It's one of those days where I don't know what to write about (every day??). I'm not sure if I have no ideas or too many ideas. So I apologize if this post ends up being filled with rambling.
The IWSG Twitter Pitch is coming up aaaaaaaaaaaaaand...there's no way I'll be participating, even though I really wanted to. For multiple reasons, but the main one being, MY BOOK ISN'T DONE. Probably not a good idea to pitch a book that's not done, right? Just ask...oh, yeah, me when I tried PitchWars *shudders*. Never again. Oh, and I'm still stuck on Chapter 15 for those of you keeping score at home. I'm lucky if I can get one sentence written a day.
My other big reason for not doing the Twitter pitch is that I'm still not quite sure on what age range to pitch my book to. It's complicated. I've gone back and forth between thinking it was YA and then thinking it should be Adult, and then changing my mind again and again and again. So the book is front the point of view of a fifteen-year-old, and it does have some coming of age elements, but I'm not entirely sure this is a book should be marketed to minors. I'm also not so sure if adults would even want to read it, though. Basically, I've written an unsellable book. I don't think, "I swear it's good!" is a great selling point.
But maybe when I actually finish the thing I'll let some people read it and get their input.
And now for something completely different...
This month's optional question is: What are your ultimate writing goals, and how have they changed over time (if at all)?
I guess my goal has always been to publish a book, so that has never changed. But I think the goals change depending on the WIP. For UL, obviously the first step would be to publish it. Then comes the movie deal, of course. Ok, not really (but maybe). Then I would want to figure out if my sequel ideas are actually worth pursuing. Aaaaaaaaand that's pretty much it. Then there's other story ideas, of course (shiny!).
All right, I'm done rambling. For now.
Yes, sounds best not to pitch if your book isn't done. I don't have one either. I think it might be a good idea to have someone help you figure out your genre. You might be surprised to find it fits somewhere better than you think.
ReplyDeleteI've always wondered how you determine if something is YA, Young Adult or Regular Old Adult. It seems like there can be such overlap. Sounds like a good idea to get other people to read it once you're ready and get their take on it.
ReplyDeleteHave you looked into the New Adult category? I don't know much about it, but it might be worth checking out....
ReplyDeleteI swear it's good doesn't work?
ReplyDeleteWhat Madeline said - new adult.
Just because the main character is 15 doesn't automatically mean it's YA. That wasn't even a genre 40 years ago. People just wrote about people.
ReplyDeleteI agree with others, New Adult might be the category for it. Hard to say, but you're right, let others read it and see what they think.
ReplyDeleteYeah...the book not being done probably makes it difficult to pitch. Hope you get unstuck on Chapter 15 soon. Because I am dying to read your book. I think your main character is awesome, and I can't wait to read his story one day.
ReplyDeleteI thought I was writing an MG fantasy, now I think it's a YA fantasy, but then again, I might change it back a bit. This is all to say, I know how you feel. I think you can definitely market a book to a YA audience with tough issues in it, if that's what you're worried about.
ReplyDeleteSo the difference between adult and YA books for me is all in the thematic elements. YA is about examining ones world and how they stand out in it, whereas adult novels are varied in their themes. There are so many adult books with young protagonists, but it really boils down to how to story is told in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteTargeting is a tough one. I hope you figure it out, and I hope you get past your stump soon!
ReplyDeleteI write mainly YA, but new new ms I labeled as New Adult because it has intimate scenes. If your MC is fifteen, it normally would be Young Adult. 18-21, New Adult or Adult. I had a hard time with the genre of another book of mine which had a MC as young as 11, but his parents were also MC's. Wishing you luck!!! Happy 4th.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for stopping by my blog.
ReplyDeleteGetting feedback is a must. I just new my first book was urban fantasy with a small romantic element, but everyone who read it called it paranormal romance. Once you finish your story, let others read it and ask them who they think it'll be good for. Plus, there could be a subgenre you don't know that might be a perfect fit. Perhaps New Adult if it's mature.
Aim high! You'll get that movie deal. Yeah, you'll definitely want to run your finished manuscript by some beta readers to help you target your audience, then tweak accordingly. Happy writing in July! May your words grow like weeds.
ReplyDeleteSome books are harder to classify, but knowing who your "ideal" audience is might help with writing the book. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteJudy Blume wrote a lot of YA books, though I think a lot of adults read her books anyway because they could still relate to the stories and themes she was writing. If you really want it to be a YA book, maybe you could tweak it so that it's more tailored to a YA audience (though I know that's easier said than done).
ReplyDeleteFifteen straddles the MG/YA, so I guess my question is why fifteen? If coming of age is the overarching theme, it could easily go YA with a sixteen-year-old MC. Or if you took it back to a twelve-year-old MC then it would nestle nicely (love that alliteration) into MG. The next issue is language level. Which way--up to YA or down to MG--works best for your story?
ReplyDeleteEither way, the distinction between the two categories is only a marketing one. Other excellent books didn't fit into either and were hard to place, but when they did, they succeeded very well.
There are quite a few YA books that don't seem "minor appropriate," and a growing number of adults who read YA. The rule of thumb is usually the main character determines the main selling age group. It's frustrating to not feel like your book fits into a category. (Believe me, I know.) Don't give up!
ReplyDeleteI thought maybe the New Adult would work for your story too. I know it's hard trying to figure out genre and target, etc. I still don't really know what my books are. I hope to take part in the pitch parties one of these days - maybe if I can finish my current WIP.
ReplyDeleteHappy 4th of July to you!
Figuring the pitch will probably be a place I struggle when I finish my book. Happy IWSG!
ReplyDeleteI pitched my book thinking it was fine, and man, was it not.
ReplyDeleteGetting input from others is a great idea - they'll probably be able to see the "hook" that you can't.
ReplyDeleteI believe the IWSG will be doing two Twitter Pitches a year, so you will definitely be able to participate when you're book is ready. :)
ReplyDeleteYou'll get it sorted out. Advice from others is definitely invaluable, it always brings a fresh perspective. There'll be more pitches to come, so hopefully next time!
ReplyDelete