EDITED TO ADD: a few ppl on twitter have misunderstood me and think i do not possess a sense of humor when it comes to my industry. I assure you, I do! But I feel there’s a way to tease–the Simpsons recently did a whole episode on YA and it was hilarious!!–but I think I’m taking issue with the fact her writer-status is NOT being played up. Instead there’s just this simple negative word association happening, and THAT is what’s eating at me.
EDITED AGAIN: According to someone who’s seen the film early, her career as a YA writer factors in very little, which I admit makes me feel better, though I still can’t agree with the marketing. I solemnly swear to go see the film though, so I can make an informed judgment. Trailers, while they give more info than book covers, are very similar in their limitations.
So sometimes I get worked up about something, and I’m confident the majority of people feel the same.
And sometimes I get worked up about something, and know that I’m in the minority.
And then sometimes I get worked up about something, and have no idea how anyone else feels.
Thank goodness for blogs.
Today’s video is NOT on of my favorites. In fact, it really bothers me. It’s a trailer for an upcoming moving called Young Adult.
Now, the REASON it bothers me is this.
The main character is a young adult author, but the title of the film and the trailer treatment focus only on her childish behavior. There’s no mention of her career in the trailer (I had to go back and check the blurb to make sure I hadn’t made up her profession) and consequently the double meaning of her job and her personality/mental state casts both in a negative light. By making YOUNG ADULT synonymous with immaturity and trope-ish mean-girl-graduates-and-can-buy-liquor behavior, it takes a genre/category of fiction (and the category I write in) and gives it a negative slant.
And that REALLY bothered me.
So now I just want to know, am I alone in this sentiment? How do you feel about it?
Victoria (V.E.) Schwab 