Why Friendship is the Most Important Thing in YA Fiction
A recent survey showed that teen readers prefer friendship themes in novels over romance. I was delighted to learn this because my books focus on the same. Both Unclutter and The Mobile Rehab boast of enviable friendship between the characters. I wish some of the fictional teens in my books were my buddies.
Most teens face problems because of friendships. Either they are outcasts, or they have false friends. More serious issues, such as bullying, abuse, and gaslighting happen among peers. That’s why these young adults like to read about heartwarming connections between their favorite fictional characters.
Further, friendship is the most important aspect of a teenager’s life. They spend more time with their classmates than their family. Friends shape their interests, opinions, and habits. The right company can make their life, as much as the wrong people can destroy it. Authors explore the various dynamics of this relationship, writing a more compelling story.
Another common trend in fiction that readers like is that anyone can be friends. They enjoy reading the chemistry in any relationship: siblings, parents, step-family, and other relatives. Authors write about all kinds of companionship, not worrying about gender, age gap, sexuality, or any other differences between the characters. This broadens the meaning of friendship, unlike earlier, where it was confined to peers.
Additionally, many romantic relationships in fiction are centered around friendship. It doesn’t matter if the protagonists weren’t friends before becoming a couple. Authors write relationships where the characters share secrets, have deep conversations and bond like friends do. I, too, prefer reading couples who have meaningful talks over ones who only show physical affection.
It's a harsh world where stories of enmity, betrayal, and humiliation are common. For fiction readers like me who want to escape from such reality, friendship-centered novels are perfect.
Do you like reading about friendships in fiction? Why or why not? Let me know in the comments.
