Why YA Stories Make Compelling TV: Writing Lessons from “We Were Liars'” E. Lockhart

Young Adult (YA) stories captivate readers and viewers of all ages, and it’s no mystery why. Beyond simply featuring adolescent characters fumbling through adolescence, the genre dives deep into a universally pivotal period of life: young adulthood. It’s a time defined by a whirlwind of profound experiences – a time of thrilling firsts, increasing independence, and the journey of self-discovery. We Were Liars is an exploration of these very themes, set against a seemingly idyllic, yet ultimately fractured, backdrop.

Writer E. Lockhart explains the key elements of YA stories:

A Time of Monumental “Firsts”

What makes YA so compelling is its focus on the magnitude of “firsts.”

“It’s not only your first love. It might also be your first sexual experiences or your first relative financial independence,” she says.

These aren’t just minor milestones; they are often life-altering moments that feel absolutely enormous. In We Were Liars, Cadence Sinclair Eastman (Emily Alyn Lind) experiences these monumental firsts, even as her memories are clouded in mystery following her accident.

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First Love and Sexual Experiences

While love stories are a significant part of many YA stories, they’re often intertwined with the broader exploration and questionsing of intimacy and self-discovery. Cadence’s intense, complicated first love with Gat Patil is a central storyline in We Were Liars. Their connection is profound and challenges the rigid, exclusive world of the Sinclair family.

E Lockhart. Photo by Heather Weston

First Taste of Financial Independence

For many, young adulthood brings the ability to earn and manage money, a large step towards autonomy. While the wealthy Sinclair family in We Were Liars operates within a different financial sphere, the underlying theme of independence—or the lack thereof—is crucial. The adult Sinclairs are constantly vying for their patriarch’s attention and inheritance, revealing a dependence that ultimately has tragic consequences for the younger generation.

First Real Mobility

Getting a driver’s license changes a young person’s world, expanding their horizons and opening up new possibilities as they forge a path away from the family home. The freedom to move around independently is a huge leap from childhood. For Cadence, her physical freedom is initially curtailed by her accident, symbolically reflecting her mental state. Her journey to reclaim her memories and understand her past is represents here freedom to move forward, unburdened by secrets.

Questioning Institutions and Defining Values

Perhaps one of the most crucial themes in YA is the act of questioning institutions – in this case, the Sinclair family. As adolescents transition into adulthood, they begin to scrutinize the constructs and values that have always defined them.

Family

The seemingly perfect Sinclair family embodies an institution that demands conformity and loyalty above all else. Cadence and the other “Liars” – Johnny (Joseph Zada), Mirren (Esther McGregor), and Gat (Shubham Maheshwari) – begin to see the cracks in this facade. They grapple with the family’s deep-seated prejudices, their obsession with appearances, and the underlying greed that fuels their dysfunctional dynamics. They seek to break free from the “golden” cage of privilege and the harmful secrets it protects.

Societal Expectations and Privilege

The Sinclair family’s immense wealth and status create a specific, insular world, representing a powerful institution of privilege. We Were Liars delves into how this privilege can both shield and harm. The Liars’ awareness of their own entitlement, particularly through Gat’s outsider perspective, forces them to confront uncomfortable truths about their family’s place in the world and the moral compromises they’ve been taught to accept as normal.

Breaking Away

This process of “breaking away” is pivotal in YA stories It’s a moment of self-definition, where young adults decide what values they will live by, often in defiance of what they’ve been taught or what’s expected of them. Cadence’s journey, fraught with memory loss and the painful recovery of truth, is ultimately about defining her own integrity, separate from the Sinclairs’ carefully constructed reality. She must decide if she will continue to perpetuate the family’s lies or embrace a more authentic, but painful, understanding of her past and her place in the world.

The Enduring Appeal of YA

The success of YA television shows and films lies in their ability to tap into this universally relatable period of intense growth, confusion, and change. It’s a time when emotions run high, stakes feel incredibly significant, and every decision seems life-threatening. This inherent drama makes YA stories not only attractive to young adults navigating these very experiences, but also incredibly engaging for older audiences who can recall their own journeys of firsts and self-discovery or seeking to redefine themselves later in life.

We Were Liars embodies these core tenets of YA, drawing readers into Cadence’s psychological unraveling and eventual re-formation. It reminds us that the process of becoming who you are, the breaking away from what no longer serves you, and the courageous and uncomfortable embracing of truth.

If you’re feeling inspired by the storytelling techniques explored in We Were Liars and eager to put your skills to use, consider exploring remote job opportunities for script writers to bring compelling narratives to life.

by Staff Writer

From our in-house editorial team.