How to Write Young Adult (with Wattpad's Finest)

Breaking Stereotypes - writersblockinmyhead

Breaking Stereotypes

by writersblockinmyhead

A word that is often feared among many writers and readers is 'stereotypes'. It's become the new 's word' of literature. No one wants to read something they've already read before and everyone wants their book to stand out among a crowd. But here's the thing, stereotypes might not be as bad as their reputation may cause you to believe. The only reason they've generated in the first place was because people liked them enough to become a trend. But still, you may be trying your best to write a book that avoids the label of cliche. But how exactly is that achieved? Let's take a look at some of Young Adult's most labeled stereotypes.

1. Love triangles.

This is probably one of the first stereotypes that came to your mind. In the world where Young Adult books like Twilight and the Hunger Games thrive, it's easy to see why. The problem is, people are getting a little tired of reading the same old story about a girl who is torn between two guys and then choosing the obvious choice in the end. If you're story might be like that, there's no need to fear and I'll tell you why:

We can sugarcoat the truth and pretend that everything is okay in stories but the reality is, humans make mistakes. As said by the great Hannah Montana in 2007, 'Everybody makes mistakes, everybody has those days.' Sometimes we like the wrong person - sometimes we may even be torn between two people and more than often, we're probably not going to end up with the first person we fell in love with. You can't control feelings and sometimes you can't see things as clearly as another person who isn't involved in the situation. So while you may be screaming at a character while reading a book to choose one character over another, it's hard to know how you would feel if you were in their shoes.

This may sound a bit surprising, but you can actually write a really good love triangle that stands out among the rest. It's actually a great way to develop your character. Focus on their internal battle with their thoughts. Let them feel guilty and confused like any person probably would. It would be a total lie if we sometimes didn't admit to rooting for a specific couple and then feeling satisfied when they got together in the end. There's even merchandise that is made specifically targeting those who ship certain couples. I saw all the 'Team Jacob' shirts in 201o guys. Trust me, I know.

The key to making a love triangle stand out is in the character's themselves. Maybe your character is bisexual and torn between a man and a woman. Maybe they don't go for the obvious choice. Maybe in the end, they don't chose either. One of the reasons people are against love triangles is because they hate watching a character go back and forth between two different people rather than showing they can cope without either. If you can change that to make it so they can, you're already onto a winner. The character doesn't even have to end up alone, just simply showing they can go without either for a period of time, will definitely build a stronger character. Give a justified reason for why they chose who they chose - and why they didn't chose the other person.

2. White washing.

The other day I was happily writing one of my novels when I stopped short and the most horrifying thought crossed my mind:

Oh my god, all my characters are white.

The revelation was shocking. Then, I went back and changed a few descriptions to make a more diverse cast. I was so incredibly mad at myself. I thought: How could I do that? We grow up in such a diverse world, yet I completely failed to acknowledge the existence of anyone of color. I realized it stemmed from other literature I've been immersed in. Harry Potter, Divergent, Twilight, Vampire Academy, The Mortal Instruments and even Fifty Shades of Grey. What do they all have in common? A prominently white cast. We've grown up with commercials, actors, singers and models in the media that have majority been white.

That's not necessarily the worst thing in the world and you shouldn't feel shunned for writing western characters. But we live in a world where around only 28% of the human race is white. That means 72% of the world ISN'T WHITE. The inclusion of African, Korean, Japanese, Mexican, Chinese or Indian (just to name a few) characters is doing a lot more for your readers and your story than you think. You are allowing those of that race to read about characters they can relate to culturally and feel less alone. Can you imagine growing up and constantly being shown people that were deemed beautiful, or powerful characters and having none of them be your race? I'm sure there are a lot of people on here that can relate to this issue. Inclusion is key here - and it needs to be done just. Make these characters strong, intelligent, witty or caring - not racial stereotypes. I can promise you, you'll be doing something better for the entire world. You'll be making a story that's more inclusive and more accurate. There may be a young girl or boy sitting in their room reading your story and for all you know, you could be making them feel so much better about themselves. Racism and racial barriers stem from lack of inclusion and representation - you can change that.

3. Bad Boys

Bad boys, bad boys, whatcha gonna do? Watcha gonna do when they come for you?

I'm sorry I couldn't resist. Anyway, bad boys has got to be something you've seen on Wattpad a lot. Especially if you look at the top books in the 'Teen Fiction' list. Some of you might be asking 'Why are these stories so popular?' Others of you who are avid readers of these stories probably already know. It's no secret that a lot of us book readers are introverted and can be shy at times. I think that's a reason why so many people relate to the female protagonist of these kind of stories. Does the shy nature of a person then make their bad boy fantasies non-existent? Nope. So many Wattpad readers swoon for a male character that is strong, really attractive and, lets be honest, sometimes that cocky attitude or dark humor can get to us.

If you're going to write a character like that, you need justification as to why they are the way they are. People don't just wake up one day and decide to be an asshole. Hitler didn't jump out of bed and go, "You know what? I hate the Jews." There needs to be a build up and a decent explanation for their behavior. (There's no decent reason for Hitler though, screw that guy.) It's the only way you'll get readers to relate to their characters and understand where they're coming from. Another reason people are sick of the cliche is that it's unrealistic. Has a good girl and a bad boy ever started dating at your school? Ever? (Like seriously, tell me. I went to an all-girls school so I don't know.) It's a pretty rare occurrence. You can make it happen though! I'm not going to deny the possibility but like I said earlier, justification is key. Don't just make it happen. There needs to be a reason she likes him and why he likes her. (If you're couple isn't straight, bam - you've already smashed stereotypes. Carry on my friend.)

I really hope this article was helpful for you guys! Stereotypes shouldn't be something that necessarily is a bad thing. And you should never - NEVER in a million years feel bad if you've included something in your stories that others deem 'cliche'. You can find a way to make it not cliche. I believe in you. Stereotypes are made to be broken. Be the one to break them.

Meg Stewart (writersblockinmyhead) is a YA author from Australia who plans on self-publishing some of her works later this year. She practically lives in her room, has a green tea addiction and sometimes talks to her cat. When she's not glued to her laptop, you can find her binge watching television shows in the living room or digging through the refrigerator even though she's just eaten. You can check out her story 'How to Become a Spy' on Wattpad now.