Using Facebook, YouTube etc in YA novels

Why do you have to say names at all? Unless it is crucial to your story, why not just avoid naming names altogether and just refer to it as a social networking site. That way, not only will you have to worry about sounding obvious with your names, but it avoids dating the novel and and may apply to other similar sites in the future.

But, that is just me. I try to avoid making direct references when I write.

In the end, it's up to you and how it plays in your story since we aren't the ones writing it nor know what it is about.

Just call them Facebook and YouTube. They're popular enough to not be forgotten in our lifetime, even if they die later. Worrying about timelessness 100 years from now is sort of silly, in my opinon. Technology will always be changing. Look where we were 100 years ago.

And it just bugs me when there are made-up names for things. I read a book fairly recently that had a site called FriendsInTouch.com or some such. It was annoying.

Honestly, it annoys me when the website is blindingly obvious but the author still won't call it by name, or worse, invents some fake name that is never as clever as the author thinks it is.

I don't see Facebook or Youtube going away anytime soon. I'd say they're safe to use.

I'd go ahead and use the real names. I'm an eye roller when I see the made up names that obviously are meant to be something else but the author thought it was clever or cute or funny or whatever.

Kats said:

Mine fall under that category - blindingly obvious what they're supposed to be and attempted clever names (MyFace and VidBox)!

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And MyFace, on first quick look I'd have thought it was a take on MySpace, as it rhymes, and not Facebook. But that might just be me.

Kats said:

They definitely need naming, otherwise there would be really awkward mentions like, a friend request from a social networking site, and a video on...a site. The scenes which they're in are important to the plot so I can't really get away with leaving them out and with how I've written it, they need to be named.

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Okay, wasn't sure if it was just like a small little scene that just has your character surfing online or what not where you could get away with not mentioning it.

In that case I agree with everyone--fake names are cheesy so you might as well go with the real deal

Definitely use the real names.

I've read a couple of novels that refer to MySpace or to dialing in on a modem (gasp!). For me personally, there's no negative connotations there.

It really yanks me out of a book when I read obvious fake names. It's like seeing a 555 number in a movie. I'll be totally immersed in the story and then bam, it's like hitting some kind of mental speedbump.

I originally used "Facebook" and "YouTube" but a bunch of my critique partners/betas suggested I take them out, so now they are just in my novel as "online website", but it's clear what each one is.

Facebook and YouTube have earned enough cultural traction at this point to be remembered for at least the next decade. Even if they are replaced in the near future, they'll no doubt continue to exist in some form, a la AOL, Yahoo, etc.

Kalea said:

Definitely use the real names.

I've read a couple of novels that refer to MySpace or to dialing in on a modem (gasp!). For me personally, there's no negative connotations there.

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Yeah, in fact I kind of like it. Not too long ago I read something from the late '90s where someone referenced going onto AOL and I got this burst of nostalgia.

Like others have said, Facebook and YouTube are popular enough that they will never be forgotten in our lifetime, and thus it being dated is not an issue. At this point it's like mentioning a character is drinking a Coke. Sure, maybe in 75 years there's the chance Coke isn't a big thing anymore but it's so big now that I think you take the gamble. I think Facebook comes up once or twice for me.

That said, I'd try to use these things sparingly. For instance, I would assume (without knowing your story) that whatever a given character might be looking up on YouTube, you could just as easily say they simply looked up online and found a video of. Namedrop stuff like that only when necessary i.e. situations when not simply saying "Facebook" would just be awkward. Like others, I hate the fake brand names. I saw something recently where not only did they use MyFace but they played video games on a "Z Box"

Kats said:

Hmm, that's interesting that they suggested you take them out - what were their reasons? Dating the book, same as my concerns?

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Dating the novel, yup. Although I wanted to keep them in, it turned out that it's not such a big deal in my novel that they aren't mentioned. The idea got across (i.e. the main char puts "in a relationship w...boyfriend's name" online). I figure if I ever get an agent or editor who says I should put it back in or make up a name, then I'll put it back in, etc.

I'd keep in the names (although don't mention them too much).

Just one word of warning: BEBO.

Smish said:

And it just bugs me when there are made-up names for things. I read a book fairly recently that had a site called FriendsInTouch.com or some such. It was annoying.

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Oh man! Do I agree with you!

Please...use the real names. I've seen it done a lot recently in YA. It works. It's fine.

I'm such a nerd that I'll go Google the fake names to see if they're fake, or if the writer seriously misjudged which service would last more than 6 months! I know my teenaged students mock me as an old fogie if I try to skirt around FB or YT in conversation.

I wouldn't name them because I think it kind of dates the novel regardless.

I used to cringe when I was little reading books that referenced modern teenage slang, teenage activities at that period, teenage music etc.

It made me really cringe.

I definitely err on the side of just using the real names of the sites and then deferring to an agent/editor if they suggest differently.

I mean, I have seen A LOT of people make fun of the scene in Twilight where Bella looks up vampires using her "favorite Internet search engine." It's Google. She's using Google. Everyone knows she's using Google.

Smish said:

Just call them Facebook and YouTube. They're popular enough to not be forgotten in our lifetime, even if they die later. Worrying about timelessness 100 years from now is sort of silly, in my opinon. Technology will always be changing. Look where we were 100 years ago.

And it just bugs me when there are made-up names for things. I read a book fairly recently that had a site called FriendsInTouch.com or some such. It was annoying.

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Same with television programs, though I think there's probably more of a legal issue there with showing the actual website (I'm guessing). I throw around Facebook in my novel a little bit. I wouldn't worry about it. It's really impossible not to date yourself at some point unless you're creating an entirely fictional universe (or doing historical fiction). Updates can always be made after publishing and after that point, well, future readers really won't care much if the writing stands for itself. Pop culture references can be a little more tricky. Not many authors get away with it and I notice those who do sort of have hipstery characters who like more cult-classic stuff or retro already-classic 20th/21st century things.

maybegenius said:

I definitely err on the side of just using the real names of the sites and then deferring to an agent/editor if they suggest differently.

I mean, I have seen A LOT of people make fun of the scene in Twilight where Bella looks up vampires using her "favorite Internet search engine." It's Google. She's using Google. Everyone knows she's using Google.

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Wait, you mean it's not Yahoo search?!

Haha, I was actually just talking today with co-workers about how ridiculous this scene is.

Kats said:

Mine fall under that category - blindingly obvious what they're supposed to be and attempted clever names (MyFace and VidBox)!

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The name of the Facebook/MySpace mashup on this one ABC soap called One Life to Live was called MyFace. It always seemed kind of hokey to me.

I feel like it's only in YA that everyone is so concerned with 'dating' their work. In most adult fiction, it seems like there is a specific, named time period so it's okay to mention websites, movies, music, current events of the time, etc.

I agree with everyone else, use the real names. I hate that all these classic series are being updated to make the characters more modern (the sweet valley books bug me in particular, but that has to do with making the girls a size two instead of a size six). If your story is good, dated references won't matter. Future YAers might even see your work as historical fiction.