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As new adult novels have become more popular and successful over time, I saw a lot of discussions, both interesting and infuriating about the new category .
The stereotype that I'm sure most of you have seen, is that the New adult novels are novels for young adults with explicit sex.
It is not hard to see where the misconception comes. The most popular novels New adults, those who really drew attention to the category, are largely contemporary romance novels in which their characters engage in steamy scenes. Sex, explicit or not, is going to New adults and is quite acceptable.
The question that people seem to be confused, however, is that sex is somehow a requirement for a novel to be classified as New Adult. This, to me, is mindblowingly wrong. New adult novels are about many things: independence, new responsibilities, being away from home for the first time, serious relationships, start a family, struggling with the question of what it really means to be an adult and well Moreover. Yes, some of them have sexy scenes. But New Adult is so much more than sex.
The point of New adult novels was and never will be sex. There is a genre that already, and it does not include all of the category New Adult.
conclude that sex is somehow a requirement of New Adult fiction is like saying that an adult thriller that has no sex is not really intended for adult at all, or like saying a Young adult novel without dark themes Young adult.
But do not take my word for it.
Last week, literary agent Suzie Townsend of New Leaf Literary & Media, Inc. (which, as an agency collectively represent impressive books like diverging False Memory Losing It and Shadow & Bone ) interviewed several agents and publishers about their opinions of New adult and this new adult meant to them. Here are some answers that I found particularly revealing:
"OMG. I'm an adult. Now what? In all genres. YA as it relates to a lot of questions for the first time and struggles, but they are what most people face in / after college than in high school. It is a different purpose and a different mindset. Repeat after me: NA not sexed-up YA "- Gordon Warnock Foreword literary
" I see far too many NA requests that are simply YA with sex .. This is not to NA and c is not what I am looking to add to my list. I want to see more novels about the experience of being NA. Unsure what that is? See my definition GIFs here . "- Leaf
Kathleen Ortiz, New literary
For those who want to learn more about how the industry views New Adult, I recommend final reading through any position.
the way I see it, New adult novels, novels like adults, can have sex in everything he is varying degrees of explicit literature to "fade-to-black" scenes. But sex does not determine whether or not a book falls into the category, just as it determines whether a book can be sold as an adult novel.
This is my opinion, but what do you think? sex is a requirement for adult novels New? Why or why not
Twitter bites size :?
Sex is necessary to consider a book to NA? Here's why an author said no. (Click for tweeter)
Do you think sex is a requirement for adult novels New? Join the discussion on the blog @ Ava_Jae. (Click for tweeter)
