I had the kind of weekend where I felt like I was merely surviving. Just keeping my head above water, doing what absolutely had to get done before I fell into bed at night. For those of you who have entered the Go Teen Writers 100-word contest, this means I’m way behind on confirmation emails. Hopefully I’ll be catching up throughout the day. Thank you for your patience on that.
Today I have a question for you – is “the man” in your manuscript?
It occurred to me that these four very popular YA titles have and a common element of battling “the man.” (Is stick it to the man an American phrase? Just in case it is, “the man” refers to the head honcho. Usually it applies to the government, but it can also apply to powers on a corporate level. Like your boss would be considered “the man.”)
And “the man” element is most prominent in The Hunger Games trilogy where Katniss is practically sent to her death in the beginning of the first book for the entertainment of the capital city. (I saw the movie trailer last time I was at the theater and I got all teary. Very excited for March!)
These are books that have made a splash, made an impression with readers. All have love triangles (though they’re more prominently featured in the first two listed) and they all have an authority figure who the main character must battle. Readers like rooting for a character who can see beyond his/her problems and fight for something bigger. In your novel, is your main character fighting for something bigger than his or herself?