How Dark is Too Dark for Teens?

Reflect reality.

This is the underlying concept in writing fiction. A novel is a lie we tell to understand some deeper truth. The most fantastical story can feel completely real if, deep down, it's telling the truth. Conversely, some of the "truest" stories can seem like absolute lies if at heart they are not authentic.

The drive to reflect reality is the impetus for some big things that are happening in YA fiction right now. The We Need Diverse Books campaign (a worthy cause, and I'm proud to know some of its greatest champions) is in essence a call to tell the truth. Reality isn't a thing that happens only to the nerdy white girl with a crush on the star basketball player. Everyone has a story, and a lot of stories have historically been overlooked.

Reflect reality.

But whose reality?

There's another angle to this question than that regarding diversity. It's a question of darkness. How dark is too dark? Do we ignore someone's reality because it isn't suitable for teens?

Given what I've seen published, I would say the market's answer to that is no. Take the contemporary book Speak, published almost sixteen years ago now, which deals with the subject of rape, or more recently the historical books Code Name Verity and The Book Thief, two of the most haunting tales I've ever read, both set during World War 2. Or consider the violence of The Hunger Games or the racism of Harry Potter. All of these books have been best sellers. All of them tell the truth about some very dark realities.

Several months ago I had a conversation with my grandmother about Code Name Verity specifically. She told me it had been recommended to her, and after reading a few chapters into it she couldn't understand why. It was too bleak for her taste.

I could see why it might have been recommended. My grandmother enjoys books that teach her about a new setting or a way of life she hasn't been exposed to. She might otherwise very much like a book about some of the early female pilots.

Why do people want to read about the darkness? she wondered. When she was growing up, the heroes in her stories always saved the day and came out on top. Why has that changed? Shouldn't we encourage young people with stories about courage and selflessness resulting in victory?

But for so many teens, that's not reality. They try to be brave. They work hard, they sacrifice, and yet nothing changes. A lot of teens deal with darkness. And in some parts of the world, the darkness is very dark indeed. I spent my teen years worrying over exams and stressing over how to make time for all my different activities. In other parts of the world, people that age have been working for years for an income that doesn't fully meet their needs. Some of them are even sold to abominable practices by their own mothers simply to provide enough food for the family. What about their stories? Should they be told?

Reflect reality.

I'm not saying all stories should be dark. Not even close. To date all my writing has had happy endings.

But some of my ideas don't. Every year I live I find in myself more compassion for those whose realities are bleak. Their stories are no less real than mine or anyone else's. They should be acknowledged in some form.

Perhaps if I had read stories like that when I was a teen my compassion would have been quicker to develop. Or perhaps not. Maybe emotional intelligence is something that takes more time to grow.

And yet I look at all these books that tackle the darkness, and I think, maybe not. Maybe there are teens out there who will read the hard stories and finally find emotional release because they see their own lives reflected in the pages. And maybe there will be other teens who, like me, have no concept of the hardships other people face and who need to learn some humility and compassion.

But what about innocence? Isn't that worth preserving? Won't exposure to darkness cloud the heart of someone still learning to navigate the world?

And honestly I think sometimes that's a very valid question. Studies show that exposure to violence, for example, can breed violence. We do need to be careful to preserve goodness.

But on the other hand, I think sometimes we mistake ignorance for innocence. How many of us grow up knowing where our clothes come from and how they can be affordable enough that we have more than three outfits to wear? How many of us are aware of how our luxury food consumption affects people in other parts of the world? So often what we see as innocence is ignorance of how our own behavior can be harmful to other people. There's nothing innocent about causing harm to those we share this planet with.

So back to the question, then: How dark is too dark?

I think in part, the answer varies from person to person. People mature at different rates, and some might be more ready to handle a hard book than others.

But also, I think it comes down to this: is the darkness there for its own sake, or is it there for a greater purpose? There is darkness in the world, and we have a duty to learn about it.

Reflect reality.

