Roadmap to a YA Contemporary Novel

As some of you already know, I've recently put aside my otherworldly fetish to explore my abilities in the contemporary arena. And I've had a bit of progress. 
In brief: the real world YA tale I'm developing finally has its bare bones. I have my female and male leads, their backgrounds and current struggles - some of which touch upon the serious topics of a physically debilitating disease, depression, and self-inflicted abuse such as anorexia and drug use. Of course, it all revolves around young love, learning to trust, and the gift of believing in one's own worth. The more I develop these ideas, the more I see value in this story being told. There's still plenty of details to figure out, and I'll keep you informed on my progress.
With the above in mind, please help me welcome Young Adult Author Julie Musil! She's here to share her wisdom on writing YA contemporary literature. She writes from her rural home in Southern California, where she lives with her husband and three sons. She’s an obsessive reader who loves stories that grab the heart and won’t let go. Find her: Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Website | Goodreads/The Summer of Crossing Lines | Goodreads/Julie Musil | Pinterest.

Her YA novel The Boy Who Loved Fire was released earlier this year. And her latest was released a few days ago. Congratulations to Julie! 

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Title: The Summer of Crossing Lines

Author: Julie Musil

Release date: August 19, 2014

Category: Young Adult (YA)

Genre: Contemporary Mystery

Description: When her protective older brother disappears, sixteen-year-old Melody loses control of her orderly life. Her stuttering flares up, her parents are shrouded in a grief-induced fog, and she clings to the last shreds of her confidence. 

The only lead to her brother’s disappearance is a 30-second call from his cell phone to Rex, the leader of a crime ring. Frustrated by a slow investigation with too many obstacles, and desperate to mend her broken family, Melody crosses the line from wallflower to amateur spy. She infiltrates Rex’s group and is partnered with Drew, a handsome pickpocket whose kindness doesn’t fit her perception of a criminal. He doesn’t need to steal her heart—she hands it to him.

With each law Melody breaks, details of her brother’s secret life emerge until she’s on the cusp of finding him. But at what point does truth justify the crime? 

Roadmap to a Contemporary YA Novel
by Julie Musil

With the success of John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars, there’s been a lot of talk about contemporary novels being “in.” But contemporary novels have never been out. They’ve quietly lurked in the background all along. Contemporary is my favorite genre, so naturally that’s what I gravitated toward as a writer.

How do writers capture a contemporary story? Here’s my process.

•   Pluck ideas from the news. For my recent release, The Summer of Crossing Lines, the original story seed came to me while watching the news. A high speed car chase was happening on our Los Angeles freeways. No surprise there. But what did surprise me was that a teen guy and girl ended up sprawled out face down on the freeway. Guns and ammunition were found in the truck. My writer brain kicked into high gear. Who were these teens? How did they end up face down on the freeway? Why were they carrying guns and ammo? A scene was born.

•   Connect current issues to teens’ concerns. Thankfully, I have three teen sons in the house which helps with character development. But even if I didn’t, I’d rely on my own teen experiences to capture teen worries. Sure, times have changed and some of my former worries are antiquated. But some teen issues remain the same--the need to fit in, self esteem, insecurities, friendships, fractured families, etc. If we put ourselves back in that time, back when we had pimples, a fresh driver’s license, and curves in new places, we can capture what today’s teens are going through and create a meaningful theme.

•   Create characters who will struggle most within the plot. I usually come up with plot ideas first, then work to create characters who will struggle the most within that plot. In The Summer of Crossing Lines, the main character Melody searches for her missing brother and infiltrates a theft ring. Who would be out of place in that situation? A lot of people. But Melody stutters and she’s insecure. Instant conflict.

•   Beware of “dating” your material. Technology changes faster than we can update our iPhones. In my opinion, it’s best to keep these references vague or give them new names. Instead of saying “Facebook,” come up with your own name. Sarah Dessen calls a similar site UME.com in her novel, Lock and Key. Who knows how long before Facebook goes the way of MySpace? In my recent release, I simply used the phrase “wall page.”

Books about real characters living in the real world and tackling real issues make compelling stories that current teens can relate to. Do you write contemporary novels? How does your process compare? Any tips you’d like to add?

Thank you for joining us, Julie!