How do you know if your book is an "issue" book?

musicblind · May 6, 2020

I'm sorry if this is a stupid question, and I promise I pursued answers on google before bothering you all.

I wrote a novel about a school shooting. It starts five months before the tragedy and tells the story of two boys exposed to a litany of toxic behavior. Despite enduring similar tribulations, only one becomes a school shooter.

The book also touches on topics like xenophobia, homophobia, sexism, antisemitism, the opioid crisis, and sexual assault. The novel features a large cast whose choices, regardless of how innocuous, boomerang back like an arsenal of Checkov's guns to influence the ending.

While researching literary agents, I found some profiles who said they were interested in books broaching "social issues" but not interested in "issue" books.

One went so far as to say they were interested in books with thematic points about social justice but not "issue" books.

How do I know if my book is an issue book? It deals with an issue, gun violence in schools, but, because of the sensitive nature of the novel's topic, I tried to make my book assessable to readers across the political spectrum.

I wanted to make people think without telling them what to think.

mccardey · May 6, 2020

You'll have a better idea when you write your query, I think. Are the characters foregrounded, is the story theirs? Or are the issues?

musicblind · May 6, 2020

mccardey said:
You'll have a better idea when you write your query, I think. Are the characters foregrounded, is the story theirs? Or are the issues?

I think so.

I hope so.

I'm a very 'insecure' writer and never think my work is good, but if the characters aren't the story's linchpin, that's an unintentional mistake on my part.

I can honestly say I feel I know these characters. They started as mild representations of various mental disorders, but over time, they fleshed out in ways that changed the course of the story. I know what food they like, what shampoo they use, and what treasures they keep tucked beneath their beds.

There aren't many black and white characters. There's a lot of good people doing bad things and bad people doing good things, and in their worst moments, they're still trying their best. I hope they haven't become too muddied or compromised.

I cried when I killed one of them. So, to me, the characters seem paramount. I don't know if I conveyed that to the reader, though. I can only listen to my betas and hope.

Prophecies · May 6, 2020

Okay, I googled what an 'issue' book is and I think its related to children's literature / YA. Who is the target audience for your book?

Helix · May 6, 2020

Issues books, I would imagine, are those in which the stories are constructed around a particular social issue, with everything serving to highlight that issue, rather than being a story about people.

indianroads · May 6, 2020

Is this sort of thing you are talking about?
Problem novels

indianroads · May 6, 2020

Helix said:
Issues books, I would imagine, are those in which the stories are constructed around a particular social issue, with everything serving to highlight that issue, rather than being a story about people.

I’ve always considered Orwell’s 1984 an issue book, and it seems all about the characters. I admit that I’m probably wrong.

Woollybear · May 6, 2020

My interpretation of those descriptions (from some months back), was that the author's voice and opinion should not be evident. (I mean, that's kind of a general guideline regardless, so :shrug:.). The issue should be intrinsic to the characters. The reader should be able to inhabit the world without feeling the presence of the author.

I see one agent has tweeted the following a long time ago, which might help you, OP:

https://twitter.com/KOrtizzle/status/10897236225429504

let the characters speak for themselves so it doesn't seem like an issue book (and i LOVE multicultural characters) #askagent

1984 is an interesting example and it does seem like an issue book--it feels satirical though, which might be one effective way to make a point about an issue. (Comedy being another.)

lizmonster · May 7, 2020

A writer's beliefs are always going to be on display in a novel. Whether or not a particular book is an "issue" book is going to be part execution, part subjective judgement by the reader.

I'm with mccardey and Helix: if it's centered on character, it probably won't read as an "issue" book to most readers, no matter what it's about.

indianroads · May 7, 2020

Patty said:
[...]
1984 is an interesting example and it does seem like an issue book--it feels satirical though, which might be one effective way to make a point about an issue. (Comedy being another.)

