My current WIP is Muse, originally a dual-voice YA, but now a single voice starring a male protagonist. ::GULP:: My previous first-person works all star females, and though there are boys in them, I have yet to dig too deep into the mind of a seventeen-year-old boy. Am I nervous? Umm… yes.
To help myself dig deeper into the psyche of my main character, I’m going back to some of my favorite male protagonists in YA literature:
Troy Billings of K. L. Going’s FAT KID RULES THE WORLD
Kip McFarland of Gail Giles’s RIGHT BEHIND YOU
Nick of Rachel Cohn & David Leviathan’s NICK AND NORAH’S INFINITE PLAYLIST
Colin Singleton of John Green’s AN ABUNDANCE OF KATHERINES
Clay Jensen of Jay Asher’s 13 REASONS WHY
Junior of Sherman Alexie’s THE ABSOLUTELY TRUE DIARY OF A PART-TIME INDIAN
Who are your favorite male protagonists in YA? (And by extension, what should I be putting on hold at the library?)
Not strictly YA, but I have to vote for Will Parry. I love him so much. I wish he was real. I liked Clay Jensen, too. And Nick from Nick and Nora. Although, not in the film; I really didn’t like the way Michael Cera played him. I always imagined Nick more as an Adam Brody type; awkward but not completely socially inept. (Also, hello! *waves like a mad thing*)
Tanya – I was just thinking about you! Sad fact: I have never read the His Dark Materials trilogy, but I am adding it to my list. Then, we shall discuss!
Agreed. When Michael Cera was cast, I thought, “but that’s not my Nick!” I see him as more of a Ben Gibbard, but I could see Adam Brody as well.
Also, post-retreat email forthcoming!
*Googles Ben Gibbard* OIC *nods sagely* Joseph Gordon-Levitt would have been great, too. Looking forward to the post-retreat email, btw. We have things to discuss, lady. *taps nose* And totes not judging you about not reading HDM. Although, please read it soon so that we can discuss the amazingness that is Will Parry.
FYI – HDM is officially on hold for me at the NYPL! (That’s a lot of acronyms, no?)
I am currently writing my first YA with all from the male’s POV as well. It’s scary, but exciting. I’m finding that I really enjoy trying to delve into a boy’s mind. Good luck. Can’t wait to hear more about, Muse!
Even after all these years, I think a boy’s mind is still a bit of a scary place! š For me, it’s so tempting to just be as gross and vulgar as possible, but then you end up with a caricature, and not a character.
Wyatt, in Bullet Point by Peter Abrahams. He’s my brother (Peter – not Wyatt) but even if he weren’t, Wyatt would be the first/favorite YA male protagonist that comes to mind.