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In real life, eighteen-year-old Beth is overweight, shy, and geeky. She’s been bullied all her life, and her only refuge is food. Online, though, she’s a vicious troll who targets the beautiful, vain, oversharing “It Girls” of the internet. When she meets Tori, a fellow troll, she becomes her online girlfriend-slash-partner-in-crime. But then Tori picks a target who’s a little too close to home for Beth. Unsettled, Beth decides to quit their online bullying partnership. The only problem is, Tori is not willing to let her go.
Hey YA Readers!
I wanted to offer up something fun and lighthearted today, and as I was brainstorming, I realized I’d already written something that fit the bill. A version of this newsletter appeared on Book Riot in late 2017, though it’s timeless and worth a reshare.
I love a clever tweet, and the one below was not only clever and amusing, but it really got me thinking about the ways we could translate some of the common YA experiences into our own stories.
Your YA fantasy series name is "A [last place you went] of [your birthstone] & [current weather condition]"
— Elle Em (they/them) (@ellle_em) April 6, 2017
Take a minute to figure out your YA fantasy series name above, and then, enjoy the opportunity to figure out some additional YA stories and experiences you’ll have below.
These are created out of deep love and respect for YA books. They’re meant to be fun ways to look at tropes and common themes through YA.
Your YA Superhero Identity
What would your YA superhero name be? Add any conjunctions you deem necessary. Birth month and birth date digit correspond to words listed below the formula.
The [Birth Month] + [Last Digit of Birth Date] + [First Street You Lived On]
January: Great
February: Fabulous
March: Majestic
April: Astonishing
May: Magnificent
June: Incredible
July: Fierce
August: Awe-Inspiring
September:Â Spectacular
October: Splendid
November: Unforgettable
December: Dazzling
0: Wondrous
1: High-Flying
2: Gravity-Defying
3: Magnetic
4: Sparkling
5: Powerhouse
6: Ageless
7: All-Encompassing
8: Dauntless
9: Tender-Hearted
Your YA Crush’s First Name
Because it wouldn’t be a YA experience without some kind of crush. These six letters combine into a single first name of your crush.
[First three letters of your favorite vegetable]+ [Last three letters of your last name]
The YA Fantasy Kingdom You’ll Take Over
If you’re not fighting to save your future kingdom, then what are you fighting for anyway? Maybe you don’t know you’ll inherit the land, or maybe you do, but knowing what it’ll be called is important. Rainbow colors correspond to endings listed below, and these three pieces combine into a single word.
[First 3 letters of your last name] + [First three letters of the name of the biggest city you can think of] + [Favorite Color of the Rainbow]
Red: Landia
Orange: Stania
Yellow: Townia
Green: Worldia
Blue: Citia
Indigo: Villia
Violet: Communia
Your YA Deep Dark Secret
Would it be a YA character if there weren’t some kind of deep, dark secret lurking inside them? Eye color corresponds to a word below, and you may need to add conjunctions as fits. This will be at least three words long, maybe longer.
[Eye Color] + [Your least favorite subject in school]Â + [The object closest to your right hand]
Green: Stealing
Blue: Hiding
Brown: Breaking
Hazel: Forgetting
Grey: Conspiring
Other: Gallivanting
The Title Of Your Contemporary YA Romance Novel
Maybe the name doesn’t match up with the YA crush name you found above, but we know many YA reads feature more than one love interest. This time, you’re going to discover the title of your contemporary YA romance book.
The/A [A math or science term] + of + [First name of your seventh grade crush] + and + [First name of your favorite female-identifying person from history]
The Way You’ll Break The Heart Of Your Reader and/or Love Interest
How will your readers come to have their hearts broken? How will your love interest come to have their heart broken? You choose the path you find more satisfying, since you’re the lead in this story. Hair color corresponds to a word below. Add conjunction words as you see fit.
[Your Hair Color] + [Optional Adjective] + [Two- or Three- Word Real YA Book Title Of Choice]
Black: Stomping
Red: Burning
Brown: Running
Blonde: Dying
Other: Believing
Your YA Mixtape Title
What’s a YA book without some kind of mixtape in it? Build the title of what your ultimate mix is below. Season corresponds to a word below.
[Season When You Were Born] + For/About/To + [Your Favorite Hobby]
Spring: Songs
Summer: Jams
Fall: Tunes
Winter: Music
Your YA After School Job
Not all YA characters are rich enough to be without an after school job, and sorry, but in this story, you have to have a job. Add any conjunctions you see necessary.
[Least Favorite Kitchen-Related Activity] + at/with/for + [The Last Physical Place You Spent Money]
Your YA Travel Adventure
And finally, what’s a YA book without some kind of travel adventure? You need a break from saving your future land, from the pressures of working a job you loathe, and from dealing with crushes left and right. Month of the year corresponds to a word below, as does the pet you own/wish you owned. If you own multiple pets, you’re welcome to combine them for an ultimate teen dream trip.
[Month of Birth] + by + [Color of Your Underwear] + [Pet you own or wish you’d own]
January: Paris
February: Mars
March: Disneyland
April: Antarctica
May: Tokyo
June: The Desert
July: North Dakota
August: The Sun
September: Tasmania
October: New York City
November: Moscow
December: The North Pole
Cat: Unicycle
Dog: Spaceship
Rabbit: Rollerblades
Fish: Cable car
Turtle: Parasail
Snake: Steamboat
Guinea Pig/Hamster: Motorcycle
Bird: Wings
Other: Helicopter
Thanks for hanging out, and I hope you found all of your YA superpowers.
See you again next week!
— Kelly Jensen, @heykellyjensen on Instagram and editor of (Don’t) Call Me Crazy and Here We Are.