I'm often caught by surprise by how many people are writing for YA but don't read what's out there now.
This article in the Winnipeg Free Press takes you beyond Harry Potter and Twilight, and into today's marketplace, the excellent writing and world-building and characterization of YA fiction.
The Harry Potter and Twilight series were blockbusters, of course, and Bourdon-King indicated that The Hunger Games, a popular science fiction trilogy by Suzanne Collins, is a current juggernaut.
"In the wake of that there's been a lot of sort of dystopian novels coming out. If you ask, I could probably list about a dozen or so that claim to be the next Hunger Games," said Bourdon-King, who will turn 25 next month.
"Publishers are really aware of the broad appeal that young adult fiction can have, not just to readers of 12 to 16, but to readers in their early 20s, to middle-aged moms, to retired people that just want a really great read.
"There's been a lot of just really stellar fiction that's been coming out, geared to young adult, but really the writing is so exceptional that it appeals to all ages."
If you really need to ask, "How big is the YA market right now?" Just look at some of the writers who have taken the plunge. Grisham
, Coben
, Reichs
, for starters.
The Hunger Games
trilogy has been on my radar for several years and I still haven't read it, which is really dumb, because now the movie is coming out and the series is complete and I'm behind the times, already. However, I'm not writing YA so it's not my real business to be reading it.
But if you're writing YA, it's yours.
This article in the Winnipeg Free Press takes you beyond Harry Potter and Twilight, and into today's marketplace, the excellent writing and world-building and characterization of YA fiction.
The Harry Potter and Twilight series were blockbusters, of course, and Bourdon-King indicated that The Hunger Games, a popular science fiction trilogy by Suzanne Collins, is a current juggernaut.
"In the wake of that there's been a lot of sort of dystopian novels coming out. If you ask, I could probably list about a dozen or so that claim to be the next Hunger Games," said Bourdon-King, who will turn 25 next month.
"Publishers are really aware of the broad appeal that young adult fiction can have, not just to readers of 12 to 16, but to readers in their early 20s, to middle-aged moms, to retired people that just want a really great read.
"There's been a lot of just really stellar fiction that's been coming out, geared to young adult, but really the writing is so exceptional that it appeals to all ages."
If you really need to ask, "How big is the YA market right now?" Just look at some of the writers who have taken the plunge. Grisham
, Coben, Reichs, for starters. The Hunger Games
trilogy has been on my radar for several years and I still haven't read it, which is really dumb, because now the movie is coming out and the series is complete and I'm behind the times, already. However, I'm not writing YA so it's not my real business to be reading it.But if you're writing YA, it's yours.
3 comments:
I've read all three Hunger Games books and I look forward to seeing the movie.
You should really check'em out Pooks. :)
I have Hunger Games on my iPod. Or is it my Kindle? Anyway, I saw a good deal and snagged it, so all I have to do is read!
Or listen.
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