Because we have issues...

...and not just issues, an entire subscription.

This is a popular statement around my household. My younger sister always muddles it up and says I don't just have 'episodes, I have an entire series'. She's funny like that.

But in all seriousness, what merit do issue-based teen novels have? Are they important to teens learning valuable lessons? Or do teenagers in books dealing with things like pregnancy and suicide just corrupt our youth, as some overly-keen book banners may argue?

Well, no. I disagree. And they're not all about lessons, either.

Everyone accuses books for teenagers of having too many moral themes, so many issues, things like underage drinking and sex and the like, things that are just authors trying to teach teenagers lesson, or, worse, suggesting things that teenagers shouldn't even know of, let alone read about.

But here's the thing: Books for teenagers often contain big issues because when you are a teenager, you are confronted with all number of things. It's a time when you're first starting to become a person really independent of your parents, and starting to work out your beliefs and boundaries on your own. Teenagers are confronted by issues tackled in books for them on a daily basis, and the gatekeepers of teenaged fiction (parents, teachers, librarians) may fear that they are exposing youth to things that they're not ready for yet, when in fact these 'big issue' books, allow teens to explore themes like sex, drugs, etc and everything that comes with these things without having to experience it themselves. A book centralising around, for example, a boy's recovery from depression, isn't going to make a teenager depressed, but it just make them see they're not alone, and enlighten them to ways they can deal with things.

In that way, almost all books for teenagers (those set in our reality, or at least not in an outlandish Lord of the Rings-esque world) are 'big issue' novels. Many YA novels deal with great, confronting things like suicide, teenage pregnancy, drug use, abuse. It's important for teenagers to be able to identify with characters in novels, to relate, to know they're not alone. Novels like these also allow teenagers to explore things that they might never experience, and get a sense of other people's point of view. I think far too often people seeking to ban books say that they glorify teen sex or drug use - this is wrong. They don't glorify; they give you context. Emotional detail. These things allow for brilliant novels, but also novels that educate, that change teenagers' perspectives for the better.



*I originally posted this at the We Love YA blog.

Making Time To Write - Tips For Lazy People (Yes, Me)

I feel like such an imposter. All the other bloggers here (and probably the readers, too) have hectic lives - they get up before the sun rises, they have children to raise, and full-time jobs to work and houses to clean.

I used to think I was busy. I'm doing school by correspondence, so I can complete a whole bunch of subjects I couldn't do at school. I'm constantly snowed under by work. I have a lot of responsibilities in my household. I run errands occasionally, speak to people on the phone, always seem to have something to do right now and can't go out with friends.

I see now that I'm an imposter. I'm a lazy teenager. I'm not busy at all compared to you folks. Forgive me, please!

Now, for your edification, I present:

Making Time To Write - Tips For Lazy People (Yes, Me)

• Wake up an hour earlier, or stay up an hour later. If you're lazy like I am, this will be difficult. If you're extraordinarily busy, it will be pretty much impossible. But if you can do it, it's really worth dedicating an hour at the start or the end of your day to writing, and nothing else.
• Blogging about writing is not writing. Neither is Facebook, Twitter or anything else you use as an excuse by saying you're 'networking'. Writing comes before this.
• Stop watching TV. Really, apart from the news, it's a total waste of time. If you have favourite shows, watch them, but don't watch the shows that are on before and after, because you'll wind up sitting on the couch all evening when you could be writing.
• If writer's block is making you procrastinate instead of writing write something different. Write an essay or a short story. Then come back to your novel. Honestly, I think a lot of writer's block is just when there's an obstacle in your story you can't figure out. If you work on something else, you'll probably have a fresh perspective when you return to your work-in-progress and you won't have just avoided writing for a week (and said it was okay to yourself, because you were so busy).
• Do not play videogames at all. Okay, this is probably only a problem if you're fifteen. But, seriously, it accomplishes nothing.
• Don't write when hungry. If you're anything like me, you'll be thinking about food the entire time. And plot points will crop up that centralize about food. And you'll be going, perhaps I should hav something to eat? Then you'll leave and eat something and never return to your writing. Eat before you write. Sure, you can have all the time in the world to write, but it's important to be productive during that time, and actually write something.
• Have someone to answer to. Promise a friend or fellow writer that you'll email them a chapter a week, 10,000 words a month, etc. That way, they can email you and ask why you haven't written anything. Fear of this email will force you to write. Do the same for them. (This is important if you don't have any deadlines. If you have deadlines - like write article by this day, hand in rewrites by this day, then you should be writing anyway.) No more procrastination!
• Share your tips for making time to write! I actually have to go write something...

*I originally posted this at the We Love YA blog.

Novel-editing stats.

Current word count: 54,585.
Number of euphemisms: Too many.
Number of clichés: Too many.
Number of uses of the f-word: 7. (Not by me. In the book.)
Number of uses of the word ‘glance’: 57.
Number of improperly used semi-colons: A lot.
Number of Harry Potter references: 2.
Number of Eckhart Tolle references: 1.
Number of times listened to Sam’s Town by The Killers: 37.
Number of Post-It note reminders written: 23.
Number of times Semi-Pro watched: 3.
Number of books in to-read pile: 13.
Number of litres of water drunk: An awful lot.
Number of pieces of toast eaten: Too many.
Number of seasons of The X-Files watched: 1.
Number of days of editing so far: 4.
Number of times listened to Bear In The Big Blue House soundtrack: Too many.

