The Decline of Young Adult Fiction

Why is young adult fiction so formulaic?

It's rather depressing how YA fiction, and even children's novels, have been reduced so drastically in quality.

I walked into Barnes and Noble the other day, and there was an ENTIRE shelf devoted to vampire novels that were just cheaper versions of the Twilight series (and don't even get me started about the Twilight series!)

Even Christian YA fiction has become so so so formulaic! It bothers me to no end. If you pick up any Christian romance novel, the complete plot will be almost always be this: A Christian girl or guy (in this case lets pick a guy and call him Chris to make things simple) meets a non-Christian person of the opposite sex (let's call her Agnes). They are strongly attracted to each other from the MOMENT they set eyes upon each other. However, Chris realizes Agnes is not a believer, and knows that he cannot be unequally yoked. He has a hard time fighting his ever growing feelings for Agnes. Usually they end up going on several "unofficial" dates (either they are forced together by unusual circumstances, they are criminal investigators who are working on the same case etc) and spend time alone. Chris talks to Agnes about his faith, but she has some sort of fundamental barrier against believing in God (i.e. How can God allow suffering? or How can I trust in something I cannot see?). Finally, Agnes does become a Christian and both are extremely happy and kiss. Sometimes Chris proposes, and sometimes they just become an item.

That's why I don't read much Christian YA fiction anymore. If I want romance, I read Jane Austen. She did not write by formula.

Of course fantasy can be formulaic too! (read Dan Bergstein's hilarious post on this! http://community.sparknotes.com/2009/08/03/how-to-write-your-own-fantasy-novel). But my main problem with fantasy is authors writing themselves into a corner and then coming up with bigger magic so that they can over come their problem. Someone dies? Now we have a way to raise them from the dead. This person is then banished to the underworld and completely dead? Now there's a spell to bring them back as a ghost... and it just goes on.

Maybe that's part of the reason I'm thinking about becoming an editor... I want to be able to help authors avoid formulaic writing.

"Always read something that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it." ~P.J. O'Rourke