“How Far is Too Far? Facing Self-Censors and Publishing Censors When Writing about Coming-of-Age for Young Adults”

Laura Otto (Moderator), Ann Angel, Daniel Kraus, Penny Blubaugh, Ricki Thompson
When writers work to capture the emerging adult at the end of the young adult journey to independence, they find their characters exploring the forbidden adult world. These stories often depict experimentation with drugs, alcohol, and sexuality. How do writers, compelled to tell the truth of the adolescent’s journey respond to the interior voice that warns, “You can’t write that”?

This was one of the best panels that I attended at AWP. It was also held in the smallest room, and had only about fifty people in attendance. There were quite a few YA panels during AWP, and I lucked out that this is the one that worked into my schedule.

The Art of Reading Aloud and One Good Reason to Self-Censor
Ricki Thompson, author of City of Cannibals, spoke first.

The thing about AWP is that a lot of panelists come with typed up essays to read. I can understand the compulsion to do this. If I were going to be speaking in front of a room full of writers, I would want to be prepared, too. But at so many of the panels I attended, the speakers had written their essays as if they were going to be printed, instead of read aloud. This distinction has an enormous impact on the take away for the audience members. Long, elliptical sentences and badly set-up quotes can send the audience into zone-out mode.

But the panelists at the YA Censorship discussion were all extremely adept at delivering a prepared essay in an engaging way.

Ricki Thompson gave the best talk at AWP that I attended. Her speech had a clear, tight focus, and it was easy to follow. She referenced YA novels and gave short summaries that helped me understand their context to the panel and made me excited to read them. In short, her skill as a panelist made me want very much to seek out her books.

I hope that Ricki publishes her essay on the internet or in a journal, because it is wonderful.

Here are some of my notes from her speech:

• Writers have a responsibility to help young readers navigate the truth, not to protect them from the truth. 
• Art has the capacity to change the world order. 
• Our culturally-shaped subconscious can do the censoring for us. 
• “Play and the Theory of Duende” by Lorca
• mysterious power in art
• the shiver that runs through us
• Ricki censors herself when her stories are losing all hope. Teenagers need hope. 
•  80 year old dancer – won contest – Duende
• Death isn’t the whole truth. 
• There is a balance of light and dark in life. 
• Books mentioned:
• In Trouble by Ellen Levine – YA about abortion. Very hard to find a publisher. 
• Rainbow Party by Paul Ruditis – YA about anticipating a party with BJs. 
• Living Dead Girl – Despair overshadows hope at end. 

Where Lives Happen
Next to speak was Ann Angel, the author of Janis Joplin: Rise Up Singing. Ann spoke about her personal relationship growing up loving Janis Joplin, and her journey to write a teen biography about her. Ann also had some great points about censorship and writing YA:

• Teens need to know they can be okay. 
• This is where lives happen (in the scary parts of the world). 
• Books mentioned:
• Shine by Lauren Myracle

Issue #16 of Hunger Mountain

The Discussion Continues
The discussion surrounding Meghan Cox Gurdon’s article began in the summer of 2011, but I think it may be revived when the first of the Hunger Games movies is released later this month. If you haven’t read the trilogy yet, I would highly recommend it. Set aside a few days and start reading. Warning: you’ll get sucked in. There’s no way not to.

By the third book, I felt overhwelmed with the death and violence. But I appreciated and respected Suzanne Collins for not pulling her punches. And if I were a teen reading these books, I think I’d appreciate her honesty even more.