What kind of YA book am I writing?

dogfish · Mar 14, 2012

Hey all,

I'm newish to novel writing, but not new to writing.

I'm coming up on finishing my first book-- a first real draft at least-- and I'm starting to think about getting an agent and entering the whole publishing process.

The one piece of advice that I keep getting from different people is that I should look to books that are very similar to mine and make note of who the agent/publisher/etc. is for reference.

The problem that I'm having is that I'm not sure what kind of book I'm writing. I'm sure that someone has written similar books, I'm just not sure where to look and thought that some of you might be able to help.

In a nutshell, the book is about a trio of kids (brother/brother/female cousin) who live on a unique "animal preserve" right outside of an urban US city that specializes in creating habitats for endangered species.

As the book opens, the kids find out that their parents, who are noted primate researchers, have been kidnapped. The administrators at the "preserve" have no interest in helping to save the parents or dealing with the kidnappers and the kids quickly realize that a rescue is up to them.

As the trio of kids begins to talk to family friends and do research on the history of the "preserve," they discover more about how and why it was created, who the kidnapper is, and why the administrators will not help the parents.

The back story of the preserve involves an advanced race of primates-- who have coexisted with humans for hundreds of years, although in the shadows. The kidnapper is the girl cousin's long lost dad who was thought to be dead.

The kids hatch a plan to save the parents that goes all wrong for a variety of reasons. Externally, it's due to the geography of the preserve and some of the more fantastic creatures who live there. Internally, it's due to soured relationships and feuds and complex politics that have been simmering since before the kids were even born.

Ultimately, they cut through this web and learn to push through some of their own issues along the way. The parents are saved, but it's an imperfect operation which leads to some surprises and opens the door to more stories.

Anyway, I'm trying to figure out some similar books or writers to look at, but I'm coming up short. It's fantasy/sci-fi in the sense that there are many creatures, and a whole race of primates that don't exist in our world. The setting is our world (no fixed year, but "present day") but the idea is that you are peeling back the edges and seeing a whole other reality.

It's young adult in the sense that even though the characters live in this crazy world, they are still regular kids who go to school and deal with their normal social issues like tests, parent relationships, and exploring their own crushes and interest in the opposite sex.

It's sort of Hunger Games in the sense that most of it takes place in the "animal preserve" which is super organic and natural, but also unreal and contrived at the same time. Also, it's not really dystopian.

There is some scientific innovation, but there is no magic involved.

Any thoughts on what I can compare this to?

dogfish · Mar 14, 2012

I just read the portal fantasy thread and though this has some portal elements, it's not totally an immersion.

Stijn Hommes · Mar 14, 2012

It's definitely not sci-fi. Science fiction is often in the future, tech-heavy and has science as a major plot point. This is clearly about the other race and how they co-exist. In my opinion this is clearly some form of fantasy.

It might be young adult, but that depends on the age of the characters, the amount of interest in the opposite sex and the general darkness of the story. If the kids are particularly young, it's probably MG.

dogfish · Mar 14, 2012

Stijn Hommes said:
It's definitely not sci-fi. Science fiction is often in the future, tech-heavy and has science as a major plot point. This is clearly about the other race and how they co-exist. In my opinion this is clearly some form of fantasy.

It might be young adult, but that depends on the age of the characters, the amount of interest in the opposite sex and the general darkness of the story. If the kids are particularly young, it's probably MG.

Yes, definitely not tech-heavy. In a much larger sense, it's about what man looks like in relation to the other race and vice versa. It's also about the kids (I'm still unsure if the two older ones should be 10-12 or 14) and their opening awareness of humanity. and parents, and how they process that in terms of the discovery of the new race.

amschilling · Mar 14, 2012

Having creatures that don't exist in the real world doesn't make it fantasy per se. Michael Crichton wrote about dinosaurs and other stuff (like nanotech, etc), but he was not considered a fantasy writer or sci-fi. I guess what I wonder is what exactly "advanced primates" mean. Smart monkeys? Or a branch that split off our family tree and are on par intellectually/language-wise with humans?

Here are some basic Wiki definitions:

Fantasy: ...placed in a world of either complete fiction or a contemporary setting where several aspects of fantasy elements are included.

Science fiction: ...defined more by setting details than by other story elements. Science fiction by definition includes extrapolated or theoretical future science and technology as a major component, and is often set on other planets or on a future version of Earth. (Note: DEF. don't think this is your book)

Thriller (also Suspense) is a broad genre...that uses suspense, tension and excitement as the main elements.[1] Thrillers heavily stimulate the viewer's moods giving them a high level of anticipation, ultra-heightened expectation, uncertainty, surprise, anxiety and/or terror...Literary devices such as red herrings, plot twists and cliffhangers are used extensively. A thriller is villain-driven plot, whereby he or she presents obstacles that the hero must overcome.

