If there's one thing teenagers are good at, it's procrastinating. Whether it be a school report that's due tomorrow, or working on your story versus spending hours on Youtube (don't look at me that way, you know you do it too!), teenagers have a habit of putting things off until the last minute. That's why you need a deadline.
I've been doing more procrastinating than I want to admit, but I finally dragged myself out of the slough of indecisiveness and decided on a certain day on which to write a new blog post. I feel very accomplished, a feeling which is unknown to me *cue the accomplished smile* I will be attempting to stick to posting on Saturdays every other week, because I end up being busier than originally planned. Sort of.
Anyway, back to the subject of teenagers. I can hear you all groaning. But before you decide to unsubscribe, just hear me out. There are many misconceptions about teenagers, a lot of which I have believed, but some of which aren't true at all. I should know because I am a teenager. So let's dive into the complicated world of hormones, acne, and awkwardness, shall we?
Most people automatically assume that teenagers are moody, temperamental, grouchy... oh wait, I'm using the same synonyms. And that may be true... but teenagers are not like that all the time! Most of my friends (the majority of whom are all teenagers), are not that way. At least, not much when I'm around.
Here are some things that you might be doing wrong if you're writing teenagers into your story.
1. They're super sarcastic and snarky, and literally every other sentence that comes out of their mouth is some smart remark.
Nope. Sure, I have some friends who are more sarcastic than maybe they need to be, but that doesn't mean they can't be serious or intentional. If you're writing a sarcastic character, just make sure they have a human side. Don't make them immune to emotion or feelings, because we all have them. Yes, there are some teenagers out there who may be unreasonably derisive just because they feel like it, but there MUST be some reason why they feel the need to respond that way. That paves the way for backstory.
Pertaining to guys, since they tend to be more sarcastic than their female counterparts, this is a bit different. Hence, COMPETITION AND TESTOSTERONE. When guys are with their squad, they may be unnaturally loud or obnoxious, and they basically try to one-up each other to prove their manliness. A lot. How do I know this? Lots of observation. Buuuttttt.... when they aren't with other guys, they may be the sweetest, nicest, most engaging people you'll meet. Why is this? I have no clue. I'm not a guy. But I have experienced this with several guys I know, so please don't disregard this as information that's too good to be true. And I've heard the same thing many times from my own dad, who was obviously a teenage boy once. Also, writing from a guy's perspective can be challenging. I'll be trying to do a post later about the male POV.
2. They aren't concerned with anything other than their own sustenance and well-being. Okay. Let's get something straight. Just because we are all humanly self-centered and usually focused on our own happiness, does NOT mean that we (teenagers) don't care about people. Sure, we may act like we don't and send mixed messages, but we really do, as much as we hate to admit it. It's impossible for anyone NOT to care about anything. Sometimes it's a gamble, getting to know someone and sharing your personal lives with each other, but hey... life is short, and we only have so much time on this earth. So make your teenage characters get involved with other emotionally. Have them ask deep questions when bad things threaten to topple their worldview. Put them in situations where they have to confront something painful head-on, because that's life, and life isn't always fun or easy. People clash on many different levels, and so should your characters, or else there won't be any point to the story.
3. They're super dramatic. I mean, "OMG, my phone just died... what am I supposed to do? Go out and be productive? You're asking way too much!" Or "Uggh! I can't believe you're making me clean my room! This is torture!" Nope. Unless they're extremely spoiled, most teenagers aren't going to express their displeasure so openly. But there are exceptions. Don't be like Sherlock. Or do, whichever suits your fancy.
4. They're confident, sure of themselves, and always know what they're doing, no matter what. It's okay for teenagers to be confident, but most likely, the majority of them will have questioned everything at some point, guys and girls alike. They might put on a brave face, but deep down, they're just as unsure of themselves as any other teenager. Just ask any adult, and I'm sure they will tell you they went through the same thing. If you happen to be writing from first-person perspective, make sure to include your teenage character's uncertainty. Doubt is always there, and manifests itself in different ways, such as measuring up to peers, thinking you're not talented, or second-guessing your abilities.
