Writing Great Books for Young Adults

by Regina L Brooks

  Like Sand Through the Hourglass, So Are the Days of Our Lives

  Most biographies feature well-known people. YA nonfiction often features past presidents. Take, as a case in point, Emancipation Proclamation: Lincoln and the Dawn of Liberty by Tonya Bolden. Instead of concentrating on the whole of Lincoln’s life, Bolden revives interest in Lincoln’s legacy by focusing on his passage of the Emancipation Proclamation. If you are able to examine a unique element of a famous historical figure’s life, there is a market out there for your book.

  Of course, there is always room for an excellent biography on a well-known individual, as Master of Deceit: J. Edgar Hoover and America in the Age of Lies by Marc Aronson proves. Hoover’s pursuit of “security at all costs,” raises relevant points about the post-9/11 world. Good biographies are able to make the subject relevant, not just to their own time, but to ours as well.

  I Am Woman, Hear Me Roar

  As I mentioned, giving voice to and uncovering the stories of an underrepresented people is a superb way of finding a compelling story to tell. Biographies of groups—in this case, groups of women—can provide fertile ground for compelling, relevant narratives. Pure Grit: How American World War II Nurses Survived Battle and Prison Camp in the Pacific by Mary Cronk Farrell shines a light on how American nurses were treated up to and including on the Bataan Death March. By shining a spotlight on a previously unknown aspect of World War II, this book contains moving recollections of several of the nurses that bring the story to life.

  Another technique for telling compelling stories is to put together a compendium of various historical figures, as in Historical Heartthrobs: 50 Timeless Crushes—from Cleopatra to Camus by Kelly Murphy and Hallie Fryd. Another is Women in Space: 23 Stories of First Flights, Scientific Missions, and Gravity-Breaking Adventures by Karen Bush Gibson. Be aware, however, that your concept isn’t stretched too thin. The key to making these type of stories work is finding a common connection between the figures and tying them together with a great hook. The reader should be drawn to the topic with the promise delivered in the title. Who wouldn’t be drawn to mad, bad, and dangerous to know types or drawn into love and romance throughout the ages? Or chilled to the bone by stories of deadly femme fatales?

  Never feel that you have to limit yourself to the stories that weave in a collective. Recent YA nonfiction books have focused on an individual woman as well. The Girl from the Tar Paper School: Barbara Rose Johns and the Advent of the Civil Rights Movement by Teri Kanefield shares a critical though obscure story of how Barbara Johns, a high school junior, led a strike for equal facilities in her town’s schools. Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Phillip M. Hoose explores the story of Claudette Colvin, a key plaintiff in the court case that struck down segregation laws in Montgomery, Alabama. Mr. Hoose was particularly lucky, as he was able to interview Ms. Colvin herself. In fact, Ms. Colvin actively promoted the book and made media appearances with Mr. Hoose. If, like Mr. Hoose, you have access to your subject, use him or her! Ms. Colvin’s unique cooperation in her own life story may have led to her biography winning the National Book Award Winner for Young People’s Literature and being a 2010 Newbery Honor Book.

  However, if you’re writing about an individual’s life, make sure to show how her life reflects her cultural milieu. For example, in Tonya Bolden’s Searching for Sarah Rector: The Richest Black Girl in America, the story of the woman who discovered oil in Oklahoma is interwoven with multiple threads of U.S. history, among them slavery, Native American policy, and westward expansion. Paying homage to your subject is important, but remember that he or she didn’t live in a vacuum. Biographies should capture a story, but don’t forget to give historical context of your subject so people can better understand why his or her life mattered.

  And the Rest Is History

  Cultural history is a record and interpretation of past events involving human beings through the social, cultural, and political lenses of or relating to the arts and manners that a group favors. Most people may think of cultural history books as a recent development, but The Story of Mankind by Hendrik Willem van Loon won the Newbery Award, given to the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children, in 1922. This book has been updated many times, most recently in the winter of 2013, and still remains a phenomenon. One recent captivating example is Expressing the Inner Wild: Tattoos, Piercings, Jewelry, and Other Body Art by Stephen G. Gordon, an enthralling account of how humans have modified their bodies throughout history.

