How To Disappoint a Young Adult Reader

Yesterday I stayed at uni to see a Young Adult author, Penni Russon (The Indigo Girls, Undine trilogy etc) to discuss Young Adult writing and how she got into this profession. I was terribly excited to be talking about a genre I adore; however, I came out of the two hour lecture feeling quite upset and even angry at this woman.
She was very useful in telling her story of how she became an author - making it sound very easy falling into it with the help of her best friend being an editor - and also discussing the balancing of her two kids, her hubby and work (which she didn’t really call work). I found this all very interesting because I have often worried whether I will be able to get over my stressful behaviour. BUT, her attitude was all wrong.

I don’t want to be the type of writer that thinks their audience is “simple minded”. Yes, you heard me! She called Young Adults simple minded, which is why she finds the writing so easy because “young adults like reading the same shit over and over again”.

I was so insulted.
Being a Young Adult myself I felt compelled to stand up and yell “hey lady, I’m a young adult and I think I’m pretty damn sophisticated!” Alas, I let it slide and continued listening, hoping she would redeem herself by saying how wonderful the whole experience is and even how touching her fans can be. But no, the more I listened to her the more confused and angry I became. She bad mouthed other authors like Stephenie Meyer, saying how crap Twilight was and ok, I get it, it wasn’t the best stories out there but HELLO! SILLY WOMAN! Look at what it’s done to Young Adults who don’t read. It transformed a genre, created a whole new way of marketing for Publishers and bloody hell, it got people to read! Isn’t that supposed to be, I don’t know, the MAIN goal for YA authors??

She then proceeded to talk about Scott Westerfeld (oh hell, no!) and, fortunately enough praised and praised and praised his work. Good girl, but did you forget that all the things you praised him for (creating something different for Young Adult readers to look for in stories and their life, to think of new ideas and create confidence in others) that those are the type of things “simple minded” people wouldn’t pick up on? If we’re so simple minded, we wouldn’t be able to read such “masterpieces”.

I was really upset that writers can have such an ego attitude. I know I haven’t met many authors before, but I just didn’t expect any of them to be so cocky! I’m sure she is a good writer, and she speaks well, she was funny and interesting etc, but her immaturity to bag half the audience sitting there really hurt me. I don’t really care all that much whether it was a joke. I hate those jokes, because every joke has some truth to it and why would you say it in the first place, if you didn’t mean it deep down?

Penni Russon, I actually feel sorry for you. I feel sorry that you think your audience is like this! We like reading, we enjoy a challenge and we like to think about deep and meaningful things so don’t patronise us, please! We are smart people!
Please don’t let me turn into that writer, people! I know I will be more into the publishing side but I still have to edit work, write my own stuff on the side, plus see and feel your feelings as my own if I’m going to be publishing for you, the YA world.

I think we’re pretty awesome and deserve a chance!

Proudly yours,

Jinx xx

Update: Watch this space for opportunities to submit pieces for a new Journal my classmates and I are creating for our Major Assingment. Nothing too huge, but an experience for everyone to get involved in. Our journal is called Cursive Scripts and we welcome anything and everything, so long as there is no racism or anything illegal (Defamation etc)

Ta!