The Art is in the Reader

Writing isn't necessarily something one chooses to do, often it is something one can't help doing. In a way it is like therapy, an outpouring of insecurities and obsessions that must find an outlet of escape before driving you insane. For me, writing is such a personal thing, something done completely in private, that it is easy to forget sometimes that the things you write are actually read by anyone, and even easier to ignore the potential impact those stories might have on people you've never met. Because of this, it becomes so much more meaningful to hear from a reader that I've had an influence on. 

Recently I received an email that reminded me of what it means to write for teenagers and what a wonderful responsibility it can be. There are times when people will ask if I ever plan on writing "real" books, meaning books for adults. Besides the obvious insult that comes with that question, there is a failure to understand the importance teen fiction plays in the lives of its readers. Adults can read a book, and it may or may not stay with them after they close the pages, but it rarely makes a life-changing impact on them. On the other hand, teenagers often make strong emotional connections to the stories that touch them. In my opinion, writing books for them is a more valuable contribution to the world.

These are the kind of messages that make all the work and struggle worthwhile.

Grievances Before Thanks

A common compliant that I see with my books is that some readers find them to be 'too slow.' Though, I shouldn't feel upset about that, because reading reviews of other books, award winning pieces of fantastic literature, I see the same 'too slow' criticism popping up. It's almost as if any book that isn't filled with twists at every chapter, or bursting with plot, is labeled too slow.

Anything that requires one to think these days is 'slow.' Anything to values the language of a story and an intimacy with character as much as plot, is 'slow.' And when did reading become a race anyway? Perhaps since people started setting online goals of how many books they are going to read in a year, or tracking the progress of their page count as they read. One of the great things about books as opposed to film is that they allow you you're own time within the story. Some readers actually value that quality.

I will continue to write 'slow' books because I believe in order to capture the terrible beauty of life requires attention to detail.

No So Perfect

Part of the process for creating interesting characters requires the writer to face their own insecurities and bestow at least a portion of them onto the characters. I've never been a believer in perfect characters, or even perfect relationships between characters. Characters need flaws and need to make mistakes. It's through their failures and struggles that the reader grows closer to them.

I refuse to write novels where everything happens the way we might hope for them to happen. Life doesn't work like that and neither should fiction. A book shouldn't have to give the reader exactly what they want in order for it to be satisfying.

Lately I feel we live in a climate where fewer readers are willing to challenge themselves. They want characters who are veiled versions of themselves, only in a slightly wittier, smarter, or sexier model. There seems to be a need to reaffirm their own worth rather than examine their own possible misgivings as a way toward personal growth. That's find every once in a while, but sometimes entertainment should do more than entertain...it should also make you think.

Young Adults Keep Getting Younger...

In the ten years since I wrote my first YA novel Pure Sunshine, the landscape for the genre has changed drastically. So much so, that I question if that book, a semi-cult classic, would ever get published today. Probably not.

At that time, the "teen" tag was a kiss of death for a book. However, the publication of a few high profile books started to renew the genre. Smack (or Junk as it's known in the UK), Speak, and The Perks of Being a Wallflower brought booksellers tenuously back into the fold. These new books were being written for that 15-20 year old reader, writing about their experiences. And guess what? It worked. Those readers gravitated to the books. Then a funny thing happened...

With the success of books like Twilight, the genre rapidly started to skew younger. The 11-13 year old girl became the target audience. Given that they read a lot more, it was natural that their tastes would soon dominate the YA shelves in book stores. In response, the more successful books in the teen category became safer and cleaner. I understand that. Publishers have an obligation to respond to a changing market...the question is, does the writer?

The answer is tricky because writing with an audience in mind can be dangerous. It's always better to tell a story the way it needs to be told and then find an audience for it. However, as a writer of fiction for children, there is a level of responsibility that comes with that. There's also a bit of savvy that comes with being a professional writer that requires you to know the market if you have a hope of being read. AND TRUST ME, all writers want to be read regardless of what they might say.

So what does one do?

I can only speak from my own experience and I know that when my first few novels came out, the majority of fan mail came from teenagers between the ages of 15 and 17. Then I noticed a trend. The letters started coming from younger and younger teens. When I got my first email from an eleven year old reader of Zombie Blondes, I have to admit I was a little surprised. Though definitely younger than some of my books, there's definitely some difficult and troubling scenes in there. I imagined an 11 year old reading the scene in Hannah's zombie boyfriend's bedroom. It certainly gave me pause to think.

I wouldn't say that I really changed anything drastically. I haven't changed the way I write and I don't sugar coat because of a younger reader. I trust that if they've decided to read it, they are mature enough to. What I have done though is to bring down the age of my characters. Instead of writing about 17 years old characters, I'm writing about 13 and 14 years old characters. That probably doesn't sound so significant, but it is. These characters see the world through a different lens. I haven't compromised anything. I believe I'm still giving an honest view of the world, I'm simply exploring from a different starting point that is more relevant to the audience.

One day, I hope there is room on the shelves again for edgier fiction. I have plenty of ideas still in the tank. But for now, I'm more than happy writing about the issues facing the actual readers.