ENG 377 - Change title to Forms of Young Adult Fiction

Wide-ranging across subgenres (realism, fantasy science fiction, romance), young adult fiction is offered by all major trade publishers and tops best-seller lists as well as lists of banned books. While the phrase young adult may imply ” juvenile” or “simple,” award-winning young adult novels are complex, varied, and culturally significant.

This hybrid writing course adopts a collaborative laboratory approach to its specialized literary genre via theory and practice, emphasizing both study of and making of young adult fiction. Together we will read literary criticism, discuss educational scholarship on the impacts of literacy, consider publishing trends, analyze contemporary narratives, conduct market analysis, write and revise fiction, and meet people publishing in field and read their work. Neither a workshop nor a lecture course, this course will promote writing and reading as acts of play.

Ultimately, the course aims to investigate young adult fiction; what makes it work? What are its key components? What moves are possible in this genre?  What moves are controversial, but important, in this genre? What are stories yet to be told and can I do the telling?