Guest Post: Molly E. Lee, author of LOVE BETWEEN ENEMIES

Writing for the Young Adult Audience

Thanks so much for having me to talk about audience!

This is always a fun topic to discuss because I’m lucky enough to write in both genres of Young Adult and Adult.

It’s always crucial to have your audience in mind when sitting down to write a new novel, but young adult is extremely important. Yes, the market trends for all genres are always changing, but the young adult audience in particular is on a constant evolution. The young readers who pick the books off the shelves are sharp, selective, and expect quality and authenticity from the author.

There is a balance the author has to possess when writing young adult novels. Teenagers are constantly revolutionizing the way they speak and interact with their peers as well as their preferred forms of entertainment. It’s the author’s responsibility to stay plugged in to these changes and be sure to incorporate them into the pages. The books teens loved even two years ago won’t be the same as the ones they’re craving today. But, on the same note, the current trends can’t be overdone, either. Young readers can spot falsehoods or ‘talking down’ to them in an instant. And they aren’t afraid to call you out on it either. That is the beauty of the young adult audience—they won’t give an inch and they shouldn’t have to. That’s why it’s such an honor and great responsibility to write for them.

It’s up to us to simply give them the best story possible; one they can get lost in without being kicked out of the story because they realize an adult is entering a world that the young reader owns. We must become invisible. We have to take the privilege of creating worlds they want to fall into and shape it with their gaze in mind. We can’t have scenes where characters react like adults would—they have to react the way the young reader would. And yes, that is true in all writing, but I find that teen readers are rapidly changing their tastes in a way that demands we as young adult authors keep up. I love the challenge the fast-pace market presents, and I appreciate the work that goes into creating the most authentic world possible. Research and balance is paramount in young adult writing, and I love being a part of it. Plus, there is something magical about writing for readers who are still shaping who they want to be as adults. Books helped make me who I am today, so it is amazing to be even a tiny part of that experience.

Thank you for having me at The Librarian Talks! It was so much fun chatting with you!

About Love Between Enemies:

Zoey Handler is ready to put an end to her decade-long rivalry with Gordon Meyers. They’ve traded top spot between valedictorian and salutatorian for years, but all that’s over now. Right? But after a crazy graduation speech prank gets out of hand, suddenly their rivalry turns into all-out war. Time to make peace with a little friendly payback.

Step one? Make him believe they’re now friends.

Step two? Show him the time of his life at an epic graduation party.

Step three? Don’t fall for his tricks.

Step four? Absolutely, positively, do not kiss him again.

So what if he’s cute? (Okay, hot.) So what if he’s charming? (Heaven help her, tempting.) So what if he apologizes? (That has to be fake.) She knows the real Gordon. And no matter how much her heart begs her to stop, there’s no turning back.

Disclaimer: This Entangled Teen Crush book contains one epic party, complete with every high-schoolers-gone-bad shenanigan, and two rivals who discover maybe they could be something much more…if only they’d stop fighting long enough to notice it.

Buy link: https://entangledpublishing.com/love-between-enemies.html

About Molly E. Lee:

Molly E. Lee is an author best known for her debut novel EDGE OF CHAOS, and as a mentor at Pitch Wars – a program which connects promising writers to established authors in the community. Molly writes New Adult and Young Adult contemporary featuring strong female heroines who are unafraid to challenge their male counterparts, yet still vulnerable enough to have love sneak up on them. In addition to being a military spouse and mother of two + one stubborn English Bulldog, Molly loves watching storms from her back porch at her Midwest home, and digging for treasures in antique stores.