She asked me why did I write YA instead of romance. I’m good at romance apparently. Its not my strong suite no matter what they say…lol. Anyways, it got me thinking about why do I writer YA instead of something else. What appeals to me about the genre that I can’t find elsewhere? Why do I write in general for that matter?
Well, as far as writing goes, my Gran told me if you wake up thinking about something and go to bed thinking about the same thing, chances are that is what you are meant to be doing. God gives us all a gift and its up to us to utilize that gift and do what good we can with it. My gift? An imagination the size of Europa and a love for words. My dad says I used to make these scribbles on a piece of paper in crayon and proceed to tell him outlandish tales based on those few lines. So I guess you could say, I’ve been writing since before I could write. Plot lines are running in my head when I wake up, interrupting my train of thought through the day, and it’s the last thing I think about when I go to bed. So, writing would be what I am supposed to be doing.
But why YA? Well, I think you have a greater chance upon making an impression on a teen. The average teen today has a short attention span, so you have to be able to grab their attention and hold it. That is a challenge and I love challenges. If you get wordy, they skim and eventually throw your book down or let it sit in their cloud on the kindle. Young adult books are open, honest, and full of fun. You get to teach lessons without anyone realizing what you are doing. For me, YA is more than a bunch of words thrown together. I love the genre. I hated growing up though. Middle school and high school are HARD and if I can help a kid out, make them laugh, cry, or so angry they throw the book across the room, then I am tickled pink. YA is a no nonsense genre, a genre that you can have fun with. That is why I love it.
