'Teen lit' writers and their work very much in vogue

'Teen lit' writers and their work very much in vogue

Ignatius Haryanto, Contributor/Jakarta

Pay a visit to local bookstores in big cities around the country
and you will surprised at the phenomenon of books that fit into
the "chick lit" (young women's literature) and "teen lit"
categories.

These are not works that have been translated into Bahasa
Indonesia from Western writers but those written for and by
Indonesian teenagers.

Inspired by the chick lit books circulating among younger
readers, teenagers and former teens are now taking the time to
speak out. Many of these authors are now young writers in their
20s however, most have used teenagers as the inspiration or as
the target market for their books.

Cynthia Monica is the writer of Kos Full Colour, which uses
the well-known abbreviation KFC to mean life in a boarding house
in Jakarta.

Icha Rahmati wrote Cinta Cappuccino (Love of Cappuccino) and
Stephani Hid Bukan Saya, Tapi Mereka yang Gila (They are crazy,
not me). Maria Andelia is the author of Me vs Highwheels and
there are many others.

Younger still, there is Laire Siwi, daughter of Indonesian
poet Sitok Srengenge, a second-grade high school student, who
recently published her first novel, Nothing But Love, a few
months ago, which has already been reprinted.

This is a good era for teen lit, reminding one of the earlier
work of women writers Ayu Utami, Fira Basuki and Dewi Lestari and
then Djenar Maesa Ayu and Nukila Amal.

Their literary descendents have done well. Linda Christanty
won the Katulistiwa Literary Award 2004, and all of these authors
have flooded the Indonesian book market.

Some have tried to introduce innovations into Indonesian
literature by telling a new kind of story, while others just
wanted to write about the everyday lives of young women in big
cities.

Articles in magazines, newspapers and on TV about the authors
and their books have helped established chick lit or teen lit,
part of the ongoing globalization of book marketing where
influences from outside influence local communities.

This writing has done well in the market, and publisher
Gramedia declared 2004 as the year for teen lit.

Not only that: Gramedia also organized a teen lit writing
competition and the firm will publish the work of the competition
winners.

Gramedia is not alone in producing and encouraging teen-lit.

Other publishers -- Gagas Media, Galang Press, Grasindo among
others -- have also fulfilled teenage readers' needs. Dozens of
titles have flooded bookstores this year.

Is there life beyond boyfriends, school etc?

Teen feedback confirms these books are easy to read; they
focus on their daily lives, about the situations they encounter
and the feelings they have.

Dealing with school life, problems with family and with
friends, a major draw for readers, especially young girls, is how
they deal with romantic experiences.

Auleria Clarista, a third-grade high school student from
Stella Maris School, Bumi Serpong Damai, recently read Nothing
but Love. "Reading this book was fun, and I could really feel
what the writer felt -- I'd been there," she said.

Auleria, a teenager who likes writing poetry, said most of the
books covered the same ground: Family, school and boyfriends --
because most of the writers are young women -- life outside
school and conflict, often with a happy ending.

At launch of Lahire's book a journalist from Gadis magazine
noted that while it was good to have many young writers and many
books about things relevant to teenagers' lives, hardly anyone
was writing about other subjects.

Is it all just a passing fad? Possibly. If the situation
remains the same, teen lit may well be left behind by another
teenage book trend.

Most publishers and novelists admit that writing teen lit is a
good start for young writers -- but that is all.

To become an accomplished novelist, they say, one still has to
develop one's skills and broaden one's mind in order to write
better books.

Exposure to works of literature and other references will
enrich authors' story-telling abilities.

Without that, they will be in danger of being remembered only
as "one-book wonders".