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Writer's pictureKathryn Heller

5 Important Tips For Research in the Young Adult Genre



Hi! Thank you for checking out my blog, I am assuming you’re here because you want to know how to write in the young adult genre, well you are in the right place! I have mainly worked on short stories in the genre young adult. Additionally, I have my B.A. in Creative Writing and English with a minor in fiction, I am currently pursing my M.F.A. in Creative Writing as well. What I can tell you is I have spent a lot of time trying to perfect my craft especially in the young adult genre, so I hope my five tips can help you!

 

Tip 1: How to know what to research?

            I know, research, I too thought it would just be taking the story I thought of and putting it on paper but it’s so much more than that. Just like you are doing now, reading this, this is research you are learning more about the craft to better understand it and perfect it. It is important to have a solid research plan before starting your story. What is it you are struggling most with, is it the point of view? Maybe the perspective? Understanding dialogue? For me since I write in young adult I had to better understand how to get into that teenage mindset, being 26 I don’t remember everything from my high school years or even what is trendy now. You want to relate to your audience, make them think your characters are just like them and understand them. Come up with a solid research plan, put together books that have inspired you, take notes from your favorite authors, read blogs/articles discussing the dos/don’ts of writing in young adult.

 

Tip 2: Where to find sources?

            This is the easy part about research because the inspiration is all around you. Pick up your favorite book and take notes on how that author wrote their dialogue or expressed the characters emotions. Maybe they are using the same point of view as your story, maybe they have multiple characters telling the story. Additionally, google was my best friend! I used websites like Masterclass and Writers Digest because they feature successful published authors who give your insight into how they write and tips and tricks to make you seem like a professional writer even if you are just starting out.

 

Tip 3: How do you know if your source is credible?

If you are planning to use a book you like, look up the author, read about them, ensure they are using original work, maybe they have a personal blog where you can gather more information on them. For most blogs there will be an “About me” page, that will discuss the credentials someone has and if they have the right to be offering you advice. For websites, google the history, find the “Contact” page, and asks the questions their site might not be providing.

 

Tip 4: How do I incorporate sources into my writing?

            For the most part, young adult fiction does not require sources, the book should be of your own originality, you can take inspiration from other’s but should not copy their story. If you are concerned about your research and advice, you may have taken from a blog or website you can add an acknowledgement, but it is not necessary unless you are word for word taking what someone else wrote. In young adult your story needs to continuously have a flow, adding a citation will pull the reader back to reality and out of your story.

 

Tip 5: Where to find more information?

            Going off my favorite sites, I am going to add some articles that have helped me with my writing as well as some authors I have used as inspiration. Starting with this article by Masterclass, “Examples of Point of View in Writing”, it is important to understand the different point of views you can use for your story and ensure you pick the one that will deliver your message the best. This article discusses the different point of views and how to use them, very beneficial if you find yourself struggling to decide on one (Masterclass). The next article is by Simran Sandu, “Young Adult Books: How to Write Groundbreaking YA”, this article discusses the importance of the characters and their emotional depth, escapism, and reader safety. Understanding your target audience and ensuring your main character can connect to them is important for a reader to continue with your story or future stories (Sandu). These are some good places to start if you are looking into writing in young adult and need some advice from experienced writers.

 

I hope my tips on the importance of research in young adult guided you in the right direction to begin writing your story and creating a research plan to ensure your story stays on track and is relatable for your audience, if you have any questions, I may not have covered please leave a comment and I will get back to you!

 

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