Writers Tricks of the Trade MARCH-APRIL 2015 | Page 23
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FIVE CONSIDERATIONS WHEN
WRITING FOR TEENS
CINDY DAVIS, FREELANCE EDITOR
Editor/author Cindy Davis, of southern New Hampshire shares tips with us.
In her “spare time”, Cindy researches new and different venues and plot ideas
for her mysteries.
Writing for teens is probably more difficult than writing for any other age
group. Teens have intense opinions about many subjects. They are
emotional, with hormones flying uncontrollably in all directions. They are
short of attention, impulsive, and quick to anger. But, they’re also shrewd,
intelligent, naive and yet, worldly. When teens like something, they
dedicate themselves to it with a passion that some of us older folks have let
dwindle over the years.
CINDY DAVIS
FREELANCE EDITOR
With all this in mind, how is it possible to capture their attention and write
an interesting article or book for them?
PASSION
Use their intensity as a tool rather than an obstacle. Since their intensity is
focussed primarily on their emotions, center the story around something
they are passionate about; sex, parents, sex, drugs, sex, music, school, and
last but not least sex.
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But, of course, even though you understand what they’re passionate about,
you can’t exactly write ‘drugs are bad’, ‘unprotected sex is dangerous’,
‘listen to your parents, they know best’, or ‘if you want a good job, get an
education’. It’s a sure bet they won’t read past the first sentence.
Then how do you ‘get to them’?
IDENTIFICATION
First, find a subject you can identify with, something you felt passionate about
at that age. Were you into drugs? Did you have sex without protection? Did
you have trouble in school? Did you have overbearing or neglectful parents?
How did you deal with the problems? Did you handle it from a purely
emotional angle, or were you sensible and methodical? If it was trouble for
you, there’s a sure bet today’s teens are dealing with some aspect of the same
situation. And if it was trouble for you, it should be easier to become
passionate all over again. Let the passion show through.
WRITERS’ TRICKS OF THE TRADE
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13
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MAR-APR 2015