5. They're always talking about the latest gadgets, movies, TV shows, and anything else relevant to the 21st century. Actually, this one might be somewhat true in this day and age. But that doesn't mean that these topics are always the center of every teen's life. I have a few friends that are old souls, like me, and we enjoy and appreciate old-fashioned things. We also like fangirling over our respective fandoms and setting up Powerpoint presentations on why Loki is a tragic villain. So you have a good balance of both. However, it goes without saying that if you're writing a historical novel, it wouldn't be a great idea to mention cell phones or the newest pop song on the radio. Unless they're time traveling teenagers. THAT would be cool. Instead, you could have the boys talking of joining up with the army or buying their new wagon, and the girls talking about cooking and sewing; whatever trends apply to the time period you're writing in.
6. Teenagers today don't know how to communicate. Now this one tends to come more from the older generations who think that teenagers today aren't as equipped as they were fifty years ago. And that may be true, but you can't generalize every teenager on the planet that way. I have known some very personable, sociable teenagers who interact with the whole spectrum of people and are the epitome of pleasant. A lot of it depends on personality and whether or not they are outgoing. I, for example, would describe myself as an introvert, because I tend to be more shy and I'm not always comfortable talking to people I don't know well. But, I have a job as a front desk clerk at a feed store, and needless to say, it generates a lot of people interaction. When it comes down to it, I'm certain that most teenagers know how to communicate just fine. It's the issue of personality, mood, and a jumble of other things that creates this notion. So don't be afraid to put some diversity in your characters. Have one be a smooth-talker, another can be skilled with words on paper, and another can get nervous while meeting new people.
7. Teens are always rebellious. For the most part, yes, teenagers do tend to test their limits more because they're trying to figure themselves out. There was a stage in my life where I questioned my parents on a lot of levels, mainly because I thought I was quite old enough to decide what I was going to wear that day. And at one point, I wanted to dye my hair and get a tattoo and some other such nonsense. (By the way, that's my version of being rebellious. I've never wanted to sneak out late, mainly because I'm a hermit.) I'm sure that all teenagers have wanted to stand out and be different; some just don't have the motivation to do anything about it. It's definitely okay to have your characters be rebels and want to go against the grain... but don't make it where they ALWAYS want to defy orders, all the time. It's just unrealistic.
Sorry. I had to put that in there. It's a great movie, though!
8. They're careless. Nope, not always. That was probably spawned from the YOLO trend, but... how many chances do you get to do something crazy fun (and probably stupid?) Not very often. Some teenagers are super uptight about everything, some are in the middle ground, and some really just don't care. There's a wide range of traits to choose from, so don't be afraid to get creative with your characters. Have them work hard to show the older generation that respect and politeness aren't totally lost.
9. Every teenager is dying to have a boyfriend or girlfriend. Uhhh... no. Lots of teenagers feel that you shouldn't be in a relationship if there isn't some kind of long-term goal. I am one of those people, and that's why I often find it weird (and frankly wrong) that thirteen-year-olds in the sixth grade are dating. Stop. Just, stop. Teenage romances are cute, in the right perspective, but not elementary-school kids constantly Facebooking about how amazing their BF/GF is. Your characters are certainly allowed to be attracted to each other, but please, for the love of everything that is good in this world, don't make the entire book about how they wouldn't be able to live without their significant other. Put some purpose in there, people! Go ahead... write your teenagers who don't want a sweetheart, write about the ones who do, and write about the ones who are perfectly happy either way.
This is the fun in creating teenage characters with so much diversity! There's so many traits to pick and choose from, and if you do it right, you'll have a non-cliche, inspirational teenage character that people will actually want to read about.
And it's about time someone wrote a book about the tough old lady taking on a quest instead of the unstable, emotionally vulnerable teenager. I'm looking at you, Rick Riordan.
So there you have it! If you have any requests for me to write on a specific topic, feel free to comment down below!
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