I write fiction for tweens
and teens, so I read a lot of it, including secular fiction. Contemporary secular
fiction for ages 12 to 18 shows a disturbing pattern, and it’s not only an increase
in adult language and sexual content. Valuable space is often donated to
descriptions of bodily functions. The opening scene of one novel I recently
began to read was all about a character’s graphically detailed bowel problem.
Novels often describe a problem from the other end, too. This is no way to lift
up the beautiful creations by God that our children are. And is this the type
of realism that entertains young readers today? I hope not.
But enough about what not to include in building a realistic
story world for tweens or teens. Here are five details, sensory and otherwise,
that we should include.
1. Embarrassment. Adults experience embarrassment, but it’s a
daily occurrence for young people. Anything from their own spoken words (or thoughts)
to a smile from a member of the opposite sex can cause them to blush. One
instance for my 13-year-old male character, Sal, is when he rushes outside to
see a female friend who arrived unexpectedly, and he becomes aware that he’s
wearing his pants but only his sleeveless undershirt covering his chest. Probably
no one outside his family has ever seen him without a shirt on, especially not
a girl!
2. Music. What teenager doesn’t like music? If writing a contemporary novel,
an author might want to keep the story evergreen by not naming a specific song
title or performer. But do mention a type of music enjoyed. In historical
fiction, research popular song titles of the period and have your character
listen to a favorite on a phonograph or musical instrument. Sal enjoys
listening to his family’s solitary radio, which is new and exciting in a
farming community in 1925.
3. Food. If a character eats, what does he eat? Describe an interesting
food and a character’s reaction to its smell or taste. In contemporary fiction,
a teen in the southwest might be interested in foods common in the northeast.
Maybe he’s never eaten lobster or clam chowder and doesn’t even know what it
smells like. I describe Italian food in The
Other Side of Freedom, including dishes made from the produce of Sal’s
family farm, and give Sal’s reactions to his likes and dislikes.
4. School. Yes, even school can be an interesting detail, especially if it’s an
unfamiliar type of institution. One of my female characters returns home from a
Normal School, which is the name given to schools where girls were educated to
become teachers in the early 20th century. Such schools were few and
far between in 1925, and she left Louisiana to attend one in Alabama. And
remember—at that time, if a girl had the luxury of graduating from high school
(at a one-room schoolhouse in a rural area), her age was around 16. Teens might
like to know that.
5. Government, Laws.
Such a variety exists from country to country and U.S. state to state. Throw in
local laws and a different historical time period, and many possibilities arise
to incorporate details about government, political leaders, and laws. Just be
sure to tie them into your characters’ experience and feelings. Sal reflects on
his friend Hiram being named after the first African American elected to the
U.S. Senate, and why Hiram’s mother might have named him so. Make the
information personal to your characters so that an educational fact doesn’t sound
too … educational. J
Do you have any tips to add to Cynthia's?
~~~~~~
Cynthia T. Toney writes for
tweens and teens because she wants them to know how wonderful, powerful, and
valuable God made them. Her novels include The
Other Side of Freedom and the Bird Face series, which begins with 8 Notes to a Nobody. Her books include thought-provoking questions for classrooms and
book clubs.
Cynthia has a passion for rescuing dogs from
animal shelters and enjoys studying the complex history of the friendly
southern U.S. from Georgia to Texas, where she resides with her husband and
several canines. Get to know her better by visiting www.CynthiaTToney.com.
