A young adult author creates books for the target audience of teenagers and young adults. This market caters to readers between the ages of 12 and the start of adulthood. The young adult author focuses on writing for teen readers, as well as older readers on occasion. These are usually works of fiction with young adult protagonists dealing with the difficulties of adolescence. Science fiction, fantasy, and mainstream literature, as well as nonfiction such as biography and memoir, are all part of the market.
During the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, most authors wrote for children or adults. After the success of S.E. Hinton’s novel The Outsiders in the 1960s, the young adult market was born. The book was a critical and popular success, revealing a largely untapped readership within the youth culture. It was written while Hinton herself was a teenager and featured teen protagonists dealing with real-world problems. Authors like Hinton, Judy Blume, and Paul Zindel wrote books for this audience in the 1970s. The young adult market was well-established in the United States and elsewhere by the 1980s, and it has remained a powerful force well into the twenty-first century.
The young adult author is up against some unique obstacles. Teen readers may be unfamiliar with complex subjects and language, so young adult books must be written for them. At the same time, the author must avoid speaking down to the audience, as few teenagers will tolerate even a hint of such treatment. These books frequently feature adolescent concerns as a central theme. So-called problem novels, which feature teenagers dealing with social and emotional issues such as dysfunctional families, drugs, or sexuality, are particularly popular.
This method is not without criticism. Many a young adult author has had their work questioned by parents who believe such topics are inappropriate for children. Because of her frank approach to teen sexuality and other topics in her popular and acclaimed novels of the 1970s, Judy Blume was an early target of such censors. In the decades since, many young adult novels have been banned by school libraries; in some cases, this has actually increased their appeal to teenagers. The debate over what topics are appropriate for the young adult market does not appear to be going away anytime soon.
A large portion of the young adult market is made up of problem novels, but books on a wide range of subjects and genres are also included. With the Harry Potter and Twilight series, fantasy authors J.K. Rowling and Stephanie Meyer dominated the market in the early twenty-first century. Despite the fact that each was initially classified as a young adult author, their popular sagas appealed to readers of all ages. Biographies, sports stories, and even comedy are written by other young adult authors. Since at least the 1990s, graphic novels, such as translated Japanese comics, or manga, have been popular among young adult readers.