Interesting - satire is not a word I've ever considered using to describe works like 1984, Fahrenheit 451, Brave New World, Atlas Shrugged, and other such stories. I'll have to troll around for a word to label those books though, as I can't think of one right now.

Kjbartolotta · May 7, 2020

indianroads said:
Interesting - satire is not a word I've ever considered using to describe works like 1984, Fahrenheit 451, Brave New World, Atlas Shrugged, and other such stories. I'll have to troll around for a word to label those books though, as I can't think of one right now.

TBH, I always thought of 1984 as satire, the same way I view Kafka. My read on 1984 is still that Orwell was talking about 1948. I also view Atlas Shrugged as satire, just maybe not intentional, aaaaaaaaaaaand that's a conversation for a different day. :gone:

frimble3 · May 7, 2020

To me, it's an 'issue' book if you can sum it up in one sentence, and that sentence is the issue: It's about how addictive drugs are. It's about how dangerous promiscuity is. It's about how drinking and driving can be fatal. It's about how trashy companions can ruin your life.
Every part of the book is about hammering that point home, there is no nuance, or characterization beyond 'good kid', 'bad kid', 'evil influence'.

Woollybear · May 7, 2020

Yeah, agreed. and it also feels like the word 'issue' is pejorative in this context (well, especially since the agents 'don't want that'). So, writing a book about the importance of family, the healing power of love, or whatever positive message (issue) a person might want to bring forth, could still lack nuance but seems (to me) less likely to earn the 'issue' label quite so easily as something like 'drugs are bad.' Uplifting trumps depressing? Anyway, IMO issue labels are usually associated with 'this is wrong' not 'this is right.'

IR: I hemmed on calling 1984 satire. (A Modest Proposal is a more common yardstick for satire.) But then I googled out of curiosity, before posting, and it looked like others discuss it as a satire so figured that was a fair view of it.

Kjbartolotta · May 7, 2020

Patty said:
Yeah, agreed. and it also feels like the word 'issue' is pejorative in this context (well, especially since the agents 'don't want that').

YES! I use the term 'issue book' constantly, usually applying to YA, and it kinda puts a bad taste in my mouth because it sounds so dismissive, when in truth if I call something an issue book that usually means I like it and want people to read it.

The Black Prince · May 7, 2020

1984 is the quintessential satirical novel inspired mainly by Orwell's pessimistic view of society emerging from WW2. You only have to look at the three Ministries to get his main point about government and propaganda - the ministries are called Love, Truth and Plenty, when what they truly achieve is Hate, Lies and Scarcity.

mccardey · May 7, 2020

The Black Prince said:
1984 is the quintessential satirical novel inspired mainly by Orwell's pessimistic view of society emerging from WW2. You only have to look at the three Ministries to get his main point about government and propaganda - the ministries are called Love, Truth and Plenty, when what they truly achieve is Hate, Lies and Scarcity.

Does that make it a satirical novel, though? (I ask that as someone with only a half-way-through-High-School education.) I always thought that hiding the truth in humour was a necessary aspect of satire. (Orwell was commenting, certainly, but he wasn't sugaring the truth with stinging wit. He was taking an entirely different approach, and when I've finished First Coffee on this very cold and very frosty morning, I'll remember what that bloody word is that is STUCK ON THE TIP OF MY TONGUE DAMMIT.)

ETA: social commentary, perhaps.

Woollybear · May 7, 2020

The Black Prince said:
1984 is the quintessential satirical novel inspired mainly by Orwell's pessimistic view of society emerging from WW2. You only have to look at the three Ministries to get his main point about government and propaganda - the ministries are called Love, Truth and Plenty, when what they truly achieve is Hate, Lies and Scarcity.

Wait, what? Love=hate, lies=truth....

You mean like the Attorney General of the United States of America dismissing charges against a man who has already pled guilty to lying to the FBI because.... um, ???

Oh, sorry, off-topic.

(screeching sound of tires to get back on topic)

I can understand 1984 being described as satire. It is not as overt a plot device as eating babies, but ... yeah.

