I'm working on a book aimed at teenagers. Is there a guide / checklist of what should and shouldn't be included for such an age group? S. Raven
Not really an overall one, no. Common sense, generally. I mean, there are often judgement calls/stylistic issues - like underage sex is okay, but it shouldn't be written to titillate/exploit. That's a pretty firm rule, but hard to really interpret, I'd say. Who can say what someone else will find exploitative. Otherwise, I think you need to consider your market. If your book would be school-library friendly except you threw in one scene of graphic sex? I'd cut the graphic sex! But if the whole book is edgy and graphic, you're going to be looking at niche marketing anyway, so you might want to stick to your vision.
Hie thee to a bookstore, knave! Know your market, and have fun in the process of knowing. But ware! the nearer you venture to the limits of acceptability, the harder it becomes to find a publisher who will render it in paper and ink. Especially while you are unknown.
Would you say a good rule of thumb would be: if your readers/target group is of an age of consent (16 in the UK) then write it, if not, don't. or Anything with a reference to sex is for 18+ ages. ??
I would not. Age of consent is a matter of laws, and laws lag behind society's shifting sensibilities. Deliberately so, in order not to have laws frivolously following volatile trends.
@cutecat22 - What do you mean by "a reference to sex"? There are successful YA books with sex, drugs, suicide, abuse, etc. Lots of mature themes. But they're generally handled in a YA-way. Not moralistic, and not even non-graphic, exactly. Just... YA-esque. I agree with @Cogito - extensive reading will help you find the boundaries. You might want to check out "Edgy" YA to see people who are pushing things, or just read the YA bestsellers to see what everyone seems to be comfortable with.
I guess that's where it gets blurry. I don't think you can stick to strict lines as although there are legal limits for such things, each person is different and matures at a different age. I can imagine that it would be OK [in my mind] if it was part of the story and perhaps written without certain words or phrases. I can see I'm digging myself a hole here as I always seem to do, but, I'm reading (or trying) to read a book at the moment which has sex scenes in it but every time the male MC talks about the female MC, it's all about how perfect she is and how much he wants to shove his cock in her c*nt. (I HATE that word with a passion). I'm guessing that for YA, you could get away with certain sex scenes by writing them in a more sensitive way with appropriate language. Perhaps, to the point of leading the reader to the bedroom door and then picking up next morning. I'm not a prude, I write erotic stuff but, there's just something in my mind that says raunch is for 18+ Anything else would be like sneaking a look at your Dad's copy of Fiesta magazine! (or your mum's copy of Lady Chatterley's Lover). Oh, that was quite stereotypical of me! LOL!
I don't think it's the language that makes things different in YA. I think it's the effect of the scene. I mean, a lot of people read erotica and erotic romance to get turned on. Those books are written, generally, in a way that encourages this. YA could describe the exact same scenario, using similar language, but without being written in a way that encourages arousal. I'm not really sure what the concrete differences are that leads to this different effect, but I'm pretty sure it's there.
Write it the way you think it needs to be an if that doesn't cut it work backward. I don't think there's much difference anymore
