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
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! 🙂 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.