Romance vs New Adult

I wouldn't consider 50 a Shades NA by any means. I've been told that NA is characters 18-28 with a heavy theme of the characters coming of age. The personal growth is just as important as anything else.

If you want to get a bead on New Adult, you should be reading it.

Tammara Webber, Samantha Young, Colleen Hoover, Cora Carmack, H.M. Ward, J. Lynn, Molly McAdams, and Jamie McGuire are some of the megastars and the ones who published first (2012-early 2013). Though the concept of NA is coming-of-age, characters aged 18-24 (some may go up to 26), the genre's bread and butter is super angsty, sexy contemporary romance that does borrow adult contemporary romance tropes, but draws a bit of its "voice" and the scope of its narrative from YA.

My opinion about Fifty Shades of Grey: it isn't considered New Adult, but it shares some of the same themes and narrative workings of the earliest NA titles. Its subsequent popularity+self-publishing resulted in the emergence of NA. Also, it was fan-fiction based on a YA series, and a lot of NA authors categorized their work as "Upper/Mature YA" when they were first self-publishing on the Kindle. I think the connection is there. *shrug*

amergina said:

FWIW, 50 Shades wasn't self-published. It was first published by The Writers' Coffee Shop, a small Australian e-publisher.

It *was* first posted as fanfic, yes. Then the serial numbers were filed off and WCS published it, then sold it to Random House. (And now there's a lawsuit among the folks who ran WCS about *that* money.)

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FSoG and self-publishing are separate entities in my post.

To clarify, the rise of self-publishing in the wake of FSoG (when readers--who normally turned up their noses at the romance genre--seeking to replicate their experience with FSoG realized they could find it on the Kindle/Nook) helped coalesce the ready market for New Adult romance. A significant portion of YA readers and writers were already desirous of slightly older characters and deeper themes that were still too "young" for adult romance, but there was no market in NY.

Mathematical equation of the forces that converged in 2012: Self-publishing+hungry, untapped existing market+influx of new readers via FSoG=New Adult.

According to the New Adult Authors group on FB (of which I'm a newbie member), books can be classified as NA if at least 1 of the main characters is between 18-26, and if "change" (getting into college, graduating, first job, etc) is one of the themes (it doesn't need to be the only theme, but it should have some presence).

Different publishers might limit this definition even further (you can check out submissions calls from Carina, Entangled, etc., to get a better idea of what publishers consider NA). I apparently wrote a NA romance without realizing it, so I did some research after the categorization came up.

One of the main differences I see is that a lot of NA romances are written in first person, a greater percentage I think than one would see in adult romance (where it seems the majority are written in 3rd person). That said, it's the age group and theme that defines the subgenre, not the POV or writing style.

And that, folks, is my very limited knowledge on the subject.

Evangeline said:

Mathematical equation of the forces that converged in 2012: Self-publishing+hungry, untapped existing market+influx of new readers via FSoG=New Adult.

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Perhaps the best math equation of the week! You're absolutely right!

People think 28 is NA? Or even 26? Wow.

Seriously, if your characters aren't acting like, well, adults by that age, I have no time for them at all. 18-21 is one thing. Even 21-24, kind of. But I really think that once your characters are in their mid to late twenties, the coming of age ought to have happened.

I'm still trying to wrap my head around Fifty Shades of Yawn as being partially responsible NA.

Well, I guess Ana was a college graduate (I think?) starting her first job, so she kind of fits the age bracket. And it certainly has that breathless, 1st person, id-reading kind of style. Not to mention the abusive hero...

girlyswot said:

People think 28 is NA? Or even 26? Wow.

Seriously, if your characters aren't acting like, well, adults by that age, I have no time for them at all. 18-21 is one thing. Even 21-24, kind of. But I really think that once your characters are in their mid to late twenties, the coming of age ought to have happened.

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Normally I would agree, but since one of those hopelessly late bloomers has taken over my brain I think it depends on the character and their particular circumstances.

Someone can be perfectly capable of doing what a responsible adult should and yet not bother because they didn't have to.

girlyswot said:

People think 28 is NA? Or even 26? Wow.

Seriously, if your characters aren't acting like, well, adults by that age, I have no time for them at all. 18-21 is one thing. Even 21-24, kind of. But I really think that once your characters are in their mid to late twenties, the coming of age ought to have happened.

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Here's the argument I've come across regarding the higher end of the age bracket (actually, it's the argument for stretching it to 30...but hey...): It depends on the circumstances. A 26-year-old could just be finishing law school or med school, a 28 year old could be wrapping up their PhD. Some people join the military before going to college, in which case they might be graduating at 25-26. And then there's cultural aspect--in some places, it's common for people to live/be financially supported by their parents even after they're 30. Therefore, it's less about their age and more about their situation/the story's theme--Are they moving into their first apartment? Are they getting their first real job? Are they gaining financial independence for the first time? etc...

