Writing a novel for teens?

I'm assuming you're talking about young adult fiction, which does differ from middle grade fiction. I also write YA and used to wonder the same thing, so I started reading a lot of new, popular and classic teen books. I believe YA authors shouldn't shy away from sex, violence and profanity because those are all part of the real world that teens live in, but they shouldn't describe it in graphic detail, either. And don't go overboard with profanity and slang either. They should be used sparingly for best effects.

To me, as it's not pornographic or gratuitously explicit, then it's probably fine for teens. I think a lot of books aimed towards kids in that demographic talk down to them and that's why there's been a growing lack of interest in reading- because a lot of teens *are* affected by sex and violence and can genuinely relate, but none of the books targeted towards them contain these issues. Books like The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton or Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson (both banned and accused of "crossing the line") are good examples of stories with somewhat mature themes that are appropriately written for teens.

You could describe they love each other and they spend night together, describes their kisses. Go briefly over the sex stuff. (don't over do the sex like fifty shades of grey) Think like a teenagers. First night is magical are something like that. You know you cross the line when you start to write "**** me", Penis , vagina or something like that. About the violence, I'm not sure. I am a teen and I read the Hunger Games and it's pretty violence, Keep it at a level where you think teens can read it.

What you're going through when writing is perfectly common. When you find yourself accomplished, and the plot has twisted and turned to the point the place you've written several one of a kind reviews into your long-established idea, have an editor look at it. A just right editor will blue-pencil all the beside the point stuff, and make your story glide better. After your first re-write, take the entire recommendations that your editor deleted, and put them off to the facet for your next story. Excellent success!

How much sex and violence was in the last 20 teen novels you read, and how was it handled? That, on average, is how much you should expect to get away with.

That's a good question, I've seen a lot of adult things in teen books, but for the most part I would keep it like a PG-13 movie.

Go to a bookstore or library and browse the teen sections.