One of the blogs I really enjoy reading regularly is YA Highway, which has a number of contributors from near and far. I find the postings diverse, interesting, challenging, and sometimes quite funny. One recent post that caught my eye was Kristin Briana Otts’ Edgy Stereotypes Which Will Not Actually Make Your Characters More Edgy post. I loved it as I’ve been reading too many books lately with characters who are supposed to be edgy because they have a few tattoos or a punk haircut. I mean, the guy at my local hardware store (anyone with an old house is likely to get to know the staff at the local hardware store quite well) has a wild haircut but he also has a 9-5 regular job…HIS HAIRCUT DOES NOT MAKE HIM EDGY!
If you’re interested in writing for the young adult market, you’ll definitely want to check this post out.