Juvenile fiction

[Kessie]

I know this isn't really the place for people who write juvie fiction. But after reading Dave Farland's Daily Kicks about writing juvie spec fic, it looks like a worthy challenge.

So, does anybody write it? Or are there other forums for people who do? It doesn't look too different from YA, except less romance.

Apparently, the things that a good juvie fic book contains is:

wonder
adventure
horror
humor
mystery

I took a look at our world universe, and I could totally write juvie fic in it. Werewolves, wormholes and time travel are the same in adult or juvenile fiction. I just need some kid protagonists. :-)

Reference article: www.davidfarland.com/writing_tips/?a=46

[yoda47]

Mine's kinda written for all ages, but I suppose it'd technically be called adult fiction. In another of the daily kicks, he mentions that to be good juvenile fiction, the protagonist has to be the same age as the reader. Most of my main characters are around 20 - 30. (Well, most of them, some of them are around 3,000 or so, but I digress...)

But then, I was one of those weird kids who read adult books in like fourth grade or so...

I have some younger characters (Bast is only 3 or 4, but meskka mature at around 2 years old, so...) but their not main characters, but then I don't have any of the typical "adult" scenes that found in most secular "adult" novels (no sex, drugs, bad language, etc.) so I think most editors would say the content is more for juvenile fiction than the adult market. (I do have an alchoholic character, but it's portrayed as a bad thing...)

So most of what I write seems to buck the market trends, but I write what I like. And the content used to be the norm about 100 years ago, before the above mentioned "adult" things were seen as "good" by so many...

[j2starshine]

I love to read juvie spec fic and I have thought about writing it in, since that is the books I want to read, love to read... but I like romance (as long as there is plenty of sword play and action/adventure/etc) and I tend to deal with heavier topics for juvie markets, but then what about the Golden Compass? Harry Potter? And as kid I read adult books, but still I guess we got go where the market is today. Donita K Paul had mentioned in one of her chat sessions that her publisher told her they wanted a certain targeted audience for a book they wanted her to write, I don't remember if it was YA, MG or what, but she was told the protagonist could be the same age or a year or so older than the targeted reader. I have thought about finding ways to "connect" with middle-graders. Maybe volunteering at school or doing a book club on campus or at a library, or something to see what it is these readers are reading and are looking for, etc...

The article was good. It made me think about some of the MG books out there that I'm like, seriously? But they are very popular among the young readers because, as Farland pointed out, they are connecting on their emotional level. Thanks for posting!

[Kessie]

Aaron: Sounds like you and I are writing YA. (Action/adventure with drama and romance elements). But hey, YA is hot right now.

But juvie fiction seems to be a completely different beast. I just got my mitts on Fablehaven, and it's indeed excellent. It does have all of the elements of horror, wonder, adventure, mystery and humor. I've kept track as I've been reading. No wonder it's been picked up for a movie.

J2: Do you know any kids personally? Interacting with them is a pretty good index for what goes in a book. I've been watching my munchkins and my life is so different from theirs, even though we live in the same house. We don't even think about the same things. Then I recall being a kid (best 20 years of my life, ha ha), and it's really not so difficult. Kids take the world very seriously.

[yoda47]

Apparently I am.

I'm one of those weird guys who likes romance in my books along with some action. And oddly I prefer female leads... always have, even in elementary school...

I could watch my kids for juvenile trends, but right now they're into "Tootle" and "Scruffy the Tugboat" and "Are you My Mother?" so that's no help.

[newburydave]

Hey Yoda, what is life without romance?

I write space opera; opera is all about flaming romance set against adventure. That's why people like to read it. ;D

When I look back on my own (long) life I remember that Spec Fic was the biggest part of my life when I was a Juvie (preteen to young adult).

I think that in reality most of our Spec fic, be it Science Fiction, Space opera, Fantasy (high and low), etc is really aimed at young people. However, regardless of our aim I suspect that most of our readers will be in the Tween to early Twenties age brackett, so I think that a YA focus is pretty reasonable.

Think about it. Spec Fic stretches the boundaries of what is and explores the unthinkable, the extreme and the visionary realms of inspiration. It is the kind of thing that would specifically appeal to people going through the upheaval of puberty and trying to define their selfhood as young adults.

IMHO think that makes our role as Christian Sf authors even more critical. I know that the Sci Fi and Fantasy that I read shaped my world view and my aspirations as a man. (works for women too I suspect) In the Lord's hands lets pray that God will use us to shape the next generation into a more Godly, humane group of people.

Wow, did I just write that?

OKay, I guess these thoughts have been lurking below the surface for a while. Most POV's that really take off are young. Maybe we should not feel amiss about that but rather intentionally try to develop it as a main theme in our wriiting and a definite thrust in the Anomaly and the Sandbox.

What say?

Write on sibs

SGD
dave

[j2starshine]

kessie: I've been thinking about reading Fablehaven...hmmm...

I know a few kids...but not enough. And most of them are pretty sheltered that I know. I have hard time thinking what is really going through my 3 year old's mind or ten year old friend of mine or a fifteen year old friend of mine. Argh! If we can't connect on their level, about what they care about, struggle with, etc, can we write for them? Perhaps I need to write for an older audience...

[Kessie]

J2: It's not as hard as all that. Writing for kids just means your protagonist happens to be a kid. Don't you remember being a kid? But if it's not very fun for you to tell stories that way, then you're allowed to write something else. I just wondered if anybody around here was interested in writing juvie, anyway. Since there does seem to be a science to it.

BTW, Fablehaven was great. I just finished the first book. Don't mess with faeries. They're bad news.

[tris]

There's another way to look at juvie fiction beyond limiting it to the age range of the main characters. I read a lot of juvie fiction (still do and most of the time I prefer it over "adult" fiction). That being said, a huge portion of the books often listed in the juvenile section don't have teens for main characters. Sometimes the main characters are adults, but the style of writing is "softer" more the Indiana Jones, Star Wars style of writing. Clear cut good guys and bad guys and the hero gets the girl stuff. Any violence is "antiseptic" you know it happens but there's no blood or gore.

I work around a ton of youngsters and while yes, they do tend toward books with teens in them, most aren't as concerned about the age of the character as the likability of them. Japanese animé is a good example. Many of the characters aren't teens, but the whole genre appeals to teens.

Here's a prime example: Anne McCaffrey's Decision at Doona can be found in high school libraries. Is it juvie lit or adult lit?

I think the classification itself needs a bit of re-evaluating and as writers we should be afraid of the classification. If I thought classifying my novels as YA would let more youngsters know they're out there, I'd do it in a heartbeat. Young readers grow up to be mature readers with a taste for juvie lit.

[newburydave]

Hey Tris, well said ( er, written).

Your description of the "Juvie Lit" distinctives sounds suspiciously like the distinguishing characteristics of what I think of as the whole "Christian Spec Fic" genre'.

Is that on purpose or serendipitous? ;D

Write on Sis

SGD
dave

[celesta]

I have written some. I wrote/am writing a Kitty Castle series of easy chapter books with my 9-year-old. It's great fun!

As a mom, I think it's important that it not be too scary/evil which some juvenile fiction is these days.

[tris]

Dave,

Serendipitous. Most folks wouldn't consider my stuff "Christian spec fic" because I don't specifically mention Christ or give a gospel presentation. However, it is written from a Christian world view and meant to glorify Christ. So.. no gore, no sex, no profanity and no really deep dark social-psychological issues to deal with. Just loads of fun and enjoyable for everyone from middle schoolers to English teachers.