![]() ![]() ![]() So give them their own personalities, dreams, failings, and flaws. I hope this goes without saying, but … teens are people, too! Not all teens are alike. Your characters should, too.ĭon’t generalize. They use shorter sentences when they’re excited and longer sentences when they’re waxing poetic. They interrupt each other in conversation. People don’t speak in complete sentences. This is especially important for writing dialog (which is different from voice, but which does contribute to your writer’s voice). Listen to how teens (and people in general) talk. Overdo it, and you come off as unrealistic at best and grating at worst. ![]() Yes, each new generation of teen-age speech has its own slang, its own cadence, its own set of cultural references. Adult-manufactured “teen talk” sets those meters spinning. ![]() While “voice” is one of those qualities that can be hard to define and even harder to develop, there are some basic things writers can do:Īvoid overly manufactured “teen talk.” Teens have highly sensitive fake-o-meters. Yes, Mom, I’d love it if you came to the concert with us!Ī strong teen voice is probably the one ingredient most likely to make or break a YA novel. ![]()
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