What's Up with YA?

The last manuscript I began writing started out as a contemporary romance, but after writing about 30,000 words, I decided it would fare better as a YA. You see, my story contains magical elements and let's face it, YA is way more open to the magical and fantastical than adult books.

The funny thing about switching from contemporary to YA is the very fact that I do not read YA. Well, I have read the Harry Potter (gasp...please don't write me emails) and Twilight (gasp...please don't write me emails) and The Hunger Games (gasp...please don't write me emails). But they are secular books, not in the Christian arena.

So, what's a girl to do? She downloads some free YA ebooks.

And promptly realizes that most YA books are written in first person.

Sigh, have I ever mentioned that I don't care for first person? One of the things I love about Christian romance is getting into the hero's head, watching him fall head over heels in love with the heroine. You don't get that in first person.

I'm told I need to write in the tense that makes sense for me and the kind of story I want to write. Well, that would be THIRD person, thank you very much! Surely young adults out there want to read from the hero's point of view like I do. It's a matter of making the story come alive in any tense you choose.

The interesting thing about YA is the wild variety of books out there for the age group. Check out the following:

Think Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

I'm thinking along the lines of Gossip Girl or Devil Wears Prada

Your romance

Fantastical

Another fantastical/spiritual

A medieval timetravel!!!! (I HAVE to get this one!)

Um, the title says it all, huh?

Your Christian vampire book.

I think one of the cool things about YA is the "anything goes" atmosphere. Such a variety. Such a wild array to choose from. The sky is the limit when thinking up story ideas for the YA crowd. Romance, ogres, magic, spiritual gifts, vampires, chick cliques...you name it! What fun you can have while writing for the Young Adult group.

Have you ever thought about writing a YA book? If so, what ideas do you have? If not, what are you writing and why? 

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This post is brought to you by

 Sherrinda Ketchersid

Sherrinda is wife to "Pastor John" and mother to three giant sons and one gorgeous daughter. A born and bred Texan, she loves books, gummy bears, thunderstorms, and writing anything that has to do with fun, faith, and forever love.