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Thanks to all of you for the comments on what YA writing is. I think it's also important for those of us who are writing for a YA audience that we include a bit of light in our writings. Whatever it may be for us. Sometimes levity is enough to lighten a book; sometimes it is hope. I don't think moralizing does it. Preachiness is worse than moralizing. In the books that I have been reading lately, I want to avoid reading the ones that seem to have little or no light in them. That's why I have 3 half started books and one series of 6 books that I have almost finished reading since I started those others. I just don't want to pick them up any more. Where's the light?
What kind of things do you think bring light into a book?
7 comments:
I love subtle humor in details. When done well, it's perfect!
I'm a hopeless romantic but I like happy endings. Sounds pathetic. But I do.
A good side character. You don't want your hero to be slapstick, but throw in a consistant side character to add humor: gold.
Thanks! PJ, I so agree with you! I'm always anxious to read more if I get a good chuckle now and then. Making it subtle is the tricky part.
Beth, the sidekicks do make for good comic relief. That's where the laughing out loud comes in. I love it when I can do that as well as chuckle.
Kristen, I'm a romantic too. I'm sure that doesn't surprise you. At least a little bit of romance is like a trailing light that pulls me along through a story, and I love happy endings too. It may be pathetic, but I'm right there with you. I've read enough books with sad endings to last a lifetime. I have a hard time these days reading them. I at least need a little hope of better times ahead at the end.
I think that beautiful language brings so much to a book. I enjoy wit and irony as well. "A Modest Proposal" by Jonathan Swift is an excellent example of this. It's such an excellent satire. I like texts that make you think. :)
I'm off subject-sorry--but that leaf shot is amazing! Did you take that yourself?
Oh, and I second spinregina. I'm a sucker for a good happy ending. That's why French movies always depressed me. Except for Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amelie Poulain!
Beautiful language! Ah! Alyssa, you are so right. That, to me, was the light in Steinbeck's East of Eden. I was completely in awe of the language when I read it a few years ago. Of course, it stopped my writing cold with feelings of deep unworthiness. I may just have to settle for humor and romance.
Becky, I did take that picture. Photography is one of my passions. That day I was bored sitting in the car waiting to pick my daughter up from her cello lesson and decided to snap a few shots of the trees and leaves in the parking lot. Fall is such a beautiful season. It inspires me.
I also agree with you on the French Cinema. There have been a couple of times leaving french movies that I was totally depressed on the way home. Give me a happy ending any day.
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