On a personal note, however, one of my upcoming releases has a 25-year-old heroine, but I didn't even think to label it NA because she already has a career by the time the book starts. I have other works with heroines aged 23-26, and I wouldn't put the new adult label on them either (for the same reason...they've been "adults" for quite a while in my mind, so they're not "new"). The safest range (for me) is "set in college" and "recent college grad," but I'm one author (and have only just started researching the subgenre).

girlyswot said:

People think 28 is NA? Or even 26? Wow.

Seriously, if your characters aren't acting like, well, adults by that age, I have no time for them at all. 18-21 is one thing. Even 21-24, kind of. But I really think that once your characters are in their mid to late twenties, the coming of age ought to have happened.

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True, but there are people who, for various reasons, don't hit that point until much later.

girlyswot said:

People think 28 is NA? Or even 26? Wow.

Seriously, if your characters aren't acting like, well, adults by that age, I have no time for them at all. 18-21 is one thing. Even 21-24, kind of. But I really think that once your characters are in their mid to late twenties, the coming of age ought to have happened.

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I didn't really consider myself an adult until I had started university education which was at 20 years of age. I haven't graduated yet and I still live at home and I'm almost 25. I never needed to learn to drive and I have a part time job since I left college/sixth form. So I suppose my coming of age will be financial independence by moving out on my own when I graduate in 2 years time when I am more financially stable? Different walks of life. I see the 20s in terms of characters as a time to find ones independance whether earlier or later.

A lot of friends are in similar predicaments to me, such as living at home, as well, a part time job will not get you a flat and full time jobs aren't offered much these days. I'm speaking from the UK side of things though. It's quite expensive to move out for my generation at the moment if you don't have the financial abilities too.

I know this is the romance subforum, which is why we're focusing mainly on New Adult romance, but also be aware some publishers and agents seem to be (based on what I'm seeing on blogs and social media) seeking NA that *isn't* so much about the romance, and/or that doesn't have all the hot steamy smexytimes. NA is an evolving category, and I've seen some industry professionals saying they want NA books that fit genres other than romance.

Wilde_at_heart said:

Thanks to inflated housing costs and high youth unemployment, a record number of adults in their twenties are living with parents. I'm not sure it's so much 'acting like adults' as where they are in their lives.

Plenty of people are delaying marrying or having children because establishing a career has become so fiercely competitive. So many people now delay going into university so they can work and save some money first, then it takes them longer because they're either taking advanced degrees, some form of professional accreditation or a supplementary degree afterwards.

There's more pressure on women now to 'do it all' - not only later marry and have kids, but also have a solid profession of some sort as well. It's not just larger social expectations either - I know plenty of professional men who won't date a woman whose either jobless, non-professional or in their eyes, 'lacking ambition' in that regard.

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Bingo. I'm almost 30 and every single one of my friends and acquaintances from HS/college are at vastly varied "stages" in life. Ironically, the concept of New Adult can be "fantasy" for me because of this, LOL.

I can honestly say I didn't feel like an "adult" until I was 25 or 26. Not because of paying my rent or having a job or being in a relationship, but because my emotional maturity began to develop.

KimJo said:

I know this is the romance subforum, which is why we're focusing mainly on New Adult romance, but also be aware some publishers and agents seem to be (based on what I'm seeing on blogs and social media) seeking NA that *isn't* so much about the romance, and/or that doesn't have all the hot steamy smexytimes. NA is an evolving category, and I've seen some industry professionals saying they want NA books that fit genres other than romance.

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Yes, this is so, but readers are still driving the market. Until a New Adult SFF or New Adult litfic title becomes a runaway hit, readers still associate the genre/age category with sexy college-set romance.

This whole conversation is SO fascinating!

girlyswot said:

People think 28 is NA? Or even 26? Wow.

Seriously, if your characters aren't acting like, well, adults by that age, I have no time for them at all. 18-21 is one thing. Even 21-24, kind of. But I really think that once your characters are in their mid to late twenties, the coming of age ought to have happened.

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I don't understand. What do you mean by "acting like adults"? I try to be mature, but I enjoy stuff like cartoons and video games, lol.

Not everyone is the same, and I guess situations vary.

(For example, here is my situation, and my sisters' situation:
My sisters and I are in this age range, and we are all struggling with trying to become independent for various reasons. My sisters have learning disabilities and other special needs, including physical ones (cerebral palsy for one). My grandma is also living with us, and we all have to help her with her physical and mental needs. I'm constantly suffering from depression and anxiety, and I'm struggling to get a fulltime job. My two part-time jobs can barely support me to the point where I need food stamps, so I live at home. I'm paranoid and get extremely anxious staying with people outside of the family, so I didn't stay with a roommate during college. Even with this college degree, I can't get a darn job. And apparently, my current bosses say that the career I am certified for may not be good for me, due to my anxiety, slowness, and "OCD-ness". Well, that, and I break down easily. END OF Example)

I wonder if other people are going though the same? (Not being able to find jobs to afford the bills to support oneself, living with family, etc). Maybe this is why the age range is being expanded for New Adult?

