Feb. 18, 2025

The Ink on the Page with YA

Traci Dowe/Kenworth

I’ve been writing YA since before I knew they were called YA. The thing was: they weren’t about just young adults. They were about families, friends, neighbors, the world around them. Life experiences include more than just the young adults, although they are a BIG part of the story.

For instance, Katniss Everdeen wouldn’t have been in the position she was in with the games if she wasn’t in the tragic position of taking care of a mother who lost her husband and was traumatized by it and a little sister who needed someone to be the parent.

Stories are people. I believe that wholeheartedly. Young, middle-aged, elderly, they all make up our lives and worlds. Everyone has stories. With the YA though, most of the focus is on the younger crowd and their take/their ability to help others. It’s not just one or two people but sometimes strangers who bond together to do something.

In Michael Grant’s series about kids who bond together after every adult disappears from their village before their eyes and they seemed to be trapped in some kind of boundaries of the town. Creatures begin showing up and they must band together to help the helpless from infants to younger siblings. Sometimes, they do so with bullies or strangers to them.

So, the stories aren’t about some whiny teenagers. They’re about our children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews all coming into their own. They’re taking a stand against evil or maybe even a situation that’s corrupt. I think it’s wonderful that there’s such a genre. It shows that young people get to make an effort to solve things even adults would have a hard time doing.

There is magic in some of the books. Okay, the majority of the books, lol, but that’s okay. It’s interesting to read about reapers, angels, devils, werewolves and more. Each has their own special story and we should enjoy them no matter our age. When I was younger, the YA genre just started out.

We didn’t have many selections to choose from. Being a writer, that always made me want to write stories for them, to expand the bookshelves. I enjoy reading YA. The early twenties was a time of tremendous change in my life and I try to reflect that. Yes, YA can include slightly older adults. College age, say.

It’s when the world opens up for us. When we take those first baby steps into life and learn what works and what doesn’t. It’s important to share stories from young to old. We can all learn from each other, go on each other’s adventures. That’s exciting, that’s connecting on a deeper level than normal.

If you haven’t picked up a YA novel lately, you might be surprised. Won’t you open the pages to a new exciting world with me?

This week’s Seven:

1. Crime Writer Margot Kinberg: We Make it Harder Than it Has to Be* – Crime Writer Margot Kinberg In Agatha Christie’s The Clocks, Hercule Poirot solves the strange case of an unidentified dead man whose body is found in the home of a blind teacher named Millicent Pebmarsh. On the surface, the case appears to be quite complex, with strange clues and leads that don’t seem to go very far. When Poirot’s friend Colin Lamb brings him the case, though, Poirot’s first reaction is:

What a unique way of looking at things! Complex crimes are really simple to the detective/s. I wonder if it is because the villain is so intent on covering up the crime/s that they make the simplest of mistakes…

• Helping Writers Become Authors: Exploring the Impact of AI on Fiction Writing: Opportunities and Challenges – Helping Writers Become Authors Artificial intelligence is changing the way we do just about everything these days, and the impact of AI on fiction writing is no exception. As a writer who cherishes the creative process, I have spent the last few years grappling with both the possibilities and pitfalls this new technology brings. On the one hand, AI offers tools that can make our lives easier—such as helping with research, marketing, and even ideation. On the other hand, it raises questions about originality, authenticity, and the integrity of human storytelling.

I use AI for creating my characters, creatures, and settings. I do sometimes have to spend some time with the program to get my ideas right but it comes pretty darn close to what I’m asking for.

• DGKayeWriter: February Writer’s Tips – #Writing Process, #Publishing #Scams, #Blogging Tips – DGKayewriter.com Welcome to my February curated Writer’s Tips. In this edition, Liz Gauffreau is at the Story Empire with a detailed post on Revisiting our Writing Process, Nathan Bransford has some helpful tips to combat Rampant Publishing Scams, and Hugh Roberts, our WordPress guru talks about how to Boost your Blog Reach.

A lot of good info here!

• Life in the Realm of Fantasy: Idea to story part 2: thinking out loud #writing | Life in the Realm of Fantasy Over the years, I have learned many tricks to help people get their ideas out of their heads and onto paper.

Nearly everyone says they have an idea for a good story. What separates writers out from the crowd is this: as time passes and they think about it, they write those ideas down. Ninety five percent never get beyond this stage but for a few, thinking about it on paper ends and they dive straight into writing it.

Most will begin without an outline. They are flying blind, or in author speak, “pantsing it.” I am a planner, but I’m also a pantser. I begin with a document that details what I think the story is, a loose outline. I sit somewhere noisy, like a coffee shop or my apartment balcony, and let my mind wander, taking notes as the story comes to me.

I usually have an outline but pantsing it is also something I do. Sometimes, the outline goes completely kaput during the writing. Other times, I can tie it back to it.

• Entertaining Stories: Making a new plan | Entertaining Stories I took yesterday off. I’ve been on the job so long that leave adds up fast. My MO is to add a day to all the holiday weekends. I tore into my WIP and moved it ahead to where it would be an easy finish, and I finished the rough draft today.

Part of my problem here is that I stopped writing two books at once. When roadblocks come up, and they always do, I didn’t have anything else to turn to until things clarified for me.

I will park this story for a while before any editing happens. I did order the cover art, and because this is a Hat story, I’m going to

I’m writing two books and a novella at the moment. Hectic but it’s working!

• Jaye Marie and Anita Dawes: Silent (and thoughtful) Sunday… | Jaye Marie and Anita Dawes I never know if Sunday is the end of the week, or the beginning of a new one.

Today, it’s the end of waiting and worrying for me, but it’s not as easy as that sounds. I have news, but it’s ongoing and hardly conclusive yet. But it has given me such a lot to think about.

I hope the warmth comes for us all soon. Hugs.

• Legends of Windmere: The Pumpkin Toadlet: A Standout Among Jumpers | Legends of Windemere First, the pumpkin toadlet is not considered endangered.  It’s a toad found in South America and is less than an inch long.  They are a bright-yellow orange because they possess a neurotoxin.  These toads skip the tadpole stage too and are born as very small toadlets.  All very interesting information, but rather tame.  So, why did I want to do a post about them?

Well, the pumpkin toadlet has underdeveloped ears, so it can’t hear it’s own calls.  They have to communicate through motions of their throat sac and arms.  It’s believed they have actually evolved to not really need the sounds and still do it because they haven’t gotten rid of the ability completely.  Loud noises can lead to them being discovered by predators, so better to be silent.

Wonder what that defense could do for a character?