Photo by Boston Public Library on Unsplash
I’m writing a YA novel, which most of you already know. Some people refer to me as a YA writer, which is incorrect—because everything else I write is either for adults or for general audiences. That last means that teens or anyone really can read it too, but it isn’t written especially for teens. Some of my short stories have themes or actions that make them for adults.
So, why did I choose to write a YA novel? Couldn’t I just have written a regular novel? No, I had to write YA. My characters are teens, but that isn’t the main reason.
The main reason is that teens have a superpower that we lose as adults. Teens don’t yet know what they can’t do. In my book, Mal sets off to return magic to the world. She knows she can do it. She might fail, but success is a possibility if she does everything right. An adult could never think that.
In YA books, teens can do amazing things, especially in speculative fiction YA books. A boy who lives in a cupboard under the stairs can grow up to be a magician who faces down the most deadly wizard in the world—and wins. Imagine if they didn’t find him until he was 30. Sorry, mate, I've got a job and stuff. I can’t just take off flying with you.
Impossibility becomes reality. Of course you can learn how to sword fight and save the princess. Enter the haunted house at night with only a Mag-lite and a Bowie knife to save your friend. Riding a dragon as it flies through the sky, a couple of lessons may be needed, but no problem. An adult would say dragons don’t exist and anyway, I’m too old and out of shape to learn how to fly one. Impossible two ways.
Bring magic back to the world. Could you do it? Will you?
Guard your inner child.
Guard your own inner child
Like a dragon guards its treasure.
Grow up fiercely,
And let her dance within you.
Let your will be steeled
Like a sword forged in dragon fire.