To me (because I'm currently trying to define this for my kiddo who will be 19 in a few weeks), "acting like an adult" doesn't necessarily mean living on one's own, holding a full-time job, etc. For some, that isn't a current possibility because the job market still kinda sucks, at least in some areas. For others, living independently is just plain not going to happen because of special needs.

But... "acting like an adult" means accepting responsibilities. It means *trying* to find a job and to get out on one's own if that's possible. It means saying "Hey, I don't have a job and can't pay rent to Mom and Dad, but how about I take over the housework while I'm here?" It means trying to take control of and responsibility for your own life.

Some folks in that 18-25 (or 18-30) age bracket still expect parents to cook all their meals, do all their laundry, support them financially, schedule all their appointments, etc., and accept them still playing video games or surfing the web all day long and doing nothing else. That is *not* acting like an adult, in my opinion.

KimJo said:

It means trying to take control of and responsibility for your own life.

Some folks in that 18-25 (or 18-30) age bracket still expect parents to cook all their meals, do all their laundry, support them financially, schedule all their appointments, etc., and accept them still playing video games or surfing the web all day long and doing nothing else. That is *not* acting like an adult, in my opinion.

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Ohhh, I see. That, I totally understand.

I feel that I am by far out of the New Adult age, and I just turned 30 this month. I lived independently from the time I was 17 until I married at 24. That being said, I'm just one person. I have a friend my same age who went to college and got two degrees. He's just now finishing up college and is finding out all the things I learned over a decade ago, and this is happening more and more with the younger generation. While I do think 30, or even 28, is a bit late for New Adult it does happen.

I think the hard seller is going to be pin pointing the market to aim the books at. A lot of adult readers who were out on their own early will think 24 or 25 is a bit silly to be coming of age. Maybe college students and recent grads would be the best market to target.

2 cents

KimJo said:

"Acting like an adult" doesn't necessarily mean living on one's own, holding a full-time job, etc. But... "acting like an adult" means accepting responsibilities. It means trying to take control of and responsibility for your own life.

Some folks in that 18-25 (or 18-30) age bracket still expect parents to cook all their meals, do all their laundry, support them financially, schedule all their appointments, etc., and accept them still playing video games or surfing the web all day long and doing nothing else. That is *not* acting like an adult, in my opinion.

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Bingo! I feel the same, though all the arguments presented here are valid.

Regarding writing, it's good that the NA genre has the opportunity to expand, since we have such a variety of people reaching maturity and accepting "adult" responsibilities at a variety of ages. (I know people who did this at 13 and others who still haven't at 50.) It can definitely be cultural or circumstantial, which can make a great story.

Flip side, it can be limiting if you didn't intend to write an NA novel or romance if that's all people see when they look at your manuscript. At that point, do you work to bring out other themes in the story to shift the focus, change MC's ages and circumstances, etc. (which might change your entire story), or do you accept that the author is divorced from the work and you *might just have* written an NA story without realizing it?

I'd probably leave it to my agent/publisher to put it where it belongs on the bookshelf, but you run the risk of getting pigeonholed into that particular genre, especially if you're early in your career. Not to mention agents rejecting your query because it reads like an NA piece, when that isn't what they were looking for or what you meant to write.

CharlieLyons said:

Flip side, it can be limiting if you didn't intend to write an NA novel or romance if that's all people see when they look at your manuscript. At that point, do you work to bring out other themes in the story to shift the focus, change MC's ages and circumstances, etc. (which might change your entire story), or do you accept that the author is divorced from the work and you *might just have* written an NA story without realizing it?

I'd probably leave it to my agent/publisher to put it where it belongs on the bookshelf, but you run the risk of getting pigeonholed into that particular genre, especially if you're early in your career. Not to mention agents rejecting your query because it reads like an NA piece, when that isn't what they were looking for or what you meant to write.

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The only thing I can think of is that your writing has a New Adult "voice." If you're getting rejections from just a query (with or without sample pages), I can only advise you to rewrite the query in the voice of the genre you want to write. As for being pigeon-holed, there's nothing stopping an author from creating a pseudonym to write something else. J.K. Rowling likely created "Robert Galbraith" after seeing how much pressure her name placed on Casual Vacancy.

I read a shit ton of NA and the above comments are pretty much right. From a personal standpoint these are the themes I've noticed popping up in what I would think of as NA:

Age- 18-24
Angst- A lot, like a lot a lot.
Sexy time- Usually descriptive and a lot, but that just may be the NA I seek out.
Personal Growth- Usually it's the leading lady finding a backbone.
Themes- Lots of Cinderella themes of the average girl being swept away by the billionaire/biker/race car driver/hunky professor, etc.
Tortured Hero?- Oh yeah.
Virgins?- Once again, seems to be a theme of either virginity, bad first time, or relatively inexperienced.


Like I said, these are just my personal observations but if you go take a peek at the top 100 selling NA on Amazon you'll get a taste for what ideas and characters seem to dominate NA.

PS- The hero's growth is usually to stop being a douchebag.