Today I wanted to call attention to what looked like a great panel discussion at Publishers Weekly's "Think Future" Series. Moderated by PW's Elizabeth Devereaux, panelists discussed "What Makes a YA a YA?" Wow. This short article sums up THE practical issues in the YA genre today. I feel like the discussion that occurred here is exactly where we are in this ever-developing literary landscape.

I loved what Sherman Alexie (The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian) said about how YA books differ from their adult counterparts. I've heard this question asked of authors a lot. This is the most eloquent explanation I've ever heard:

"Writing for teens involves a stripped-down technique, Alexie said. "You tend to write more like Hemingway than Faulkner. More like Emily Dickinson than T.S. Eliot. It's not a matter of more complex thoughts, but the number of adverbs and adjectives. In the adult world, the number of adverbs and adjectives can be confused with great writing."

On the stigma of writing for the YA audience, he said:

"I thought I'd been condescended to because I'm an Indian," he said. "That was nothing compared to the condescension I get because I've written a YA novel." He said that fellow writers have also accused him of chasing a lucrative market. "Because I've written a book about a 16-year-old," he said, "that means I'm a capitalistic whore."

A key issue that I've pondered about aloud here at Ypulse Books, is the question: Are YA books for or about young people? An audience member asked the panel about this and again, Alexie's response was dead-on:

"If the former, a more conservative point of view comes in. If they are about young people, it's more about respecting and not protecting. As an Indian I'm used to being what I call 'reservationized.' There can be a sense of the category, instead of elevating us, doing the reverse."

I would add, this kind of sensitivity to young readers is crucial. If we continue to consciously and carefully consider what is the most respectful approach to youth, getting books that achieve both the "for and about" factor, is possible. As YA advances in literary stature as well as a viable source of sales for publishers, we increasingly look at defining it. I think that's a good thing, but one question I would ask or rather like to see addressed is how we can include teens in this discussion? How can they inform us on these definitive issues? What makes a YA a YA to them?

Posted by alli