How would I be able to tell if my writing is doomed to become children's literature? I'd prefer to be an adult fiction writer, and not have all I produce end up on the Young Adult shelves.
Is there an easy way to tell whether or not your work is children's literature or adult literature?
Posted by wbriggs (Member # 2267) on :
You got me. Are you published in YA? If so, I'm envious!
Posted by scm288 on :
Actually, I'm not published at all.
I was just wondering if there was any way to tell while you're writing, whether it's going to end up where you want it.
*Sorry about that spurt of ignorance. I was (mistakenly) under the impression that YA writing is 'less sophisticated' than adult writing. I had (stupidly) forgotten all of the good YA writers out there, and from the posts below, published writing is better than no writing at all. (As long as it's in a good way.)
[This message has been edited by scm288 (edited September 23, 2005).]
Posted by Beth (Member # 2192) on :
What makes you think YA writers aren't taken seriously?
Posted by autumnmuse (Member # 2136) on :
Actually, the more I write, the more I kind of want to be a YA writer. I've noticed that a lot of my protagonists are in coming-of-age roles, and while I am absolutely not dumbing anything down, at the end of the day I'd be proud to have it published as YA. I love Robin McKinley and Jane Yolen. If I could write with a 10th of the quality they produce with every book, I'd be ecstatic. And there's no reason I couldn't write in both markets. In fact, if a book I wrote could appeal to youth and adults, that would be the best possible scenario.
As far as how to avoid being published as YA, don't submit to YA markets. Simple solution.
Posted by EricJamesStone (Member # 1681) on :
If you want to be sure of not getting classified as YA, make all your protagonists older than college age.
From what I've heard, publishers are publishing YA novels that deal with topics that used to be off-limits to YA, so topic is no longer a real way to differentiate. But publishers still think a YA novel needs a protagonist who is YA or very close to YA (YA readers like to read about someone their own age or a bit older.)
So if you write protagonists who are mid-twenties or older, there's virtually no chance that your work will be considered YA.
Posted by DavidGill (Member # 1688) on :
If being a published YA novelist is doom, then sign me up for that and a little bit of gloom, as well.
I'll second what Eric says and add that if you don't want a book to be YA, but it features teen characters, then add a frame that makes it clear that it's being told by an older, wiser protagonist. YA editors won't touch it, then.
[This message has been edited by DavidGill (edited September 23, 2005).]
Posted by Robert Nowall (Member # 2764) on :
Sooner or later, adult tales will drift into the nursery. Take "Gulliver's Travels" as an example. A savage and bitter satire. But, with all the really serious naughty bits excised, it's usually found today in the "children's literature" section.
Eighteenth century fairy tales were once the rage of the French court. Heinlein's adult novels intended for adults are occasionally lumped in with his juveniles. Grimms' fairy tales were sidebar explorations in linguistic studies. Hemingway's novels, dealing with serious adult problems, wind up being junior high English class reading.
So write and publish what you want, at whatever level you want. Even if it's extremely adult by today's standards, chances are children will be reading it in a generation or two.
Posted by Survivor (Member # 213) on :
Or rather, you hope that children will be reading it in a decade or two Posted by thexmedic (Member # 2844) on :
I think that if you've got something that appeals to both audiences then you've got a winner.
