Audience

This is an important question that should be answered BEFORE you write a novel:

Who is my intended audience?

If you don't know, or you aren't sure, I suggest you figure it out or at least have some idea before you write the novel. For example, if you think high school kids will want to read your book, don't be writing explicit sex scenes that will make parents go beserk. But what if your book could crossover to the adult section because of mature (not steamy sex) themes? Like love? And finding yourself? Dealing with college and trying to find a real job for the first time. What if the characters are 18, 19, 20? 23? They're adults. Technically. Mentally? Haha.

This is my biggest problem right now and one of the reasons I'm having trouble getting an agent. I like to write novels about young adults. But in my opinion, a young adult is between the ages of 17 and 24. A young adult reader is between the ages of 12 and 18. Though, that has changed since I see people my mom's age reading Twilight in the hair salon.

But anyway, going back to writing about young adults. On average my main characters are between the ages of 17 and 23. Their first person narratives come across as YA because let's face it, who is SUPER mature at 20 these days? I feel like agents and publishers find any character above the age of 19 to be an adult and therefore must act and think like an adult. I'm 24 and I still consider myself a kid at heart. I'm not married or having babies yet. I still enjoy the college life. I haven't grown up. (Don't get me wrong, I pay my bills on time and make my own lunch) And I'm sure I'm not alone in this.

So this becomes a problem because I have to decide on a specific audience. I can't just say everybody on the planet will love my book! Though I hope they do, I'm nowhere near being like Dan Brown.

Let's use my recent novel as an example. The main character is 23 and he's immature. I think young adult readers (ages 15+) would love him. I also think college kids would love him. I also think adults in their 2os would love him. So basically people between the ages of 15 and 25 should read my book. There are sex scenes, but they're humorous and awkward. But there isn't a category for my book! You go to borders, there's the young adult section and the adult section. Some books are clearly young adult. Some are clearly adult. But there needs to be an in between section.

And...a way to convey that idea to an agent when you're querying them. I want to be able to say my book could crossover to the young adult section. Should I just say that? Or will they be turned off by the idea because there isn't yet a marketable category?

Or...I could just make my character 18 and then his immaturity would be believable to all ages, teens and publishers alike. But I like that he's 23 and still so confused and unsure of where his life is going. Because everyday I wonder that same exact thing. And I'm 24.

Ciao.