How to Write YA Fiction: 4 Tips for Writing Young Adult Novels

YA fiction, an abbreviation of young adult fiction, is a genre of literature that bridges the gap between middle-grade fiction (which is typically targeted at middle schoolers) and novels written for adults.

Young adult fiction shares the following common characteristics:

• Age-appropriate content: YA novels are written to be appropriate for readers approximately 14 and up. Despite its teen characters and themes, YA writing also draws adult readers. Thanks to this adult audience, some YA fiction, such as The Hunger Games series and Harry Potter books, can top the New York Times bestseller list.
• Teenage protagonists: The heroes of YA novels are almost always teenagers, although characters of all ages can be represented.
• A manageable length: Young adult novels are typically in the range of 60,000 to 100,000 words.

Nearly any genre that would make for a compelling adult novel can also make for good YA literature. The same principles that elevate all great novels—a strong point of view, emotional truth, a relatable main character, entertaining secondary characters, fluid use of language, and a story worth investing in—are what elevate YA books. As a general rule, if a book would succeed as adult literature, there’s probably a reimagined version that would also resonate as a young adult novel. Teenage readers typically respond to a certain degree of edginess, which makes horror, thrillers, and dystopian sci-fi quite popular within the world of YA. Some of the specific YA subgenres include:

1. 1. Science fiction
2. 2. Horror
3. 3. Coming of age stories
4. 4. Fantasy
5. 5. Sports novels
6. 6. Thrillers

Middle grade books are for late elementary schoolers and early middle schoolers—think ages 9 to 12. They are another step up from chapter books, and tend to have more challenging vocabulary, few illustrations, and upwards of 60,000 words. Children in this age range can appreciate humor, mystery, and even small thrills.

By contrast, young adult novels target older teens and even adults. They tend to have teenage protagonists, but many peripheral adult characters offer an adult perspective. YA readers respond to topics like coming-of-age stories. Popular genres tend to skew toward fantasy and science fiction. Edgier books may feature a troubled main character struggling to confront an emotional truth. A YA novel can push beyond 100,000 words.

Legendary author Judy Blume has written extensively in both the middle grade and YA genres. She has also written four novels for adult readers, each one a New York Times bestseller.
Here is some of Judy’s wisdom for first time YA authors interested writing young adult fiction that is both relatable and engaging for more than one age group:

1. 1. Recall what you liked to read as a young adult. Returning to your own childhood doesn’t mean that you’ll need to simplify or dumb down your ideas. Children are much more complex and understand a lot more than they’re sometimes given credit for. Their lives are complicated and they want to deal with reality. Judy notes that when she was growing up, she desperately wanted to read about real life and about kids who were like her, who were dealing with the same things she was.
2. 2. Avoid obvious themes. When Judy writes, she stays away from themes. Themes in books tend to hit readers over the head and not give them enough credit. This can turn readers, especially young ones, off. Present situations and characters instead, and leave your readers to make their own minds up about the story’s meaning.
3. 3. Write complex teenage characters. In real life, the teenage years are difficult. They’re full of both inner conflict and outer conflict. To accurately capture the POV of that age group, you have to write characters who go through struggle, and those struggles don’t always have a clean resolution. Judy notes that all kids face problems growing up that affect who they are. The best YA writers take this to heart and imbue their characters with real problems that they must conquer over the course of a novel.
4. 4. Take your writing seriously. Judy is a big advocate of taking yourself seriously as a writer. Treat writing as your job, and make time for it. Judy doesn’t believe in writer’s block. Instead of giving up when you hit an obstacle on that first draft, write something else or go back to your notebooks to regain your momentum. Get away from your desk. Do the laundry. Go for a walk. Don’t forget to make some space for your personal life, though, too. Remember that real-life events and observations are key to keeping your idea box full.

Whether you’re creating a story as an artistic exercise or trying to get the attention of publishing houses, learning how to correctly use literary devices is essential to good writing. Award-winning author Judy Blume has spent decades honing her craft. In Judy Blume’s MasterClass on writing, she provides insight into how to invent vivid characters, write realistic dialogue, and turn your experiences into stories people will treasure.

Want to become a better writer? The MasterClass Annual Membership provides exclusive video lessons on plot, character development, creating suspense, and more, all taught by literary masters, including Judy Blume, Neil Gaiman, Dan Brown, Margaret Atwood, David Baldacci, and more.