Break into the Bestselling Young Adult Market with this Indispensable Guide! Whether you're just getting started or are on the hunt for an agent or publisher, Writing Great Books for Young Adults is your complete insider source on how to succeed in the flourishing world of YA fiction and nonfiction. In this updated and revised edition, veteran literary agent ReginaL. Brooks offers invaluable advice for YA writers on everything from shaping your novel to crafting the perfect pitch for your book. Learn How To: Develop an authentic, engaging voice and writing style Construct dynamic plots that will resonate with readers Avoid common pitfalls related to tone and point of view Navigate the emerging genres of YA nonfiction and New Adult Create an exceptional query letter and proposal that will grab the attention of agents and publishers You'll also discover how successful film adaptations like Harry Potter and The Hunger Games have broadened the market for your book. Filled with tips and advice from agents, editors, and popular YA authors, Writing Great Books for Young Adults is your ticket to an incredible YA career! "Brooks offers writers who are serious about attracting teen readers solid guidance through the creation process of writing YA fiction."—Library Journal

Your hands-on, friendly guide to writing young adult fiction With young adult book sales rising, and bestselling authors like J.K. Rowling and Stephenie Meyer exploding onto the scene, aspiring YA writers are more numerous than ever. Are you interested in writing a young adult novel, but aren't sure how to fit the style that appeals to young readers? Writing Young Adult Fiction For Dummies gives you tricks of the trade and proven tips on all the steps to write a YA book, from developing an idea to publication. Unique writing exercises to help you find your own authentic teen voice Tips to avoid when submitting manuscripts How to break into the flourishing young adult market With the help of this step-by-step guide, you'll have all the skills to write an inspiring and marketable young adult novel.

This comprehensive guide introduces aspiring storytellers to the ins and outs of writing fiction and nonfiction for young adults. Information includes an overview of writing, from dialogue and point of view to plot, setting, and character construction; choosing an agent and publisher; marketing the finished work, and more. Written by an experienced author who has written, edited, and published books for young adults. Features writing exercises, anecdotes, and insider information. According to a 1998 survey report of the National Center for Education Statistics, young adults between the ages of 12 and 18 represent 25% of all public library patrons. YA is a popular and lucrative genre for aspiring and seasoned authors alike, both in fiction and nonfiction.

The book focuses on individuals writing in the '90s, but also includes 12 classic authors (e.g., Mark Twain, Louisa May Alcott, J.R.R. Tolkien) who are still widely read by teens. It also covers some authors known primarily for adult literature (e.g., Stephen King) and some who write mainly for middle readers but are also popular among young adults (e.g., Betsy Byars). An affordable alternative to multivolume publications, this book makes a great collection development tool and resource for author studies. It will also help readers find other books by and about their favorite writers.

Multicultural fiction is an essential part of the American literary landscape. This reference helps scholars, teachers, and librarians choose significant texts from both the past and present, and provides guidance in approaching multicultural issues as they are discussed in fiction for young adults. Included are entries for 51 writers, some of whom have nearly been forgotten, others who are just emerging. Each entry provides biographical, critical, and bibliographical information, while a general bibliography of works on multicultural literature concludes the book. Authors included range from the nearly forgotten, such as Laura Adams Armer, to the newly discovered, such as Graham Salisbury, winner of the 1994 Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction. The breadth of authors covered ensures an historical context for the issues raised by multiculturalism, and the sections on the critical reception of each author address such important issues as the authority and authenticity of the writer to comment on a different culture. Contributors are of many different ethnicities and include important scholars of children's literature, lending authenticity and authority to the volume itself.

Learn how to write young adult fiction with imagination and verve. This is an authoritative and engaging introduction to writing young adult fiction for the complete beginner. It will help you understand how the genre works, the big do's and don't's - as well as giving you the inspiration and motivation you actually need to write. Written by a leading literary agent who knows what it takes to make it in this market, this book will give you the advice and tips you need to stand out. An essential book for anyone hoping to emulate the success and addictive qualities that characterize books like The Hunger Games, Twilight, Divergent and The Fault in Our Stars. ABOUT THE SERIES The Teach Yourself Creative Writing series helps aspiring authors tell their story. Covering a range of genres from science fiction and romantic novels, to illustrated children's books and comedy, this series is packed with advice, exercises and tips for unlocking creativity and improving your writing. And because we know how daunting the blank page can be, we set up the Just Write online community at tyjustwrite, for budding authors and successful writers to connect and share.

Children's and young adult literature has become an essential medium for identity formation in contemporary Latino/a culture in the United States. This book is an original collection of more than thirty interviews led by Frederick Luis Aldama with Latino/a authors working in the genre. The conversations revolve around the conveyance of young Latino/a experience, and what that means for the authors as they overcome societal obstacles and aesthetic complexity. The authors also speak extensively about their experiences within the publishing industry and with their audiences. As such, Aldama's collection presents an open forum to contemporary Latino/a writers working in a vital literary category and sheds new light on the myriad formats, distinctive nature, and cultural impact it offers.

"Essentials of Young Adult Literature" Based on a genre approach to literature, this long-awaited book offers a comprehensive, clear, and succinct overview of adolescent literature. It includes recommended books listed by genre and topic, and engages readers by offering a thorough discussion of the major trends and issues affecting young adult literature such as censorship, the literary canon, and accountability. It provides clearly stated positions on the current issues affecting schools and literature. Written by well-known authors Carl Tomlinson and Carol Lynch-Brown, "Essentials of Young Adult Literature" places emphasis on reading a wide variety of young adult literature and addresses all types and formats of literature including novels, short stories, graphic novels, and picture books for older readers. In addition, notable authors are featured in each genre chapter and multicultural and international literature is integrated throughout the book and then treated more fully in its own chapter. Current and future teachers will appreciate the authors' practical strategies for connecting secondary school students with young adult books, such as how to select books that students will read and enjoy, how to motivate resistant readers to read, and how to develop text sets for classroom study across the curriculum. Readers will be equipped with the knowledge to use trade books as excellent teaching and learning materials and will not be limited to using textbooks alone. Key Features "Literature Across the Curriculum" features found in all genre chapters give examples of how young adult literature can help students and teachers in the content areas learn or present course content in a more interesting, memorable way. Extensive lists of recommended books briefly annotated with topics and age levels follow each genre chapter. One full chapter devoted to addressing the specific needs of resistant readers give middle and high school teachers much-needed strategies for addressing common obstacles to reading and for motivating students to read. Every chapter presents one to three charts with information about milestone books, history of specific genres, and research. Appendices feature Young Adult Book Award lists and YA Magazines, organized by content area and include ordering information. By the same authors Essentials of Children's Literature, Fifth Edition (c)2005, Allyn & Bacon, ISBN 0-205-42015-X For more information, please visit www.ablongman.com

This volume examines a variety of utopian writing for children from the 18th century to the present day, defining and exploring this new genre in the field of children's literature. The original essays discuss thematic conventions and present detailed case studies of individual works. All address the pedagogical implications of work that challenges children to grapple with questions of perfect or wildly imperfect social organizations and their own autonomy. The book includes interviews with creative writers and the first bibliography of utopian fiction for children.