or read a book by YA horror author Danielle Vega if you want something really scary. Here’s Kirkus’ list of the best young adult mysteries and thrillers of 2019. As you read, think about how the authors create their ideas: the clues they give, the way they suspense, and how it leads to the big reveal at the end.
I’ve heard that the best way to learn how to set a book is to read a mystery book. So why stop reading YA mystery novels? Check out some of the adults. May I recommend Jennifer McMahon? He is, in my opinion, the master of horror, and has written straight mysteries/thrillers and paranormal suspense. Some of my favorites are Promise No Tell, The Winter People and Don’t Breathe a Word. I also loved his new book, The Invited. In fact, I’ve listed all of Jennifer McMahon’s disturbing books in this blog post. Her books are great for those who write YA mystery books because they often have teenage characters.
Il Libro Dei Vetuschi
I also recommend books by Lisa Jewell, Mary Kubica, and Gillian Flynn (author of Gone Girl).
The trick is that you want to keep your reader guessing and give them an “a-ha” moment at the end. The ending of the mystery is something that readers will not be surprised by, but it is very interesting and makes a lot of sense when we get there. In other words, make sure you plant the signs so that the end doesn’t appear, but not too obvious.
Easier said than done, right? A great example is the ending of Megan Shepherd’s Madman’s Daughter. When I read it, I thought, honestly, in retrospect I know that the big reveal couldn’t have happened any other way, but I didn’t see it coming.
Beta readers are important no matter what you write, but they are especially important in YA mystery books! Once you have a sample, give it to a few loyal readers and get feedback. Did they quickly think of an answer to the mystery? Or did the answer come from nothing? Should you leave more or less marks? Do the twists and turns in your novel make sense, or will the reader be lost? Is the violence too graphic or tame? Did your writing force readers to turn the page, or where were the features that pulled them away?
Wrapping Up A Novel Series
Perhaps the first step is to meet your real people – the people who will solve the mystery. Sometimes we get so caught up in ideas and signs of how to trick the reader that we forget: a good book, regardless of genre, must have style.
Don’t force your artist to do anything that is out of character for the project. Create a backstory for your attacker, even if you don’t use it in the story. Remember, as your artist solves a mystery, he must also deal with something emotional or mental, going through an inner journey and an outer journey. YA mystery novels are as important as any other genre.
How about you Have you ever written a play about a young adult? If so, what advice can you give? What are some of your favorite YA mystery books? Leave your comments below! Last week I found myself collecting a list of books to write about for a young writer I know. Fifteen-year-old, excited, troubled by the parameters of writing for schoolwork, hungry for information, encouragement and advice.
I tried to give him book ideas to open him up to the world of writing, beyond that schoolwork, give him some career advice in a not-too-exaggerated way, and maybe , took his writings to different places.
How To Engage Your Teens With Books
Some are personal advice, some are Book Boy advice, and some are advice from authors I’ve interviewed on the podcast.
I thought there were a lot of young writers like him, so I thought it wouldn’t hurt to share my list.
So there you have it (click on the title to read more about each book or buy it from Booktopia). Just in time for the holidays.
This is my favorite book for writing and the Boy Book (15) loved it. You can read his review here. Half memory, half writing, it’s a mindless page turner for writing.
Writing From Personal Experience: Tips And Techniques
Thirty years ago my brother, ten years old at the time, was trying to write a bird report that took him three months to write. It was the next day.
We are at the house of the Bolinas family, and he is near the kitchen table in tears, surrounded by notebooks and pencils and unopened books about birds, who was not shaken by the great work before him.
Then my father sat next to him, put his hand on my brother’s shoulder and said, “Bird for bird, friend, bring it bird by bird.
I first read these words about 20 years ago, and they pretty much sum up, for me, the process of writing a book. One word, one page. A memoir/writing book, there is a lot of inspiration and excitement in its pages.
Beginning Your Short Story (ages 8–12)
This was recommended by international children’s author Andy Griffiths, who spoke at length on episode 65 of the So You Want To Be a Writer podcast.
By Natalie Goldberg, the writers really enjoyed putting in the hours and work. A method of
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