Writing YA

What The Media Teaches Girls

Fraaaaaaaaaaaack! This sh@#! is scary! That’s the reaction I had when I read the following page of notes, posted on Leonie Dawson blog and taken from the “Raising Girls” seminar she attended. This is exactly why we need books that show honest teen relationships. This is exactly why we shouldn’t shy away from complex (and often taboo) topics like sex…

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Crafting Teen Characters with Respect and Authenticity: Part 2

Making Peace with the Adolescent Pre-Frontal Cortex: Crafting Teen Characters with Respect and Authenticity Part 2: Teen Traits (5 through 8) By Jessica Denhart In part one of this article I talked about the teenage brain and the common teen traits of spotty memory, poor impulse control, the desire to do new things, and spending less time…

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Crafting Teen Characters with Respect and Authenticity: Part 1

(Ingrid’s Note: Yup, it’s April. But I’ve still got three fabulous Dystropian posts to bring you. So it’s now April Dystropian Madness! ) Making Peace with the Adolescent Pre-Frontal Cortex: Crafting Teen Characters with Respect and Authenticity Part 1: Teen Traits (1 through 4) By Jessica Denhart As writers of young adult literature, many of us…

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