Dark, Gritty, Edgy Contemporary YA

Jehhillenberg · Jun 9, 2011

Hi, just wanted to know others' thoughts on the contemporary YA and it's real-life, darker themes conveyed. What does "Edgy" contemporary YA fiction really consists of? Aren't those terms more subjective?

I'm putting finishing touches on my completed manuscript and it happens to be of the more "edgy" and darker realm in the contemporary genre in YA (depression, mental illness, pregnancy, sexuality). I'm in the process of querying my ms and have yet to find that agent who has a taste (or soft spot) for gritty and "darker realistic" stories?

The contemporary YA genre is still hot, but not as popular today as say...Paranormal, Paranormal Romance, Fantasy, Vampires, and the Science Fiction, etc.. I have nothing against those genres, I just prefer contemporary. I love writing it and reading it. I've read some agents imply it's harder to sell in the contemporary YA area and I was immediately questioning why in my mind.

I've come across those darker, gritty contemporary YA books in bookstores and online. So they've been published. I've even perused some publishers that could and have published those contemporary books today that deal with touchy issues teens deal with.

Do you think these books are still in the flow with the publishing trends today? Do you think they will come back in circulation as THE thing to get published; since a good bit of lit agents only take on what's being published today and in the near future? For the market?

Know any agents who would like to come across "gritty", "dark", "moody", contemporary YA fiction?

I've gotten feedback like "while might have marketing appeal but not convinced we could represent it at this time" and "not right for my list" and "we must decline on the offer", and "a little too dark for my taste." and the usual 'best of luck finding the right agent.' Has anyone else had [or is having] this problem?

Thanks

Shady Lane · Jun 9, 2011

Check the sticky! Just a few posts above your head.

Becca C. · Jun 9, 2011

Contemporary is always selling, and a lot of people predict that it'll get even bigger in the next few years as a backlash from all the paranormal that's trending right now. Edgy contemporary is doing just fine. There's definitely a market for it.

I write pretty edgy YA and I've never had it described as too dark, too edgy, etc. The feedback you've gotten there is standard rejection fare, and no indicator of the market for edgy YA. Just indicators of those particular agents' tastes.

Check out Shady's Edgy YA thread (although it's a few years old now, it has quite the rundown of edgy topics and is a great resource). Query all agents wanting YA, you never know who will fall in love with it.

Polenth · Jun 9, 2011

Jehhillenberg said:
I've gotten feedback like "while might have marketing appeal but not convinced we could represent it at this time" and "not right for my list" and "we must decline on the offer", and "a little too dark for my taste." and the usual 'best of luck finding the right agent.' Has anyone else had [or is having] this problem?

Most of those sound like form rejections, other than the too dark one. When an agent says something generic about not right for their list, it's not because it's dark... it's a form message that Fluffy Pillowcakes and the Cotton Candy Land will also get.

Don't read too much into forms. All they really mean is no.

Jehhillenberg · Jun 9, 2011

Thanks. I already knew that the comments were just form rejection, especially since a number of agents I've contacted mentioned that it is a subjective business. But having the fact reiterated motivates me to keep at until I find the right one. I don't base the genre of my work on their tastes. My stuff is pretty dark and brooding and gritty and that's just fine with me. I'm looking for an agent who actually likes that. Again, thanks.

wandergirl · Jun 9, 2011

I'm not sure contemporary is harder to sell, so much as it rarely sells for the big deals paranormal & dystopian sometimes attain. It's also more of a challenge to get much in the way of publisher support, since, like you said, it's not a "hot" genre -- yet.

Regarding the rejections, if you've gotten more than a handful, I recommend revisiting your query, and possibly posting it in the Query Letter Hell subforum on this site (password: vista). It's much more likely the query than the content (unless we're talking serial child killers and kitten torturers or something).

Smish · Jun 9, 2011

wandergirl said:
I'm not sure contemporary is harder to sell, so much as it rarely sells for the big deals paranormal & dystopian sometimes attain. It's also more of a challenge to get much in the way of publisher support, since, like you said, it's not a "hot" genre -- yet.

Regarding the rejections, if you've gotten more than a handful, I recommend revisiting your query, and possibly posting it in the Query Letter Hell subforum on this site (password: vista). It's much more likely the query than the content (unless we're talking serial child killers and kitten torturers or something).

QFT.

But keep in mind that you won't be able to post your query for critique until you've made fifty posts.

And for what it's worth, contemporary YA is by far my favorite to read and to write.

Cyia · Jun 9, 2011

Contemporary isn't a harder sell than anything else at the moment, if anything, it's what the greater number of agents are clamoring for because they're hoping a revitalization is on the horizon.

Either your query needs work, or you're querying the wrong agents.

Jehhillenberg · Jun 9, 2011

Smish said:
QFT.

But keep in mind that you won't be able to post your query for critique until you've made fifty posts.

And for what it's worth, contemporary YA is by far my favorite to read and to write.

I will get to work on that. Nice.

Dark, Gritty, Edgy Contemporary YA

Jehhillenberg

N/A

Shady Lane

my name is hannah

Becca C.

Polenth

Mushroom

Jehhillenberg

N/A

wandergirl

~kirsten hubbard

Smish

Reads more than she writes.

Cyia

Rewriting My Destiny

Jehhillenberg

N/A