More than fantasy: capturing the YA audience
What makes a great book for young adults? How do you capture the attention of readers who have so many distractions with social media, which provides instant gratification and little effort?
Writers of three different styles of young adult books will discuss what they think it takes to engage the YA audience at the Dandenong Ranges Literary Festival at 11am on Saturday, October 18.
In The Weaver, Melanie Kanicky has built a world of magic and sorcery where her young heroine must navigate an unknown world. Melanie’s fantasy novel isn’t limited by the real world of school and technology inhabited by today’s young adults. Instead, she draws a story so real that you feel immersed in characters’ world.
Journalist and author Paul Kennedy has written an autobiographical book about his time growing up in the Melbourne coastal suburb of Frankston. Focussed around his footy, family and school friends, Funkytown gives an amusing and relatable account of being a teenage boy in the late 1980s/early 90s, while delving into the toxic masculinity that shaped his experience.
Amy Doak’s best-selling “Eleanor Jones” series tells the story of a teenager working through moving to a new town, making new friends, and solving a great mystery. The fast-paced stories mix humour, relatable characters and a plot that keeps readers on the edge of their seats.
Don’t miss the opportunity to hear more from the authors about writing for a YA audience.
This article was first sent out to the Dandenong Ranges Literary Festival mailing list on the 10th of October.