Weather plays a part in setting descriptions for most adult novels I read and for the teen novels I write. But there’s a difference.
In writing for teens, I have to keep in mind that they react to weather conditions differently from the way mature individuals do.
Most adults monitor the weather to take safety precautions or plan their essential business or family errands, keeping in mind those who depend on them. For teens, weather is much more personal than that.
For example, an adult with responsibilities looks at a hurricane tracked in the Gulf of Mexico and thinks, “I’d better stock up on supplies and board the windows.” A teen thinks, “I had a date for Saturday night!”
If a teen gave the daily weather report, it might go something like one of these:
- “Windy today with temperatures dropping into the low fifties by this evening, perfect for wearing my new sweater to the football game.”
- “Heavy snow is expected today, deep enough for my dad to make me shovel the driveway before he gets home from work.”
- “Clear and sunny, with tulips and daffodils in bloom and a slow warming trend throughout the week. The best part is that I had my colors done, and I’m a ‘spring’!”
- “Humidity this morning is high, with a likelihood of hair frizzing. By afternoon, we’re looking at an 80% chance of rain, so there goes my plan to lie out by the pool.”
Teens–gotta love the way God made them.
What is your favorite anecdote regarding a teen and his or her attitude toward the weather?
The Scriblerians 