What are you reading / writing / editing right now?

Ideas & inspiration

gigi asked: What do you do when your idea well is dried up and you haven't a clue what to write about? Is there anything in particular you do to find inspiration?


I never really run out of ideas. Usually I have heaps of them, more than I can ever get to. Usually I combine lots of my ideas for different novels and stories into one (usually this means I wind up with every teenage issue under the sun tucked into one 50k word novel, but I usually get rid of a few themes later, and it works out okay).
One thing that I do have trouble with, is when I'm in the middle of a novel. It's a bit like this right now. I know how the book is going to end. I've written the beginning. But this middle? What the hell am I going to put here? This is the point at which ideas & inspiration come in handy (especially if you don't like plotting your novels like me). Try these things:

• Record all ideas. You know how you'll be in the middle of a writing project and you'l have a genius idea that you aren't going to let yourself work on right now? Write it down. You'll forget otherwise. Fill up a notebook with ideas, inspiring quotes, random words and sentences. You might not se everything, but it will come in handy one day.
• Go out somewhere and just watch and listen. I like the library, or a cafe. Take notes. Don't just listen to conversation and watch people. Listen to the air conditioner going and feet scuffling. Listen to glasses chinking and the sound when the door opens. Write down what the ceiling looks like, and describe the dust in the windowpanes. Write it all down, or just absorb it all. Don't think, or think about everything. Just be amongst everything, without having a specific place to go or thing to do.
• Watch a movie or read a book. I get really inspired after seeing a great movie or reading a book I love for the first time.
• Take a break from writing. This can be very regenerative, especially if you write compulsively in intense bursts and forget to leave you house for days (honest, I don't do this. Much).
• Create a soundtrack for your work-in-progress. In the past, I've gotten ideas for character names and plot points from playlists. If you like listening to music while you write, a special playlist can be a good way to get into the writing zone.
• Make a poster/corkboard/scrapbook of visual inspiration. For an example, check out these posts I did for my current work-in-progress: 1, 2.

So, where do you get your ideas and inspiration? Or how do you keep writing when you have no idea what to write?

Interview with Jody Sparks

Jody Sparks is a YA author represented by Ted Malawer at Upstart Crow Literary. Her novel is currently out on submission! Check out Jody's website/blog Sparks & Butterflies. You can also follow Jody on Twitter. Thanks to Jody for answering all my questions about her first novel, becoming an agented author & advice for aspiring authors and her younger self!

1. Can you tell me a bit about how you came to be an agented author? What was the querying process like for you? Have you queried multiple novels?

Truthfully, I never queried at all. I don't really understand them. I met an agent during a paid critique at a conference. She did not request to see the whole manuscript (this was not the first novel I'd written, but it was the first one I tried to get published). The agent did, however, give me some great ideas for revision. I never meant to have my main character join the Navy. I wanted her to think about it and then choose love instead. This agent suggested having her join the military, which required a lot of research. A year later, I had a whole different book, but it was so much better that I could hardly believe it. Soon after, I went to another conference where I met Ted. He requested the manuscript and a few months later, offered representation. Since we'd met and he'd spoken at the conference, I felt very comfortable signing with him.


2. I know this is a pretty impossible question (sorry!), but I just want to ask: What drives you to write?

I just like it so much. It's good hard work. I feel productive and happy and tired from it.


3. From what I've read on your blog, it seems you write YA novels with military themes. I think this is great, because so few authors do broach that subject in teen literature. Could you tell me a bit about your novel, or your writing in general, and why you particularly like military-theme books?

Thanks for reading my blog! I've only written one novel with a military theme (so far). I'm certainly not opposed to writing more, but I'm anxious to write about other things too. I suppose if I had to generalize my writing I'd say that it has something to with how love and suffering make young people a little bit older. That covers a lot of ground. The military--and how it relates to young people and Young Adult literature--is fascinating to me for many reasons. When I was a teenager, the military didn't have the same kind of presence in current events as it does now. It interests me to think about how young people are affected now that the military is more active and more of a presence in our culture. What do words like love and honor and sacrifice mean nowadays to teenagers?

4. Are there any particular books or authors that have shaped you as a writer (and human being)?

Kurt Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle made me love reading. Jerry Spinelli's Stargirl made me love YA literature and want to write it.

5. Complete this sentence: Outside of writing, my life is...

just as unpredictable and lucky.

6. Complete this sentence: My teenage years were...

as fun as they were awkward. Visit my blog on Sundays and you'll see what I mean.

7. What advice would you give to aspiring authors?

Use your resources. If you want to write, you can learn how. It doesn't have to be a big mystical thing. The Internet is the best invention of my lifetime! Not only can you research a book you want to write (Like one that has a few scenes in boot camp where you can't just walk in and get a tour) but you can also research the book industry: what agents are looking for, what books editors have worked on, what books are trendy and what the market lacks. The hard part is being patient with your writing until it's practiced and great, but you can learn to write; and if you do, you will probably get published.

