tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388578325782539013.post2507782513549104337..comments2024-03-26T17:32:38.865-04:00Comments on YA Outside the Lines: Stop the Parenticide! - cj omololuBrian Katcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159532800819759917noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388578325782539013.post-63053564598919405942012-05-04T19:56:14.059-04:002012-05-04T19:56:14.059-04:00Absolutely. My MC's mom is seen only through f...Absolutely. My MC's mom is seen only through flashbacks, which are of course filtered by my MC's point of view. But still super important.CJ Omololuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15691702701853775480noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388578325782539013.post-87534580765088383532012-05-04T19:55:15.169-04:002012-05-04T19:55:15.169-04:00As the parent of teenagers, I can attest to the co...As the parent of teenagers, I can attest to the conflict that parent/kid relationships can bring.CJ Omololuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15691702701853775480noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388578325782539013.post-40880167783202700322012-05-04T19:54:30.068-04:002012-05-04T19:54:30.068-04:00There are some situations that absolutely don'...There are some situations that absolutely don't invite parental involvement. Like the afterlife.CJ Omololuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15691702701853775480noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388578325782539013.post-38889350555163655012012-05-04T12:35:50.429-04:002012-05-04T12:35:50.429-04:00It is tricky, isn't it? I find myself writing ...It is tricky, isn't it? I find myself writing a lot of dysfunctional parents but yes, my focus is to keep the action and conflict on my mc and not her/his parents. But even in absentia, they inform what a character is like, don't you think?Joy Preblehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00532958575068320212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388578325782539013.post-61805287525002183932012-05-04T12:04:41.239-04:002012-05-04T12:04:41.239-04:00I find myself rolling my eyes as soon as I see mis...I find myself rolling my eyes as soon as I see missing or totally inattentive/oblivious parents in a book, because it's become such a trope. <br /><br />So while my WIP has an MC who is a 122-year-old vampire whose parents are long-since expired, she has both a vampire substitute mother who keeps tabs on her and a foster mother who pays attention to what the kids are up to and sets curfews, and her boyfriend's parents are strongly involved in his life. Do kids really dream about having parents who are dead or don't give a fig about them? I kind of doubt it. <br /><br />Besides, if you need conflict or extra difficulties for kids to work around in your story, parent/parent figures come in very handy!Another Hollynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388578325782539013.post-90936845815098641912012-05-04T10:28:10.335-04:002012-05-04T10:28:10.335-04:00I've been thinking the same thing. My parents ...I've been thinking the same thing. My parents are disengaged by the afterlife situation in TOUCHING THE SURFACE but they are more than present in my wip THE OPPOSITE OF GRAVITY.Kimberly Sabatinihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18143516055206233316noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388578325782539013.post-20508100076708101552012-05-03T21:59:08.392-04:002012-05-03T21:59:08.392-04:00Thanks Holly. My MC at least likes OTHER people...Thanks Holly. My MC at least likes OTHER people's parents;)CJ Omololuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15691702701853775480noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388578325782539013.post-84111150750710594942012-05-03T21:58:25.199-04:002012-05-03T21:58:25.199-04:00I think that's great - a lot of writers have d...I think that's great - a lot of writers have done that really successfully. You go!CJ Omololuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15691702701853775480noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388578325782539013.post-68065218606263657762012-05-03T21:57:35.750-04:002012-05-03T21:57:35.750-04:00Thanks Angelina! I'll be the first to admit it...Thanks Angelina! I'll be the first to admit it isn't easy. Which is why extended trips to Kenya are always an option.CJ Omololuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15691702701853775480noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388578325782539013.post-7925938099303020592012-05-03T21:56:40.120-04:002012-05-03T21:56:40.120-04:00It is plausible...but some survived, right? ;)It is plausible...but some survived, right? ;)CJ Omololuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15691702701853775480noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388578325782539013.post-3814071218553419032012-05-03T20:35:18.508-04:002012-05-03T20:35:18.508-04:00I'll second that amen, CJ! I really love it w...I'll second that amen, CJ! I really love it when YA characters actually LIKE their parents!Holly Schindlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16742207239654178917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388578325782539013.post-53648447325800062712012-05-03T18:40:46.208-04:002012-05-03T18:40:46.208-04:00I totally agree. Parent-child relationships can be...I totally agree. Parent-child relationships can be so fascinating to write from a YA perspective. Some writers are really throwing away a goldmine of opportunities by getting rid of the parents! In my current WIP, the MC's relationship with her parents is the most important one in the story. Way more important than the love interest!Rebecca Christiansenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03635706076314669496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388578325782539013.post-67733650071289138602012-05-03T18:22:35.129-04:002012-05-03T18:22:35.129-04:00Amen, CJ! It's challenging to keep the parents...Amen, CJ! It's challenging to keep the parents in the story while still allowing the"kids to run wild and have their own adventures". But who doesn't love a writing challenge? ^+^Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00769602845843608247noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388578325782539013.post-52775327625513582132012-05-03T16:39:09.160-04:002012-05-03T16:39:09.160-04:00I'm thinking this is more of an issue in conte...I'm thinking this is more of an issue in contemporary. In historical fiction, it's perfectly plausible for people/parents to die from any number of miserable diseases and happenings!Vicky Alvear Shecterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17570828339389206203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388578325782539013.post-82921520674072151362012-05-03T13:27:47.829-04:002012-05-03T13:27:47.829-04:00Yes, if the story is about the death of a parent (...Yes, if the story is about the death of a parent (or going to boarding school), then that's the way you have to go. I just think it can be so much more interesting if you keep them sometimes.CJ Omololuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15691702701853775480noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388578325782539013.post-11168965970456552912012-05-03T13:26:41.120-04:002012-05-03T13:26:41.120-04:00Thanks Gemma. It was one of those things that once...Thanks Gemma. It was one of those things that once I noticed it, I couldn't stop thinking about it. Even wondered if I could have kept the mom in my story alive (nope).CJ Omololuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15691702701853775480noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388578325782539013.post-14028769641326446872012-05-03T12:52:00.598-04:002012-05-03T12:52:00.598-04:00I've gotten rid of plenty of parents because m...I've gotten rid of plenty of parents because my contemp YA characters usually have some type of damage and dysfunction in their life. <br /><br />But the first YA story I wrote though has great parents who help the damaged boy get his life back on track and even though it's been temporarily trunked, I will get back to it sometime.Suzihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16502606950280751205noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388578325782539013.post-70067287141419605952012-05-03T12:14:03.738-04:002012-05-03T12:14:03.738-04:00I'm almost never bothered by absent parents in...I'm almost never bothered by absent parents in YA, but I do want the absence to make sense and have an impact on the characters. I only see a problem when parents are CLEARLY killed off just to make things easier, and their deaths have no real impact on plot and characterization. But I do agree that keeping parents alive can add something special, even if the adults never appear and you just see the MC creatively dodging their attempts to regulate things. Great post! Thanks for sharing.Gemmahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08628010622097782003noreply@blogger.com