YA Fiction and the Next Big Thing

I\’m pumped to attend the 2012 YALSA Literature Symposium, titled: The Future of Young Adult Literature: Hit Me with the Next Big Thing.  The conference is being held in St. Louis, Mo., the proverbial \”hop, step and jump\” away from my home. (Am I dating myself with that reference?) YALSA stands for Young Adult Library Services Association.

While I am not presenting (that will be at the ALA convention next summer) I will be haunting the halls, attending presentation on YA Literature and Fan-Created Work, the Future of Review Guidance, the Future of Whiteness in Young Adult Literature, Contemporary Young Adult FictionWhat Will Guys Read Next, and, of course, a special presentation on  Trends, Fads, and the Next Big Thing in Publishing.

If you\’re hanging around and find YALSA Author B. A. Binns, hit me with the secret words (hint: All The Colors Of Love) to get a free copy of one of my books, either PULL or Die Trying.

8 thoughts on “YA Fiction and the Next Big Thing”

  1. Renee, I write boy-centric books myself. The “What will guys read next” session is all about that, and I have that marked as a Must Attend on my schedule.

  2. Have a great time, B.A. It sounds like it's going to be fantastic.

    I'd love to hear about the “What Will Guys Read” session after too! I think my book would be very appealing to boys, but the publisher put a very girl-centric cover on it… And a friend of mine has a YA fantasy, written in two male POVs and her publisher put a girl on the cover! It's like they don't think boys read… 🙂

  3. Maureen, unfortunatly publishers do think boys don't read. They also know that the demographics says girls are their number one customer, and they are out to appeal to that, making a self-fulfilling prophecy. I do talks to groups about attracting reluctant male readers (and I will be at the American Library Association summer conference in Chicago presenting on the subject) so I am all too aware of the problem. Guys really do like a good book. But their idea of a “good book” may be different from a girl's.

  4. Wow, sounds like a great conference. People do assume that boys don't read, so they gear most of the promotion to girls which creates a self-fulfilling prophecy.

    I'd also like to hear more about “quieter” genres like historical fiction. Are publishers open to more than the latest trend?

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