Jayd Green, Columnist

Half way through writing my application, I realised the dates for your forum posts were back in July last year. However, I felt I didn’t want to give up, so I’m still posting in the hope you will read and be able to find a place for me. Thank you.

Name: Jayd Green
Age: 15
E-mail: jayd_amber(at)hotmail.co.uk
Position you want (Columnist/Sub-Editor): Columnist
Essay on Why You're Qualified: I feel that I would be qualified for this position because I have a passion for reading and writing and I have done all my life. This is the first time I’ve applied for a columnist job, but I have participated in a few writing contests. I unfortunately have never won, but I put all my effort into my writing and bounce back quickly. I am part of a reading group in my town, and I am used to reviewing books in detail. I can also review poetry. I often write short stories, and I am experienced in poetry. Many of my older work can be seen on the literary website InkPop.
Example of Your Work:
“YA Fiction - Quality Declining?”
Scanning the bookshelves at the YA section in Waterstones, and it all looks the same. Each slightly promising title is put down again with a sigh; same love story, same paranormal entity falling in love with a human and vice versa. It dominates the section like a tiger stalking its prey - dangerous, and intimidating. I am intimidated, by the staggering amount of paranormal romance climbing all over the bookshelves. It’s hard to find something with potential, like exciting description, paragraphs overflowing with emotion and characters developing like caterpillars evolving into butterflies.
I might just be very cynical, but it’s hard for me to find YA Fiction that pleases me. Maybe I’ve grown up; maybe I’m looking in the wrong place. But even a lot of the cover art is looking the same nowadays, and it makes me wonder. Are writers still writing because it is their lifelong passion and they want to show everyone their talent? Or is it because a lot of money can be made from books if they get popular? With moviemakers offering lots of writers contracts to turn their popular books into movies, it is a tempting offer to just write what publishers want. However, it’s pulling down the quality of other literature. In 50 years time, what will people be commending as a “great literary feat”? A classic is recognised by its original characteristics - not an idea that has simply been recreated by many different authors.

It seems YA Fiction needs to be told the saying, “A joke is funny the first time it is said.”

Additional Comments: Thank you for giving me this opportunity and introducing me to your magazines!