“But within every Dystopia there’s a little Utopia”
– Margaret Atwood
I cannot say I have read that many Dystopian novels. Off the top of my head, I can name The Hunger Games series, the Divergent trilogy, and The Maze Runner – incredible books, but pretty basic. So, when I attended this year’s Young Adult Literature Convention, I thought it would be a good opportunity to tune in on a conversation between three dystopian authors, Josh Silver, Moira Buffini, and Kenechi Udogu, to discover more about this compelling genre I have been missing out on.
Buffini began the conversation by discussing her earliest inspirations for her own dystopian worlds, saying she has always loved the genre and has been inspired by authors such as Margaret Atwood and Ursula K. Le Guin. She spoke of her childhood and how she uses it to factor into her own worldbuilding. Buffini stated that when she was younger, she saw the catholic church for what it is – claiming it was full of men who thought she was inferior. When she got expelled from her catholic school, she rebelled from a large-scale system for the first time, and writing her stories was a way to continue fighting back.
Silver went on to discuss his own motivations for writing Dystopias. He claimed that he discovered that the “world is driven towards money and it terrified [him].” His own experiences working with mental health and the brutal and harsh realities some young people have to go through when trying to seek help, led to the powerful idea that a dystopian world could happen tomorrow – some claiming we are already living one today.
Dystopias can be crucial in reminding ourselves of what it looks like to be human as writing these stories have messages for people who are losing sight of the truth. With this being said, the importance of connection within these worlds was emphasised by the panel. After lockdown when everyone began to feel isolated from one another, connectivity became a lifeline for these authors.
Another thing discussed during the panel was how Dystopian fiction largely stems from the things that keep you up at night as a writer: inequality, racism, misogyny, or climate breakdown. Fiction writing is a natural response to these real-world concepts, as the panellists discuss how it is a way to write politically with a certain nuance and thoughtfulness.
The idea that Dystopian fiction never goes out of date, and in fact is usually ahead of its time was a key takeaway, especially when the authors discussed their key audiences. The panel said that the perfect age for dystopia is those classed as ‘Young Adult’ as this group are at a pivotal age to learn and understand the world around us, as well as self-discovery. However, they acknowledged that adults still love Young Adult Dystopian fiction as there is a part of them that has held on to their younger self, causing them to be immersed in the past whilst living in the present.
Continually, the idea that we all have dystopias in our own life, whether that is as big as a dehumanising system around us, or on a smaller scale such as a toxic work environment, also emphasised this idea that Dystopias are eternal. Looking at the genre in this sense, can be quite confining, as though trapped in a cycle. The authors, however, turn this idea on its head and claim that the genre is not a limitation in fiction writing, but a freedom. Dystopian authors carry on and find positivity in the struggle, desiring a positive future we hope someday will come.
It was also interesting to hear about the significance of character building with each of their stories. They claimed that their characters were such important starting points when creating their worlds as everything begins to have a deeper meaning when characters are introduced. The repercussions of dystopian systems become dilemmas when you create a character who wants to destroy these systems and cause a revolution like never before. You are introduced to someone to fight for whilst you read, a way to bring a figment of hope within a darker plotline.
Silver, Buffini, and Udogu bounced off each other very naturally and I did not feel as part of an audience during this talk, more so part of a conversation on what really makes this genre what it is and why it is so popular. Overall, it was deeply interesting, leaving me questioning the world we are living in today, as well as my previous lack of taste within this extremely popular and striking genre.
– Becca Green
Becca Green is a Creative Writing and English Literature student at York St John University. At the moment, she is undertaking a placement year in London as part of her course, but still regularly writes in her spare time. This article was written after attending the Young Adult Literature Convention in November.