The Young Adult Writer's Journey: An Encyclopedia for YA Writers

by Janet Schrader-Post, Elizabeth Fortin-Hinds

"The trouble with “how to” books on creativity is that they usurp creativity. Not so with this very insightful guide for YA writing. If it doesn’t become a standard or even a classic among reference books, it will be an oversight. Janet Schrader-Post and Elizabeth Fortin-Hinds have all the marinated smarts and credentialed experience to pull this off, and they do! No dictated wisdom from on high here, no grafted creativity, THE YOUNG ADULT WRITER’S JOURNEY is accessible, motivational and a clear map that leaves plenty of room to discover for anyone wanting to explore their creative side."-Thomas Sullivan, Pulitzer-nominated author of THE PHASES OF HARRY MOON Finally, an all-inclusive book on young adult fiction must-do, don’t do and how-to. If you want to write a young adult novel, you need to read this book first. Coauthored by an award-winning YA author and an acquisitions editor, both experts on kids and what they like to read, this encyclopedia contains all you need to start or improve a career as a YA fiction author.From an examination of the market, genre and its sub-genres, to mechanics and the business, everything is at your fingertips. This amazing writer’s resource is written in a relaxed and interesting style, with plenty of contemporary references and examples for clear understanding and easier application.

Genres: Writing

232 pages, Paperback

Published January 12, 2019

Reviews

[Asha - A Cat, A Book, And A Cup Of Tea · Rating 1 out of 5]

Racist. Ableist. Homophobic. Patronising. Lazy.

This book is so filled with stereotyping and lazy, off-hand, unsubstantiated comments as to be actively damaging to anyone who tries to use it. Here are a selection of quotes from the book - not everything, as I got exhausted:

Racist:
- "Ethnicity is huge in YA... Ethnicity adds flavor. Many races have cultures that affect their behavior. Do your research and find the odd, quirky characteristic your ethnic character can use for fun..." Oh, and this quote comes from the "Basic Teen Social Cliques" section, implying that non-white characters are a clique like jocks or nerds.

- "In this section, note any speech of language issues. If the character is ethnic, maybe from India, what kind of speech patterns does he/she use?"

- The section on naming characters implies a white default and says you should use ethnic names to add diversity. In fact, the whole book implies a white default.



Homophobic:
- "Commitment is a huge thing. Sometimes, they think they're committed, and then, boom, they're not interested in that other person at all and maybe they're gay. Believe it, it's happening more and more."
- "LGBT characters have become a popular trend."
- "School is not for sissies, either."
- The "Basic Teen Social Cliques" section, as above with "ethnic" characters, includes "Gay, Bisexual and Transgender kids" as one of the cliques.
- "As the stigma attached to being sexually diverse fades, being in this group can add drama and an odd popularity to members who are in this group or who claim to be."
- "Some kids, usually girls, are unsure of their sexuality at this stage and may flit in and out of this group." Oh, so lesbianism or female bisexuality is more of a phase than being a gay or bi male?
- "Books including trans and gay kids are becoming not only acceptable but sought after."

Ableist:
- "Young people are fun, because they are energetic."
- "Nerds may have emotional issues and or mental handicaps like OCD, eating disorders, extreme lack of self-confidence or learning, personality, or emotional disorders like ADD, ADHD, PTSD, hyperactivity, or they could come from broken and dysfunctional families." AS MAY ALL TEENS. OR ADULTS. OR ANYONE.

Sexist:
- "Cheerleaders are often the pretty, athletic girls. They wear make up, trendy clothes, and frequently come from affluent families. They like to date jocks, can be sexually active..."

Lazy and unsubstantiated claims about sexual topics:
- "Date rape is very common and when three of four women will be raped, according to statistics, awareness of sexual predators isn't an uncommon topic for books that teens will want to read." No footnotes or any explanation of those 'statistics'.
- "You'll never see teens under 18 having sex in a YA movie unless it's about abuse, drug addiction, and prostitution, or some other extraordinary circumstances." Actually, there is a growing movement to show healthy, positive sexual interactions in YA books. And we're talking about books, not movies."

