Speculative fiction lets us build wild, wondrous worlds—but no matter how strange the setting, teen characters should still feel real. In Jake the Time Jumper, Jake may be navigating ancient ruins and glitching time rifts, but he’s still a 15-year-old grappling with fear, guilt, and impossible choices.

So how do you write authentic teens in surreal landscapes?

Start with voice. Teens filter everything—danger, awe, even grief—through humor, sarcasm, or stubborn defiance. Let their dialogue reflect that, even when the stakes are cosmic. Jake might say, “Awesome, I broke time again,” right after surviving a battle. It’s that tonal honesty that keeps readers grounded.

Next, anchor their growth in emotion. Teens don’t suddenly become heroes—they earn it through fear, failure, and messy decisions. Give them room to doubt, cry, rebel. Growth arcs in speculative fiction should mirror real-life milestones: trust, independence, letting go.

Finally, weave in relatable fears. It’s not just time loops or shadowy villains—it's the fear of losing family, of never being understood, of messing up something you can’t undo.

Even in the wildest worlds, your teen characters must still sound like they have school tomorrow... if the world wasn’t ending.

How do your teens stay real in unreal places?