YA, Pop Culture, and You, the READER!

Hi everyone. I've had this blog post rattling around in my brain for a few weeks now and I think it's finally time to put it out there. There's no place like the YA-5 to question the norms and find out what the readers REALLY think of industry standards and yadda yadda yadda.

So here's the thing: pop culture in YA can be kind of a hot button. Some people think that referencing a popular actress or hit song immediately dates a book -- and I can't argue with that. If I set out tomorrow to write a book, whether it's YA contemporary or adult horror, I'm probably not going to talk about my protagonist's addiction to Ke$ha. No matter how catchy Ke$ha's music is. I mean, I have no idea which pop stars are going to be remembered just two years from now (which, even if my book sold the day I finished it, is probably about how long it would take for the novel to hit stores), let alone five or ten years.

Do you watch your fave
shows with your friends?

But here's the dilemma: a lot of teens -- a lot of people -- really think in terms of pop culture. We schedule our evenings around our favorite TV shows. (I have friends who go to Glee-watching parties, and in high school I had my BFF over once a week for Buffy night.) We stand in line for hours to be in the front row at a concert for our favorite band. We make play lists for ourselves and our friends on iTunes. We idolize actresses and models and pop stars and emulate their styles. Is there any way to write a book without talking about some of these things? Sure. Do I want to? Not really.

I aspire to write characters that feel like your friends, your family. I like it when I'm inside a character's head and I can see what she likes and how she relates to her world. If my character is an audiophile, you can bet she's going to relate to her world through her favorite bands. If my character is a musician, she'll probably talk about her influences. If my character loves fashion, she's definitely going to describe clothing in terms of style icons. For some, it might cut it to make up names. This doesn't always work for me.

So when is it too much pop culture? I think it comes down to context. If I can talk about a band from 1994 that you don't know about, and make you feel like you know why it's important, does that work for you? If my book takes place in 1980, is it more obnoxious to have my character reference made up movies and fashion icons, or to talk about real ones that you don't know much about?

Like all things, I think pop culture in literature is about balance. And like all writing, there's got to be a reason for anything an author puts into a book, whether it's violence or a sex scene or swear words or a sub plot or your character's iPod playlist. I mean, if I can go again to HIGH FIDELITY, that book simply wouldn't have been right without all the real pop culture infusion it showcased. Music is what makes that book work. As a reader, what makes a music-y, pop-culture-y book work for you?

Vampires Suck (for real this time)

So you had to know this was going to happen. My husband who devoured the Twilight books and loves the films said he would pay for my ticket AND hire a babysitter. I must admit, it looks like it might be funny for about five minutes. Check out this parody of vampire movies (aka all things Twilight). Should be fun for all you Twilight haters.

If you haven't yet scene the trailer for the VAMPIRES SUCK film, take a look. It releases August 18. VAMPIRES SUCK is the story of Becca, an anxious non-vampire teen who is torn between two boys. Before she can choose, she must get around her controlling father, who embarrasses Becca by treating her like a child. Meanwhile, Becca's friends all contend with their own romantic issues--all of which collide at the prom.



Would love to know what you think--leave comments below.

Visit the official website for VAMPIRES SUCK.

xoxo-
Georgia

This week's burning question is--What movie did you see last?

Kelly Barnhill

Steph Bowe
Slumdog Millionaire.

I missed it at the cinemas, and just got it on DVD - it's brilliant and I recommend everybody who hasn't already seen it go out and get it NOW. Seriously.

K.A. Holt
Moon.

Pretty creepy and enjoyable. I wanted to know more about the back story, though. I'd love to read a book about the world and the time in which Moon takes place.

(I don't like saying "in which". Sounds weird. Unless you read that sentence in an vaguely European accent. Then maybe it sounds better.)

Justina Ireland

Zombieland. I know it's a couple years old, but I rarely get to the theaters anymore (helloooo, TBR pile!)

I liked it. I laughed, although I kept expecting the lead actor to turn into Michael Cera.

Georgia McBride

Percy Jackson: The Lighting Thief.

Sara McClung
Alice in Wonderland. LOVE LOVE LOVED this movie!

Cristin Terrill

Percy Jackson. I took my nine-year-old sister, and she promptly declared it to be her favourite movie of all time.

We'll be back soon with more burning questions. In the mean time, tell us what you think of the above films or add to this list by telling us: What movie did YOU see last?