Y (Why?) A

Confession: I write far too many posts that I never end up publishing. Happened again last night.

me: *type type type type type*
husband: So... are we going to go watch that season finale, or...
me: Fifteen more minutes!
husband: *sighs and waits patiently*
--fifteen minutes later--
me: *reads over what I've written* *realizes it's utterly dull and far too introspective* *throws it out*

Ok, so I didn't really throw it out, but I'm not hitting the "publish" button either. Even though that button is a pretty, inviting orange color. Hello, pretty button! Let's be friends, but not too good friends, because people don't need to read every word I put down. Only the good ones.

What's that? I'm rambling? You want me to get to the point already?

Yeah, yeah, I'm getting to it.

YA.

[To be honest, I prefer the term "teen" to "young adult." But never "teenager," because that sounds so out of touch.]

Why do I write YA?

I didn't really like being a teen myself. Middle school was a bad experience for me in a lot of ways. High school was better, but I was glad when it was over. (This is, in essence, what I spent five paragraphs on last night and eventually discarded.) So why would I want to revisit the teen years, even in books?

The simplest answer is because teens are so worth it.

I've been doing this series of Real Teens interviews this month, and we've had a lot of fun with them. Answers range from candid to silly to thoughtful. These are some really great people, and I love seeing the world from their perspective.

On the whole teens tend to get a bad rap for being careless, thoughtless and self-obsessed. Not the most flattering or the most accurate view.

Teens care, and they care a lot. The problem isn't with being careless but with having too many things to care about: the well-being of their families, the emotional highs and lows of their friends, the needs of their communities, the state of their country, the tragedies of the world. The world is smaller now because of technology, but it's also bigger than it's ever been because now we're aware of so much more. Hunger, natural disasters, terminal illness, cruelty... how do we care for it all? As adults we've generally mastered the art of caring about what we can productively influence and letting the rest fade out of our awareness. But teens haven't, and they're still burdened by the weight of all these cares.

They aren't thoughtless, either. Again, they have too many thoughts. Who wouldn't be a bit absentminded with a heart full of commitments? They are pulled in every direction, and still somehow manage to stay whole.

And as for self-obsession, there's good reason for it. They're at the tipping point between having all their needs met and needing to meet all their needs on their own. How they are going to do that and fulfill their need for meaning in life are big questions that need answers, answers that don't always come easily.

That's why I love writing books for them. They still have a genuine heart for cares we adults often ignore. Their heads can be everywhere at once and still manage to stay on their shoulders. And they are brimming with potential that both entices and terrifies them.

So as we wrap up the Real Teens series with a few more interviews, keep those things in mind. Enjoy the silliness, but look past it too. See the intensity of life that these teens live. It's pretty extraordinary.

Where I've Been

So it's been a while. Over two months in fact. My blogging hiatus was partly intentional—to give me more time to edit my book—but only partly, and I never meant the cutoff to be so sudden.

But sometimes a lot of “life” happens, and this fall has been one of those seasons.

I won't go into all the details (unless you're a vet and you happen to be interested in the specifics of cat UTIs, or you're an oral surgeon who wants to know all about my reaction to epinephrin in Novocaine). Soon enough the past few months will be little more than a blurry memory.

That being the case, I do want to hold on to a few good things that have happened this fall:

1. I've gotten to know some pretty incredible teens. Underneath all the “totes magotes” and finger hearts and “cool story, bro,” they have a lot of energy and character. I'm even more sure now than I've ever been that this is the age group I want to write for.

2. I've been editing Olympus Gate, which has gone more slowly than I hoped for the same reasons that the blog has been out of use lately, but I'm pleased with the results so far. My new critique partner is making me work hard! You think you know your character pretty well the first dozen times you get the comment “and what is she feeling in this moment?” Then you get to the thirteenth and all you can think is, “She's... um... sad? ...again? I DON'T KNOW!” So thank you, Jamie, for making me struggle through all the hard parts too.

3. I've made some more delectable edibles. Last night I had the pleasure of seeing several people's eyes bug out (in a good way) at the taste of my peppermint bonbons. And my husband got me a book of dessert recipes I've been wanting to try. (I'd have made the Boston Cream cupcakes already if last week hadn't turned out to be an insane mess of hectic days.)

So I'll leave you with a picture of the latest bonbons, a wish for the happiest of holidays to all of you, and my sincerest hopes to post more regularly in the coming months.