I have a two-track YA/J novel, with alternating chapters between the teen MC and an adult Co-MC. They don't meet until the latter third of the story.
I'm drawn to story structures like this, but is it a death nail for a YA/J story? I'm afraid an agent/editor won't consider such a story, fearing that the intended audience won't be interested in the chapters featuring the adult.
Thanks.
Posted by PB&Jenny (Member # 9200) on :
I suppose it depends on the story. If the adult MC is not an antagonist or has a vested interest in the success of the youth MC, then I can see a YA reader having the interest in the whole story.
Total suppositions on my part.
Posted by Kimlin (Member # 9239) on :
Dr Who is over 900 in UK libraries he appears in YA section
Posted by KayTi (Member # 5137) on :
I think for you to market your novel as YA, you need to have the teen protag have the majority of POV chapters (even if it's 31 to 30.) It's not a hard and fast rule, but it makes it easy for you to market your novel as a YA one. Yes, other novels end up in YA that don't feature teens. Protags who are YOUNGER than YA are sometimes featured in YA (The Book Thief by Zusak is a recent example, protag starts out at 11, but the book is narrated by Death and set during World War II and deals with many heavy, dark themes. It's appropriately shelved in YA in my opinion. At my library it can also be found in the adult collection.)
As with any YA or work written for children, make sure that the adult POV is appealing to them -- an adult POV who is worried about the possible labor strike at the factory and stressing about bills will probably not appeal to kids. Kids, YAs in particular, tend to be quite self-centered in their worldviews.
Good luck! Hope this helps (remember it's just one opinion...)
Posted by WouldBe (Member # 5682) on :
Thanks, KayTi. I wonder how many agents or editors will have a knee-jerk reaction and not even consider a YA story with alternate chapters featuring an adult.
"What's this?...Chapter 2 features an adult? Reject!"
The first chapter features the teen who, I think, clearly remains the focus of the story. Sigh. But I'm inclined to chuck the heavily tweaked adult chapters and do a rewrite.
Posted by PB&Jenny (Member # 9200) on :
Try mixing the two in one chapter. Sort of showing how they both relate. It may help when you go to separate the chapters later into the different POV's. Just a thought.