I personally think this sounds more like thriller (because I've read a number of thriller novels that had elements of new/altered race of humans/primates, etc), but without knowing more about the creatures that live in the preserve I can't tell.

EDIT: Actually, Jurassic Park is considered a Sci-Fi novel. Huh. Who knew. So you COULD theoretically be sci-fi. Though I still think that's more bad genre-assignment for J.P. than anything else....

bickazer · Mar 14, 2012

From the details you've given, it sounds a little more like MG to me, but of course that depends on the age of the characters and the voice you use.

EDIT: Okay, given the ages, it definitely does sound more like MG. As a general rule YA heroes tend to be around 15-18 years old, maybe 14 at the absolute youngest. I also get the feeling that MG does groups of heroes better than YA does, though I could be wrong about this. Most of the YA I've read centers around a single protagonist or maybe two at most, though.

dogfish · Mar 14, 2012

amschilling said:
I guess what I wonder is what exactly "advanced primates" mean. Smart monkeys? Or a branch that split off our family tree and are on par intellectually/language-wise with humans?

I personally think this sounds more like thriller, but without knowing more about the creatures that live in the preserve I can't tell.

Sorry if I've been a little vague-- I don't want to give away too much!

It's a branch that split off from our family tree based loosely on real life fossil discoveries of early ancestors who had brains that were 30-50% larger than those of modern day man. One of my inspirations for the story was asking myself "what if these ancestors never died out and have been coexisting with us all along?"

dogfish · Mar 14, 2012

bickazer said:
From the details you've given, it sounds a little more like MG to me, but of course that depends on the age of the characters and the voice you use.

EDIT: Okay, given the ages, it definitely does sound more like MG. As a general rule YA heroes tend to be around 15-18 years old, maybe 14.

Yeah, I think it might be more MG.

Stijn Hommes · Mar 14, 2012

amschilling said:
Having creatures that don't exist in the real world doesn't make it fantasy per se.

I thought it was fantasy because I thought there was a subtext of societal issues between the two races (which I may or may not have imagined). Besides, fantasy is NOT by definition a Hobbit-like quest story -- there are MANY subgenres to explore.

I'm surprised Jurassic Park is considered sci-fi, but it's not unimaginable. It certainly has sci-fi elements because the dinos existence is explained in quite some detail and some of the science is a major plot point.

dogfish · Mar 14, 2012

Stijn Hommes said:
I thought it was fantasy because I thought there was a subtext of societal issues between the two races (which I may or may not have imagined). Besides, fantasy is NOT by definition a Hobbit-like quest story -- there are MANY subgenres to explore.

I'm surprised Jurassic Park is considered sci-fi, but it's not unimaginable. It certainly has sci-fi elements because the dinos existence is explained in quite some detail and some of the science is a major plot point.

That subtext does exist and is a major underlying theme.

Thanks for all the helpful thoughts so far!

Any ideas on other, similar books that I should look at when thinking about agents and publishers?

Stiger05 · Mar 14, 2012

It's also about the kids (I'm still unsure if the two older ones should be 10-12 or 14) and their opening awareness of humanity. and parents, and how they process that in terms of the discovery of the new race.

I agree, this is most likely MG, not just based on the ages but the themes as well. Opening awareness of the world around them and finding their place in that world is typically a MG theme. Changing that world is more YA.

I think this is Sci/Fi. Like other's have pointed out, it's similar to Michael Crichton and his books are categorized Sci/Fi. See "Next" or "Prey" by him, or even "Jurassic Park." The basic stories are all similar in that a new "breed" is discovered or developed. In JP it's revived from DNA, in "Prey" it's machines that operate like animals. "Next" is a DNA thing too. Yours seems like a JP if the dinosaurs hadn't died but were just hiding.

Sage · Mar 14, 2012

I would have classified it as fantasy if it was just "other creatures" but with an evolution theme, it reads as sci-fi to me (Yes, I would have pegged Jurassic Park as sci-fi too). At the very vaguest, you could always just call it "speculative fiction," which is the umbrella term for sci-fi and fantasy.

Sci-fi and fantasy are actually very similar. Just in one the speculative elements are "explained" by magic and the other by science. For example, you might have the question of "What if magic carpets existed?" vs. "What if technology existed that made carpets that could fly?" Just as there are different levels of fantasy, there are also different levels of sci-fi, particularly hard (where everything is explained with scientific terminology) vs. soft (where the science exists and we just accept that that's true) and degrees in between.