- This scale... just... this scale.

"1. Eye to body (check that hot guy out)
2. Eye to eye (making eye contact, oooh)
3. Voice to voice (Sometimes for a teenage guy or girl just talking to the opposite sex can be difficult, so this is a major step)
4. Hand to hand or hand to arm (Big step that first actual skin contact. This could give a girl or guy pimples for a week)
5. Arm to shoulder (As in the movies, putting an arm around the girl is huge.)
6. Arm to waist (Not much of this goes on with teens)
7. Mouth to mouth (The pinnacle of firsts in almost everyone's life, the first kiss)
8. Hand to head or face
9. Hand to body (Stop here in YA)
10. Mouth to the parts...
11. Hand to the other parts...
12. Actual sex (just no)."

There are so many problems with this I can't even begin to describe it. It's completely bizarre to arrange this as steps in a relationship; neglects asexual experience and non-binary gender experience; includes completely wrong observations such as teens not putting their arms around each other's waists; and on the whole, makes me think these authors have never seen inside a high school or sixth-form common room.

- "Even Bella waited until she was 18..." Yes, because Twilight depicts such a healthy relationship.

Just plain useless:
- "Try to tell a lot of your story with dialogue, but not too much, as discussed earlier."
- The entire middle section of the book is a rehash of Joseph Campbell's The Hero's Journey, with added comments about where these parts fall in Harry Potter. Not entirely useless, perhaps, but lazy and unoriginal.
- Almost every reference is to Harry Potter and other FILMS. The whole book uses FILMS as an example. Not books. MOVIES. It implies on several occasions that the only measure of success for a book is to be made into a film.
- Character names and titles of existing properties are got wrong on multiple occasions. There is no book called 'The Maze Runners'. Nor is there a character in Matilda called 'Miss Trunchbold'.
- Matilda is not a YA book. The new Jumanji film is not a YA book. Lord of the Rings is not a YA book. Diary of a Wimpy Kid is not YA. I seriously doubt that these authors have read widely in the YA genre, as they lean heavily on Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, Twilight, The Maze Runner, and Holes. The most recent of which was published in 2010. Over nine years ago. The genre has moved on.

This book disgusts me. I rarely slam books wholeheartedly, because I appreciate the effort that has gone into them even if they didn't suit me. But here we have a book that perpetuates damaging stereotypes while pretending to offer advice, and offering no more advice than a cursory Google search of 'how to write a book'. I can't believe this is being published.

[Lynda Dickson · Rating 3 out of 5]

The authors lead us through the main features of young adult books. Topics covered include: structure, characters, world-building, setting, language, point of view, pacing, the ending, writing a series, what agents are looking for, writing with a partner, and marketing. The irony is that the authors themselves don’t have much of a social media presence.

Throughout the book, the authors use Harry Potter as a case study, although the majority of examples are from movies - not books - with major spoilers for movies/books the authors assume we’ve all seen/read. While the scope of the information is impressive, the execution is flawed. The content is repetitive, there are numerous editing and formatting errors, and the structure is disorganized. It’s difficult to see how the different areas discussed relate to one another, as there is no flow. In addition, the content would be greatly enhanced by the use of lists and tables. While it’s commendable that the authors wanted to illustrate their own book, the illustrations by Janet, with one by Elizabeth (Chapter 15), are less than impressive, and they would have been better served by employing a professional illustrator.

Major takeaway: “In order to write for young adults, you must know your audience.”

I received this book in return for an honest review.

Full blog post: https://www.booksdirectonline.com/201...

[CCAM&GZM · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Young Adult Writer's Journey is a specialty book that has the purpose to teach people how to write. Therefore I was very curious to see who the authors are and what kind (and in what amount) of information they were willing to provide.

