So i've been writing my book about a psychologist who is in his mid twenties, i wouldn't necessrily class his as being morally questionable, i see him more as being like a guy who refuses to grow up and live in the adult world? So there's a lot of conflict between him doing what he thinks is right or what he is 'supposed' to do. Since i don't read that many books i'm not sure where this falls, i feel like it would be YA although maybe mid-twenties is too old for that? There is a love interest type character (Lucy), although in this book they definitely remain as just friends, so there's no overly apparent 'first love' type story line here, although there is an almost love triangle since he kind of has a thing for one of his patients although he should really be with Lucy. So yeah, i don't know what to classify it as yet, especially since it's not finished, i feel like the issues at hand are ones that fit the YA genre, but the characters themselves are not so young adults. I'm new to the forum btw.
Genre is a marketing tool. It's a way for buyers to narrow down their choices and focus on their interests. It's also a way for agents and editors to sort through an avalanche of submissions easily, something you worry about when you are trying to get your work published. Since this is your first novel, my advice is not to worry about it at this point. For most of us, the first novel we write is a learning experience (there's an old saying that the first million words you write are practice; in my experience, that's an underestimate). So, my advice is to keep writing, but also read more. Not only will you learn more about the genres of fiction, you'll learn more about the craft of writing from reading quality work. Good luck. (edited to correct a split infinitive)
Thanks! I'll definitely try to read more fiction! I do actually read a lot of non-fiction mainly psychology stuff, and I've been writing a journal for a couple of years. However, I've only recently decided to try writing a novel to try and express my own personal experiences with growing up and mental health, through the eyes of somebody else in a completely different world! I love the idea of being able to express all that I've learned so far with just these handful of characters that feel so real to me! But yes, stepping out from non-fiction in to the realms of fiction is such a weird experience and i definitely need to read more!
Hi Prett, Welcome to the group! I'll echo what Ed said, just keep writing and reading. I wouldn't worry too much about genre or classification yet. The character's age really doesn't decide whether a book will be YA or general. Subject matter and the way it's handled will. You take Animal Farm - talking animals sounds like a children's book but the subject matter isn't really for children.