In your book, it would be fantasy if you were to say, "There are these species of creatures that just exist because they do (or because of a spell or they came through an alternate universe through a magical portal)." It's sci-fi if you say, "There are these species of creatures that exist because they evolved separately from the ones we know (or because we engineered them in a lab or they came through an alternate universe through a portal created with technology or they came from outer space)." Any help?

dah · Mar 14, 2012

Just wanted to pop in here to say
1. I like your story premise! Sounds like a thriller/mystery with a lot of world-development to make it a rich read.
2. The kids figuring out what's going on behind the scenes reminds me of a paranormal trilogy, The Darkest Powers series by Kelley Armstrong.

dogfish · Mar 14, 2012

Sage said:
In your book, it would be fantasy if you were to say, "There are these species of creatures that just exist because they do (or because of a spell or they came through an alternate universe through a magical portal)." It's sci-fi if you say, "There are these species of creatures that exist because they evolved separately from the ones we know (or because we engineered them in a lab or they came through an alternate universe through a portal created with technology or they came from outer space)." Any help?

This definitely helps. Under these terms, it sounds like my book is more sci fi.

LTMadison · Mar 14, 2012

You might review The Spiderwick Chronicles in which three children uncover strange creatures (fairies) living in their new estate.

There may also be parallels in your story to the spate of books set in contemporary times with the layering of hidden species known as werewolves or at other times vampires. I am not nearly as familiar with this genre as others here, and they might refer you to specific books.

Another story line which comes to mind is ET, in which children in a contemporary family discover a strange creature in their midst and have to work independent of the adults around them to solve its problems.

I like the premise of your book and the fact that there are no exact parallels may work in your favor. Or not (considering the % of published work which is derivitive).

Polenth · Mar 14, 2012

Don't call it sci-fi/fantasy. It can be science fiction (the animals are all scientifically realistic), fantasy (some of them are not) or science fantasy (a bit of a mix). But use a standard genre name for it, whatever you do. Sci-fi/fantasy makes some agents want to stab query writers with sporks.

amschilling · Mar 14, 2012

dogfish said:
Sorry if I've been a little vague-- I don't want to give away too much!

It's a branch that split off from our family tree based loosely on real life fossil discoveries of early ancestors who had brains that were 30-50% larger than those of modern day man. One of my inspirations for the story was asking myself "what if these ancestors never died out and have been coexisting with us all along?"

Okay, yeah. Based on this I'll have to go with sci-fi. Especially since it sounds along the lines of Crichton. Cool premise.

missesdash · Mar 14, 2012

Also sounds kinda eco-thriller? I think.

But make sure you don't compare it to a book you haven't read. And if you can't find a similar one, it's not a huge deal. I've noticed a tendency to make comparisons that aren't really there just because people read they *have* to name similar novels.

Anyway, it's also not essential that you have an exact name for the genre. YA leaves a lot of room for genre bending. You only really need to differentiate between contemporary and anything with a speculative element (fantasy, sci-fi, paranormal). That way agents who only take contemporary won't be on your list.

The most important part of your query will be effectively conveying your story. You seem to have it down pretty well.

Drachen Jager · Mar 14, 2012

Throw me on the MG soft Science Fiction bandwagon. I do not think it is Young-Adult at all. "Crushes" are MG, heavy-petting, sex and making out in the back of Dad's car are Young Adult.

Have you looked at Madeline L'Engle? Many of the ideas you present remind me of A Wrinkle in Time and the sequels.

lolchemist · Mar 14, 2012

You have what sounds like an "action-packed adventure book" to me! Although it *technically* should be considered sci-fi (because biology is a science and that preserve sounds like it would involve a lot of technology and engineering) I feel like people just have all sorts of assumptions when they see that word. Maybe call it "light sci-fi" or "sci-fi-lite?"

Erica75 · Mar 17, 2012

I don't have any comp suggestions, just a bit of advice. An agent recently reviewed my query and let me know that you have to have REALLY RECENT comps if you plan to use them. Mine were from 2007 and 2008 and she said those meant nothing to her - make it something people are talking about now (but not a SUPER block-buster! I'd warn anyone against comparing their books to Hunger Games right now. . .)

Nonuw · Mar 17, 2012

It sounds like a Fantasy genre to me.

By the way, sounds like a great story. Would love to read it when you are done. Keep going!

maybegenius · Mar 17, 2012

People mentioned Michael Crichton and no one mentioned CONGO? Hee

I agree that the themes here sound a lot more MG than YA. I tend to lean toward calling it speculative fiction as a general umbrella term and letting potential agents/editors decide where it should be marketed. I like the idea of calling it an eco-thriller, though.

People understandably seem super wary of making a "mistake" and picking the wrong genre for their query, but honestly, I think if they like the idea, any potential agent will not write you off because you didn't pick the exact right genre.

What kind of YA book am I writing?

dogfish

dogfish

Stijn Hommes

Know what you write...

dogfish

amschilling

bickazer

someday we'll shine together

dogfish

dogfish

Stijn Hommes

Know what you write...

dogfish

Stiger05

Sage

Our Lady of Parentheticals

dah

eh

dogfish

LTMadison

Poobah

Polenth

Mushroom

amschilling

missesdash

You can't sit with us!

Drachen Jager

Professor of applied misanthropy

lolchemist

Shooting stars.

Erica75

Nonuw

taking time to smell the flowers

maybegenius

might be a giant