Having the habit to use Goodreads, it was the first place where I looked for the authors, but I didn’t find much (somehow in contradiction with the recommendations given in the last Chapter). Anyway, from what I eventually found, seems very possible that The Young Adult Writer's Journey was written based on the authors’ own experience and not necessarily on a specific professional training. But speaking from the own experience is almost always a plus because facing already the specific challenges means that the given advice or solution is based on what they found, applied and worked for themselves.

From the Table of Content it could be seen that The Young Adult Writer's Journey is structured logical, from the things as: known your target audience, the “mythic structure” of a YA novel, how to build the characters and maintain the pace, what a YA novel should contain and the limits within which the YA authors could / must play, to the non-artistic, but needed, information on promoting and selling your book.

While I do not agree with some of the allegations, recommendations or analysis, I agree that they could be, sometimes, correct and useful in our modern world. 😃 What I liked is that, in the support of the “theoretical” presentations, numerous examples from the well-known books were given. That should make it easier to assimilate the lessons.

Saying that I think that this encyclopedia is for those amateurs (in the sense of non-professionals) who, considering that they have the talent, have the courage to start writing. But, next to the aspiring writers, The Young Adult Writer's Journey would be a good and necessary exercise for the young readers and especially for all those (even older) who tend to read superficially and as a result to lose the full message or the beauty and quality of a story.

As, till now, I didn’t feel the calling to evolve from reader to writer, I cannot say if, from an author's point of view / activity, The Young Adult Writer's Journey contains all what one “must-do, don’t do and how –to” (do it) when creating YA stories… successful YA stories, but I can say that it is a good start.

“If you plot your book using The Hero’s Journey as detailed in Chapter Three, pick characters from the list in Chapter Six, put together a team filled with great sidekicks as detailed in Chapter Two, using archetypes and characters from Chapter Five and Six, you should have a great start.
Next, build a world using the information provided in Chapter Four, pick a time and setting using what you read in Chapter Eight, pace yourself through that sagging middle like you learned to do in Chapter Eleven, and head for a bonfire of an ending detailed in Chapter Twelve.
Along the way give your characters some kick-butt dialogue as described in Chapter Ten. If you decide to make it a series, check out Chapter Thirteen. If you need tips for writing with a partner, it’s in Chapter Sixteen.”
But you, the aspiring writer, do not forget! You still need something that nobody can give you: the talent. Be sure you have it... a lot... and start writing. We are already waiting for your books!
3.5
https://mythicalbooks.blogspot.com/20...

[Etienne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m always unsure when reading a book explaining how to write or be publish by a writer you doesn’t look very famous. I’m fine with Stephen King telling me how to write, he obviously knows what he is talking about, but that’s not the case for everyone. This book surprises me in a good way. It present the basic of the YA mechanics and how to observe it, learn it and use it, and it does it very well. Some of those elements can even be use in others genre and still be relevant. My only problem with it is that when you start to approach writing like it is a recipes, it can become very unoriginal and look very fake. So yeah the basic and the canvas of it all can help new or wannabe writers but they have to keep in mind that using it in a very mechanical way, won’t work. Writing is creative, it’s art, and when using mechanical skill, you still need to put some of you, some style and some sensitivity to it if you want it too become something more than a generic story about generic characters. (Says the guy who never written anything good... but sure has read a lot!)

[Benny · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is so far the best book on how to write young adult fiction I have ever read. I really enjoyed the way they explained each aspect of writing, from the structure to marketing. It's very easy for anyone to understand.

There were lots of examples I was familiar with to help me see how different aspects had been applied successfully. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to write young adult fiction. It's got all the elements you need in one convenient place. The illustrations, also done by the authors, were a fun bonus!

I cant wait to read more from for you hopefully in the near future!