Sorry, it's wine o'clock here and admins can slap me around.

Chapter 14 is a freaking b**** to edit.

Woollybear · May 7, 2020

mccardey said:
Does that make it a satirical novel, though? (I ask that as someone with only a half-way-through-High-School education.) I always thought that hiding the truth in humour was a necessary aspect of satire. (Orwell was commenting, certainly, but he wasn't sugaring the truth with stinging wit. He was taking an entirely different approach, and when I've finished First Coffee on this very cold and very frosty morning, I'll remember what that bloody word is that is STUCK ON THE TIP OF MY TONGUE DAMMIT.)

ETA: social commentary, perhaps.

Sorry for the shortcomings of SM, but... How is it only coffee o'clock there when it's wine o'clock here?

This explains much.

mccardey · May 7, 2020

Patty said:
Wait, what? Love=hate, lies=truth....

You mean like the Attorney General of the United States of America dismissing charges against a man who has already pled guilty to lying to the FBI because.... um, ???

Oh, sorry, off-topic.

(screeching sound of tires to get back on topic)

I can understand 1984 being described as satire. It is not as overt a plot device as eating babies, but ... yeah.

Sorry, it's wine o'clock here and admins can slap me around.

Chapter 14 is a freaking b**** to edit.

Yes - I just had a very quick look at a couple of articles while the coffee maker heated up. You're right - it is a political satire, apparently, and when Third Coffee is over, I will sit and read those articles more closely. I'd also forgotten that there is a fair bit of black humour in it.

Live and learn, live and learn. Thanks, AW...

frimble3 · May 7, 2020

Patty said:
Sorry for the shortcomings of SM, but... How is it only coffee o'clock there when it's wine o'clock here?

This explains much.

It's 'Time Zones' :e2brows:

Looking at it globally, that means it's whatever time you need. Somewhere.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glQFZ9OTs2A

Helix · May 7, 2020

Patty said:
Sorry for the shortcomings of SM, but... How is it only coffee o'clock there when it's wine o'clock here?

This explains much.

Not only coffee o'clock, but coffee o'clock the next day.

And it's always coffee o'clock in Australia, because we are a notably abstemious country.

mccardey · May 7, 2020

Helix said:
Not only coffee o'clock, but coffee o'clock the next day.

That's true, Patty - I'm way ahead of you

Woollybear · May 7, 2020

Helix said:
Not only coffee o'clock, but coffee o'clock the next day.

And it's always coffee o'clock in Australia, because we are a notably abstemious country.

Aw geez. Australia FTW.

(we all suspected as much.)

musicblind · May 7, 2020

Helix said:
Issues books, I would imagine, are those in which the stories are constructed around a particular social issue, with everything serving to highlight that issue, rather than being a story about people.

I like this definition a lot, and I hope this is the definition literary agents and publishers use.

musicblind · May 7, 2020

indianroads said:
Is this sort of thing you are talking about?
Problem novels

Thank you for the link! I read it, and I bookmarked it.

Given how that article describes issue books, this book would be one. It contains issues and people reacting to those issues.

I wish the article would've better define moralizing. It mentioned Dickens, but I didn't feel 'preached' reading Oliver Twist.

How do you know if your book is an "issue" book?

musicblind

May Cause Damage

mccardey

musicblind

May Cause Damage

Prophecies

Helix

socially distancing

indianroads

Wherever I go, there I am.

indianroads

Wherever I go, there I am.

Woollybear

lizmonster

Possibly A Mermaid Queen

indianroads

Wherever I go, there I am.

Kjbartolotta

Potentially has/is dog

frimble3

Heckuva good sport

Woollybear

Kjbartolotta

Potentially has/is dog

The Black Prince

mccardey

Woollybear

Woollybear

mccardey

frimble3

Heckuva good sport

Helix

socially distancing

mccardey

Woollybear

musicblind

May Cause Damage

musicblind

May Cause Damage