Working on a YA story and not sure where to start? Trying to perfect your NaNoWriMo Young-Adult novel and looking for inspiration? YA author Matthew Phillion will talk about the basic rules for writing YA stories–and also when it’s okay to break those rules.

During this session, we will discuss the defining characteristics of the YA genre, including protagonists, character relationships, and motivations; the language of YA storytelling; the different components of contemporary literature YA versus genre YA; and when to diverge from these defining characteristics to strike out on your own as a writer.

Whether you’re thirty thousand words into your draft or still working on your opening paragraph, writers of all experience levels are welcome.

Matthew Phillion is the author of the YA adventure series, The Indestructibles. He writes in a variety of genres. As an active freelance writer, Phillion continues to cover both local issues and the medical industry as both a journalist and newspaper editor.