The YA novel that I am working on is hard to write for a very special reason

[nadinbrzezinski]

I decided when planning it to use some elements of my personal life. Yes, I was the one who was bullied and called names at school.. oh some of them can be printed, most cannot.

Yes, I hated school

I dreaded going to school, wondering what next would I have to endure from classmates that seemingly could do no wrong from the administration, or had some form of protection.

I liked some of my teachers, but not all... after all, they turned a blind eye as to what happened in the playground, and the school library became a refuge from the rest of the bullies.

And to this day I cross to the other side of the street if I see (and that is an event) any of my classmates walking up

When I go down to visit parents I avoid the sports center, since I don't want to see them, even by accident.

Yet, the YA work involves a lot of this crap... and as I write... not only the actual chapters, but notes to myself from that experience, it is cathartic, but I have to realize that this is a form of torture. So next time you hear an adult claim that boys will be boys, feel free to slap them for me. Why even using this kid of abuse in a joke to me is all but acceptable.

But as a writer it also has a different effect. I need to write something that will help a kid get it... doing this is torture and you should not do that, And if you are bullied, stand up, if possible. But also hoping that a teacher or two may read it and get a clue... allowing this because boys will be boys, is not healthy for any school kid, both the victims and the victimizers.

My problem is how to avoid getting preachy.... and what plot devices to use to get my Dweeb! (Yes using the least insulting name calling) to shine and do the ethical things in-spite of what may happen on an every day basis. After all, our hero has to have problems... or it would not be a book.

I know sharing this is a pain. I also know that this is a special problem for a writer, how to stay "objective" while writing something that is closer to one's true experience... and to deal with the pain while at it.

Just sharing, and posing this as a subject for discussion, since we all know this crap goes on, regularly, at all schools across the country.

[OneGrassRoot]

1. I'm not sure this reply will be helpful at all ...

or what you're looking for.

The first thing that came to mind for me was the word "perspective." It's actually a running theme for me these last few years, in life and in writing.

It is amazing how two people can view or engage in the same situation and come away with COMPLETELY different perceptions.

My thought was, rather than "preach," as you say, show the experience and/or effects of bullying from the two different perspectives; actually, three, including the bystanders' perspectives.

Best of luck to you.

[Pale Blue Dot]

2. My advice, as a teacher of young adults.

My first advice is not to pull any punches. In other words, don't use "dweeb"; use the words you were called. It may seem counter-intuitive, but kids love to read those kind of books (one of the most popular books in my school is A Child Called "It" - which spares no details). This would solve another one of your potential problems: the more you show the reality of the situation, the less you'll have to "preach" because the actions will speak for themselves.

My second bit of advice is to make sure you show your main character really struggling with doing the right thing. I'm sure that you're a very good person, but I'm also sure it wasn't always easy for you - depict that struggle. That will make it easier for young adults to identify with him or her, and also easier to cheer for him.

Good luck! And if you'd like a reader, please keep me in mind.

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. That happened in Mexico City, so I have to use American slang

And as I said in the GD... there were a couple times I wished some of these pendejos.... dead....

Not proud to admit it these days, but that's the truth... and yes, that little tidbit is going in there... at one point Patrick (MC) wishes his torturer dead... why? it happens.

Been trying to research the current slang for name calling... .. and change dweeb and geek for whatever is current in a future draft...

And I could I guess write this in Spanish, but to be brutally honest, I don't know that market!

[MorningGlow]

4. Get into your bullies' heads

It won't be pretty, I can guarantee you that. (For the record, I was fat between the ages of 7 and 11, back when NOBODY was fat. I got picked on--by boys as well as girls--mercilessly. Yes, I still carry the emotional scars.) Not to say that their perspective will be included in your final draft, but try it as a writing exercise or even just a meditation. See the Dweeb through their eyes--what about the boy makes them want to pick on him? Also, create a backstory for the bullies--what are their home lives like that would make them bullies? This doesn't have to be an excuse for the way they behave, but both exercises should provide some perspective.

Good luck with your YA book. I have a YA manuscript moldering in my files too--I know it's not as easy as people think, to write for adolescents/teens. :hi:

[JDPriestly]

10. Woops! I suggested the same -- write something about the bully's viewpoint.

I hope you don't mind. I wasn't copying you. I wrote my post before reading yours. The idea of writing something from the bully's point of view and then going on with the original story just occurred to me right away upon reading the OP.

[orleans]

5. biggest tip i can give you at this time:

read ya novels. LOTS OF THEM. READ A TON OF WHAT IS BEING WRITTEN AND SOLD.

that is what i've been doing over the past couple of weeks. you'll be amazed to see some of the crap that actually gets printed up into book form! then go back to writing and aspire to write as well as the good material you've read.

you could even ask librarians which books are the most popular now that kids are reading.

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. Been readying some YA fiction and as to what passes for

publishable material, you think YA fiction is bad... some sci fi, in the gaming industry makes the bad YA fiction look like ... nobel prize winners

[orleans]

7. oh, i believe it. you're treading into waters i dare not go. lol.

not a big sci-fi fan to begin with. and gaming? no-thank-you! so the combo (for me, at least) would turn into such a miserable task i think i'd actually start cleaning my house just to avoid reading it.

[nadinbrzezinski]

8. You know what is sad? The American gaming industry did it to

itself.

Warhammer 40K (and Warhammer) are not bad.. (notice did not say stellar) but they are not bad.

Then again they pay for it, through the nose

There are a couple of the books in the series that I'd gladly recommend to even non-gamers... the current US Gaming Fiction... no, not really... not even my own, if you are not into the crap.

But they were written by Dan Abnett, one of the top Sci Fi writers in the UK... his first books in the Inquisitor series are excellent, and a joy to read from character development and description.

But in the US, since the industry has done crap to writers like oh, steal material (could tell more than one story of what happened to me) these days most of the good folks don't even want to think about it, except for a couple names... and they pay them because they have lawyers and Hasbro has deep pockets.

Hell these days when young writers ask for where to break, I do regale them with the horror stories and tell them to STEER away from the industry

If they still insist in writing for me... yes it does happen... I insist on both of us signing a contract and I pay them promptly... which is rare... to say the least.

But I guess the industry is gonna see many of these bad boys go the way of the do-do with the economy... and sadly I am not unhappy to see them go.. perhaps the next crop of producers will learn from those mistakes (which reflect the US economy in general and ethics in the business world) and we will finally see people get paid for their work...

I doubt it, fanboys are easy to exploit, really

[JDPriestly]

9. My first thought when I read the beginning paragraphs of your post.

I would like to see a story written from the bully's point of view. Just saying. We who were the bullied have little understanding of the bully's side of it. What goes on in the bully? Is the bully being bullied? Might make it easier if you wrote a little sketch about your story from the bully's view. You might have a richer insight on your own story. You wouldn't have to use the sketch you wrote on the bully's view.

[nadinbrzezinski]

11. On a very technical side, many bullies do come from

ahem broken homes to use the usual excuse

And yes, they take their angers on fellow students

From readying some of the background to this... my bullies... they came from broken homes, for real

So you do have a point