[Rosemary Rey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a reference book for novice writers of young adult fiction, who would like an overview of the dynamics within a teenager's lifestyle and reading habits. There were many examples of books, films, and television to identify the premise the author presented in this easy to read book. It is definitely encyclopedic in it's layout. However, I think a lot of the recommendations may be a bit out of touch with certain cultures and what YA readers truly seek out to read. It may behoove a writer to read widely and consult other writing reference books to determine what is the best fit for their writing style.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Young Adult Writer's Journey: An Encyclopedia for YA Writers was an interesting read for me. I think it had some good information within its pages. As a reader, it made admire and appreciate writers even more knowing how much work they have to do to craft a story.
I give The Young Adult Writer’s Journey: An Encyclopedia for YA Writers three and a half stars. I believe many writers who are looking into writing young adult genre books would find this one as helpful.
I received this book from the publisher. This review 100% my own honest opinion.

[Eva-Joy · Rating 3 out of 5]

An entertaining read that I'm sure would have plenty of helpful tips for people looking to start writing YA. However, I'm a little tired of every book on writing treating the Hero's Journey like it's a sacred revelation. And I felt the author talked simplistically about teens and she got at least one detail completely wrong in an example about the Hunger Games. Useful for others, but not my thing.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an avid reader and as someone who has been working on YA writing myself, this book is excellent. It provides you with the basis of how you should go about structuring your story from your character creation, to the settings, plots, and all the other good stuff a YA book should contain. I especially enjoyed the coverage on writing a series with all of the many great tips on how to write your way through.

[Lexie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Initially I was interested in this book; from early reviews it definitely sounded like a good jumping point for myself (and some friends) looking for a book that gave us a broad overview of the Young adult category. However I find myself agreeing with a couple of other reviewers who feel the book promotes lazy (or at least less in touch) stereotyping when dealing with what the authors coin as "current trends" or "sought after" characters.

This didn't feel like a guidebook that was influenced by the books coming out now (such as books from Adam Silvera, Malinda Lo, Katherine Locke, Sandhya Menon, SK Ali or Tomi Adeyemi) versus books that came out ten or so years ago. In that time a lot of "trends" have become more than just that and readers of all ages are asking for representation that goes beyond those early "tropey" or "trendy" quotas. While the publishing/reviewing world still has something of an issue with constructive criticism of books by Own Voices authors or authors writing outside the "white cishet" experience, there's been a lot of strides to bring that so-called diversity trend into more than just "Hey this is our diverse token!".

That said, there was still bits and pieces that could help writers. Unfortunately at least one of the authors does not take criticism, constructive or otherwise, well and felt a need to argue with at least one blogger's opinions. That automatically makes me want to not recommend something. If I can't hand a book - problematic or otherwise - to someone to read who can not then go online and voice their truthful opinions about the book without fear of being challenged by the author of the title, I can't recommend the book.

[bex · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am definitely in the target audience of The Young Adult Writer’s Journey. One of the already brewing works of mine is intended as a YA novel. I actually started a second one between finishing this book and writing this review. Additionally, as part of an active writers’ community, it isn’t unusual for me to be called on the give feedback on works intended for a YA audience, whether shorts or novels. The focus of this book is definitely primarily on the novel side of things, although some aspects of the discussion could easily be applied to development of the short.

I give this book 3 stars overall. I will start with what I liked then round off with the things I was less enthused with and why.

The section of the book I found most useful was that related to the hero’s journey and the different characters and situations that can usually appear along with it. I was so excited by this section that I would recommend the book just for this part despite my lower overall rating. It got my mind churning on the one YA I’d already started work on and how things could develop using some of these ideas. I am sure I will be rereading this section a few times as I work on the novels to get me back on track whenever I get stuck.

Some of the other sections about teen perspectives and society weren’t especially helpful to me, but I can imagine they would be to others.

Now for the negatives. Remember that section I loved? A lot of that content was “recycled” in the archetypes section. I instantly recognized it and found it annoying. But having a big chunk of repeated content makes the total book size misleading, since instead of each page being new information, some of it appears twice.

It might just be me misinterpreting or being overly paranoid, but I felt like diverse characters were recommended solely to check boxes for sale purposes and without sufficient consideration of the research and possible sensitivity readers needed to ensure these voices are portrayed accurately. It really bothered me that it seemed like cultural backgrounds were equated to a simple character quirk.

