Breakout Session: Building the YA Universe with Abigail Hing Wen

Building the YA Universe

with Abigail Hing Wen

About the Breakout Session:

It’s hard enough to find a novel-length story arc for a character. From setting, to multiple interweaving plotlines, to a complex cast of characters - what does it take to create a contemporary young adult series? Join New York Times best-selling author, Abigail Hing Wen as we explore the topics that populate a YA universe.

Abigail got her start at the SCBWI in 2009, where she found her critique partner and met so many wonderful people. Once she joined, it really inspired her to write.

Inspired by YA Fantasy, which helped her build worlds for her own stories, we focused mostly on YA Contemporary novels using four points to help create our YA Universes.

Some of her influences and inspirations:

"Don't save all of the good stuff for a later book. Put everything in your first book and really build that world up"

Cast of Characters: 

This can be the hardest part. A Story-Length arc with an emotional arc stretched throughout is key. Find the moment that the character has a pivotal moment in their life and that is your story. 

A rich ENSEMBLE can help you build up your world or even expand into other books. With their own subplots, it can enhance the journey of the main character. 

Attendees sent in their ideas and Abigail analyzed what a potential arc could be, which was really awesome to see what the writer could explore in their character development.

Immersive Setting 

Characters can arise from their setting, fall in love in their setting, etc.

Contemporary YA novels can learn from Fantasy YA novels; interesting settings can allow your character to grow, and expand and provide them with a playground to enhance their character arc.

We continued to analyze more pitches and with every new tool, we dissected them, building potential worlds in real-time.

Multiple Plotlines

Themes that Matter

This one comes from you!

Write hat themes matters to you. This is where your authenticity comes from.

Abigail Wen
Author

About
Abigail Hing Wen is the New York Times Best Selling author of Loveboat, Taipei (HarperCollins 2020), and companion novel Loveboat Reunion. The book has been adapted for film starring Ashley Liao (Hunger Games) and Ross Butler (13 Reasons Why). ,She holds a BA from Harvard, JD from Columbia Law School and MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts. Like Ever, she is obsessed with musicals. When she’s not writing stories or listening to her favorite scores, she is busy working in venture capital and artificial intelligence in Silicon Valley, where she lives with her husband and two sons. Loveboat, Taipei is her first novel. Bylines: Fortune, Forbes, LitHub, School Library Journal's Teen Librarian Toolbox and others. www.abigailhingwen.com