Difference between upper YA and adult

[InsanitySquares]

Ok, so basically I'm writing this story. It was initially to be a YA book for the upper end of the spectrum, but as I'm writing, I'm not sure about it's classification in the genre any more. It features a 21 year old MC who works in a supermarket, and isn't really like adult books I've read in style, but in content it's not so much YA either.

I don't really know how to describe it to other people, and I just wondered if anyone else has had the same problem, and if so, what did you do?

[Polenth]

There's a bit of a hole between young adult and adult fiction. It sometimes gets called new adult, so you could call it that.

Whether it sells as young adult, new adult or adult would be down to the publishing houses. They'll go with whatever they think is best for marketing it.

[ether]

Like Polenth said.

Depending on the agent you query, if they represent only YA and not Adult, then say it's YA. If they take Adult but not YA, then mark it as YA. If they take both, mark it as New Adult. The publisher will sort it out later.

[suki]

There's a bit of a hole between young adult and adult fiction. It sometimes gets called new adult, so you could call it that.

Whether it sells as young adult, new adult or adult would be down to the publishing houses. They'll go with whatever they think is best for marketing it.

Like Polenth said.

Depending on the agent you query, if they represent only YA and not Adult, then say it's YA. If they take Adult but not YA, then mark it as YA. If they take both, mark it as New Adult. The publisher will sort it out later.

I agree there is a bit of a gray area between Adult and YA for those books featuring early 20s characters. Some sell as adult, only a very few have sold as YA (that I know of), and I'm not aware of many debut YAs with characters over 19.

BUT, I advise that you do not call it "New Adult" for any submission except one to St. Martins Press (if you choose to submit to them). No one else recognizes "New Adult" as a genre, at least not yet, and many agents and editors are dubious it will ever really take off as a genre.

Call it YA for YA agents and Adult for Adult agents, and for ones who rep both, pick and they can decide.

But, here's the issue, if the MC is 21, and working, and dealing with adult issues of life, it's going to be a really hard sell as YA. So, consider focusing on agents who rep Adult and both Adult and YA so that you maximize your chances.

~suki

[LordMoogi]

I think it's marketing, mostly. I've read a lot of YA works that are more mature in their outlook than a lot of adult fiction, personally. But then again, I've never had any actual experience with publishers before, so this is just based on my (admittedly skewed) reading experiences. So take my words with a grain of salt.

[Parisa]

I'm in a similar situation. My MC is also 21 but she's definitely set in a YA story, so I'm sticking with the YA genre for now. I agree with what others have said as far as marketing it based on the agent specs. I feel like characters in their 20s often get lost in this gray area between the genres.

[Mr. Anonymous]

I had a similar situation and I reworked it so that my MC was a high school senior as opposed to in college already (so it would fit in a bit better into YA.) Even so, some people have been telling me it might be better to pitch as adult.

[defcon6000]

Hmm, that's interesting. I have a WIP with one MC 22 years old and the other 19 years old. I've kind of wondered if it could be YA, but then again the 22 year old is in collage and the 19 year old is in a religious/military order. No high school settings here. :tongue

So is it the age or the setting that shifts it into either YA or adult?

[Sage]

21 years old is going to be a VERY hard sell as YA. 19 is a hard sell for YA. Most college-aged protags go into adult.

Characters are going to have to be 15-18 for the most part for YA. YA also needs themes and voice that teens can relate to.

Some threads in the YA forum that deal with the age of the protagonist:

What Constitutes YA Fiction (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=98377)
What Should You Remember When Writing YA? (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=104899)
Middle Grade, Young Adult, Adult: How do you categorize your novel? (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=164605)
St. Martin's Press contest (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=161876) (This is actually about New Adult, which is post-YA, but it deals with whether it belongs in YA or not and what to do with those twenty-something protags)
young adult books with adult protagonist? (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=108175)
New Adult - determining target audience (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=161981)
20-year-old protagonist? (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=152991)
Could my book be YA? (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=126860)
I'm not sure if what I'm writing is YA (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=156602)

[T_Jager]

Thanks for asking this question. I have a WIP that has a 22 year old MC. It's a drama that I would think older teens would like, but wasn't sure what it would be considered. I haven't hear the term New Adult until now.

[Lady Ice]

KGOY- Kids Growing Older Younger. So teenagers would still be interested in college student aged protagonists because they like to know what it will be like for them when they are that age and they imagine that they have reached that level of maturity (obviously it won't be exactly the same but it's a 'guide'). Therefore thirteen year olds want to read about 'adult' relationships (i.e. teenage relationships that go beyond hand-holding)- although nowadays quite a few of them have such relationships.

If it's a twenty-something graduate getting a job, that might be more adult than YA, as the experience is too 'far away' for teenagers. However a story about a college student's experiences will probably still appeal to YA readers because it's still based in a school atmosphere but the students have a little more freedom.

[Sue Lahna]

Lady Ice, you're absolutely right.

I work in a college library, processing books for hours on end. Right now I'm actually through a TON of YA.

First off, anything 12 and under is CL, Childrens Lit. And these days YA is branching out with older and older characters. A book called Rage about a lesbian going through college, living in an apartment, trying to get through life without her mother, save her bestfriend from a life of drugs n booze, and oh yea, get the girl she can't stop thinking about.

This is just one example of many.

My favorite has been a series about a twenty two year old in college who is followed by the supernatural whereever she goes. She TA's for a professor whose a bat-s@#$ crazy vampire mad scientist. Really good, witty stuff.

so yea! Do not fear for your YA characters age. Its all about the setting, plot, and graphic detail. Example? I'm writing a YA series with main characters ages 7, 14, 18, and 20. It's going to get pretty dark, but in the end its about what defines humanity.

On the other hand, my adult series is a 1st person 19 year old who works in a tea shop in Louisiana and kills monsters. There's a lot of blood, gore, sex, and some dark and gritty themes. It could never be a YA novel.

I hope this helps! Feel free to message me if you have any other questions :3

[M.Austin]

My book is just like yours. When working on my query, I couldn't tell you how many people got mad because I kept saying it was YA. But there are qualities that keep me saying it's YA, other than the content of the book.


I wrote it face paced. I kept it around 65,000 words; where as, if it were an adult novel, I would've stretched it to 80,000ish.
My MC changes dramatically and grows up. My MC was once dependent on his parents, and the luxury life he lived. By the end of the book, he isn't.
I believe the younger crowd will be able to relate better to the MC than the 30+ crowd.