I believe we need to portray diverse worlds not because it will meet criteria for agents and publishers but because both our readers and our characters live in diverse worlds. While I do believe authors are capable of appropriately portraying marginalizations and diversity they don’t themselves possess, the importance of researching this properly must be emphasized. Otherwise we risk relying on stereotypes, making things worse for the communities we portray, and alienating readers.

I was surprised by the complete lack of reference to #ownvoices in this context and the value of using what experience and knowledge you do have to strengthen your characters.

As an avid reader who has, at times, come in contact with overzealous marketers of books, I also found that section somewhat uncomfortable. Yes, authors today need to do a lot of marketing, especially if they’ve self-published or are published by a smaller press, but the advice given was in the “this will make me unfollow, blacklist, or drop you from my contacts” category. If this advice were followed zealously by an author, they’d find readers like me tuning them out and even removing them from my circle. That would be unfortunate if a new author ended up alienating potential readers instead.

Finally, I found a number of word errors and awkward spots that annoyed me. However, because I read a prerelease ARC, I did not let these impact my rating. I’m hoping these issues will have been caught in final proofing before release.

Overall, I found a large section of extremely useful material that I will be referring back to more as I work on my own YA novels, but recommend authors think hard on how they approach some of the other material in the book. I also recommend following other YA authors and communities on social media so you can see the discussions and get links to great articles to fill out things like sales techniques and sensitivity readers.

[JayJay Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book couldn't have come out at a better time for me. I'm presently writing a YA novel and this has many thought-provoking suggestions that have already improved my work. I think I highlighted about a third of the book! This is a volume I will keep and refer back to often. It's packed with good advice.

The level of detail makes this a must-have and it addresses some aspects of crafting a story that many similar books miss, such as improving a sagging middle or crafting a series. It also includes a couple of chapters I've never seen in a book of this type, like coming up with a good high concept and writing with a partner. It also goes farther than just writing advice and delves into the business side. It seems destined to become a classic. This is a great book on writing YA, but it's also a great book on writing in general.

There is some repetition of material, but it's thoughtfully placed and useful for those who skip around, and for referring back to. All in all, I can't recommend this book enough.

[Stories Under Starlight Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Young Adult Writer's Journey is a handy resource for anyone looking to write for the young adult audience. There is a great section on the hero's journey that is especially worth looking into. The authors use examples of current bestselling novels and movies to help you identify why they were such a hit and how to incorporate those themes into your own stories.

Lots of advice and nuggets throughout the book that will help you to understand how to format and plot your YA novel. There is also a chapter that gives insight as to what agents and editors are looking for when selecting novels to represent. There is even a chapter on how to market your book before and after publication. It includes advice on how to create a brand, media kit, book pitch, virtual book tours, and more! Definitely a useful handbook for aspiring writers or current authors who want to revamp their stories.

*A DRC was received for an honest review.

[Zahra · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a teen. I read this book to see what people would say about writing teens. Overall, I think this book did a good job at conveying what it tried to. It's extremely detailed and well-informed. I enjoyed reading it, but a nagging feeling stayed. For some reason, I felt a little talked down to. This is most likely because I AM a teen and not the targeted demographic for this book. Other books similar to this (as in, they are about writing for young adults) make me feel the same, so I wouldn't blame this book for this feeling.
I would definitely recommend this book. It is a solid resource and uses many examples to provide a deeper understanding. It is my favorite book on writing for young adults so far.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free digital copy of this book in return for an honest review.

[Marsha Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found The Young Adult Writer's Journey useful, building in meaningful ways upon the classic Hero's Journey to make it relatable for the world of YA fiction. This reference is brimming with examples that illustrate how both characters and plot should be fine-tuned to appeal to a younger audience. A great tool for writers.

[Samantha Luce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easily accessible format. Lots of examples on how to as well as how not to write YA novel. All the basics are here for writing any type of novel and also how to market and sell. Very informative.

ARC received for an unbiased review.

