Genre Chat – Beckie Lindsey – Young Adult Fiction
Beckie Lindsey is the author of the Beauties from Ashes series of books and co-author of a devotional study journal called Legacy: Living NOW for Future Generations. She is also the editor of SoCal Christian Voice—a division of One Christian Voice media with over 20 divisions across the United States. Beckie also dabbles in poetry, writes freelance for her local newspaper, magazines, web articles as well as devotions and studies.
Young Adult Fiction – Show Notes
Caleb: What inspired you to write Young Adult Fiction?
Beckie: I love kids and I love young adults. I’m around kids a lot, and I also know what they’re reading and know what they’re watching. When I discovered some of the things they were reading and watching, that was an inspiration.
I am dealing with some very difficult issues in this book, and I did that on purpose because of my contact with kids and what I know is going on today.
Caleb: What are some of the hallmarks of Young Adult Fiction, and what is it that makes this genre so relatable to every age group?
Beckie: We all remember back to that time when we were young adults. There’s still that teenager living in all of us. This is that time in your life where you’re becoming who you’re going to be. We all can identify back to that time in our lives.
The Most Popular Themes in YA Fiction:
– The Quest: a solo team trying to save the world from evil forces.
– The Love Triangle: it’s still popular in YA and adult books.
– Dystopian: a futuristically dark setting.
– Paranormal: stories with supernatural elements. This could also include vampires, werewolves and the like.
– The Coming of Age Story: young adults discovering their own abilities.
Caleb: Which sub-genre do your novels fall under?
Beckie: Supernatural/paranormal because of the angels and demons aspect. Coming of age, and there is a love triangle. Good versus evil is in there as well.
Caleb: What’s the greatest lesson that you’ve learned while writing YA?
Beckie: Some of the stuff that I needed to heal from, myself. I went back in my mind to that teenage girl who struggled with some of these issues. We’re all still teenagers inside.
Caleb: How did writing these stories impact your spiritual life?
Beckie: I do believe that it’s a big part of why God put it on my heart to do. We were on a journey together and learning more about what I needed healing from. I’m walking along with people in this. I got deeper into researching spiritual warfare and a lot of prayer went into that. Warrior – that’s my word of the year.
Caleb: Besides drawing from your own experiences, what else did you do to get into the mindset of a teenager?
Beckie: Whatever genre you’re going to write in, you need to read in that genre. As authors, that’s how we’re going to grow. It’s important to be familiar with who your audience is. Hang out with teenagers. Know what’s going on in their world. You need to be authentic.
Caleb: Are you an organic writer or an outliner?
Beckie: I am a person who likes discipline and routine, so it just seemed like outlining was going to be the best way to go. And I found myself trying to fit within this outline and it was squashing me creatively. Slowly I was emerging from this outline. I felt like God was saying, “Have a loose outline. After that, you’re ‘pantsing’ it with me.”
Caleb: If you could give a single piece of advice to an aspiring YA author, what would that advice be?
Beckie: You have to read. We learn by reading. And don’t give up. We are our own worst enemy, sometimes. Do not give up. Keep writing. You have to be disciplined. Set a schedule for yourself. Get it on the page, because there’s bound to be some good stuff in there.
Beckie can be found on social media, as well as on her website,
www.beckielindsey.com
