Asked by: Carole Anikanovs

YA novels are ages 12–18, and tackle more mature and adult themes and content. Middle grade novels usually feature protagonists under the age of 13, whereas young adult novels usually feature protagonists within the age range of 12–18.

What is the age range for young adult novels?

ages 12 and 18

Young adult fiction (also referred to as “YA fiction” for short) describes works written for readers between the ages 12 and 18, which can emerge from any fiction genre but will always share certain characteristics specific to the young adult reading category.

What is the target audience for YA books?

According to the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), YA books are those aimed at kids aged 12 to 18 years. In most (if not all cases), the protagonists of the novels fall within those age ranges, and the story is told through teenage eyes.

How old should a YA protagonist be?

between 13 and 19 years old

As a general rule of thumb, YA protagonists should typically be somewhere between 13 and 19 years old. Young people like to read up, which means they usually prefer protagonists who are a year or two older than them.

Can a YA protagonist be 21?

Young Adult (YA)

Young adult protagonists will be between the ages of 14 and 21 with some overlap into NA, especially as darker themes are entertained. Young adult is a wide arching age range. At it’s younger end the books tend to fall into the ‘sweet’ category.

What makes a YA book popular?

The most obvious characteristic of a YA novel is a teenage protagonist. Just as adult books feature adult characters, YA books feature characters who are young adults. The majority of protagonists in YA novels are high-school-aged, so your protagonist should most likely be between the ages of 12 and 18.

Are YA books still popular?

By popular categorisation among professional industry agents and editors, YA is fiction written for readers from 12 to 18 years of age. But almost half of YA buyers are older than 18, and 78% of those buyers are picking up the books for themselves, despite not being the intended target.

How do you write a 13 year old character?

8 Guidelines for How to Write Child Characters

1. Don’t Make Your Child Characters Cutesy. …
2. Don’t Make Your Child Characters Sagely Wise. …
3. Don’t Make Your Child Characters Unintelligent. …
4. Don’t Have Your Child Characters Use Baby Talk. …
5. Write Your Child Characters as Unique Individuals. …
6. Give Your Child Characters Personal Goals.