Does the MC's age always influence the type of reader?

Ambergold · Jan 17, 2008

Hello all,

I’m writing a novel where my MC is fifteen, though it isn't aimed at YA's. The problem I have is this, will I risk ostracizing adult readers by making the main character so young? At first I didn't think so, since I've read many adult books written from a child/teen point of view. However, now I’m beginning to wonder if it will be harder to engage adult readers. And have thought about uping my mc age to eighteen (not much older, for various reasons).
So, when your reading a book, does the MC’s age matter? Thanks.

geardrops · Jan 17, 2008

Ender's Game starts with the protag at six.

So... no

megan_d · Jan 17, 2008

Harry Potter...

~grace~ · Jan 17, 2008

Doesn't matter to me.

Apparently Ender's Game was originally written with adults in mind as the audience and OSC was surprised when he found out lots of kids were reading it, even though it's about a...six-year-old? But the kids and adults get different things out of it.

Danger Jane · Jan 17, 2008

Age of MC doesn't bother me, as long as the MC acts and thinks in accordance with his age. I don't think that should be a problem, but I can only speak for my unpublished, unagented self.

The default question: Why are you so sure you're not writing YA? If it's inappropriate content you're worried about, check out the Edgy YA thread in the YA forum (subforum of childrens'). YA themes tend to center around coming of age.

The Scip · Jan 17, 2008

Stephen King wrote a TON of books with younger MC's.

~grace~ · Jan 17, 2008

dempsey said:
Ender's Game starts with the protag at six.

So... no

I obviously need to type faster...

Matera the Mad · Jan 17, 2008

My MC has to start out at around 15 because that is when he comes to a major turning point. However, he is growing up in the old stone age. Childhood had not yet become a fluffy gob of cotton-candy at that time. At 15, he is considered "of age." I did entertain some fleeting thoughts of YA-ing it, but my people are very earthy in customs and language, and I like them that way for the sake of realism. There are plenty of adult characters in it, from 23 to over 60.

I enjoy reading works with young characters, and I am 61. So when my character asked me to go back...heh-heh, yes, they do talk, don't they... Anyhoo, it's the subject matter that matters, not the age. I think a story about a ten-year-old could appeal to adults, it just has to give us something to chew on.

LOL I do type slow

KTC · Jan 17, 2008

The MC's age does not place the novel into a certain reader-age. The Body by Stephen King is universal. My 12 year old loved it and I loved it. It's the story of boys and summer. MC's age is not what makes this decision.

Ambergold · Jan 17, 2008

I hear what your saying Jane, but my character grows up in the book. And the main chunk is written with her as a twenty -two year old. I just didn't want my intended audience to get bogged down by her age in the beginning.

~grace~ · Jan 17, 2008

Ambergold said:
I hear what your saying Jane, but my character grows up in the book. And the main chunk is written with her as a twenty -two year old. I just didn't want my intended audience to get bogged down by her age in the beginning.

oh, in that case you should definitely be fine. just maybe try to make clear when you're writing about your 15yo that you aren't writing a story about a 15yo but about a person who happens to be 15 at the beginning and will be getting older. it's very common for writers to start with their MCs young and bring them to adulthood when the major/main part of story takes place.

like in David Copperfield. I'm sure there is a more modern example.

Danger Jane · Jan 17, 2008

Yea, I just figured I'd put that out there, since a surprising number of people seem to not know exactly what YA means, compared to adult fiction. That it's generally themes, not age of MC or even content, that set YA apart from adult. Anyway, it sounds like you're fine. Like other posters have said, the MC's age doesn't automatically turn off most readers.

Cassidy · Jan 17, 2008

I'm reading MJ Hayden's Carry Me Down right now. It's brilliant, and the MC is a twelve year old boy. I've also recently read and loved Heather O'Neill's Lullabies for Little Criminals., with the MC being about thirteen. So, to answer your question, the MC's age doesn't matter to me as a reader. Just the writing matters.

SageFury · Jan 17, 2008

Age will never matter as long as there is something exploding or in star wars case imploding =)

Linton Robinson · Jan 17, 2008

I think there's a factor here that I hadn't thought about before.

There are plenty of stories about children that are adult reading and kids wouldn't be interested in.

I think it has something to do with if the character is presented as a child, or as a high-identification protagonist type.

An analogy might be a first person shooter game, compared to one where we watch characters from a third point of view.

If identification is what makes it work, it probably works best if the age (and, they tell us, race, etc) are a match for the readership.

Ambergold · Jan 17, 2008

Thanks everyone for your answers. Grace, just out of curiousity, how would you go about explaining that the character will get older later on?

wayndom · Jan 17, 2008

Stephen King made a cottage industry of writing novels with protagonists who are children or adolescents. While his work always sold well among teenagers, they could never have been the massive bestsellers they were (especially in hardback) without a solid base of adult readers.

