What Makes Good Young Adult Fantasy?

The Hunger Games
by Suzanne Collins

Today, we wanted to explore what makes good Young Adult Fantasy. Sure, we all have our favorite stories, but what is it that hooks us, sucks us in, and pulls us along for the ride? The answer probably is different for everyone. We know we're drawn by strong characters. Characters who make us feel, so we want to root for them. That's what propels the story. For other readers, maybe the plot is more important. Who knows? Tell us in the comments below!
          First, we came across an article called "The 8 Habits of Highly Successful Young-Adult Fiction Authors." Most of the authors mentioned write contemporary fiction, but all of the points apply to fantasy, too. The first habit was, "Think like a Teen." Sound advice. In fact, we mentioned in last week's article, "Young Adult Fantasy vs. Adult Fantasy," that a key sign you're reading YA literature, is if the story is told through the perspective of a teen character. You have to put yourself in an adolescent's shoes.

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown
by Holly Black

          We won't go into too much detail about the other article, because you can read it for yourselves, but the other seven points are: "Find the 'Emotional Truth' of the Teenage Experience," include "Pop Culture" references, "Get Input from Real Teenagers," be careful of using slang words (since teens' use of language changes about every four years), "Keep it Moving," don't be afraid to touch on dark subjects, and "Find the 'Kernel of Hope.'" This is all great advice to create a specific character, in a specific setting, and not being afraid to address questions that teens face.
          Some may disagree with us on this point, but we believe it is crucial for every YA story to have a hopeful ending. There needs to be a hope, because teens are at a point in their lives where they're preparing to face The Future, and they need a spark to keep them going, even in fantasy settings. The darkest YA stories have hope. The Hunger Games trilogy, by Suzanne Collins, ends with Katniss recovering, ever-so-slowly, from her traumas and beginning a new life. In Holly Black's The Coldest Girl in Coldtown, Tana didn't become a vampire, and she managed to lock herself up securely so that she could fight through the illness that leads to vampirism if you don't lock yourself up. She saved her sister, and she can be human again, or at least the hope of being human again. See what we mean?

The Amulet of Samarkand
by Jonathan Stroud

          Now we can address the fantasy aspect. What makes good fantasy? An author who has used world-building tools often creates the best and strongest fantasy worlds. The reader needs to learn about the world, and there are a few ways to do that. In urban fantasy, a common way to learn about the world is through the main character being thrown into a supernatural situation he or she didn't previously know about, and then learning the ropes from others or experience. In a setting where the main character already lives in the fantasy world, the reader has to learn about the world through interactions. In rare cases, like Christopher Paolini's Eragon or The Bartimaeus Trilogy by Jonathan Stroud, some authors use footnotes or glossaries to expand upon the world.
   
      This might seem an odd requirement, but hear us out: your fantasy story needs to be believable. What this means is readers need to think the world is plausible, and can immerse themselves within it because it's relatable, and understandable. Readers need to be able to imagine the world. If your story has magic, there needs to be a system, and if it's a post-apocalyptic world, the event that began it needs to make sense, and humanity's reaction to it needs to make sense.

The Tough Guide to Fantasyland
by Diana Wynne Jones

          The Harry Potter series is a fantastic example of world-building. J. K. Rowling took a setting that everyone could identify with (school, and all the regular problems of meeting new people and making friends), and flipped it into fantasy (a school of magic), and her system has rules, like not being allowed to use magic outside of school until your seventeenth birthday. Another example is Blood and Chocolate, by Annette Curtis Klause, where the main character has to deal with typical teenage issues with family and school, but her family consists of werewolves. The rule? Don't get close to humans.
          Honestly, we could talk forever about world-building. There are so many tips and strategies, but we're here to discuss why it makes good YA. If you really want to go in depth about creating an awesome fantasy world, read The Tough Guide to Fantasyland: The Essential Guide to Fantasy Travel by Diana Wynne Jones. You won't regret it.
          The best, most successful, and enjoyable YA Fantasy has well-rounded characters firmly grounded in the teenage mindset, a fast-paced story, an ending with hope, and a believable fantasy world. If you think we left out anything, comment below with what you think makes spectacular YA Fantasy.

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Young Adult Fantasy vs. Adult Fantasy

A friend of ours once asked, "What makes YA fantasy different from other fantasy books or stories?"
          If he couldn't quite draw the line and learn the difference, then we're willing to bet some of you don't clearly know the difference, either. The major difference, of course, is that YA fantasy is intended for the young adult audience and features young adult characters. Other fantasy books are intended for children or adult audiences. Every story needs an audience, a focal point, to define. If you don't have a target audience, then you're not sending a message, and if you're not doing that, you cannot write a story. The target audience helps define what the story is about.
          We told our friend that YA fantasy centers on material related to young adults, but that's not to say adults, or even middle grade readers, can't read YA books. In fact, adults make up 55% of those who purchase YA books, and 78% of those claimed they were the intended reader of the book. Interesting, right? So what is it about YA that fascinates adults, who aren't even the intended audience? That's a whole other discussion, right there, but it largely has to do with re-experiencing adolescence.

Howl's Moving Castle
by Diana Wynne Jones

          For teens, YA fantasy helps them grow and learn about themselves, as it, along with other YA books, largely focuses on coming-of-age, dealing with "firsts" (first loves, first parties, first adventures, first you-name-it), and coping with change. It's an unstable, yet exciting and mesmerizing time of life, which is why teens and adults love it.
          "Well," our friend said, "does that mean adult fantasy can include some things that YA can't?"
          This question was slightly trickier, because the answer is no. YA fantasy can include sex and violence, but, most likely, not as explicit as in an adult novel. However, that, again, brings up the question: how is it different?

Stardust
by Neil Gaiman

          YA fantasy can explore deep themes like adult fantasy, but the difference is that it's written in a way that appeals to the YA audience. Books like Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones delve into appearance versus what people are on the inside, or Stardust by Neil Gaiman, which is about going out into the world to discover who you really are and what you're capable of. We've found that YA is quicker-paced than adult fantasy, allowing young adults to engage in writing that matches their lifestyle. We heard someone say once that he (an adult who taught screenwriting courses) preferred reading YA books because they were similar to watching films and moved quickly, directly striking the heart of the matter.
          The real difference returns to our first point: the writer needs to get in character to make the protagonist, and all other characters, relevant and likable. How a teenager reacts to a situation might be completely different than how an adult would react. What makes YA is the characters, not necessarily the plot. It's about experience and change, and what it's like to grow into the person you will become. Characters change in adult fantasy, too, but do not have as much room to grow, and have some past experiences to fall back on for advice. YA is seeing the world anew again, where everything is an adventure.
          You tell us, did we answer the question? Comment below if you have other questions about the differences between YA fantasy and other types of audiences!

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