How do you know if it's YA?

Paichka · May 28, 2008

So, I've been going over my fantasy WIP, and I had the hubs read some of it. His verdict is that it's YA. I was all, "Really? You think?"

I'm perfectly happy if it IS YA. Some of my favorite fantasy I pick up off the YA shelves at Borders. I'm not writing it specifically to be, but obviously once I start shopping it around to agents, it'll make a difference. Plus, it's just over 60k with about four chapters (~20k) left to write, and I'll have to be careful of my word count. So, how do I know? (If this is a really stupid question, tell me.)

The hubs says it's because my protags are all young (16-20), and female. He says the "independent woman" vibe I've got going on just says "YA" to him. :Huh:

Anyway, it's high fantasy, and involves four girls who are tapped by the gods of their kingdom to protect a foreign princess from evil baddies plotting to assassinate her before her wedding to the kingdom's heir, who happens to be insane. There's some magic, lots of intrigue. The themes are choice, sacrifice, and xenophobia=bad.

It's not particularly edgy, but it does involve several deaths, including one of the main characters. It's the first book in a planned trilogy.

thanks for any insights, guys!

cheers,
Sunny

Nakhlasmoke · May 28, 2008

Would the things that happen to these girls, and the choices they ahve to make, in any way relate to younger reader?

If so, I'm guessing you may have a YA on your hands.

Bonus is that it gives you more agents to query.

Paichka · May 28, 2008

I have no idea.

Maybe I'm having issues with this because I still feel kind of YA myself. I mean, I'm 25 and married, but sometimes I'm surprised to realize that I'm not still 16.

As far as fantasy goes, I think there's a bit more gray area in audience. I mean, I don't see an appreciable difference between, say, Dragonlance and Tamora Pierce's books.

...and I may have just answered my own question. Perhaps I'm overthinking this? This stupid thing may not even be publishable, so meh.

Nakhlasmoke · May 28, 2008

PM ing you...

hang ten

Mumut · May 28, 2008

My book (first of a trillogy) was written specifically as a YA but it's being read by all ages. I suppose adventure in the Middle Ages is a popular theme. So I talk of it as a YA and the publishers have accepted it as a YA. I have an 'in' to the education department but I still have general sales. So I reckon I'm really lucky. If you can have it accepted as YA, I'd jump at the idea.

Elwolf · May 28, 2008

I think that it is probably YA. All of my books are...I think. Maybe I should get a second oppinion-they could be juvenile.

I still think that they are YA though.

Angela_785 · May 28, 2008

It sounds YA--the biggest push to make me think so is your husband's comments. If he's picking up on the girl issue angle, that's worth considering.

The question I have is, what is the sophistication level of your writing? You can have teen characters but write at a language and style level that is clearly adult. Since you read YA, would you say you're more matched to what you've read or is their a maturity/complexity that you only see in adult fantasy?

xiaotien · May 28, 2008

it's YA when your agent tells you it's YA
and sells it to an editor as YA. haha!

seriously, my asian fantasy isn't written
in a "hip" current voice, and since there
are so many young heroines and heroes in
fantasy--who is to know?

perhaps because you do have more female
protags and they are dealing with issues and
struggles of growing up, it's probable it's YA?

but i'm not sure myself.

i do think my story is a coming of age story.

and i never believed i wrote down or have a less
complex prose. my crit friend said she never read
it thinking it was written for a younger audience.

you'll find out when you start to query!
and yes, YA allows you to query more widely.

good luck!

Paichka · May 28, 2008

Mumut -- thanks for sharing your experience!

Elwolf -- well, you're in great company.

Many of my favorite books are YA.

Angela -- well, see, I don't know. I think it deals with some mature themes, and in complex ways, but you could make the same case for Harry Potter. I think my writing is more sophisticated than JKR's -- if I had to compare it to a YA author, I'd go with Tamora Pierce's Terrier books. For an adult comparison, maybe Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel series, except I don't have any sex scenes in my WIP.

So, meh. Parts of it are definitely more YA-y than others.

Xiao -- haha, great point. Step 1, finish the WIP. Step 2, get an agent, and let him/her tell me what it is.

Thanks for your perspectives, guys!

cheers,
Sunny

Sunshine13 · May 29, 2008

Hey I just saw this after posting my own question about this lol. Sorry for making another thread

I'm starting to think that perhaps mine is as well.

But I have to ask a question about the "more agent" thing. Now I've only searched Query Tracker for this, and not yet used the other resources out there for searching, but the same people that came up for Fantasy came up for YA Fantasy. Maybe there are more, and again, I just having completed my research (which I haven't).

How do you know if it's YA?

Paichka

The BIC-Believer

Nakhlasmoke

yes

Paichka

The BIC-Believer

Nakhlasmoke

yes

Mumut

Well begun is half done...

Elwolf

Rabbit! Hunting Mode.

Angela_785

xiaotien

bedazzled /bootay shaker!!

Paichka

The BIC-Believer

Sunshine13

Mom by day, writer by night!