Here’s a piece of writing advice: write a really great Young Adult fantasy novel right now. Don’t wait another second. Who knows if we’re in the middle of a long-term trend or the waning days. So get to it.
Also, it might help if you can get it to Harry Potter producer David Heyman. He’s the man behind the big screen adaptation of what DreamWorks is hoping will be the next big thing in YA filmmaking – “Shadow and Bone” from author Leigh Bardugo. The story focuses on a kind of magical version of Russia where the people are under siege by dark forces who prefer human meat for dinner. Fortunately for the public at large, a young woman discovers she has the power to manipulate light and save her people from ruin.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the project (for which rights were secured back in September) has taken the next step by hiring screenwriter Christopher Kyle (K-19: The Widowmaker, Alexander). Kyle is a heady choice. He’s a writer that can deliver big, steamy historical drama without falling into soap opera territory. That streak will undoubtedly continue when we see the release of his latest work, the Susanne Bier-directed Serena, which reunites Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper in Depression-era South Carolina, but his hiring on Shadow and Bone is a great move to imbue an all-ages fantasy with a bit of prestige.
