The Mass Appeal of YA Fiction -
It's Not Just For Teens
Guest Post by Kimberly Kinrade
Chances are you or someone you love is addicted to Young
Adult fiction. In all likelihood, you know many non-teens who fall into this
category. For those who just don't understand the fascination, or who worry
about your loved one's mental health, I'm here to help.
Young Adult fiction didn't start as a genre so much as an
age classification for books. Depending on who you ask, (or what you read) YA
lit falls somewhere between Middle Grade and Adult literature and is typically
known for its teen protagonist going through coming-of-age type journeys.
However, it has sparked a reading revolution among a wide
age demographic. Young teens to middle aged adults are obsessed with YA
books—and the big question on many people's minds is why? Perhaps you are
wondering that about your loved one. Or perhaps you too have a secret obsession
with this genre-that's-not-a-genre, but don't totally understand why.
First, let's set the record straight. YA isn't a genre, per
se. It's talked about like it is, but it isn't. Paranormal, romance, thriller,
horror, mystery, literary fiction, sci fi, fantasy… these are genres—all of
which you can find in the YA category. So if it's not a genre, and it's not
just appealing to young adults, then what gives?
I know, it's confusing. Some of you may think YA lit is a
gateway drug to fluff writing. Many attribute the wide-spread popularity of YA
lit to the 'simplistic writing'—the argument being that people don't want to
have to use their brains when they read, and YA is brainless (or something
along those ridiculous and insulting lines.)
Don’t get me wrong, there's some brainless, simplistic YA out there. Just as
there's the same for thriller, horror, mystery, etc. That's true of any genre
(yes, okay, we'll call it a genre for sake of clarity and ease of
communication, just remember, it's not really a genre.) As someone who reads
and writes YA fiction (as well as children's literature and adult fiction) I
find this explanation simplistic and offensive.
Sure, we want to be entertained when we read. We crave
escapism and adventure. That doesn't mean the writing is bleh or that we're all mindless morons. It just means we might not
always be in the mood for War and Peace.
(And honestly, who is ever in the
mood for that?)
So what's the appeal? Based on what I've seen, read and
heard… here are my thoughts.
One, YA is largely dominated by female authors, and female
readers. That's not to say that men and boys don't enjoy reading and writing
YA, but they are not the primary demographic on either side of the coin. (And
please don't ask me to site sources, this is a blog, not a literary journal… a
quick Google search will show this to be true.)
Perhaps because of this, YA has more strong, intelligent,
kick-butt female protagonist than nearly any other genre, ever. (With epic
fantasy probably being last on the list, following thrillers… this is not statistically
proven, just my guess based on what I've read. And of course, there are
exceptions. Just not many.) As a woman myself, I love reading about strong
women and girls who are faced with hard choices and challenges and come away
even stronger. I relate to them, just as many of you do. Just as our teen
daughters do. It's empowering.
For this alone, the YA genre lends itself to popularity. But
I think it's more than that. Within YA, you can find any genre you like, be it
mystery, romance, thrillers, horror, sci fi, fantasy, paranormal… but they will
all have some basic similarities that account for much of these books'
appeal—the coming of age theme.
In any coming of age story, you're dealing with thematic
elements that touch on deep emotional memories for most of us. We may not
relate to a middle aged male detective chasing a serial killer, or an elf
killing Orc's with a giant sword, but probably all of us can relate to a
teenager falling in love for the first time, or feeling trapped and helpless in
a situation not of their making (or of
their making.)
We've all been there, and in these books, we get to go back
with the wizened eyes of age and experience and relive what we once lived, but
with more grace and control. We get to escape from the drudgery of dishes and
grocery shopping and cooking and working and join a girl who has to fight to
stay alive and provide for her family. We get to find love with a mythical
being beyond reality, or battle side by side with our best friends as we face
off against evil teachers and bad wizards. No matter how magical, mythical or
outside of reality the plot is, the internal drive and quest and hardships are
the same.
It also provides a sense of wish fulfillment. We've been
there on one level, but we haven't. Now we get to be the popular girl, or the
girl who can read minds, or the one who finds eternal love. We live thousands
of lives through the pages in these books, lives that are just starting out,
lives that are on the cusp of unfolding into greatness. You can't get that same
magic anywhere else. It's the magic of YA, that we get to begin anew each time
we pick up a new book to read.
For teens, the journey is different. They are still living
it, and so can relate to their paged peers. But they also get to see into the
future by surviving the Hunger Games with Katniss or living happily ever after
with Edward. They get to imagine their futures a hundred different ways—and
they, like us adults, enjoy the wish fulfillment of these stories.
It's a powerful drive, the emotional memories and fantasies
that all genre of YA books stir in us. Is it any wonder that it's so addictive?
Within one massive genre-that's-not-a-genre, we get to relive the emotional
intensity of our own coming-of-age. And in the end, aren't we all still going
through these moments, if in a less dramatic way? We all live through new
beginnings and endings, heartbreak and rebirths, closed doors and open windows.
When we feel hopeless or stuck, a great YA novel brings us back to a place of
hope and opportunity where anything and everything is possible, if we just turn
the next page in our books—and our lives.
About Kimberly
Kinrade
Kimberly
Kinrade was born with ink in her veins and magic in her heart. She writes
fantasy and paranormal stories for children, YA and adults and still believes
in magic worlds. Check out her YA paranormal novels Forbidden Mind and Forbidden
Fire and her illustrated children's fantasy chapter books Lexie
World, Bella World and Maddie
World all on Amazon.
She lives with
her three little girls who think they're ninja princesses with super powers,
her two dogs who think they're humans, her two kittens who think they're gods,
and her husband, also known as the sexy Russian Prince, who is the love of her
life and writing partner.
Click here for a chance to win signed copies of Kimberly's
YA novels,
Forbidden Mind and
Forbidden Fire, as well as Zoe Winters'
paranormal romance novels and a Kindle Fire!
This
post is part of a weekly feature of guest posts about various topics
related to writing and publishing. If you are interested in doing a
guest post, please contact me.
Most recent post - The Fine Art of Being Rejected by Merry Farmer.
While you are here, please also check out the previous posts included in this feature.
Kimberly
Kinrade was born with ink in her veins and magic in her heart. She
writes fantasy and paranormal stories for children, YA and adults and
still believes in magic worlds. Check out her YA paranormal novels
Forbidden Mind and Forbidden Fire and her illustrated children's
fantasy chapter books Lexie World, and Bella World, all on
Amazon.
