As a Teenager, What Are Some Good Ideas for Novel Writing?

Some of the most famous novels were written by teens. Here are some great young adult writing prompts to use!

Teens have a lot going on in their lives. Sure, they likely haven’t started their career nor own a house, or (hopefully) aren’t raising children yet, but it’s a massive stage in life.

Our teenage years start to see us shaped into the adults we will likely become as we navigate complex emotions, commit to our passions, and explore ourselves in various ways that are often frightening, confusing, thrilling, and joyful.

While some adults like to reminisce on those carefree days, others are equally glad to be done with the mess of the learning curve we experience in our teens. If you’re a teenager navigating all that and looking for a place to express yourself, you can learn to write and even get published.

Some of the most famous novels, young adult (YA) and otherwise, were written by teens, like Eragon and Frankenstein and one of my favorites, The Outsiders. To help you get started, I have some great tips any budding author can apply when learning to write their first novel!

Practice Makes Mistakes

As a teenager, you have time to do almost anything. I know that we all have some responsibilities, and school is vital, but beyond that, your time is primarily your own in your teens.

So, if you’re serious about writing a book, you have the time to practice. Writing every day, whether on your manuscript or just something for fun to express an idea, will make you a better writer.

You will write good stuff, and, just as importantly, you will write terrible stuff. But the best thing about mistakes is that people generally learn from them and improve. Plus, you’ll be more likely to finish writing your book with regular practice. Try spending at least 20 minutes daily on young adult writing prompts and develop a healthy habit for your craft.

Resources Are There To Help

Don’t neglect the power of all those books on writing. Not everyone has great ideas every day or a natural gift for focus or writing. Sometimes we need help, and that’s okay! Because support is there!

When you’re struggling to practice every, pick up a book or find a website, like Reedsy, that provides young adult writing prompts to help inspire your work. There are also a lot of great books that offer exercises and structure to help you, like Angie Thomas’ Find Your Voice.

There are enough obstacles to writing, so if you can surpass them, I highly recommend finding the right resource that speaks to your needs and making liberal use of it!

Start Writing Early

A lot of creatives thrive as night owls but can struggle with writer’s block. There’s a likely correlation between that and the fact that they’ve just spent a whole day expending their mental and physical energies and have nothing left to give to their projects.

That’s why I’ve seen a lot of people recommend writing in the morning. For a teen, that means before school, which, I KNOW, is early. But trust me: it’ll help you finish your story and wake your brain up for the day.

Because after a day of school, homework, extracurriculars, and possibly even your first job, you’re more likely to be burned out than if you woke up 30 minutes early every day to write for 20.

Accountability is Hard

It takes a lot of self-discipline to finish writing a novel. Some people naturally have that in them, but so many do not. At all. And that’s okay. Recognizing that struggle allows you to seek out help.

Joining a writing community of other authors sharing their work and encouraging progress is a great way to ensure you keep writing. You can also join a challenge, like NaNoWriMo, where you’re tasked to write 50,000 words in a month (plus, they have a lot of other great resources and challenges on their site!)

Or maybe you’re fortunate enough to know a published author who can mentor you. However you go about it, having something that holds you accountable to completing your task is an incredible way to support your writing.

Don’t Be Afraid to Set Things Aside

However, I don’t want to overwhelm you with all these tips! It’s been a lot of work, work, work (and writing certainly is a lot of that.) But sometimes, we must be honest with ourselves and step away from the craft for a bit.

Pursuing other hobbies and taking a breather will help you get perspective, reignite your passion for writing, and make you a more well-rounded human (which means you’ll be a more genuine author.)

Just because your brain, heart, soul, or whatever you want to call it needs a break doesn’t mean you’re a failure or not passionate enough — it’s natural and good for you, so honor that desire. Life needs balance, and you’ll never finish your story if you burn out on the process and lose your passion for it.

Publishing Is Important… But Not Yet!

Do you have a finished book yet? No? Okay, then stop worrying about publishing! You can’t publish what you don’t have, so wasting energy researching and worrying about the process and book signings and press tours won’t help you finish your novel any faster.

It’s a thrilling fantasy to muse on now and again, but until you finish your manuscript and send it to an editor, there’s no point in looking into publishing just yet.

Don’t Stop Your Reading

Keep the fires alive, and remember to make time for reading. I’ve said as much in other posts, but reading what you want to write is integral to being an author.

It will inspire you and keep you involved in what’s going on in the industry, what is popular, and where the gaps are (that you could fill with your work!). So when you take those breaks mentioned above, remember to make time for reading.

Writing a book is a daunting proposition. And as a teenager, with your whole life ahead of you and the weight of the world on your shoulders (so it feels like sometimes), finishing a manuscript seems all the more challenging.

But it doesn’t have to be! A little bit of discipline and mindfulness can go a long way to help you become the next famous teen on the list of YA authors! If you have questions about how you can help get started or are looking for tips and resources on more young adult writing prompts, check me out on social media or email me at jsims@jairesims.com.