Old People Writing for Teens, IV

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cscarlet

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:hi: Hi everyone! Sorry I haven't been around much. Been very, very busy...

Yah. I think, for the teen betas, I'm looking more for confirmation that the story is something that they'll like, that the guy characters are (ahem) "hot", and that the MC is relatable. *I* think that they are, but I'm 33 years old-- at this moment, "hot" is a guy with a job who isn't afraid of commitment. :D

This cracked me up.

I echo everyone else: I'd love a teen beta, just to see what works and what doesn't (and to see if they think the guy is "hot"). I wouldn't expect to get much more out of it, but those things are *really* important. Just don't count on them for more than that.
 

cryaegm

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Yah. I think, for the teen betas, I'm looking more for confirmation that the story is something that they'll like, that the guy characters are (ahem) "hot", and that the MC is relatable. *I* think that they are, but I'm 33 years old-- at this moment, "hot" is a guy with a job who isn't afraid of commitment. :D
As a teen (two years ago December 31st), guys a lot of girls considered hot, I never felt the same.

For example: David Beckham. :s I don't see him as hot. Dunno why.

Then again, as a reader when I was teen, I didn't care if the guy character was hot or not. If he was an asshat, that whole "hot" factor was gone in an instant.

:s I'm such a weirdo. (My panties get twisted (as in, um, all hot and bothered) when my boyfriend talks about video games, after all.)
 

Emberchyld

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As a teen (two years ago December 31st), guys a lot of girls considered hot, I never felt the same.

I was the same as a teen (well, except for Joey McEntire and Kevin from the BSB, but they were different. I mean, we so had an emotional connection, even if they didn't know it.)

I also have a lot of trouble looking at, for example, Taylor Lautner. To me, he'll always be the squishably adorable "Shark Boy". Shark Boy can't be hot :tongue And I just don't get Justin Beiber at all.

My adult betas have given the "hotness" thumbs up to one of my guys, more based on sense of humor and actions than his physical description. I'm curious to see how this compares with the opinion of my teen betas when they report back-- if they'll root for the other (more serious but more traditionally "hot") boy.
 

misslissy

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Ugh, I don't get Justin Beiber at all either. He looks and sounds like a little boy. But I don't think teens are into him, I think tweens are into him. Like my 15 year old sister (built in Beta right there - we have very similar tastes in books, in fact she introduced me to the hunger games, and she knows a good book when she sees one) thinks Justin Beiber is creepy too.
 

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On teen betas and hotness, they might surprise you. ^__^ Those two girls I know weren't beta-ing my stuff, they just got curious, I gave them a few chapters and asked for their opinion. They amazed me by saying they would have liked a more down to earth, stable and serious boy (the male romantic interest in that story was an immortal, unbelievably gorgeous, very temperamental and emotional creature). I was like O___o, I'd never have said that when I was 15 and 17 (which they are), in fact, now I'm thirty, and I'd still prefer my version. Maybe they are more mature than I am, or maybe it's just a question of having a certain "type".

Also, I think that having a beta who highly enjoys the teen culture might be enough. They are still target audience if they consume a lot of this stuff.
 

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Hmmm the "hotness" topic: the best friend of my MC calls them "yummies" and she keeps her eyes open to make sure she does not miss any (she´s just looking or at least that is what she says).
Having a teen beta seems like a good idea. I´ll keep it in mind for when I´m actually done with writing my novel (paranormal YA)
 

AlwaysJuly

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I love the idea of a teen beta, but I don't know where I'd find one besides my cousin -- and I'd feel weird asking her, since all I know about her reading preferences is that she hates Moby Dick as much as I did.

On the hotness front -- for me it's always been self-confidence, a sense of humor, and a weighty intellect. A hot body helps too, though. That's usually what does it for my FMCs, too. I never get the YA novels where the appeal seems to be on how pretty the boy is; for me, at least, that attraction doesn't transfer AT ALL. Now, show me some witty repartee from the boy, and I'm much more interested...

But I really haven't changed (in that regard, at least) since I was fifteen.
 

misslissy

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On teen betas and hotness, they might surprise you. ^__^ Those two girls I know weren't beta-ing my stuff, they just got curious, I gave them a few chapters and asked for their opinion. They amazed me by saying they would have liked a more down to earth, stable and serious boy (the male romantic interest in that story was an immortal, unbelievably gorgeous, very temperamental and emotional creature). I was like O___o, I'd never have said that when I was 15 and 17 (which they are), in fact, now I'm thirty, and I'd still prefer my version. Maybe they are more mature than I am, or maybe it's just a question of having a certain "type".

Also, I think that having a beta who highly enjoys the teen culture might be enough. They are still target audience if they consume a lot of this stuff.
Well I think different girls like different guys and this will be true everywhere. There are tons of teenage girls that would love to have Edward and others who wouldn't want him at all. Teens have a preference between Ron or Harry or Draco usually too.
 

parumpdragon

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Why would you want the whoos (Draco), who flees the challenge and bullies everyone? I just don't understand that. Not at all.:(
 

misslissy

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How many of the books have you read? Cause Draco is a complicated character. I can understand it, I mean, he's not for me, but some girls go for the bad boy type.
 

Windcutter

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Well I think different girls like different guys and this will be true everywhere. There are tons of teenage girls that would love to have Edward and others who wouldn't want him at all. Teens have a preference between Ron or Harry or Draco usually too.
Oh yeah, heh, the Edward Litmus Test.
As for the second question, I'd have said: neither! Ron and Harry are friend material, not boyfriend material, and Draco isn't tough enough to be a bad boy, he's just mean. But then, I always adored the mysterious type, and it doesn't exist in that series. For example, I was one of those girls who swooned over Jareth the Goblin King in the Labirinth because he was so otherworldly. No wonder L.J. Smith's Forbidden Game series worked on me so well. xd
 

parumpdragon

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How many of the books have you read? Cause Draco is a complicated character. I can understand it, I mean, he's not for me, but some girls go for the bad boy type.

I have read all the books. But then I did not catch the 'addiction' that went around with that series. I read them because my mother would not put them down of stop talking about them.

She still rereads them. Once was enough for me. They were good, but once was enough.
 

Netz

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For example, I was one of those girls who swooned over Jareth the Goblin King in the Labirinth because he was so otherworldly. No wonder L.J. Smith's Forbidden Game series worked on me so well. xd

You're not the only one. :D Julian was fab (the girl's actual boyfriend paled into insignificance beside him), and I so wished I was Sarah at the ball.
 

Windcutter

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You're not the only one. :D Julian was fab (the girl's actual boyfriend paled into insignificance beside him), and I so wished I was Sarah at the ball.
Oh yes he was. And that book also had something that's extremely rare for YA: it pitched her and him against each other. When she says at some point: "Well, Julian, what are you waiting for? Our game's on, and I shall win. Be afraid, be very afraid, because this time you are my prey"--or something like that, it was ten times hotter than any kind of "lemme drive you to school" angle.
 

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I LOVE dancing! Why are we dancing? *twirls around in time with whatever music Sage is hearing*
I'll share my OPWFT-type news as soon as I can. For now, I'll dance some more because my short story was also accepted to the AW anthology :D

I had a VERY good publishing day yesterday. It was honestly a "it never rains, it pours" type of day.
 

cscarlet

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I'll share my OPWFT-type news as soon as I can. For now, I'll dance some more because my short story was also accepted to the AW anthology :D

I had a VERY good publishing day yesterday. It was honestly a "it never rains, it pours" type of day.


...:e2bear:
:e2dance:

^ Good enough sounding news that you deserve dancing *and* a chorus line.
 
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