This post has been taking an exceptionally long time for me to write. Not because it was hard to write or me being just plain lazy...but I could never harden my resolve to write it. Because...I was afraid. Afraid that I'm not good enough, wouldn't do a good enough justice for my category of peeps--teens. (Okay, maybe a part of it was because I procastinate too.)
I am afraid of the jeering, the booing, the ultimate put-down I would have had to face once I published this post. I might cause a big humiliation to teens, just because I did a bad job in writing this post. But, in the end, I couldn't refrain myself. It was just too tempting.
Okay, enough of this vague, self-explanatory, wallowing in self-pity, and desperate attempt of garnering some sympathy piece of speech. I guess I kinda left you a cliff-hanger long enough. (Sorry, my bad; I love rambling...)
What started this post was my reading
that post. 'Coz that post actually contain really good advice. But (a really BIG BUT), I certainly do not think that teen writing sucks. I'm still treading those troubled waters real cautious; the author John Scalzi, had written
another post, of which logically and analytically (even to the extent of writing
another post to that) rebuked any arguments that could have laid down by teenagers. While I agree to some of them, I do still have my own stand about the overall of the statement that teen writing sucks.
I'm not going to list all the successful published teenage writers, but rather explain why I think that teen writing do not suck.
Let's set aside the aspects of grammar(I agree with John Scalzi on this), because people don't always read because of amazing language and grammars, but rather because of the stories. Of course, those are important to enjoy a good story, so this not-so-good piece of argument can only be applied on the basis of those teens I'm helping to fight for our rights have good enough grammar.
John Scalzi stated that because we're young, we lack of the experiences to make our writing interesting, or powerfully thought-provoking/heart-warming/inspiring etc. I do agree, BUT, our experiences, sometimes, can be compelling enough. Being teenagers, we're emotionally unique from the younger ones to adults. We're full of angst, emotionally driven, thanks to our hormones, which can be a good thing, 'coz it provides a different perspective, and evoke a different feeling that could not have otherwise be experienced through an adult writing.
Oh, come on, no adults could totally write like a teen anymore. Yes, you can say that they can remember their teenagehood, and as John Scalzi had rightly argued, humans remain pretty much the same across the years. But, things are different through the years, and these do affect the coming generations(behaviour, feeling, emotions, thinking etc.), if not directly, then indirectly.
Having said that adults do remember their experiences and feelings during their teenage years, they could not still completely understand today's teenagers. For reason above(proof: My parents always reprimand me that when they were my age, they didn't do things my way, which is wrong; teenagers from different eras cannot possibly have the same thinking.) and also because of this: As you grow older, you gain more wisdom, a wider perspective about certain things, through your experinces. Hence, you create an awareness in you. For example, you would realize that some things you did during your teens are ridiculous and stupid. These insights you'll carry it through your life. As a result, these will help you control your temper, your angst, and help tune it down. Hence, no adult could completely convince themselves to think like a teen anymore, to behave like a teen, and of course, to write like a teen(for parts where they behave stupidly). Thus, no adults could project that kind of angst, emotion, feeling accurately in their writing. You could probably argue that, hey, there are a lot of successful YA authors who are adults. Yes, personally, I do enjoy them, and I think they were simply awesomw authors. But, somehow, their writing will always be distinguishable from teen writing.
Not because teen writing sucks. But, because, teens write merely differently, uniquely, and specially from adults. And, I sincerely believe, teens would be able to identify with it more.
The conclusion is, teen writing could serve as a fresh perspective for other readers(there's too many adult writers, in my opinion). Teen writing could probably even provoke a sense of nostalgia in adult readers...As long as these teen writers have a good story to write about, a good enough grammar, and knew how to invoke their voice and insights in their writing, they wouldn't suck. And there are quite a number of them in the blogging community, if you truly search for them...That's why teen writers like Steph Bowe and Christopher Paolini ends up so successful. (sorry about this, I'm aware that I'd promise not to include them, but i couldn't help it...)
This is why I don't think teen writing sucks. In fact, I think they could probably add a whole new, unique, special and fresh flavour into the writing community.
And for these very reasons, though I might lack the wittiness, the allure, the compelling attraction, the sophistication of an adult writer or adult blogger, but I'm proud that I'm a teen. I'm proud that I'm special because of it. And my writing certainly do not suck.
I do not suck. And you, teens, certainly do NOT suck!