  Since culture is nebulously defined, its topics are frequently diverse. One common element, though, is concentrating on an idea that’s persisted throughout history and multiple cultures. Buried Beneath Us: Discovering the Ancient Cities of the Americas by Anthony Aveni is solid treatment of a fascinating subject, talking about ancient civilizations of the Americas and how they are relevant today. Its spotlight on early American civilizations pointedly addresses what can be learned from the rise and fall of civilizations.

  You Animal, You

  Humans aren’t the only animal that YA nonfiction focuses on. After all, science is changing our world all the time. Science books like The Dolphins of Shark Bay by Pamela S. Turner help readers expand their erudition of the natural world by showing dolphins at play, hunting, herding, and fighting. Thought-provoking books like these open doors for youth, especially those who took an interest in animals growing up.

  Science books can also help explain the behavior of animals as the world encroaches upon their natural habitats, as in Wild Animal Neighbors: Sharing Our Urban World by Ann Downer. Teens are often encouraged to think about volunteering opportunities and ways to help our world. Some books have even tied themselves to charities designed to save the planet or endangered species. Downer’s book does a great job at offering suggestions for teens who are concerned about the environment.

  Sometimes, science books can open up a new career to teenagers. Navy SEAL Dogs: My Tale of Training Canines for Combat by Michael Ritland portrays the world of dog training to teens. The author’s work with the Warrior Dog Foundation reveals fascinating insights as to what dog signals mean. It also makes public how the failed search for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq led to the formation of an elite K-9 unit.

  All three of these books tie into important topics in today’s world—biology, environmentalism, and terrorism. Science books with a strong educational aspect are attractive properties in publishing today, so bear that in mind when selecting a subject.

  Root, Root, Root for the Home Team

  With sports, while there’s always room for another book on traditional sports such as football, baseball, and basketball, there’s something unique about the book Ultimate Fighting: The Brains and Brawn of Mixed Martial Arts by Patrick Jones. It gives a bird’s-eye look at a sport that combines multiple fighting styles, including karate, boxing, kickboxing, wrestling, Vale Tudo, Muay Thai, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Young people involved in the X Games have even motivated the International Olympic Committee to think outside the box as it relates to sports. Most recently, the 2014 Winter Olympics introduced twelve new sports. Why not consider one of these recent additions?

  As is true for history books, looking for unexplored stories can be fertile ground for a heart-wrenching narrative. In In These Girls, Hope Is a Muscle, Madeleine Blais recounts the story of the Amherst Lady Hurricanes, a scrappy, tough-playing high school girls’ basketball team. Through detailing their 1992–1993 season, Blais also notes a sea change in high school policies, as the team’s town supported its female athletes in a way previously reserved for male athletes. The best sports stories can be a window into the national consciousness.

  A Pictures Says a Thousand Words

  Graphic novels, where stories are rendered artistically, are extremely popular, but who says graphic storytelling should be limited to fiction? Bad for You: Exposing the War on Fun! by Kevin C. Pyle and Scott Cunningham is one of many books reinventing the graphic genre. Their book
exposes a catalog of party poopers, from Anthony Comstock to the wet blankets who opposed Harry Potter.

  Some subjects lend themselves to the graphic approach more than others. Take, for example, Growing Up, Inside and Out by Kira Vermond, illustrated by Carl Chin. It tackles the evergreen subject of puberty, both physically and mentally, with frank talk about crushes, gender identity, and sexual orientation. Its pictures emphasize its modern approach, showing a half-dressed couple looking at a condom wrapper at one point. If pictures will help illustrate your points, then consider using graphics with your material.

