WHAT TEENAGERS DON'T WANT FROM YOUR BOOKS...Writing, Publishing, and the Teenager Pt. 2

Quick Update: I feel famous. Kimberly Pauley (a.k.a author of "Sucks To Be Me: The All-True Confessions of Mina Hamilton, Teen Vampire [Maybe]) is following me on Twitter after I talked to her on there. Crazy or what? I'd definitely recommend her books though...unless you don't want to laugh....

http://www.kimberlypauley.com/

So, anyways, while I wait for more questions about the YA genre to come in to answer, how about a sequel to my earlier post?

My own, personal list (as in, please do not go psycho and say I'm wrong or that I left out a million things) of things YA readers DO NOT WANT FROM YOUR YA BOOKS!

1.WE DO NOT WANT LESSONS SHOVED IN OUR FACE. Of course, the idea of every novel, story, etc. is theme. Theme is a good thing. You learn values through fictional characters, and see the consequences of common sins. However, I'm sure parents of adolescents are quite aware of what happens when you tell them what they did was bad...glazed-over eyes and repetition of the word "whatever". i.e... Say a YA protagonist lectured that shoplifting is naughty will not have the same effect of a YA protagonist shoplifting, and facing the police afterwards. It'll also give you a chance how the character handles themselves in panicky scenarios.

It happens to the best of characters, I suppose

2. WE DO NOT WANT A MENTION OF SOME EXTREMELY OLD FIGURE IN MEDIA. Yes, it is nice to know about that one legend that existed in the 60's...but if every celebrity, musician, actor your characters talk about require either a quick trip to Google, Wikipedia or a parent, that'll just waste time readers could be spending on your story. The same with dictionary terms, too...when I was younger, there have been books when I had to have a Word Document dictionary open while I was reading. Shouldn't be necessary!

3. WE DO NOT WANT CLICHES! AGH! Are you curious by what I mean? I'm sure a lot of you have seen or heard of this, but, Joelle Anthony’s old list gives a good idea of it. Hmmm *random idea* perhaps I should make a list of my own? Anyways, there are characters and scenarios that show up in teenage...everything! Be original. And if you're going to take an idea, at least breathe your own self into it. We can't all be Megan McCafferty.

Save the teenage cliches for spoof movies!

4. WE DO NOT WANT ASSUMPTIONS! Yeah, you think you know teenagers. They all go on Myspace and obsess over that mouse-voiced Justin Beiber...Bieber? I have no idea, which is exactly my point. Just as adults are, teenagers are extremely unique, impossible to define, and unexpected. That book-smart nerd boy in your book who seems to get flawless A's, is in every honor roll program at his school, and makes his momma proud might attend "parties" on Saturdays that are very un-Harvard. The school's resident, er, "female dog", might volunteer at a shelter, and maybe dealing with that and her fellow students makes her so bitter. You never know! And trust me, there are plenty of teens who have no Myspace. Some even have FACEBOOKS!



And lastly, the one I KNOW you've heard before, but cannot be emphasized enough...

5. WE NOT WANT TO BE TREATED...LIKE INFERIORS! Today's teen readers aren't all bumbling, Disney-channel-watching fan girls. I am glad to say I have friends who devour Anne Rice and Stephen King just as much as Stephanie Meyer and Scott Westerfeld. So, slow and simple reading, elementary-school worthy vocabulary, plenty of "OMG's" and "totally!", and characters with crushes on those scary Jonas Brothers...well, they just make us think you underestimate us. That you underestimate your audience.

There was a book series I read once (will not say the name, so no one is offended) during my post-Twilight phase. The hook was very vampire and werewolf-ish, and seemed like it would be interesting. Yet, the writing...was just wretched! A little kid might have written it. The plot could be predicted at the very beginning. The dialogue seemed like a bunch of Youtube comments. And it was a series!

Teen fiction is truly an amazing thing. They are stories of people growing from kids to adults, learning all the lessons that will mean their future. And yes, it's wonderful to write for them. Just be sure to have some respect for the mind of the teenager.

NOT NECESSARY!

Thanks for reading, and a huge thanks for subscribing when it comes to some of you! I feel like jumping up and dancing every time I see a bigger number on the followers list. Of course, that would only terrify every person in the room, so I try not to.

Bye! Stay tuned next week for another segment!

#YAlitchat ... ASK A QUESTION!

Quick Update: Yay, Billy Madison's on, no better way to relax than with a Adam Sandler flick!

Well, I decided to dare myself to do this, so, to all YA authors and readers out there coming through Twitter, I ask you this...

IF YOU COULD ASK A YA/TEEN READER ANY QUESTION, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

Why do I ask this? Well...maybe this week I can give you answers, eh? Not just me either. I'm hoping to get the help of some other Book Bloggers...:)

Any question is appreciated. And if there are people who want to contribute answers, be sure to email me via anythingbutordinary927 at yahoo dot com with your answers. Hopefully this will be a cool way to connect readers and their writers!

