Writing for Young Adults? - Ask your Librarian

Today the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize 2008 Winner will be announced. It could be one of four shortlisted books and authors:

Cosmic, by Frank Cottrell Boyce
The Knife of Never Letting Go, by Patrick Ness
Bog Child, by Siobhan Dowd
Before I Die, by Jenny Downham.

The Young Adult market is as demanding and exciting as any other, and since 'crossover' books, such as The Curious Incident of The Dog in The Nighttime, or even Harry Potter, writing for teens does not have to mean writing only for teens, but writing good, challenging and unique stories, which can reach beyond the age group and its contemporary market.

Each of the shortlisted books appears to do that, including the subjects of knife crime and the premature teen death and illness of Tessa in Jenny Downham's 'Before I Die.'

Do you feel your writing is appropriate to pitch at a YA/crossover market? How do you know if your writing style is suitable for a YA market? Who can tell you what YAs like to read? Who better to ask, than Nikki Heath, British School Librarian of the Year 2008. I interviewed her, for The View From Here Magazine. Come over and read what she has to say - on Friday she gives her eight excellent tips for writers of YA books.