  In other cases, the subject is impossible to divorce from a pictorial approach. In Go: A Kidd’s Guide to Graphic Design by Chip Kidd, pictures are the whole point! The book introduces teens to the fundamentals of design in an engaging, colorful style. The book also allows teens to experiment with what they’ve learned, providing ten design projects at the end. In addition to allowing young people to develop their own visual distinctiveness, Go uses design elements to creatively emphasize key concepts. If your subject touches upon art or other visual elements, then a graphic scheme might be the best way to reach your audience.

  When I Was Your Age

  Memoir can open a teen’s world to experiences they’ll never have directly. For instance, not every teen is going to spend their life preparing for the Rapture, but that’s exactly what Aaron Hartzler’s Rapture Practice is about. On the other hand, teenagers will be able to connect to experiences his parents would never approve of, such as listening to popular music, planning debauched and drunken parties, and a burgeoning attraction to other boys. By wrapping a tale of adolescent upheaval inside an unfamiliar setting, teens will encounter something both ordinary and extraordinary.

  Sometimes the unusual backdrop of a memoir is a historical event of major importance. In March: Book One by John Lewis, Lewis, one of the original Freedom Riders, recalls events ranging from meeting Martin Luther King Jr. and joining sit-ins in 1960 Nashville to Barack Obama’s first inauguration. In this case, young people, who will probably be aware of racial injustice, will see that theme personally applied to the historical events that John Lewis lived through.

  The strange social backdrop of a memoir, however, doesn’t necessarily have to be something historical; it can be an issue that affects people today. In Enrique’s Journey: The True Story of a Boy Determined to Reunite with His Mother by Sonia Nazario, the harrowing journey of one illegal alien’s trek to America gives the reader palpable chills. By forthrightly addressing the hazards Enrique faced—beatings, rape, maiming, and murder—readers gain a new perspective on the subject of illegal immigration.

  Another example is Hidden Girl: The True Story of a Modern-Day Child Slave by Shyima Hall and Lisa Wysocky. Sold by her parents at age eight and then illegally trafficked into the United States, Shyima Hall tells her story to draw attention to a growing global crisis. This memoir puts a human face on the issue of trafficking, candidly addressing issues that no teenager should ever face.

  Sometimes, mixing genres can lead to a truly creative approach for a difficult subject. David Small used graphic nonfiction to write Stitches, his memoir of being transformed into a mute. This National Book Award finalist pictorially represents a fantastic descent into adolescent hell and the authors’ hard emotional and artistic road to recovery.

  FYI

  Information books can take a difficult topic and make it palatable for teens to learn about it. Take, for instance, Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out by Susan Kuklin. In this book, verbal and visual profiles elucidate what it’s like to identify fully as female or male, to identify as neither male nor female, or to be intersex. By focusing on the process of transitioning and not on genitalia, this book sensitively addresses subject matter that is too often sensationalized.

  In other cases, informational books can present information readers need to know in a creative way. In Everybody Paints! The Lives and Art of the Wyeth Family by Susan Goldman Rubin, design elements such as changing fonts and background color draw attention to the oeuvre of this creative clan. In doing so, teens who aren’t familiar with the artwork of the Wyeth kin will come away with a sense of their importance in the American art scene.

  And the Beat Goes On

  Given the wide range of music itself, it shouldn’t surprise you of the wide range of possible music topics. “Gangnam Style” swept the nation in 2012, providing the backdrop for K-Pop: Korea’s Musical Explosion by Stuart A. Kallen. By focusing on the last twenty years, the book profiles the most influential artists while describing the antiquated Korean studio system. A revealing look at the Korean music scene for newbies, this book gives readers a rudimentary knowledge of Korean culture and its pop music scene.

  The American music scene also provides fertile ground to cover. Legends, Icons & Rebels: Music That Changed the World by Robbie Robertson, Jim Guerinot, Sebastian Robertson, and Jared Levine covers twenty-seven thoughtfully selected musicians known for their radical experimentation with music. In choosing such a small sample, books of this type spark debate as to who has been included or excluded and why. A CD of music samples helps pique the curiosity of readers to whom these musicians are unknown.

