YA Fantasy Questions for Writers

What is a YA author? That and more questions are answered here!

Hello and welcome!

As a sort of piggyback off of last week’s post (YA Fantasy Questions for Readers), I’m going to be tackling some YA questions from a writer’s perspective.

Whether you’re a writer yourself, know someone who is, or are just curious, hopefully, there’s something in this for you.

I hope you like what you see, and leave a comment below with your thoughts!

What is the meaning of YA fantasy?

YA stands for young adult and is typically aimed at readers or viewers between 12 and 18.

The exact age range that can be considered YA varies depending on who you ask, though.

I went into more detail about this in last week’s post.

What is a YA author?

A YA author is someone who has published works that are intended for YA readers.

While a YA author typically focuses on writing material aimed at teenagers, that doesn’t mean they can’t write for other age groups as well.

It just means a majority of their most well-known work is probably falling into that category.

Not all those who write YA materials are considered YA authors.

Some are YA writers, which does overlap somewhat, depending on who you ask.

For many, the terms are interchangeable.

For others, writers write, but authors are published.

That means that authors would also be writers, but not all writers are authors.

According to good ol’ Merriam-Webster, an author is “The writer of a literary work.”

A writer can be an author or a writer may write different types of works.

Since writing comes in so many more forms than just novels and the like, writers may be very well-known and accomplished without ever wearing the title “Author.”

Another differentiation I found is more in relation to ghostwriting.

In that case, the author is the originator of the idea, while the writer is the one who turns it into a finished work.

What is the most popular YA genre?

The answer to this question is an ever-changing one since trends come and go.

Some of the most popular genres include fantasy, romance, and the more specific urban fantasy.

Fantasy is popular among different age groups, YA especially, I think.

It’s a really broad term that could mean any number of subgenres, which is part of its draw.

Dragons, elves, and fairies are fantastical creatures that stimulate the imagination.

Readers of YA fiction may love seeing new twists on classic creatures or narratives!

As for romance, this genre can be paired with any number of other genres.

This one may be in such high demand because readers of this genre can often consume many books in short order.

It’s also a highly trope-filled genre, which means that you’ll find easily definable patterns across lots of different stories.

Examples include the enemies-to-lovers trope and the mysterious stranger.

Many readers who know what they enjoy will never get enough of their favored romance tropes.

As for urban fantasy, I think this is popular because it’s fun to imagine the hidden possibilities within our own world.

Another more specific one that I’ve noticed being in high demand in recent years is dystopian.

You may have guessed as much, given the popularity of The Hunger Games, Divergent, and others.

Often, these ones show young protagonists in situations that are difficult to imagine and prevailing.

I think it’s very encouraging for young readers who are working through their own real-life struggles.

What makes a YA book popular?

On an individual basis, this can be hard to pinpoint.

It could be the specific character or characters in a book, the setting, the plot, or any number of other aspects.

In general, though, a good YA book should try to knock it out of the park on all three.

What makes a good YA fantasy book?

Arguably the most important thing that makes a good YA fantasy book is the emotional impact it has on readers.

Many different factors are involved in creating that, but that’s what will stick with readers for years to come.

As for the actual execution of a YA fantasy book, here are a couple of pointers.

Firstly, the three points mentioned in the above answer are typically necessary for a good YA fantasy book.

To reiterate, those are compelling characters, a well-developed setting or world, and an interesting plot.

Secondly, one of the most critical aspects of good YA fantasy ties in with the aforementioned characters. That is character development.

A character shouldn’t be static from the beginning of the story all the way through to the end.

If they are, say for a side character, it should definitely be for a reason.

It’s generally considered best practice for the protagonist to change in some way, often learning and growing as a person.

How do you start a YA novel?

Starting a YA novel is similar to starting any book in that it’s usually best to invoke intrigue.

Make your readers ask questions or pique their interest in a way that makes them want to keep reading.

Along with that, your opening could be a mirror of your ending, and it should be an indicator of what type of story a reader should expect.

First lines are important in any story, as they give readers their first glimpse into the story that’s to come, as well as your writing style.

That first line is also called the "Hook," since it should entice readers to read on.

You could open with a line of dialogue that leads into a conversation, or maybe a sentiment the protagonist has about something you’re about to introduce.

You could open with an action sequence, putting readers directly into some sort of conflict.

You could open with a prologue.

That means that before your story begins, you add a separate bit of writing.

This could be anything from an introduction to the fantasy world, an event in a character’s past, or even the future event that your story will lead into.

A prologue could be used in any number of ways, but it should be kept very brief.

Some would recommend against including one at all because it has been so overdone.

Well, really it was the norm for so long, and so many people did it badly, that now it’s frowned upon in some circles.

You can use a prologue, but I’d say only do so if you can’t tell your story properly without it.

How do you write a YA fantasy book?

In YA, opening with an action sequence can be good for more reasons than just the usual.

That’s because, for younger audiences, a book should usually be plot-driven.

That means that in order to hold the attention of younger readers, don’t dwell too long on characters thinking and waiting around.

You’ll want to jump from action to action, as long as it makes sense, and let the inner workings sort of be told through the action and dialogue.

Keeping a relatively quick pace is generally good form, and using fairly simple language ensures that everybody can keep up.

You don’t want to sound like you’re writing to little children, but don’t write like it’s a doctoral thesis or something.

Keep characters relatable to readers, giving them flaws and having them act their age.

That’s probably the best advice I can give you for writing YA.

That’ll also help to drive the plot, since, as we all know, actions have consequences.

We pretty much learned that as young adults ourselves, so it’s a good way to connect with readers.

How do you write a YA fantasy romance?

As with other romances, YA fantasy romance must have a character-driven plot.

That means that the focus is on internal development, as well as the relationship between the main character and their love interest.

In a fantasy setting, you’ll want to incorporate some world-building, and there may be a subplot that’s action/adventure or something.

To qualify as romance, though, the relationship should take precedence.

Since YA is intended for younger audiences and features younger characters, the romance needs to be geared toward that age group.

For instance, the romantic steps couples take together will be different at that age.

Instead of marriage and moving in together, there’s holding hands and sitting together in the lunchroom.

There may be intimate moments for older teen characters, but in YA it should pretty much be fade-to-black at the most.

No details are necessary, and it could be extremely sketchy if they’re included.

How many YA books are published each year?

The number may be slightly different in any given year, but the average is about 30,000 YA books per year.

This number will also vary by genre and subgenre, but if you write what you’re good at, chances are there’s an audience for you.

That’s all I have for you today.

I hope this has been helpful for you, and maybe even stimulated your imagination.

If you’re procrastinating writing your YA book, my advice is this: Get a draft out there.

Even if it’s crap, you can work with crap!

You can’t work with nothing!

Hopefully, you’ll take the next steps and get your masterpiece out there for the world to enjoy!

Thank you for stopping by!