When does Young adult fiction cross over and appeal to adults?

[MJH]

I'm researching this question as a writer in the fantasy genre. What is needed in terms of character and story for a novel to have cross-over appeal for both young adults and adults? Thanks for any input.

 

[Brian G Turner]

Any YA novel can have appeal for young adults and adults - just look at Harry Potter.

Use of conflict is frequently cited as a key strength in the Harry Potter books - but, in fact, for any book.

Hope that helps, and welcome to chronicles.

 

[biodroid]

I think also a lot of people can relate to Harry Potter because he isn't very popular, gets bullied a lot but overcomes adversity. He may have talents but is unsure of himself and he makes mistakes.

 

[ratsy]

I am reading Brandon Sanderson's Steelheart right now and it is a YA book. The only reason I am reading it is because Sanderson is my top guy right now in the fantasy world so I will pretty much read anything he comes out with.

Earlier this year he wrote The Rithmatist which is YA and as Brian stated, he uses a lot of conflict too...and again, the MC is a kid who has very little friends and in that world is almost powerless, so you root for him even more.

Steelheart blows me away. He gets right into it, and the action starts and before you know it, you are in the middle of it all and excited to be.

Reading books like this as an aspiring writer are really good for me. They show a simple way to capture and audience and advance a plot, and he also uses a hook at the end of every chapter to keep the reader engaged. I think this technique works well with teenagers or adults who may not read all of the time, to keep them turning the pages.

 

[Dozmonic]

People come into work and buy young adult stuff a lot. Their ages range from about 12 for the excellent readers (a minority) to early 30s, roughly. Young adult, by its very nature, appeals to adult. Take a look at any book shop and see what kind of stuff they stock on the shelves for 8-12, teen and YA. You'll get the gist of it pretty quick and, with just a few exceptions on cover art style, you'll be able to tell where a shop will stock a book just given the cover. The blurb on the back will give you a pretty good idea of general themes and reading a couple will set you well on course.

 

[MJH]

Thanks for all of the excellent feedback. I think characterization is the key ingredient. That's what I've tried to emphasise in my own work. But making the writing style accessible for younger readers while still appealing to adults is a difficult balancing act.

 

[The Bluestocking]

It's all about relatable characters, I think. If a character in a YA novel brings me back to my teen years and reflects my experience then, chances are, it'll appeal to me as an adult because it feels real to me.

 

[Alysheba]

I'm way too late to this discussion but I started reading The Mortal Instruments in May of 2013. I have since read over 40 books most of them are YA novels. I like the authors and characters in a lot of YA novels. They are generally easy reads and action packed. Certainly what everyone else said it's about the characters. The one thing that I find distracting but a lot of YA novels do have them are love triangles. I find them boring. One more reason Divergent is one of my favorite novels. Action, great characters and no hang-ups.

 

[Cat's Cradle]

Also late to the party! I agree it's about characterization, in large part...(a great story of course can sell to most any generation). I have read two YA series as an adult...the Harry Potter books, and the Philip Pullman books (His Dark Materials). For me the love I have for these books is in large part about the strength and the goodness of the main characters...the loyalty and devotion, and the love they felt for each other. It just seems you don't see this type of mutual-caring-love expressed as effectively in many adult books in the fantasy/SF fields; it is about the ideal of friendship, without the cynical adult recognition that friendships such as these don't often survive into adulthood (they sometimes do though, and perhaps that's why we read these books too, to be reminded).

I think, finally, maybe we're trying to get back to the part of our minds that believed that by being good, we could triumph over the bad things in the world..I know I still want to believe that good can survive in the world just because doing the right thing is...the right thing.

 

[Stephen Palmer]

It's also an issue of plot. With YA you can't have any waffle, it needs to be plot and character all the way. Writing YA is a great learning experience for authors.

The best cross-over appeal I think is His Dark Materials.

 

[AnyaKimlin]

I'm currently enjoying Kathy Reich's Virals series. A combination of writing, character, story and funky concept are keeping me engrossed.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

I'm enjoying Patrick Ness at the moment, with no concerns about it being YA.

Thing is, I don't write YA any differently than adults - if the character is YA, I write them, if an adult, their voice. It's the same skill. and if you write the character authentically it can cross over to any reader.

 

[Timba]

I'm currently enjoying Kathy Reich's Virals series. A combination of writing, character, story and funky concept are keeping me engrossed.

I totally enjoyed these books. I talked about them so much my wife just started them and she also really enjoyed the first book which is all she has finished so far but is engrossed in the second. I am pushing OTD status so they definitely cross the age barrier.


I think you said it all with your second sentence.

 

[Triceratops]

Just because it's YA doesn't mean it can't explore adult themes. And engaging character is an interesting character no matter what age. Older folks can relate and relieve their activities, toils and tribulations through the eyes of someone younger. Harry Potter (the first installments) were/are very engaging and empathetic.

 

[chongjasmine]

I think good characters and awesome plot is what made ya books cross over to appeal to adult.

 

[Ray McCarthy]

The best cross-over appeal I think is His Dark Materials.

I threw book 1 of series in the bin. Very disappointed.
I read a huge amount of YA.

Also I don't particularly need any book to examine Adult issues. Lots of classic books of all genres for adults don't. I read fiction for fun & enjoyment.

 

[Chris Guillory]

As an adult male, I once found that the book I was looking for was in the children's section of B&N. The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud. While this may not help MJH with their research, I thought I'd point this out.

 

[Robert E. Parkin]

I think it stems from characters (and conflict). It all depends on where the conflict takes the characters and what paths it takes them down. It can get dark, it can get cruel, but so long as the engagement is solid, it won't matter who is reading it. I would think anyway.

 

[Dave]

For YA fiction to be popular it needs to have characters and themes that will relate to young adults and their interests. That is all, and maybe also more modern language. This doesn't necessarily make it unpopular with adults, nor does it make it any less worthy as fiction. Adults might be slightly less sympathetic to a very young protagonist, however that would be more to do with the quality of the writing than the age. I can think of several adult books where the adult protagonist was either very naive or unworldly, or else had learning difficulties, and yet they still worked for me.

What I wanted to say, however, was the real reason that I read the 'Harry Potter' series, 'His Dark Materials' series, the 'Noughts & Crosses' series and the 'Hunger Games' series, was not because I thought it would be great fiction (though I would recommend them all) but (at least in the first instance) was simply so I was aware of what my kids were reading. There is so much talk of monitoring what your children are looking at online and the games they are playing, but nothing about what they are reading. And it is good to be able to discuss books with your children.

 

[Alysheba]

I think most of all it needs to have a good story. Bottom line. Without that you will not have any adult wanting to read it. The Hunger Games, The Maze Runner, Divergent are all examples of books that appeal to a teen audience as well as an adult one.