No author should be put in a box. There should be freedom and grace for creatives to explore different genres, styles, characters and approaches. That's how we learn and how we find our voice. But sometimes, there comes a moment when you realise what you're creating for and why you're doing it (Simon Sinek's Find Your Why anybody?).
I had such a moment before Christmas.
Ever since I started writing the Merit-Hunters Series, and pursuing creative writing in general, I knew I wanted to tap into a conversation about work. Especially as a young person, but it never quite 'fit' completely. I didn't truly know what I was trying to get at or who I was speaking to. It wasn't until I was on a creative coaching call last month and we were discussing the concept of 'an author brand' that it hit me.
Every time I write a story, I lean towards a character in their twenties. (Except for a story about a sixty-seven year old, but more on that another time).
During this lightbulb moment, I recognised that I was writing about the twentysomething experience in a society where that period of your life is increasingly uncertain, and what struck me more is how little people seem to be talking about it.
So, I've gone into a research rabbit hole. Firstly, I started reading 'The Twentysomething Treatment' by Dr. Meg Jay, which was released last year. It's an insightful analysis of how twentysomethings are navigating life written from the perspective of a clinical psychologist who is working with them everyday. She notes how much uncertainty has an adverse effect on their outlook:
'Twentieth-century twentysomethings were likely to wake up to a spouse, a career, a baby and maybe even a home and a purpose. These days, such sources of stability are more likely to be realised in one's thirties and beyond - if at all. For many reasons, twenty-first-century young adults... settle down later than earlier generations used to, which means they're likely to spend the first decade or so of adulthood feeling unsettled. And it's not just young adult lives that are unsettled; the era in which they live is unsettling, too.'
Dr. Meg goes on to say how American young adults are living in the wake of 9/11 with an increase in gun violence, the aftermath of COVID-19 and several wars around the world. The picture in the UK is no different. I'm not here to talk about the economic crisis or the rate at which our leadership has changed, but it all has an impact.
Through reading her book, I noticed that many of these themes are covered in my dystopian series. This is one of the reasons people love dystopian fiction so much, because it shines a light on real issues in our real world. For example, in Sun of Endless Days, we see Genni battle with the uncertainty of her passion for the day job while wanting to pursue her painting - a pastime that isn't seen as 'Worthy.' Many twentysomethings today, including myself, find themselves in an inner conflict between pursuing impossible dreams or choosing the steady, but perhaps restrictive (not for everyone - some people thrive in these environments), corporate career.
Why writing about twentysomethings matters
The answer to this question isn't overly complicated. It's similar to why writing about anything matters - to help people relate, to empower readers to move on from trauma or grief, to inspire them towards action. But for me, writing about the experiences of your twenties opens up conversation and connection.
I have seen in my own personal life that when my friends and I talk real life for a second, there's so much freedom to be found. When our conversation goes beyond 'how's work?' and the standard 'oh, good but busy' response, not only do we grow closer in friendship but we also begin to develop a new level of self-awareness.
That's what I want my writing to encourage.
What's really going on in our hearts when it comes to the turbulence of this decade? How can we adjust and adapt to avoid the isolation and loneliness that is so easy to slip into in this 'always-on, increasingly connected' world?
In much a similar way that Westerfeld addresses beauty standards in his Uglies series, my books invite readers to consider the important aspects of life, and how much they're already achieving, in the face of busyness, comparison and career chasing.
So, to bring this ramble to an end, my aim as an author now is to focus on stories that reflect the twentysomething experience in all its joyful variety and ruthless challenge. And no, I don't envision them always being in the dystopian genre.
Thank you for joining me on the journey!
Love,
Lydia x
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