[Catherine Girard-Veilleux · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I received a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. No compensation has been given and I write this book review willingly. A big thanks to Tell-Tale Publishing Group and NetGalley!*



Introduction
It’s no secret that I’m writing young adult (a.k.a YA) novels and series. As soon as I saw this book on NetGalley, I knew I had to read it! Hopefully, it would give me advice and guidance on how to think like a teenager and what it is to be one now that I’m an adult. I was looking to supplement my knowledge both of the craft and my audience.

Guess what?

It did just that and more!

Let’s see how together, shall we?



The Positive Sides
The first and foremost attribute of this YA writing guide is really the knowledge of teenagers and how they feel and think. It is enlightening and well brought! Mostly to adults as we’re writing for teenagers, after all (even though a lot of adults read YA books too, but they’re not our main audience.) Then, I was surprised and overjoyed to find out there is a chapter about writing a series, yay! Also, did you know there are varieties of teen love? It’s wicked good to know! Plus, the explanations go into details such as what to consider with the first kiss scene—quite important for teens discovering love, in my opinion.

Now, what about the craft itself? Well, every stage of writing a novel is tackled such as the beginning, the sagging middle, the climax, the ending, and so on. Geography, both natural and manmade, and precise details like the kinds of crops in fields if you are in the country are touched upon as well. Insightful and a good reminder of how to world-build! The authors give information on writing craft in general such as POVs too, which is very useful. Moreover, there are informative steps-by-steps of the hero’s journey, falling in love, and more events and craft-related topics. The authors offer in-depth suggestions and explanations, which is something to love. You are not left wondering! Not everything is always explained in a step-by-step manner, but it is done so directly for what should be done and what should be avoided in writing YA. Super, super useful!

Something I particularly enjoyed about this book is the many examples. Diverse novels are mentioned as well as movies, comics, and video games (recent and well-known ones!) in order to make the concept of the hero’s journey clearer. It’s also filled with relevant and YA popular examples—quite contemporary ones at that too!

Lastly, the advice is direct and no nonsense. When it is not condescending (which happens frequently), it's very good, sound, and thoughtful. The explanations are of a similar nature: crisp, sharp, and straight-to-the-point.



The Negative Sides
All in all, I like the interspersed jokes but not the mean comments or ways of expressing themselves about bullied kids or rejects and so on. It sounds mocking. As someone who’s been badly bullied, this stood out in a very bad way.

Moreover, the drawings at the beginning of each chapter don't bring anything else to the plate. It doesn't add information, emotions, or else. They seem to play no important part except just to distract visually from the text.
In Conclusion
I greatly enjoyed this book! The Young Adult Writer’s Journey is filled with useful advice. Overall, I give it a rating of 4.5/5 stars—I took away .5 because of the condescending voice, mostly on sensitive topics. Otherwise, this book is SO useful and eye-opening. I will always recommend it as an excellent guide for YA writers of all types. You want to write YA? Look no further and pick up this book already!

[Lisa Bentley · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Young Adult Writer’s Journey is an excellent jumping off point for those who wish to write for a young audience. The book breaks down in very easy chunks how to approach this style of writing. It looks specifically at the expectations of the audience – the rules – and how writing for a young audience gives you a wide range for expression.

Furthermore, trope and features are highlighted in an easy to understand way with practical examples to help you understand them with context – either by citing a well known film or book for you to compare it to.

Writers Janet Schrader-Post and Elizabeth Fortin-Hinds really do hold your hand all the way through inception of your story idea to trying to get it published. It is a rarity that a book can take you through every phase in a way that is enjoyable to read and still feel practical.

The Young Adult Writers Journey by Janet Schrader-Post and Elizabeth Fortin-Hinds is available now.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm mostly just an addicted reader, but I also create many fun plot ideas for books so I thought this would be a fun read. I thought this was okay, though it wasn't anything spectacular. I'm an adult and I usually only read YA because I enjoy the plot lines and it usually avoids the ridiculous language and intense sex scenes of many adult reads. I guess there is a rather wide berth of YA but the author seems to aim it to younger kids than I imagine most of the target audience for YA is. There was definitely a lot of great info throughout though too so an interesting read that is worth reading!

