So I am stuck with how to define if my book is for young adults as some people have said it is whilst others have said it isn't. When I started writing I was thinking of aiming it more away from YA, but I don't know if I have drifted towards it. My themes are not adult as in lots of blood gore and sex though there is a little of the former and as hopefully the book develops into a series it will potentially get more of both. But then it is also a coming of age story with hints of magic and adventure all the main characters in their late teens. Which I think is were my lines are getting crossed. I don't want to limit my potential expansion if I need to neuter any future books but then I don't know if this one would stand up in a general Fantasy genre. Thoughts?
The eventual publisher will decide what genre to market the book under, unless you are self-publishing, in which case you decide. Based on what you've said, I'd guess it is very likely to be marketed as YA, since publishers like that category as it sells well.
An older teen coming of age sounds YA. But I wouldn't worry about it. Just write it and let the readers or publisher decide.
Could part of their 'magicalness' be that they don't age; a bit Peter Pan, I know but it ties in with the genre. That way it could stay with a teen-aged core and stay YA? Don't know if that helps.
I honestly only learned about new adult fiction a matter of weeks ago because I'm so far behind the times they're lapping me. Maybe you'd fit there? If you're publishing traditionally it'd likely get sorted as YA. Don't worry - thanks to Our Lady JK it's a pretty big market
New Adult has been around for a little while. And it's unfortunately dominated by romance. There's been a big push to steer it away from the Romance genre, but it hasn't taken yet. If you go New Adult, the expectation is going to be loads of sex. So be prepared for that. lol
I'd research both and see what the requirements are. That way if you want to market it more towards YA you know what to cut back on in revisions or what you can get away with in New Adult. In the end though you could just leave up to an agent or publisher.
That opinion is not universal. New Adult: No Sex Required While it is commonly believed, I think it oversimplifies the difference to say one has more explicit sex and the other has none or only implied.
"But then it is also a coming of age story with hints of magic and adventure all the main characters in their late teens." It sounds like a YA book to me. YA seems like a very healthy market to me (judging by how much space it takes in libraries and bookstores) so I wouldn't worry about whether you drifted or not.
Think of it this way. The age of the mc's is what's going to control what audience this goes for. So if you're too concerned with being in YA, try and bump up the ages of the characters. Not too much that it effects their personality but enough to push that audience in a different direction.
Thanks for the feedback everyone. I will keep it along its current lines which drift into YA and go from there.
That was really useful! In fact, having read that, I think I'm probably more in the NA camp - whereas I would have said YA up until today. Good job I have it sorted now - cheers!
