The Young Adult books that I’ve published – and the ones
that are currently “in the works “ – are all written in 1st person, from
the heroine’s point-of-view. Most of the YA fiction I’ve read over the years is
also written this way. This makes sense, since so much of the YA market
consists of female readers.
I’ve read a number of books recently (Young Adult and New
Adult) that alternate points of view.
Rather than being written in 3rd person, the chapters alternate
between the hero and heroine’s 1st person perspective. Each chapter
is “headed” by the name of the character whose point-of-view is expressed in
the chapter. I find this very interesting… something I’d like to explore in my
own writing.
But lately, I’ve found myself wondering about YA fiction
that tells the “guy’s story”. I have 3 sons of my own, one of whom is very much
a teenager, and as I watch him experience the fun and the terror of his teenage
years, I think to myself… “There should be books out there that tell the guy’s
story.”
I mean, really… the possibilities are endless.
~
The boy who stays in trouble, but is really the sole caregiver to his baby
sister
~
The super-smart boy who gets picked on for being weak because he doesn’t play
sports
~
The star athlete who’s crumbling under the pressure and expectations
~
The all-around-good-guy who girls look over in favor of the “bad boys”
And those are just a few of the various “boy
personalities” who are just waiting to have their stories told! I see boys like
this every day in my job as a teacher, and as I contemplate how I might
eventually tell a story from the boy’s perspective, I’d love to have your
thoughts!
What issues would be unique to a teenage boy… things that
might not be addressed in a book written from a girl’s perspective?
What are some issues that boys struggle with?
What are teenage boys’ greatest fears?
And what books would you recommend that are written from
the boys’ perspective? I know there are some out there, and I’d love to know!