8. What advice would you give to yourself as a teenager?

Write more. And record more; you won't remember as much as you think you will. Take more risks in general.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

While I really did enjoy The Perks of Being a Wallflower, I’m unsure of why it’s considered a modern classic (then again, I’ve heard it referred to as a modern Catcher in the Rye, and I’m reading that right now, and while it’s enjoyable, it’s not mind-blowing brilliant). It’s a book I definitely think is worth reading and discussing – it contains lots of interesting issues, very thought-provoking stuff, and Charlie is certainly a unique character – and it’s also very quotable. I loved the pop culture references (even though I don’t particularly like The Rocky Horror Picture Show. It just made me feel uncomfortable) and the letter format. There were a few things that bothered me, and that I’m interested to hear your views on as well, if you’ve read this (hopefully I haven’t been too harsh here. I really did enjoy it):

It really seemed as if Charlie was autistic or otherwise mentally handicapped. Or that he’d been homeschooled his entire life and had never engaged with other people his age (not to say that homeschooling is a bad thing – I was homeschooled for a time myself – but he seemed awfully sheltered). He seemed to have no social ability, and was totally unaware of things like homosexuality. The book was written very simply – lots of run-on sentences and no contractions. (Note that I’m not saying this book was bad – I quite enjoyed it – just mentioning what really stood out for me.)

While the title is great, Charlie doesn’t seem like a wallflower at all. He’s accepted into a group of older teenagers who really like him, and he dates one older girl and hooks up with another older girl over the course of his first year of high school. Yes, he totally lacks social tact. Yes, he’s weird. I don’t think he’s a wallflower at all, though, since he is socially accepted and seems to get by.

Again, I’ve read a lot of reviews of people complaining about sexual content, mostly the storyline with Charlie’s gay friend. Whilst I think parents do have a right to decide what their children read, most of the stuff in here are things that their kids have heard about or experienced probably by their mid-to-late teens. I wasn’t particularly shocked by anything, though I disliked the fact that Charlie’s gay friend was made out to be a slut (going to parks at night and hooking up with strange men) which is something I read too often in YA literature (gay teenaged male? They’re always promiscuous. I mean, seriously, you can’t be gay and have decent standards and morals. It’s like being a sociopath that experiences empathy).

Now, a note on these reviews of older books I’m doing – I know in the past I’ve said that there’s no need to review meanly (and I’m really trying not to, sorry if I did that with Forever) but with these types of books that have been widely read or are considered modern classics of YA literature, I think it’s really worth discussing, rather than writing a stock-standard review (This book was ___. The characterisations were ___. This book will appeal to ___.).

It’s worth thinking about things like ‘Why is this book so popular? If this book were published today, how would it be received by today’s teenaged readers? What do I think of other people’s views on this book?’

Hopefully that made some sense. Nod if you understood. If you want to recommend an older YA book, go ahead.

Have you read The Perks of Being a Wallflower? What were your thoughts?

Forever by Judy Blume

While I can really appreciate the impact that Forever has had upon YA literature and the honesty with which the author broached the topic of teen sex (something she was probably aware would be controversial, considering it was 1975 and all), for me, it really fell flat as a novel. I think it's something definitely worth having teenagers read (the preachiness isn't overly obvious, and I can think of many of my teenaged friends who'd gain something from it), but from the perspective of a reviewer, it was disappointing. Let's continue in dot points:

• The book consisted largely of dialogue that was pretty unbelievable and these dots '...' of which I don't know the name were used between every second word, making the dialogue hard to follow and also making me very confused. The characters were dull, and I really wished Katherine and Michael had have had some life outside of their obsession with each other (remind you of another book?). I felt Erica and Artie were very odd and underdeveloped, and the plotline with Sybil felt very rushed.
• The sex in Forever is really quite tame (I was expecting it to be grossly graphic, for some reason. I don't know if I'm desensitized, or if other people overreact). I think what people take issue with is the fact that Katherine and Michael's relationship progresses so quickly, and it seems if the relationship progresses physically because he wants it to, and she wants to please him (I think there's still an attitude among teenage girls - at least the ones I know - that sex is something you do to please your partner, regardless of how you feel about it). There also appears to be no emotional or mental bond between them, as their relationship consists mainly of small-talk and making out. Probably representative of most teenage relationships, but I expect a little more from books.
• A lot of things date Forever - they go and see a Robert Redford film, for instance. They call condoms 'sheaths' (I have never heard this term before). When Katherine goes to get birth control, she's given a prescription for The Pill - there's no consideration for STDs here. I found it odd, also, that it seems as if it's expected birth control is the responsibility of the woman (and that Katherine is so blase about it. It seems to be as if it would be a big deal. I guess I'm just a prude, though, even on 1975 standards).
• There are still people claiming in Amazon reviews, and probably elsewhere, that this book encourages teenagers to have sex with people they barely know. Let it be said that I continue to have no desire to sleep with teenaged boys after having read this book.

Have you read Forever? What were your thoughts?