How to Write Good YA without toxic tropes and bad plots

Why the Red Blue Green series is a good inspiration for your YA book

I'm absolutely aware that the series that made Kerstin Gier famous is not perfect, but it's pretty fricking close.

QUICK PLOT: Young Gwendolyn is the only girl in the family who doesn't have the gift of time travelling, and while her perfect and super pretty cousin Charlotte is preparing for her first trip in the past, she is doing normal (sometimes bad) at school and having a great time with her best friend, until something goes wrong. Gwendolyn ends up being the one with the gift, and her cousin rots in envy and anger at home, leaving our clumsy mc with her fabulous partner.

Honest, magical and funny: what your YA audience needs.

Let's learn how to write amazing YA with this series!

1. Healthy relationships

Alright, I know hard relationships are more interesting to read, but when you're too young it's hard to understand what is "normal" and what is "you should be in fucking jail" worthy.

In this book, even though at the beginning the relationship between Gwendolyn and Gideon is not perfect, you will never see him harassing her, forcing her to do things for him, guilt-trapping her and things like this.

He's a cute, caring, a little too chivalrous side character! And we love his long hair.

2. I'm-not-like-other-girls

Sure. We get it. We've been in that place, too. We've been the girls to sit in the front rows taking notes and feeling bad for loving books better than guys, too. But you don't need to put down the girls who spent all their time doing their make-up and their hair, because that's not fair either.

So, don't write that book.

Here, even though Gwendolyn is clumsy and ugly and her cousin Charlotte is said to be always pretty, we can't forget that said Charlotte is a krav maga champion and can sword fight.

Break some stereotypes yaay!

3. Easy plots

When I was a 12-year-old I wanted to have fun. Hell, I read more fanfiction that I'm comfortable with admitting.

Of course I don't want to read something with so many details that it's hard to remember, don't you think?

Keep your plot easy, without too many characters, maybe action-packed, with a lot of diversity and validating vibes.

Here you go!

Now, I want to know what your WIP is about! Let me know in the comments!

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