Young Adult Fantasy vs. Adult Fantasy

A friend of ours once asked, "What makes YA fantasy different from other fantasy books or stories?"
          If he couldn't quite draw the line and learn the difference, then we're willing to bet some of you don't clearly know the difference, either. The major difference, of course, is that YA fantasy is intended for the young adult audience and features young adult characters. Other fantasy books are intended for children or adult audiences. Every story needs an audience, a focal point, to define. If you don't have a target audience, then you're not sending a message, and if you're not doing that, you cannot write a story. The target audience helps define what the story is about.
          We told our friend that YA fantasy centers on material related to young adults, but that's not to say adults, or even middle grade readers, can't read YA books. In fact, adults make up 55% of those who purchase YA books, and 78% of those claimed they were the intended reader of the book. Interesting, right? So what is it about YA that fascinates adults, who aren't even the intended audience? That's a whole other discussion, right there, but it largely has to do with re-experiencing adolescence.

Howl's Moving Castle
by Diana Wynne Jones

          For teens, YA fantasy helps them grow and learn about themselves, as it, along with other YA books, largely focuses on coming-of-age, dealing with "firsts" (first loves, first parties, first adventures, first you-name-it), and coping with change. It's an unstable, yet exciting and mesmerizing time of life, which is why teens and adults love it.
          "Well," our friend said, "does that mean adult fantasy can include some things that YA can't?"
          This question was slightly trickier, because the answer is no. YA fantasy can include sex and violence, but, most likely, not as explicit as in an adult novel. However, that, again, brings up the question: how is it different?

Stardust
by Neil Gaiman

          YA fantasy can explore deep themes like adult fantasy, but the difference is that it's written in a way that appeals to the YA audience. Books like Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones delve into appearance versus what people are on the inside, or Stardust by Neil Gaiman, which is about going out into the world to discover who you really are and what you're capable of. We've found that YA is quicker-paced than adult fantasy, allowing young adults to engage in writing that matches their lifestyle. We heard someone say once that he (an adult who taught screenwriting courses) preferred reading YA books because they were similar to watching films and moved quickly, directly striking the heart of the matter.
          The real difference returns to our first point: the writer needs to get in character to make the protagonist, and all other characters, relevant and likable. How a teenager reacts to a situation might be completely different than how an adult would react. What makes YA is the characters, not necessarily the plot. It's about experience and change, and what it's like to grow into the person you will become. Characters change in adult fantasy, too, but do not have as much room to grow, and have some past experiences to fall back on for advice. YA is seeing the world anew again, where everything is an adventure.
          You tell us, did we answer the question? Comment below if you have other questions about the differences between YA fantasy and other types of audiences!

Realms