Fiction for young people is often about the terror and triumph of independence - it's that first taste of agency, of carving your own path, and often that comes with resistance. Whether it's bringing down a sci-fi dystopian government or simply choosing to be yourself (while also figuring out who that person is) young adult fiction is about risking the old world to bring about a new one, and I think that's what makes it so exciting.

I welcome any interpretation of the prompt - it's just to get you started after all. In terms of the writing itself, I love a strong voice - which doesn't mean excessively poetic or flowery, but instead is about control and clarity. Balance the literary with the pragmatic. Don't forget your audience. Put as much of yourself - your insight, your imagination, the knowledge and experience only you have - on the page. And remember that good writing can happen anywhere, but great writing is found in the redraft.

My background is in speculative fiction (fantasy, horror, sci-fi) but don't let that limit you - genre is a construct and labels are for jam-makers. Write something great.