[Cat]

I am thinking of writing, but not for this age group, I just sort of wanted to get a feel for it...what's involved. It seems to be a pretty concise how to book that I am sure I am sure will be appreciated by someone wanting to write a YA book. \

I received a Kindle arc from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.

[Kimberly Sabatini · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you know me, you're aware I very rarely rate books poorly. But this one---oh so cringy. The few sections that dealt solely with the Hero's Journey and provided literary examples to better illustrate the authors points were solid, but the descriptions and analysis of young adults ranged from uncomfortable to highly offensive. Unfortunately, I can not recommend this book.

[Ileana Renfroe · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Young Adult Writer’s Journey is a great guide book.

It helps you with creating and peopling your YA world. It also provides you information about the structure and mechanics. Very well written and easy to follow.

[Mackensi Green · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this book is great for writers who are just starting out. I like that they explained the plot tool of the Hero's Journey. I don't see it being the main topic of a lot of writing blogs but maybe I'm looking in the wrong place. However, their explanation of some YA characters seems misrepresented. They talk about how characters are the more important factor of YA literature but fail to delve beneath the surface of famous YA character motives.

However, I do think the facts, tips, and techniques in this book outweigh my annoyance of the writers' failure to fully analyze famous characters. I enjoyed their explanations of some insight on what it is like being a young adult and how that affects their story... well for the most part.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first, I thought I was reading a psychology book about children and then I realized this book is just what it says it is. You can’t sell a book without defining your audience. Unfortunately, in today’s world just writing what you want is not necessarily going to do anything but sit on your own shelf and no one else’s. The “audience” of young adult and middle grade kids is not what it was when we grew up. When I say we, I don’t care what your age is. Everything is changing fast enough that my statement is still true. Things aren’t as they were. Not being aware of the teens interests of today would be like writing a “Little House on the Prairie” book. If that’s what you want to do, no problem. These authors are on top of things and worth listening to.

This is also a book to help you lay out the frame or skeleton of your story. I was unhappy at first of the many famous author examples that were used but then again, what better way to explain how to do something to create a book from one we already know has sold. I’m not saying anyone should follow the examples verbatim nor should you lose your own identity. This is just a well-written book to help you. Either as a layperson for ideas or for well-seasoned YA authors. Then comes the ultimate, marketing. It is covered in depth here and should be the most important part of the book in my opinion. If no one knows you wrote a book or never sees it, never buys it, is it really a book?

I think this really is an encyclopedia and yet I also think it can inspire you to get started or move forward on your book. There is no author that doesn’t have that periodic moment of being “stuck”. This is one of those sources you use as a reference material and keep on your shelf.

[LynneV · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read a ton of books on writing craft and even though, I write romance and not young adult, I still think the advice in this book was useful to me and will help me improve my craft. The section of the Hero's Journey is particularly useful even though some of that information was rehashed in archetype.

Definitely recommend for writers looking to learn more about structure in general and writing for a YA-audience in particular.

ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions stated are my own.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

***I received this title for free from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review***

The Young Adult Writer's Journey is a "how-to" for new authors. I think if you are already an experienced writer, a lot of the content in this book is probably second nature and/or you have an editor to help steer you in the right direction.

For a beginner though, I think this book is a helpful reference piece. Schrader-Post and Fortin-Hinds cover building a novel from beginning to end; touching on genre and structure, how to write characters, the mechanics of writing, and even some on editing/publishing.

There were some points in the character sections, where I felt their definitions were stereotypical from a certain view-point.. However, the archetypes and hierarchy of teens is a good starting point for making sure you are putting different types of characters in to your novel. I also thought pulling examples from well-known and successful YA books was a good touch. This lets readers see the points made in the book put in to practice - because most people have read Harry Potter or the Hunger Games.

All-in-all i think this book would be a great help to anyone looking to start their first YA novel.