Thanks for reading! Be creative, be open!

TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE #1 - The Maniacal Volturi

Quick Update: My friend and I went in hysterics during a late-night (midnight-ish, and hey, we're teenagers, we're allowed) after a fan video she made for one of the stars for Twilight was re-tweeted by the celebrity himself. So, inspiration struck!

Twilight.

What do you automatically think of when I say that? You have four options:

A) Wha-what! But I do believe it's still early afternoon!
B) AH! OMG! OMG! I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT! I LOOOOOOOVE IT!
C) Ick. Really? Are we going to talk about this? F*** YOU!
D) Eh. Whatever. Not sure how I got here anyways... *quickly erases any searches for Robert Pattinson shirtless on Google History*

Okay, mostly Twilight brings to mind the subtle-plotted, somewhat dramactic blockbuster series (both book and movie series) about some bookish chick who has the hots for an immortal. However, as a fangirl there are two details about this mega-hit that I do like...1) awesome soundtrack/score songs, especially Paramore's "DECODE", some Muse songs, and Carter Burwell piano ballads to make us seem all "sophisticated". And 2) ATTRACTIVE MALES! (For a small note, people whose reaction was choice A or C will probably snort and/or make some noise of disgust at this).

For further reference, yes, I do find something appealing in those "ugly, hairy morsels" that "call themselves actors", should you be some hater. Now that we got that out of the way, let's focus on a particular breed among them...THE VOLTURI.

Okay, let's have a hasty review for those not in-the-know: the Volturi, in the Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer, are the evil, red-eyed rulers of their kind that judge too harshly and make decisions that never really seem to better anyone (sounds like our governement - hey, who said that!...) They'd brought into the storyline after Edward (you know, Robert Pattinson, 108-year old virgin vampire, get out from under that rock you're under before you suffocate!) decides to kick his own bucket when he believes Bella (I'm not going to explain this anymore, just Google it for crying out loud) is dead. After all, only vampires can kill other vampires (except for werewolves, but totally another story) and it's not like Edward can politely ask his brothers and sisters "Oh, my ex-girlfriend who I said I'd forget is probably dead, so can one of you please, please kill me so I don't have to suffer?". Yeah, not going to happen. So, his next choice is the Volturi - break one, itty bitty rule and they come running with fangs ready. See here in one of the small cips from THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE, featuring a minority of the Volturi.



To cast the Volturi, however, they brought in a wider variety of thespians to play the parts, everything from Sweeney Todd actors to child-stars-made-A-Listers. Here are the four Volturi we'll get to see in THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE. All the quotes from the books are thanks to Twilighters Anonymous, since for some stupid reason I left my Twilight books at home before I came to Tucson for summer vaca. :(

DANIEL CUDMORE as FELIX. Felix is somewhat of a body-guard for the Volturi. Strong, gigantic, angry, that sort of thing. What are some other movies that you can find him in? Small parts in ARE WE THERE YET?, DRIVEN TO KILL, and ICARUS, as well as a bigger role in X-MAN: THE LAST STAND as both Peter Rasputin and Colossus.



DAKOTA FANNING as JANE. Her character is an evil, little girl, who has this creepy ability to cause extreme, mental pain with her super-duper vampire powers. She does so on Edward around the end of the Twilight Saga: New Moon. Dakota's been in way too many movies for her own good; some of her most recent work is THE RUNAWAYS, CORALINE, PUSH, THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES, FRAGMENTS, and CUTLASS. Those are the ones where she'll be nearest to her actual age - sixteen.



CAMERON BRIGHT as ALEC. As Jane's evil twin, he has demonic abilities of his own, only they're physical, as he can blind enemies instead of torture them. To see more of Cameron Bright, check his moderate and minor roles in flicks like AN AMERICAN AFFAIR, X-MAN: THE LAST STAND (with his castmate Daniel), and THANK YOU FOR SMOKING. He also had a small role in one of my favorites, JUNO. Sorry. Just had to include that. :)



CHARLIE BREWLEY as DEMETRI. A.K.A, the blonde hunk who caused our ruckus on Twitter last night. Demetri (who in the picture is holding back petite Alice, or Ashley Green) is another body-guard sort of character, only he has an ability of his own: tracking. As in, once he catches your scent, he can follow you like a dog wherever you may go. Charlie hasn't had much of a resume (according to my friend, he's been in a couple movies like Ectasy) but his Twilight Saga role has already changed things.

Really, I'd planned on doing just the Volturi in the Eclipse movie, so perhaps I should stop now, as this blog is already a bit lengthy. However, my schedule has changed a bit - stay tuned to SOME SCREAMING FANGIRL DOT BLOGSPOT DOT COM for a whole string of blogs until the day THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE is released! I'm sure I can find more things to talk about when it comes to this amazing series in less than two weeks' time!

So, tuning out now! Be sure to read the next couple of weeks for other Twilight-related blog posts.

Here's my friend's fan video for Charlie Brewley: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BYjCo82h6g