From Writer's Digest:

This book takes readers through every stage of writing for the YA market. Aspiring writers and established authors hoping to move into this flourishing genre alike will find instruction on writing for this special audience as well as tips on getting published. The book covers everything from plot, setting, characters and dialogue to revision and approaching publishers.

By Suzanna E. Henshon, PH.D.

Writing & Selling the YA Novel is a wonderful introduction to writing and publishing for teens. Award-winning novelist K.L. Going structures the book like a typical day of high school (with classes, lunch, and even study hall), while guiding aspiring writers through the stages of writing a novel for young adults.

As the author of Fat Kid Rules the World, Going has an intuitive understanding of literature from several angles: writer, literary agent, and bookseller. Going's expertise allows her to craft an accessible book that is entertaining and informative. Using the typical high school schedule as a frame, Going writes in a chatty tone demonstrating a wide knowledge of the craft of writing, current "hot" literature, teenage trends, and the historical foundation of YA literature.

Each chapter begins with a fun title (i.e. homeroom, history, and English class) and ends with a homework assignment that will inspire writers of all experience levels. The chapter also includes a teen panel (voices of young adults from around the country who offer their true feelings about young adult literature and market trends). This section is invaluable. What could be more informative than reading the authentic teenage perspective?

One of my favorite chapters is 1st period History: Learning from the YA Past. Going provides a brief history of adolescence and young adult literature. She states, "You'll begin to see how the stories you create have been influenced by the books published in the past decade" (p. 32). As high school education moved from being elite to commonplace, adolescents developed a "group identity" in the 1940s and 1950s, culminating in classics like Robert Cormier's The Chocolate War and S.E. Hinton's The Outsiders. Going includes a reference list of classic YA books such as Maureen Daly's Seventeeth Summer (1942), J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye (1951), and Go Ask Alice (1971). The list is a helpful reference for those interested in studying the classics of this relatively new genre of literature.

The fourth period, Lunch: A Plateful of Healthy Plot, was difficult to resist. Who can forget the smell of the school lunchroom? Going writes, "Entire reputations could be made or shattered in the lunchroom" (p. 77). Good stories have well-crafted plots that are often driven by conflict; watching characters interact brings back fond memories of food fights in the school cafeteria. It is critical to make your story belivable to teens, so keep your characters and plotlines as varied and unique as real life (p. 81). At the end of this chapter Going includes "Homework," a list of books in a variety of formats (diaries, poetry, and multimedia) which readers can enjoy on their own.

In the 8th period Math: Adding it All Up: Agents, Money, and Contracts, Going describes the buisness of writing. While it is possible to make money as a writer, very few people hit the bestseller jackpot. Going discusses the drawbacks (and advantages) of self-publishing, smaller publishing houses, print-on-demand and e-books, and traditional publishing. The author also provides advice about targeting submissions via a query letter, manuscript preparation, and negotiating a contract.

Writing & Selling the YA Novel was a fun, informative read. Writing the YA Novel is highly recommended for all writers of young adult literature.