 For Authors: August 15, 2012 Issue [#5205] |
  For Authors
This week: Why Do More Women Than Men Write YA? Edited by: Crys-not really here  
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| Hello! My name is Crys-not really here . I am always excited to be the guest editor of the For Authors Newsletter! |
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Why Do More Women Than Men Write YA?
NPR recently released a list of the 100 best YA novels, voted on by some 75,000 people. Among the authors represented on this list are Laurie Halse Anderson, Suzanne Collins, and JK Rowling. But only a handful of books on the list are written by men, which begs the question: why is the YA genre so saturated with women authors?
Women authors seem more successful in writing and selling young adult novels, and I believe it's in part because teenage girls tend to read more than teenage boys. At some point in a lot of teenagers' lives, sports, extracurricular activities and relationships become more important than books. However, girls continue reading at a much higher rate than boys. And female authors don't usually write books with a male main character simply because they can relate more to the experience of growing up female.
You may be thinking, "Then why don't more male authors write books on subjects that boys enjoy? Wouldn't that make boys want to read more?" Maybe, but they'd still be competing with all the real life issues that hold a teenage boy's attention. There are extremely successful male YA authors out there. Among them is John Green, who has 5 books on NPR's Top 100 list. The beauty of John Green is that he writes from a male point of view, but also writes books that some girls enjoy too. That's a very rare combination in the book world, and that's exactly what makes him so successful.
Some people point out another reason for an abundance of female writers. Women are more likely to have grown up reading young adult novels as teens than men are. They know what kind of books they enjoyed and may be more in tune with what girls enjoy today. Young adult novels are often driven by emotion, growth, relationships and romances, all things that females typically relate to more than boys. Middle grade novels, in contrast, are usually storyline driven. There are many successful male middle grade authors.
The issue of trying to get boys to read more is important, but it's much too big to be addressed in depth here. I want to suggest some ways that we as authors can help. I think its time that more authors take the leap into writing for teenage boys. There are some simple things you can do to start out. If you're a woman, simply trying to write with a male voice can be a great writing exercise. If you're a man, write the kind of book you would have liked to have read as a teen. Many of the books teenage boys enjoy today fall within the fantasy genre or are actually classics that are still popular today. Think Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and The Hobbit. If you enjoy those kinds of books, then write those kinds of books. They're always popular with teens.
Women may make up the vast majority of YA authors, but there's no reason that men shouldn't be able to write and sell successful YA novels as well. |
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Thanks to everyone who wrote in about my last For Authors newsletter on helpful publications for authors!
As a friendly reminder, the proper way to send me comments is through the form down there.  If you send them to my email, I sometimes forget about them. I also have to go through the extra step of asking your permission to quote you in the newsletter if you send your thoughts to me privately. Thanks!
This is all great info, Crys. Thanks so much for the NL  -LJPC - the tortoise 
I enjoyed your newsletter and, although I am more a diletante and do not intend to publish, I nevertheless subscribe to Writer's Digest and attentively read the WDC newsletters. I also recommend a book titled Sin & Syntax by Constance Hale. It's my bible. -Plume |
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