Also--is there an adult audience for younger characters? Or would a book with teen characters be put in the teen category almost automatically? I'm remembering Ender's Game, I always found shelved in the grown-up's section. THere are quite a few other stories with younger characters, like Sword of Shannara, that I think are still only found in the grown up section. But why? What's the difference? I read Terry Brooks when I was a teen...
Melanie
And, of course, there's the other issue. With YA more than "adult" fantasy, you have to deal with the gate keepers--librarians, teachers, parents. I can point to at least one successful YA author who attempts to deal with the hard topics who has had their books banned from school libraries, etc. and even been disinvited to events.
Yes, there are plenty of fantasy stories I can think of with young protagonists that are shelved in the main section, not as YA. YA is more than just the age of the characters.
Meredith--You brought up many points I was wondering about. A few years ago I wrote a YA novel because I had something to say to YAs, if that makes sense. Like, it couldn't be an adult book (though an adult might enjoy reading it as well), because it dealt with issues that teens go through, it was a book set in the teen world, if you will.
This one that I am looking at now (which only exists so far as a mess of notes and scenes) has a very different feel to it. The characters are young because that's what they need to be for the story to work, but it's a more universal story. I haven't written or explored it enough to know for sure what it is, but I wanted to make sure that there was more to YA than just the age of the characters. It might be a tricky thing to work with.
Thanks!
Melanie
Look at Patrick Rothfuss' CHRONICLES OF THE KING KILLER. I'm finally almost finished with THE WISE MAN'S FEAR. Approximately 1700 pages into this story (It's not really a trilogy. More like LotR, one novel in three volumes--very long volumes.) Kvothe is still only 17 (well, unless he spent more time in the Fae than he thought.) But nobody would call this a YA novel.
In this case, that's not so much because of mature themes. It's the voice, the pacing, the way the story is told.
While typically one hears that the editors decide on details such as where a book would be shelved (e.g. subgenre choices or the like - is this fantasy or "paranormal romance" or...?) perhaps influenced heavily by sales, as it's based on where they think they can best sell a title) - when deciding to go YA vs. adult, I think you have to make the call because the people who work in the children's divisions of book publishers are just simply different from the people who work in the adult fiction divisions of book publishers.
Now that I've said it, though, if this fits into any current trends like paranormal romance, be sure to say that when you're querying out the book.
But you do probably need to decide whether the book is meant to appeal to teens, while dealing with mature themes, or if the MCs' ages are somewhat accidental and the book is really an "adult" book. Then base your decision on where to try to sell it accordingly.
You are correct, though, that YA books have very few limitations these days. Yes, some gatekeepers exist but you should read some of what's selling currently to see that there are few subjects that are off limits for truly YA readers. MG is still limited in theme, certain subjects, and maturity factors, but not so for YA.
Good luck!