The question that every writer asks before submitting to an agent.
The eternal quest for a reader
Ave Reader! Those who write greet you from the other side of the page. Who are you?
Writers are kept in the dark. Granted, we can screw our business head 0n and approach readership with a strategic and analytical mindset. If you are familiar with marketing, terms such as target audience are part of your everyday vocabulary. From an prospective perspective, it makes sense to define the right audience group for your story. From a creative perspective, it’s another kettle of fish.
Writers are constantly divided between two strong and often conflicted desires. First of all, we want to be read. Without readers, we falter and dry like a flower deprived of water. But we also want to tell our story. The writer becomes a modern-day Pygmalion. Inevitably, we fall in love with every detail of our creation. It isn’t beautiful because we made it. It is beautiful because it exists freely and of its own accord. And as such, the Pygmalion of words and worlds is not ready to reshape the creation to meet existing expectations. This is our world, why should we make it to someone else’s tastes?
To be or not to be oneself
Naturally, it’s not easy to decide which desire should sit at the writing desk. Are we truly writers if we write for marketing rather than story? Those who have made a success of their marketing expertise argue that you can’t expect any income from your hard work if you don’t tailor for the market.
Yet, those who have fallen love with a story find it hard to see eye to eye with marketing best practices. We have spent a long time exploring the world of Phaedrus. We laugh at Helena‘s eccentricity. We roll our eyes at Rhode‘s inexperience. We hang onto the Shadow‘s every word. We can’t picture their world being any different.
Is it a YA story?
The answer is both yes and no. Young Adult fiction tends to involve an adolescent protagonist. This is the case of Rhode, who’s only 13 when she’s rescued by the Shadow.
Typically, YA fiction should focus on age-appropriate themes and tropes, such as the difficulty of growing up or exploring romantic interests. This would make the character more relatable for readers. Admittedly, when writers make their characters face impossible choices in a life and death situation, it becomes increasingly hard to identify with them. As an adult reading YA, it’s even more frustrating because we all know that most 15-year-olds can barely clean after themselves and wouldn’t survive without a life hack YouTube video on how to brush their teeth. When a writer introduces us to a brave, strong, cute, funny, and basically flawless, responsible teen surviving in a tough world with no role model, we want to reach through the pages and punch that impossible brat in the face. We all remember the kind of teen we were, and that was nothing like in the books.
On the other hand, adult fiction prefers older protagonists and focuses on theme that are more relevant to the readers’ age group. Forget the romantic sentiments, adult fiction is unapologetic about using sex scenes, graphic violence, and complex taboos. Everything is allowed, everything is raw, and everything feels more real.
Phaedrus sits somewhere between adults and young adults. The themes remain YA-friendly. However, protagonists come in varying ages. While Rhode is the youngest of all, Helena is her elder by over 20 years. Pamphilos was a teenage boy when he interrupted Helena’s Shadow ceremony. They are perfectly flawed and full of meaningful contradictions. They are sometimes funny, sometimes sad. They are not broken, yet not whole. They still have a lot of growing to do. Some will carry on growing, some won’t. It is a story of coming of age and finding your path at any age, because, ultimately, we are never fully grown-up.
*Image from Unsplash