Which is an Easier Sell: Adult or Young Adult?

greywaren · Jun 28, 2007

Hullo all! I'm trying to stay busy while my YA urban fantasy is out on submission by writing another, and I'm quickly coming up with a problem of age group. My protagonists are college students and tend to act as such - swearing, canoodling, etc. As I began the book imagining only young adults would read about college kids, I'm trying to keep the canoodling and swearing to a dull roar, but it's getting to the point where I think I'd better make a decision, because the plot's tugging it a more mature direction.

So I'm using a business brain as well as creative. Which is the easier sell? Adult urban fantasy or young adult? And could I conceivably market a novel with 18-20 year old protagonists as an adult novel? Their problems are not ones that usually characterize a young adult novel, i.e. coming of age, etc.

Thanks for all your help!

rugcat · Jun 28, 2007

Adult Urban Fantasy is getting crowded. YA fantasy seems to be hot right now. This is just from what I've heard; don't take it as gospel. You might get some more knowledgable responses if you post this over in the SF/F forum.

Toothpaste · Jun 28, 2007

Also many YA books these days have tons of swearing and canoodling in them. I mean tons. Even I was shocked. I wouldn't worry about it if your book that way tends.

Jamesaritchie · Jun 29, 2007

Easier

This is like asking which is easier, jumping over Mt. Everest, or jumping over the Grand Canyon.

But I'd suggest reading about fifty novels in each genre, and seeing where the book you want to write best fits.

Roger J Carlson · Jun 29, 2007

Many YA publishers accept unagented manuscripts, so you don't have to jump the double hurdle of getting an agent to like it and then a publisher to like it. I suppose that could be construed as "easier".

But if the book isn't well written, it won't make a bit of difference. A really good book is "easy" to publish regardless of the genre or audience. A really bad book is impossible to publish under any circumstances.

greywaren · Jun 29, 2007

Thanks, everyone. Roger, I think you're right - a "hot" genre isn't going to get crap published. But like rugcat said, urban fantasy (which I should primly note was my genre of choice long before Harry Potter or Buffy anything remotely trendy came along) has been "hot" for a long time and I'm guessing editors/ agents are getting choosy about what they're picking up.

My guess just was that more adult novels are bought each year than YA. In any case, I'd been following James' advice and reading a ton of fantasy -- which I do anyway (I never understood writers who didn't read) and I think my novel could fit in both places. To add to the confusion, similar novels like Pamela Dean's Tam Lin, that has college aged protagonists, has been shelved in both YA and adult sections.

So maybe I could get away with pitching it to adult agents either way.

Which is an Easier Sell: Adult or Young Adult?

greywaren

rugcat

Lost in the Fog

Toothpaste

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Jamesaritchie

Roger J Carlson

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greywaren