8.05.2009

Book Covers in YA


In honor of SCBWI, which is being held this week, I decided to do a post on what’s going on in YA. So I went to the local Barnes & Nobles and took some photos of the book covers that line the shelves.


If you haven’t strolled through the YA section lately, you’ve been missing out on the latest trends.


Why go through the YA section, especially if you’re writing for adults? Because if there’s anything fun going on right now, it’s starting here.


These readers are going to grow up and they’re going to be hungry.


I’ve never seen such an explosion of imagination. Yes, there are copycat stories and similarities in theme. But, honestly, you can write almost anything here right now.


Keep it clean (my recommendation) and exciting (their demand) and if at all possible, write about fantasy (we both advise that).


These covers all caught my attention. If I was buying (I was meeting a friend for our own writing adventure), I’d have purchased every single one of these books.


But after writing this post, I think I’ll go back. And buy them all. And keep them for myself. For that little girl in me that never grew up.

3 comments:

Author Sue Dent said...

Sadly, the best covers aren't even on the bookshelves at Barnes & Nobles. Independent presses and smaller publishers can't even get on these shelves and they're the ones with covers that rock!!! :)

Author Sue Dent said...

. . . or rather reeeeeeallly rock!!

Merrie Destefano said...

Sue,
There's definitely a lot of action going on in YA right now. In every arena, small presses, independent presses, big publishers.

And I didn't even have access to what's coming next. I'm sure we have more great things lined up.

I wish I was a "fly on the wall" at SCBWI right now, listening to all the deals and pitches. I can almost see the sparks flying.