Do you want to learn how to write for Young Adults (YA)? Learn from the experts. This practical course will explore the range of linguistic, stylistic and thematic features that characterise the YA genre. We shall read and evaluate a range of successful contemporary YA texts to uncover the secrets of their success and put those lessons into practice.
Students will read a YA novel or short extracts from several novels before each session, and experiment with writing a short piece of their own in a similar style or on a related theme.
Each session will involve a critical discussion of the text, and the student’s creative response to it.
The tutor will provide a summary of the approaches demonstrated in the texts each week. This will build towards a comprehensive ‘tool box’ of techniques for students to use in their own practice.
The focus throughout is on how to engage readers through age-appropriate writing across various YA subgenres: Romance, Adventure, Thrillers, gritty, issue-based stories, SF/Fantasy and Historical Fiction.