Blending MG and adult fantasy - bad idea?

scribbledoutname · Sep 6, 2012

There are two things I really want to do in an adult book sometime soon. The first is to use an MG writing style. For example (this is from the Worst Witch):
"Before Mildred had time to reply, the door crashed open to reveal their form-mistress Miss Hardbroom standing in the doorway wrapped in a black dressing-gown, with a lantern in her hand. She was a tall, terrifying lady with a sharp, bony face and black hair scragged back into such a tight knot that her forehead looked quite stretched."
I don't know what it is about it but I just love this style. Very simple and straightforward. It's almost telling with the 'terrifying' but I like it just for that reason; you don't really have to think. It's just the story you're reading.

The other thing I want to do is to use MG imagination. Rather than trying to treat things so that they come off as 'adult', I'd like the include them in their raw, imaginative form. Like a cat that changes into a different animal whenever it sneezes, wizards wearing pointy hats because it's "formal wear", and magical puns for places and supernatural businesses and so on.

The rest of the story remains serious, with death and serious themes and so on. Just letting my imagination hit the page in the same way I would if I were writing for kids, without trying to tweak it to be realistic (only internally consistent).

I do sometimes feel like adult fantasy is a little limited by a sort of superiority over children's fantasy. That certain things are childish xD

I know anything can be done well, but considering how I'm not some popstar or the Second Coming, is this a Very Bad Idea?

Kerosene · Sep 6, 2012

If that's what you want to write, then write it.

If that's what you all a MG writing style, then I write MG fantasy, apparently.
That's just a straight forward, to the point writing style.

On the content, you write anything you wish. The only problem I see is when a reader picks up the novel, reads a bit of it and thinks, "oh, MG Fantasy, I might like this," and continues, but suddenly, that sex scene jumps out. Thus, the reader throws the book to the wall.
In short, you have to make the reader expect certain aspects from the world. Not, ruin you magic system/world, but to make sure that they know what might happen. If the first chapter includes death, blood, killing (adult themes), then it's a better representation of what is to come in the novel. But if it feels MG in the beginning, the reader will expect that for the rest of the novel.

However, you can write what you wish, when you how, however you wish. If you like pointy wizard hats and all that, its your preference. Just the same as my preference is swords and politics.

my thoughts.

LindsayM · Sep 6, 2012

Nope - great idea. Write it the way you want it - give it your own voice and twist on the genre and set yourself apart. If you can do it well, do it!

Liosse de Velishaf · Sep 6, 2012

Nobody says adult fantasy has to be "realistic". Just write what you want.

Filigree · Sep 6, 2012

Write what you want, but be aware that editorial expectations may not work to your advantage. Editors are buying for readers, and some sf&f readers can be somewhat - hidebound? dense? lazy? - in deciding how a story should go.

I started an adult fantasy novel with a chapter where my ten-year-old protagonist discovers she's not like anyone else in her settlement. I caught hell for it from three editors, four agents, and several blog readers, because they 'expected' a MG or YA novel. So I have to start the novel with the protagonist at 18, or no one 'gets' it. Which also means a lot of back-story truncated unto nonsense.

A better writer than I could probably pull off the MG to adult storyline switch you describe. I wish you luck.

Chasing the Horizon · Sep 7, 2012

scribbledoutname said:
Rather than trying to treat things so that they come off as 'adult', I'd like the include them in their raw, imaginative form. Like a cat that changes into a different animal whenever it sneezes, wizards wearing pointy hats because it's "formal wear", and magical puns for places and supernatural businesses and so on.

The rest of the story remains serious, with death and serious themes and so on. Just letting my imagination hit the page in the same way I would if I were writing for kids, without trying to tweak it to be realistic (only internally consistent).

This is how I write, and the entertaining magic is something I've had praised a lot. There are a lot of people out there who like a sense of fun in their fantasy, which I think is one of the reasons a lot of adults read MG and YA at least sometimes. I could see you having problems if you combine that with an MG-ish voice, though. I think I can get away with it because I have a very mature voice (as was pointed out to me when I tried a few chapters of YA--I can't help sounding very adult, even when I try not to). I could easily see both at once sounding just too young for the adult market.

xC0000005 · Sep 7, 2012

Just go for it. I've been told I write "Fluff" fantasy because my characters don't have sex with anything with a pulse and because there's pretty much a promise of a happy ending from the start of the book, one I'm happy to deliver. I think that there's a great place for fantasy that combines humor, particularly if done with a straight face and solid delivery.

So yes, it can be done. Yeah, I think it's good idea.
I wish you luck in doing so.

Chasing the Horizon · Sep 7, 2012

Just because you use humor and imaginative world-building doesn't mean the story has to be light or 'fluffy'. I use it in combination with very dark stories. If you do it right, it can add to the sense of mythological, larger-than-life tragedy. Plus unrelenting grimdark both has been done and gets boring after a while.

feath · Sep 8, 2012

I've never written YA or MG, so can't answer that side of the question. I can tell you how I, as a reader, would respond.
I would love it.

Just because I love blood and guts doesn't mean I don't like humor. Humor would lighten the mood and must be used sparingly, but the thought of a shape-changer randomly changing shape with every sneeze gives me the giggles.
Just make sure the 'preview' or the blurb mentions something about it, so the potential reader isn't surprised.

Blending MG and adult fantasy - bad idea?

scribbledoutname

Nobody said I couldn't.

Kerosene

Your Pixie Queen

LindsayM

Liosse de Velishaf

Filigree

Mildly Disturbing

Chasing the Horizon

Blowing in the Wind

xC0000005

An exception has occured.

Chasing the Horizon

Blowing in the Wind

feath

Is the goldfish koi?