Friday, June 6, 2014

YA is an opportunity



I read YA. It feels like a huge, embarrassing confession now given recent articles like the latest from Slate, which makes a firm, unyielding argument that adults should NOT read books meant for teens. That they are not for us. That they are somehow lesser—the diet version of real literature, dumbed down for teenage consumption.

Is it me, or does that seem backwards?

Here’s the thing: I started writing YA because it was one of the things I really liked to read. Because it fit the story I wanted to tell. Because it fit my writing voice.

I stayed because YA is an opportunity.

If you want to really make a difference in the world, I’d argue that your best bet is not to write for adults. After a certain point, we’ve got our worldview pretty well locked in. We might even get a little jaded. Things happen, you know? Those big dreams that once seemed so possible…not so much. But if you think about the times when the world really changed, it was because people held on to those big, impossible dreams. When they defied the way things are, dared to take a step into the unknown. When they were inspired to think of things in a new way.

YA is an opportunity to light that spark with an audience who is actively looking for answers. An opportunity to say something about the way things are or should be to people who dare to dream about how to change it. People who are already asking those questions and engaging in that discussion.

Why on earth would we automatically assume that literature is and should be dumbed down if it’s written for teens? If they’re our future, if they’re in the process of figuring out what they want their legacy to be, then it’s in our best interest to make sure they have the BEST literature available. Good YA is about asking the biggest questions, taking the biggest risks. Challenging teens. Asking them point blank what they hold important, where their moral compass points. Sure, not all YA holds itself to that standard just like not all adult lit is earth-shatteringly good. But dismissing the entire genre of YA as lesser and unsophisticated because it’s written from the POV of a teen? Completely misses the point. If you don’t get it, that’s fine. That’s your prerogative. But don’t judge other adults because they’re not too jaded to say that we could learn something from young people. Because they’re willing to dare to dream. Because they’re willing to question what they hold true, regardless of how old they are.

Ultimately, that’s what YA is all about. It’s a search for answers. And I say that’s a good thing at any age.

7 comments:

Jessica said...

Amen. Amen. Amen.

Leandra Wallace said...

That article was just so, so sad and uninformed. There are so many amazing YA books I've read that have made me laugh and cry and grow angry over injustices- and there's no way I'll ever be ashamed of that. B/c if that's true, then I should basically be ashamed of allowing myself to feel, and if that happens, then you're in a pretty sad place in life. So keep writing great YA, Carrie! =)

Erica Eliza said...

If Slate said "Men should read women's lit", people would cry sexism.
If Slate said "White people shouldn't read diverse books", people would cry racism.
I'm crying ageism. Teenagers are not an inferior type of person.

Sandy said...

Well said my dear. I will never stop reading YA.

Unknown said...

Your post is great. I actually had not read the original Slate article. I agree with Leandra that it was sad to read. I find it difficult to believe someone would say "you should be embarrassed" to read anything with a straight face -- what a misguided way to approach the world. I wonder if this bias for that critic interfered with her ability to just enjoy what she was reading? The things that makes any novel great to read: interesting characters, interesting situations, conflicts, and dilemmas, and an author's interesting voice... these are just as present in YA.

Unknown said...

Great article!! I am also a fan of well written YA lit (thank goodness I have a tween for my fixes). Completely agree! Young people deserve & need rich, thought provoking, inspiring, entertaining lit that allows them to look beyond their walls & think about new possibilities & even escape from what some may feel is an overwhelming life. Keep the passion alive! It's got to keep being about the stories, about the beauty of a book; not about where to get a latte & a scone.

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