Violence in YA

Last week, I read an interesting post by agent Suzie Townsend, as she talked about violence in children's publishing.  It isn't anything new, yanno.  Think back to every Grimm's Fairy Tale that you've read.  Nearly all of them are violent. 

Disney cleaned them up for the movies. 

One that comes to mind is Cinderella--and mind you, I haven't read this story in over 35 years and I still remember it.  In the original story after the glass slipper was found, the Prince's steward (or whatever) was making the rounds.  He arrived at the wicked stepmother's house.  First, evil stepsister #1 tries to make it fit, but her toes was too big--stepmother chopped it off.  When stepsister #2 tried it on her heel wouldn't fit. Yep, chopped it off, too.  We know there is a happy ending because the Cinderella got the prince, but it wasn't so great for the stepsisters. 

Hansel and Gretel.  The witch wanted to fatten them up to eat, but they managed to shove her in the oven.  Rumpelstiltskin was just a nasty piece of work. 

Violence in literature has been around for a long time.

Anyhoo, Suzie's point about the violence, sex, and drugs in YA being prevalent made me understand it a little better.  Kids today are exposed to a whole lot more than we were only a few years ago.  They see stuff in movies, on TV, video games, music videos, etc. at younger and younger ages.  It's everywhere.  But kids tend to think it is only happening to them, not anyone else.  So current big YA sellers are big, not simply for the violence, but as a way for kids to relate to them.  It makes them realize that they aren't alone.

Will I start writing that deep angsty stuff?

No.  I personally don't think I could write that depth of feeling.  As I said last week in my dark/dystopian blog, I like happy.  I don't do dark.  But there is a place in the world for many types of stories, mine simply are a little lighter than the current trend.

Something to think about, huh?  Write on!