: Book categories are largely a matter of marketing. At one time, for example, fantasy was considered largely a children's category in the US, but not in the UK. This led to books that

Book categories are largely a matter of marketing. At one time, for example, fantasy was considered largely a children's category in the US, but not in the UK. This led to books that were considered adult books in the UK, such as the Golden Compass trilogy, being marketed to teens and children in the US. So the question of what is considered "YA" is really a question of what publishers think a YA audience will buy.

My general sense from having done a (relatively shallow) survey of current mainstream YA, is that it tends to be edgier than in the past, with curse words, and frank discussions of sexuality and violence being more the rule than the exception. This suggests that's what the YA buying public wants today. Of course, that might also mean there is an under-served market for less transgressive work.

My question for you would be what makes your book YA in your mind? Is that the audience you picture for it? Just having a young protagonist doesn't necessarily make your ideal audience of a similar age. I wouldn't personally want my writing marketed to teens if it was overly explicit. On the other hand, many books that are not really YA are pushed into that category, because it's one of the better performing book-buying categories.

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