| This extract is part of an online interview which was | | | | the past and there have been stories like this. They |
| undertaken with members of the Writers Retreat at | | | | can be trapped in the past, where they either |
| the Institute of Children's Literature in September | | | | struggle, live well or die very quickly. Or it can be a |
| 2008. For more than thirty five years, the Institute | | | | conscious choice, if they are simply going to build a |
| has offered the premier writing course for adults | | | | new life and don't have any crazy ideas about |
| interested in learning how to write and be published | | | | inventing modern technology in ancient Rome or |
| for children and teens. | | | | something like that. It is perhaps easier if they |
| Q: I've been working on a trilogy of time-travel | | | | choose to live in a relatively recent time period, say |
| novels, YA level (protagonist starts at 14 years and | | | | after 1700 or so, where it would be easier to adapt |
| is 16 by the end) for nearly three years and I'm full | | | | to daily life than it would be in an earlier era? |
| of questions. About a year ago, I had an interesting | | | | However, I have read stories where characters |
| exchange with an agent. She felt that in any time | | | | chose to remain in the Middle Ages, so this is not |
| travel novel it was essential that the protagonist | | | | carved in stone. I have no problem with children or |
| return home, to his/her own time, at the end of the | | | | adults having to adapt to a time that is alien to them |
| book. I argued that this was a structure by which | | | | and staying there. |
| adults instructed children so that, as in The Wizard of | | | | For example, your main character, who could be an |
| Oz or most time travel novels, the protagonist would | | | | older adopted child or someone who has been in a lot |
| 'learn a lesson' in the past and come home with a | | | | of foster homes, could have an unpleasant life in the |
| greater understanding. I said that for YA this would | | | | present and feel more welcome in another time, thus |
| not be necessary, and that it could be exciting for | | | | making a conscious choice to stay. I don't believe |
| readers if the characters were challenged to actually | | | | that characters in a story absolutely have to learn a |
| adapt to an alien time with very unfamiliar morals and | | | | lesson and come home to a greater understanding. |
| ethics and standards. My model was, in fact, older | | | | This seems very outdated to me. It is also preaching |
| child adoption where adolescents can be taken from | | | | to the reader and hammering home a message, |
| one culture, thrown into another, and struggle to | | | | usually at the expense of the story, which most |
| adjust to that new place, new family, and new | | | | readers, whether they are children or adults, dislike in |
| expectations. She disagreed. So, what do you think? | | | | equal measure. Young readers still have a great taste |
| Can time travelers stay in the past? What if it's a | | | | or adventure and a good story never goes out of |
| choice? Can they choose to stay in the past? | | | | style, so don't get too hung up on morals and |
| A: In most stories they come home and my time | | | | messages and concentrate on creating a good, page |
| travel novels have ended that way, but I disagree | | | | turning tale that your readers will enjoy. |
| that this is essential. Yes, time travelers can stay in | | | | |