Can I get people's views on what the boundaries of young adult fiction are? I'm on a third draft of a novel which follows a 17 year old girl as the MC as she experiences a supernatural awakening. There are scenes of body parts (graphic), nudity (not graphic) and an attempted rape (semi-graphic).

When planning how to approach an agent, I don't know whether to say it's a young adult supernatural novel (with acceptable adult content) or an adult supernatural novel.

Would be interested to hear your views. Thanks, Lorraine

That sounds like Adult fiction to me.
YA fills the gap between 9-12 Childrens (Middle Grade) fiction and 18+ Adult fiction (although these days 'adult' is probably closer to 17+). So target readership for YA is younger teens - 13-16yr olds. If you have adult themes and older teen mcs then it's going to be harder for that target readership to empathise.
It's probably simplest to make your mc 18 and tag it adult paranormal fiction.


- NaomiM

I think it depends on the setting of your novel - if it's in a school, or the fact that the MC is a minor is important to the plot, then it's probably YA and you should consider toning down the sexual violence. Having said that, lots of YA is pretty hardcore in terms of general violence and sexual assaults happen in several books, so I think it more how it's described and the level of detail, than the act itself.

But if the sexual violence and descriptive style is more integral to the plot than the age of the protagonist, then I'd tend to agree with Naomi and call it adult fiction.

It also depends on the market you're aiming for of course - in a literary novel you can get away with a child protagonist in an adult novel and more hardcore themes in a children's novel, but most paranormal stuff tends towards the commercial end where the constraints are more rigid. Having said that, there are paranormal literary novels so it's all about the execution.

But I think the danger with being genre-bending is falling between two stools and giving people an excuse to reject the book - because they're not sure how they would market it. So it's probably safer to make it resolutely one or the other.

I think it's hard to say without reading it - why don't you post some stuff in the children's group and see what people think?

Just to add, the main theme for YA is 'coming of age' and most centre around a Romeo & Juliet (star-crossed lovers) love story. I'm not sure how nudity and semi-rape would fit into that. Maybe ask yourself if you'd want a 13/14yr old reading it.

Flora - have you read any of Philip Pullman's Sally Lockheart books - they are based in Victorian era but are beautifully written adventures based around an teenage girl - and there is love, and an illegitimate baby, and gory deaths etc - but done with just the right level of sensitivity. I recommend them - you'll be entertained yourself and I think it will answer a lot of your queries.

I asked a Waterstone's Children's book buyer about this myself a while ago. She said that basically anything goes - it is just the way you go about it. I suggest going into your nearest book store and browsing the YA section - and chatting to the bookseller too to ask for advice and what to look at.

SB, I love the Sally Lockhart books! I've been a fan of them for years - long before he wrote the Northern Lights Trilogy, which I also love.

"Your queries" - sorry did you mean me or Lorraine? I didn't really have any queries!

I agree with your bookseller by the way - though that doesn't mean that you can take an adult novel, label it YA and send it to a YA agent.

Sorry Flora - I did mean Lorraine - I'm trying to do too much and rushing everything. Apologies!

No worries! I agree they are a fab read anyway - there you go Lorraine, two recommendations on one thread!

I still have a crush on Fred [sob - trying not to plot-spoil]

Thanks for the feedback all. It's much appreciated. I think I'll try and tone down the content where needed and tag it as Young Adult. Lorraine