Let's be honest that's not strictly true is it.

Not only is age relevant to us as authors in regards to our characters and how old they are but the 'age' in which our novels are set is just as relevant to how they act and behave.

Of course I'm bound to reference George and the Dragon because it's the one work I have, so far, published.

In the novel George is 13.  However it's set at a time when there were barely televisions in homes and there's one only 1 television channel.  For entertainment they had radio, books or they could go and play with their friends.  There's a strong likely-hood that in another year George would be expected to work for a living and contribute to the household income.

Nicholas North on the other hand, who is the hero of my second novel to be released around November this year, is 11 but lives in an alternate reality modern England.   His life would be completely alien to that of George.  He'll have access to tablets, games consoles, computers, cable or satellite TV.  Playing outside, climbing trees, getting dirty etc will hardly flash up on Nicholas' radar he is just not that sort of kid.

Age and period, which is probably a better term for when a novel is set, is vitally important to us as authors. Especially when you start setting your book in historical times.

A child before the late 1950s/1960s even in teenage years was treated very differently to the way they are now or were during the rock and roll era.

The term teenager for example was coined in the 1950s.  I think of this era as being the Teenage revolution. It marks the point when, due to economic growth, teenagers were liberated;  they had their own music, fashion, hair-dos etc.

From here you have the vast diversity that makes up teenage life through the 70s,80s,80s and into the 21st Century and then on into the future.

It's interesting to note that Back to the Future heads to 21 October 2015.  So while this blog isn't about predicting the future I wonder if teenagers will be riding hover-boards, with shoes that are self adjusting and food cooked in Hydraters.  I suspect not but that's the difficulty with the future.  With history we don't have to predict it just make sure we are true to it the future on the other hand is a whole different ball game.

The other point of this post is slightly different.  I'm not an 11 year old,  I haven't been one for 31 years truth be told.  I don't have children in this age bracket either.  My eldest being only 6 years of age.

So I have the interesting conundrum of writing about an age bracket with whom I have only passing familiarity.  I suspect I'll be calling on the children of friends who are in that age bracket to double check I'm getting it right.