4 Key Insights To Consider When Writing Teen Fiction
Explore the power of writing teen fiction: 4 key insights for aspiring authors!
Since most young adult authors are grown-ups, they draw upon their memories of adolescence to create teen characters. Regardless of how vivid the recollections may be, it's crucial to acknowledge that teenagers' brains work distinctively from adults. This article highlights the key insights that every young adult writer should know to create relatable narratives when writing teen fiction.
Teens Can Easily Get Bored
Unlike adults and younger kids, adolescents start with a lower level of dopamine, a neurotransmitter responsible for good mood. It kicks in when we do things essential for survival, like eating carbs, when engaging in activities like learning, socializing, or enjoying a good story. Dopamine is essential for learning, mood, memory, and sleep. Low dopamine levels in teens make them more vulnerable to stress and depression and can make interesting things seem dull.
Teens, with their low dopamine levels, crave new experiences. Books can offer that novelty to grab a teen's interest right away. With around 6–7 hours of school each day and more time dedicated to homework, extracurricular activities, and jobs, teens can have a 12–14 hour workday. Furthermore, teens need more sleep, around 9–12 hours per night. So, if a teen is going to spend free time reading fiction, it has to be captivating from the start. This means they will be more interested in stories that are focused on the most relevant and interesting aspects of life.
Teens Have Intense Emotions
Teen emotions are powerful due to their low dopamine levels. Although teens may find everyday life mundane, their emotions, especially those involving romantic love, are exceptionally strong. Even in the comfort of their own space, a bored or lonely teen can experience the excitement of a love story or the thrill of political rebellion.
This provides them with an opportunity to experience strong emotions that may be lacking in their real lives. Writers must convey their protagonist's emotions on the page to allow readers to connect with and feel those powerful sentiments.
Teens Require Exploration and Boundary Testing
Adolescents are in a developmental stage where they're struggling with questions about identity and their role in the world. This phase, often depicted in coming-of-age stories, revolves around identity exploration. Testing different personas is a crucial part of how teens navigate their self-discovery journey. Just as reading provides emotional release, it also serves as a platform for teens to experiment with and reflect on new identities.
It allows them to see their experiences mirrored and understand that others share similar feelings, fostering a sense of connection. Empower your teen protagonists by placing them in control. Provide them with the agency that readers might be seeking in their own lives. Avoid preaching. It can be dull for readers of all ages and particularly off-putting for teens. Instead, show a protagonist's dilemmas or test boundaries, allowing teen readers to draw their conclusions.
Teens Exhibit Natural Curiosity
The adolescent brain is adaptable and flexible. Despite challenges like poor decision-making and mood swings, the teenage brain excels in learning and quickly acquiring new skills. Their inherent curiosity with a tendency to become easily bored, makes teenagers naturally curious individuals.
They have a keen desire to understand the world and, more specifically, to explore the lives of their peers. Fiction books, with their immersive narratives, provide teens with a unique opportunity to step into someone else's shoes. For writers, this is an opportunity to offer teen readers narratives that foster learning, present new experiences, and instill a love for reading.
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