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What separates YA from Literary?

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KikiteNeko

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My WIP focuses on a 15-year-old girl in the 1960's. Three years pass over the span of the story, in which the girl runs away from home, gets involved with drugs, and faces an important decision about abortion. I've always written in an adult literary-type prose, very character driven, and there's much much more narrative than dialogue. The language is unhindered and the sex (though brief) is explicit. The story contains very adult situations, though they are being seen and experienced through the eyes of a teenage girl who is coming slowly into adulthood.

In my original concept, I meant for it to be literary fiction. But there may be some aspects that appeal to teenage readers... I have no experience whatsoever with YA, and I wonder what differentiates it from literary? Would sex and harsh language make this story a no-no for the YA scene? Would the fact that it's about a teenage girl isolate it from the adult literary scene? Is word count a factor in any of this? (It's not complete but I'm aiming for 80-90K words).

Thanks for any advice.
 

Sage

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Tomo, come to the YA forum. <beckons> We'll convince you that edgy YA is okay. Also that the split isn't YA vs. literary ;)
 

KikiteNeko

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What would you call the split then? ^^

If the mods feel this will get more responses in the YA forum, it's fine with me if it gets moved there... but I was hoping for the perspective of YA and Literary writers.

Tomo, come to the YA forum. <beckons> We'll convince you that edgy YA is okay. Also that the split isn't YA vs. literary ;)
 

Sage

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YA vs. adult?

I meant that if you were asking if your novel could be YA, us in the YA forum will say "yes."

Here's Shady's Edgy YA thread for you :)
 

KikiteNeko

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That is all interesting. I've read Catcher in the Rye but I haven't looked into The Outsiders... Pitch wise, would you say it'd be acceptable to pitch such a story *points up to post* to YA and Literary agents?

YA vs. adult?

I meant that if you were asking if your novel could be YA, us in the YA forum will say "yes."

Here's Shady's Edgy YA thread for you :)
 

Toothpaste

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Would sex and harsh language make this story a no-no for the YA scene?

Just have to smile at this. You must read some contemporary YA,. Trust me, that is SO not an issue. Do check out the YA forum, some interesting chats go on there (I mostly lurk, I'm a lowly MG author).

I think also the question of YA vs Literary was that YA can be also literary. YA can be many things, fantasy, horror, mystery, romance. Something being YA does not negate it being other things.

But as people have already stated, you will find many answers if you cross over to the dark side . . . (talking children's writing forum here . . .) :)
 

Shady Lane

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Come hang out with us on the YA boards. Seriously.

Basically--if teenagers do it, you can write about it, and you can sell it as YA.

Feel free to PM me if you have any specific questions, btw.
 

KikiteNeko

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See, it's just so hard for me to judge. When I was a teenager, my mother was recommending some adult books to me, and my parents never really stopped me from picking up adult literature (after I hit 13 or 14 or something).. So I have a hard time distinguishing what's MEANT for a young reader. I know that when I was a young reader myself, provocative stuff definitely sparked my interest. It still does, if its told with bluntness and honesty. I wonder if I should pitch it to YA and Literary agents?

Just have to smile at this. You must read some contemporary YA,. Trust me, that is SO not an issue.
 

KikiteNeko

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Regarding voice: I write very introspective characters. There's a whole lot of narrative, not a whole lot of dialogue. I wonder if I'd lose a YA reader, or if other YA-targeted books do the same thing?

Right. YA is an age group, not really a genre. There is commercial YA and literary YA and everything in between. The difference in my opinion is voice, tone, and maybe complexity/plot.
 

bethany

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YA Lit is so good that people are commonly reading it up through their twenties now. It's one of the most vibrant genres (even though I just said it wasn't a genre) so, um change that to categories, of fiction out there.

However I know little to nothing about adult literary fiction so.....???
 

KikiteNeko

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*Daydreams of writing a YA novel that has outraged parents trying to get it banned from schools*

Huh? what? >.>
 

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Shady's an excellent person to ask about literary YA. That's what she writes (and she's recently gotten an agent, so you know she's good at it) :)
 

Shady Lane

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Shady's an excellent person to ask about literary YA. That's what she writes (and she's recently gotten an agent, so you know she's good at it) :)

:)

In my opinion, there are two qualifiers for YA. And neither of them are set in stone.

1) The character must fit into the YA age range (typically between 13-21)

2) There must be a coming-of-age element, even if it's not the center of the story.


Obviously, you can think of lots of exceptions to either of these rules. But I think they're a good starting point.

I write literary YA, yep. And just last year, people laughed at me when I told them that. Not anymore. It's becoming more and more "valid" all the time.

If you're thinking about writing YA, or wondering if you are writing YA, there is NO substitution for getting thyself to a bookstore and reading what's there. Browse some cover flaps and pick out stuff that sounds like what you're writing. Obviously, it won't all--I wouldn't read the epic fantasies or the chick lit books for research, because that's not what I write--but you will find stuff that sounds like yours, I guarantee. Read, and see if you can picture your book snuggled up next to it on the shelf.
 

Esopha

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Maybe I should post some of it in the YA board and see if people agree with you fine YA folk.

Plenty of people don't.

I'd agree with Shady's two criteria for a YA novel, except maybe the coming-of-age bit, since basically anything that happens between 13 and 21 is somehow coming-of-age.
 

Shady Lane

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Plenty of people don't.

I'd agree with Shady's two criteria for a YA novel, except maybe the coming-of-age bit, since basically anything that happens between 13 and 21 is somehow coming-of-age.

For us, it's definitely not something we have to think about. But it might not be something the adult lit kids are used to. I don't know. lol.
 

KikiteNeko

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Life in general. Why is the sky blue?

Nono. I'm worried about this story now. I'm wondering if SOME YA people would say "No, this is definitely adult." And I'm wondering if some adult lit fic people would say "This is for young adults" or "Iiiiinteresting, I'd read that."

If I post it in YA SYW, will YAers bite me? What if one of them hasn't had a rabies shot?

Hm.
 

Shady Lane

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You can post there, if you like. No worries.

You are not going to get a unanimous answer, though. In all likelihood, your ms could work as either. Many could. But you might have an easier time marketing it as YA.
 

Sage

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Yes. Both. Because of the age, some people will say "YA" and because of the edginess, some people will say "Not YA." And you just have to choose which one you want it to be and develop a thick skin ;)
 
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