  Of course, the most well-known musical story of all time is still yielding new stories. In How the Beatles Changed the World by Martin W. Sandler, the progress of Beatlemania is tracked and the band’s influence on record singles, record albums, album covers, and cultural zeitgeist is noted. With chapters on the Beatles’ fashion, hairstyles, and movies, this book makes the case that the Beatles did, in fact, change the world.

  PRESCRIPTIVE NONFICTION: HOW DO I…

  Until now, we’ve been talking about narrative nonfiction, which blends story with factual information. Let’s switch gears and talk about prescriptive nonfiction, which teaches the reader how to do something. Genres of prescriptive nonfiction vary widely. Cooking and food-related books are fairly common, such as The Smart Girl’s Guide to Going Vegetarian: How to Look Great, Feel Fabulous, and Be a Better You by Rachel Meltzer Warren. By helping teens identify their own personal values, Warren’s book guides potential vegetarians toward the lifestyle best suited for them.

  Some topics may be timelier than others. In school students are taught how to write, but some teens may, like you, be interested in honing their craft so they can write for a wider audience. Thrice Told Tales: Three Mice Full of Writing Advice by Catherine Lewis acquaints readers with various literary styles by rewriting one nursery rhyme repeatedly. By tackling everything from style to swearing, this book is short, clever, witty, and—most of all—fun to read.

  Another relevant subject to teens is answering the question, “What do I want to be when I grow up?” Books that help young people explore various options can prove useful. So, You Want to Be a Chef? How to Get Started in the World of Culinary Arts by J. M. Bedell offers profiles of food industry careers and provides a comprehensive introduction to the food business. Food service professionals share their insights and offer advice about choosing a culinary arts career.

  Teenagers are also full of insecurities and want help dealing with them. Enter books like Scared Stiff: Everything You Need to Know About 50 Famous Phobias by Sara Latta. Part entertainment, part therapy, this book helps teens know they’re not alone by including celebrity co-sufferers and offering a warm, optimistic tone.

  A NOTE TO THE WISE

  So now that we’ve covered possible avenues for your YA nonfiction book, what advice can I give you? I want to stress the importance of an Author’s Note—teens are going to want to know how you came up with the idea. So tell them! Don’t skimp; let them know how your concept began, what your research was like, and why you felt your subject was important. If your focus is truly fascinating, then teens are going to want to know everything they can about it. In addition, be sure to include what you hope they’ll learn from it; this can also be a yardstick by which you measure the success of your book.

  Another important
thing to remember is that we’ve moved into a transmedia culture, so be sure to include any maps, photos, technological references, or diagrams that are important to your research. And don’t forget to post your bibliography on your website; some readers may want to follow in your footsteps and research the topic on their own. It doesn’t hurt to include bibliographical information at the end of your book, but it’s often best to place it on your website—this way, you can stay tied to your readership.

  But the most important advice I can offer about writing nonfiction is to pick a topic that interests you. If you’re passionate about your topic, then that excitement will transfer to the book and, eventually, your readers. Don’t select a topic that doesn’t interest you based on how well you think it will sell; that’s a recipe for a dull, pedantic book no one will want to read.

  If you are writing a nonfiction book, then you need to know what agents will expect when you approach them. Typically, agents and editors who acquire nonfiction look for a proposal instead of a complete manuscript up front. A proposal introduces the topic to the agent or editor, details the author’s expertise in the subject, and presents plans on how the book will reach its target audience. It’s a business plan that attempts to sell a well-developed concept.

  THE BOOK PROPOSAL

  So you’ve decided you want to write a nonfiction book for the YA market. Great! You’re going to need a query letter and a book proposal. (Please refer to Chapter 12 for how to format a query letter.) Now, let me walk you through the elements of a nonfiction book proposal.

  • Marketing and publishing rationale: Why do you think this book is needed in the marketplace? Who will benefit and why? Why have you chosen to write it?