October Novel Prep Challenge

Fancy, I'm just going to brainstorm "out loud" (in writing) because it's what I do, LOL. Your list is below. I'll add my thoughts and ideas.

Racey runs away and falls in love with a gang member (Troy).
--- We have some serious opportunity for background stories here. Why did Racey run away? How did she meet Troy? What kinds of things happened in Troy's life that made him who he is today, and that made him so compatible with Racey in particular? What do the two of them have in common? Incidentally, background stories can later turn into flashbacks and prologues if they're relevant, or at a minimum affect the conversations these characters have and the decisions they make.
--- Opportunities for new conflict: If Racey ran away, is someone looking for her? Does she have a phone? Social media accounts? I have a hard time believing that a teen (I assume she's a teen based on your audience) would easily break all ties with everyone she knows and loves forever. That would be too hard to do. Maybe she keeps in touch with her old best friend, and the police and/or Racey's family try to coerce Best Friend into giving up her location. Maybe Best Friend's parents ground her for not divulging the information, which would be incredibly unfair. ***KEY PLOT STRATEGY IN YA: MAKE EVERYTHING UNFAIR. Read any Harry Potter novel and see why youth love it so much. Poor Harry is always getting in trouble for things he didn't do and for breaking rules while saving the world, which is all grossly unfair. Because most young adults feel like everything in life is unfair - parents are unfair, teachers are unfair, friends are unfair, coaches are unfair - they relate to unfairness in their reading choices.

Another boy tries to win Racey's affection; she says no multiple times.
--- Who is this boy? Why does he like Racey? Is he jealous of Troy? (If so, why?) Do Racey and Boy have something in common? (If so, what? What's his history?) Does he just want to strut his stuff around and impress the gang members with his mad skillz with women? (If so, why is he so insecure? Is he in a position of leadership? Why does he need the approval of his gang friends?)

Boy attacks Racey
--- Opportunity for background story here. Most men don't hit women. Boy has likely either grown up thinking this is okay behavior (because, for instance, he witnessed his dad beat up his mom, or his mom beat up his dad), or he has been the victim of abuse himself (one or both of his parents beat him up, he was violated by a teacher or uncle, whatever.) What's his story? What makes him so violent and angry? Has he ever beat anyone up before? Has he gotten away with it? Gotten in trouble? Been arrested? Sent to anger management classes? Some of this might be back story that only you will see, because it might be too harsh for a YA audience (or maybe not - read the Hunger Games and tell me that YA audiences can't handle extreme violence.) But it will help you, the author, fully and completely understand why this Boy is so violent, and exactly how violent he might be.
--- Opportunity for new conflict: Another girl likes Boy and is jealous of his affections for Racey. Girl becomes a second villain. Boy doesn't pay Girl any attention until Racey rejects him, and then Girl takes this opportunity to jump in, soothe his ruffled feathers, help him beat up Racey, do Bad Things to Racey and Troy. Perhaps this attack on Racey is more than just a beating. Perhaps Girl posts some nasty rumors about Racey on social media (that will hit your target YA market where it hurts) and ruins her reputation around town. Or perhaps Girl finds out who Racey's family is and tells them and/or police where to find her, since she ran away.

Troy beats up Boy.
--- Opportunity for background story: What's the history between Troy and Boy? Were they friends before Racey came along? Or have they always been rivals hence the jealousy? You could write a story of another, smaller event that happened between these two boys before Racey came along that helps you, the author, understand their relationship better. You might even find that it comes up in the Big Fight during November - one of them says, "remember when such-and-such happened?" or "you're still mad about such-and-such."

Troy and Racey go on the run to escape criminal charges.
--- Opportunity for new conflict: OMG, this one is SCREAMING at me: Do NOT let your protagonist get off this easy. They don't escape criminal charges. One or both of them gets arrested!!! Then challenge yourself to see if you can get them out of THAT mess in 25,000 words. Off the top of my head: Racey was the victim (of Boy) and Troy did the beating (of Boy), so obviously Racey should be the one who gets caught by the cops. Here are a slew of reasons why: (1) Troy is an experienced gang member. He's spent his whole life evading the cops. Racey is new at this life and slow. (2) It's incredibly unfair. (3) She ran away and doesn't want to go back home. So of course the first thing the cops are going to do is call her parents.

Troy's gang is trying to keep them apart.
--- Opportunity for more conflict: Flesh this out more. What do they do? I could envision things like threatening to kick Troy out of the gang. I'll continue that thought in a moment...

Racey wants Troy to leave the gang.
--- Okay, now we have Troy stuck in the middle: Racey says "it's me or the gang." The gang says "it's us or that girl." Troy is stuck in the middle (MORE UNFAIRNESS) and has an impossible choice to make.

So, back to the gang threatening to kick Troy out:
--- Opportunity for background story: Why is Troy so attached to this gang? Most kids who end up in gangs do so because it's better than all the other choices they've ever had. The gang is family, because they have no other family. Perhaps Troy is an orphan. Maybe his parent or guardian is addicted to drugs and doesn't care whether he comes or goes. What's his story? If he got arrested, would there be anyone to bail him out? Did he run away? Consider telling the story of the day Troy first joined the gang. What was his mood like that day? What did the gang offer him? How hard of a decision was it for him to accept? Did he have to do anything to earn his place?

Okay, now take all that knowledge and consider again his choice: Racey or the gang, his family.

What choice will he make?