Writing Angsty YA...But With a Teen in the House
This is a new factor I've not had before in my writing.
I’m writing a new novel.
Technically, it’s a “clean” young adult romance. And if you’ve been around my work for a while, you might hear that and go, “Wait, what? That doesn’t sound like what Tom does.”
But it is. Because it’s the way I do it.
It’s called Breaking Character. It’s got a relatively light touch, but the characters, the voice, the setting—all of it is still very much me. It takes place in the drama department of a Phoenix-area high school in the early ’90s. That pretty much sums me up right there.
The only real difference between this book and my earlier YA is that you already know how it’s going to end—because it’s a romance. And if you’re thinking, “I don’t like romance novels,” well, I used to think the same thing too. But, like most things, it’s more about finding one that actually fits you.
What I’ve learned about the genre—and I’ll talk more about this book specifically in a sec—is that, at least right now, in this time and place, there’s something comforting about reading a story where you do know what’s coming.
Something familiar, but still fresh. A sense of warmth. A promise. That no matter what happens, it’s going to end okay.
Now, you can plan on that in most of my YA work anyway. My horror can sometimes go a little off the rails in terms of “is this going to work out or not?” But when I’m writing about teenagers, about adolescence, there’s one constant:
Hope.
That’s not just important. It’s critical.
Whether the book is for young readers or simply about young people, I believe deeply that the story has to end with hope. That’s something I’m unwilling to compromise on. Because if we’re going to talk honestly about how hard it is to grow up, we owe it to readers to also show them that it can get better.
So. Breaking Character:
It’s very much a Tom Leveen book right from page one. It centers on a girl who appears to be dealing with some level of depression, which started after a terrible falling out with her best friends in junior high. Things are going badly. She starts low, gets lower, and then slowly begins to climb again. Peaks and valleys, the usual rhythm of a good plot. Because stories—real ones—rarely move in a straight line.
And yeah, there’s a romantic partner. That’s not a spoiler. It’s a romance novel. That’s the whole point.
This one isn’t insta-love (though that can be a thing in romance). I’m learning about the different tropes—this one leans into “enemies to lovers.” (Sort of; this is clean, so there’s no actual “lovers” happening, if you know what I mean.) There’s also “childhood friends,” a bit of that here too.
And yes, the couple ends up together. That’s the genre promise. But the how—the journey—is where it gets interesting. Especially when you add in the angsty, dramatic, sometimes-melodramatic Tom Leveen flair. There’s going to be an emotional gauntlet for both characters, and that’s where I live as a writer.
Right now, I’m still in the early writing stages, building up all the reasons these two can’t be together. All the baggage. All the backstory. The pain. And yeah, it’s rough.
It’s hitting different this time. Because, for the first time in my 15+ year career, I have a teenager in the house. A real, live teenager. And we’re going through stuff with him. Watching him go through things we all went through—but from the outside now, as parents.
And let me tell you, it hurts.
My wife’s been in early childhood education for most of her career. I’ve been writing about teens, talking to them at school visits, doing keynotes for teachers and parents for over a decade. You’d think we’d be pretty well-prepared.
But being a parent?
Not the same thing.
It’s frustrating. And heartbreaking. And sometimes, yeah, I get really pissed off about the stuff he tells me. The stories. The way things are still hard for kids, despite all the changes in the world. Because for all the tech and culture shifts, growing up still kind of sucks in the same familiar ways it always has.
Teenagehood as we know it didn’t even really exist until after World War II. Before that, you were a kid...and then you were an adult. There wasn’t really this in-between phase. You worked the farm. You went to the factory. You contributed. And then suddenly—post-WWII—we’re flush with resources, and being 14 didn’t have to mean adulthood anymore. Suddenly, there was space to grow up.
Hollywood noticed. That’s when you get Beach Blanket Bingo, James Dean, Elvis, The Beatles. “Teenagers” became a thing.
And we’re still living in the aftermath of that cultural invention.
So when I’m writing Breaking Character, and when I’m watching my kid go through real-life middle school and high school struggles—I’m seeing it from both sides. And that’s hard. But also...valuable.
Because here’s the thing:
Much like a romance novel, I can see the horizon.
We will get through it.
Cassie, my main character—she’s going to get through it too. Not because of a boy. Let’s make that clear. Not because she falls in love, or starts dating. That’s not the point. The relationship helps, yes—but it’s more about the support, the teamwork, the human connection that develops.
Just like family. Just like real life.
The book’s coming along really well, by the way. I think you’re really going to like it. It’s angsty as hell. It’s dark. Not as dark as I sometimes go—but still emotionally real. If you liked Zero, manicpixiedreamgirl, or Party, I think this will land for you. Same voice, same tone, but a new kind of story. And this time, you know it ends well.
So no matter what I throw at Cassie, don’t worry. She’s going to make it.
Just like we are.
And hey—one more thing before I go.
Today is April 18, which means... my new BattleTech novel is out!
https://www.amazon.com/BattleTech-Blood-Will-Tom-Leveen-ebook/dp/B0F29VSJYW/
It’s called Blood Will Rise, and it’s available now wherever you buy books online. Just search “Tom Leveen BattleTech” or “Blood Will Rise” and you’ll find it.
This one’s a totally different vibe—military science fiction with giant stompy robots. Loads of action, political intrigue, and yes, because it’s me, character dynamics and emotional stakes. But also...giant. Stompy. Robots.
Check it out if you’re into that sort of thing. I think you’ll dig it.
Talk soon.
—Tom