No one I know has forgotten what it was like to be a kid or a teenager. Just make sure your character is real, and feels the same things we all felt as teens, and I can't see how it could work against you.

wayndom · Jan 17, 2008

~grace~ said:
oh, in that case you should definitely be fine. just maybe try to make clear when you're writing about your 15yo that you aren't writing a story about a 15yo but about a person who happens to be 15 at the beginning and will be getting older. it's very common for writers to start with their MCs young and bring them to adulthood when the major/main part of story takes place.

I don't agree. What grabs readers is the same, regardless of the age of the protag: a believable, likable protag the reader can relate to, in a suspenseful situation.

If your character and her situation can't grab readers' attention when she's 15, they're not going to stick around to find out what she's like when she grows up.

If your character is engaging and her situation suspenseful (even if only mildly), readers will be drawn in, without any foregone knowledge of what will happen in later chapters.

To Kill A Mockingbird stays entirely in its characters' childhoods, and it's one of the biggest best-sellers in history.

~grace~ · Jan 17, 2008

Ambergold said:
Thanks everyone for your answers. Grace, just out of curiousity, how would you go about explaining that the character will older later on?

it's less "explaining" that the character will age and more just...not writing the 15yo the way a 15yo would be written in a YA book. YA books do tend to have a different tone than adult books as well as different ways of looking at themes--most of the ones I've read are written in a way that helps the 15yo readers identify with the 15yo protags. (basically what Linton said a few posts ago) I don't know for how many pages your MC is 15 before becoming 22, which will make a difference in technique, but if you write a 15yo with a 22yo's voice it kind of gives the expectation that the character will age. at least I think so. did that make sense? like if the 15yo section seems vaguely retrospective (tho if your MC's 15 for a while that won't work--also this could end up seeming like flashback which is a bad bad bad way to start.) so basically what I'm suggesting is really damn hard and I'm not entirely sure how one would go about it.

but no matter what you do, you shouldn't worry about ostracizing older readers with a younger protag. it shouldn't be a big deal if the character's compelling. just write it and see what happens.

~grace~ · Jan 17, 2008

wayndom said:
I don't agree. What grabs readers is the same, regardless of the age of the protag: a believable, likable protag the reader can relate to, in a suspenseful situation.

If your character and her situation can't grab readers' attention when she's 15, they're not going to stick around to find out what she's like when she grows up.

If your character is engaging and her situation suspenseful (even if only mildly), readers will be drawn in, without any foregone knowledge of what will happen in later chapters.

To Kill A Mockingbird stays entirely in its characters' childhoods, and it's one of the biggest best-sellers in history.

Definitely a compelling character is necessary, no matter what. But there are some adults who don't want to read something they perceive as children's books and sometimes an author might want to tip off a reader that even though the book is starting with a child or YA, it isn't (necessarily) a story for children or YA. If the writing is more mature than the character, that can be such a tip-off. (I think that's what I was trying to say in my last post, Ambergold.)

(and this isn't to say that YAs and children can't handle mature writing...I mean..oh I can just see myself getting yelled at already. I think there's a difference between a "mature child" tone and an "adult" tone. again, basically what I'm trying to suggest is difficult. to explain and to do. I'm going to stop now and go to bed.)

Also, I hate to admit that I've never read TKAM (bad English major! bad!) but I was under the impression that Scout or whatever her name is is the viewpoint character and the story is really about Atticus Finch. Yes? No? I'm going to go sit in the corner now.

Ambergold · Jan 17, 2008

I think I know what you mean Grace. Though like you said, its hard to achieve without lots of flash backs. I'm just going to focus on making a strong character, so the age thing won't be an issue.

~grace~ · Jan 17, 2008

Ambergold said:
I think I know what you mean Grace. Though like you said, its hard to achieve without lots of flash backs. I'm just going to focus on making a strong character, so the age thing won't be an issue.

excellent! much better idea than trying to take my garbled and vaguely sleep-deprived advice. good luck to you.

Ambergold · Jan 17, 2008

Thanks Grace and the same to you. And despite sleep deprivation you gave some sound advice.

shelboselby · Jan 18, 2008

Age of characters matter far less, I think, the older your readers are. Children aren't interested in reading about a forty year old protag, as a rule, but adults are more willing to read about a 15 year old because that is something they remember. Children can't imagine being 40...they could imagine being 10, so it's good for them...but an adult can imagine being any age, or remember ages they have been. As long as the character is relateable to the reader, their age won't really matter.

otterman · Jan 18, 2008

One of MCs is a thousand years old. You think you have issues with finding an audience!
Thankfully, I don't think it's a big issue. Ender's Game was a good example. I really enjoyed that read.

Does the MC's age always influence the type of reader?

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