Nancy Drew

to inspire writers of young adult books

I read many Hardy Boys' books and a few Nancy Drew books that my sisters left around. One of the best books I've ever read was "The Hidden Staircase." Check out Freud on staircase symbolism. My intent here, however, is to suggest that Nancy is one of the finest examples of a sympathetic character that a reader can emulate, as she had great courage, which we all need. Young people feel that the world is hidden from them, and want to discover things, and solve mysteries. Life itself is a mystery for a teenager, and a writer needs to capture the sense of the unknown when writing young adult books.

Mildred Wirt Benson, (1905--1982), wrote for the Nancy Drew series. Her favorite was “The Hidden Staircase,” (1930), which she helped write at age 25. Nancy Drew was known for her adventurous nature. She finished high school at age 16 and was entrusted by her father, a lawyer, with his gun and a blue convertible. He didn't supervise her in any way, but rather trusted her to help him investigate cases. Nancy's boyfriend was Ned Nickerson. Only decades later, at age 18, did Nancy attend college, and the series slanted towards young adult romance. Mildred Wirt Benson, sold all rights to her Nancy Drew books for $125 each, ordinarily, but sometimes, during the depression, for as little as $75. She was awarded a well-deserved Mystery Writers of America Award in 1980. Edward Stratemeyer was the publisher of the Nancy Drew series, and his daughters, Harriet Adams and Edna Squier, helped outline, edit and write the books. Stratemeyer first wrote the Hardy Boys books starting in 1926, which were a great success, as the Nancy Drew books were also.

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