Fantasy story themes unsuitable for younger readers

mattman1001

Hi guys,
Currently around 10,000 words into a short novel (around 50,000 words) aimed at teenagers and young adults. Takes place in a mystical universe that is mirrored loosely on that of Tolkien, Edge Chronicles etc. It is not really an adults book as it deals with a common YA plot - i.e a quest to find some treasure through a forest inhabited with gruesome beasts. Despite this, it includes some themes which I chose to put in that some may deem unsuitable for younger readers. The main character works for criminal gangs as a courier of an illegal hallucinogenic plant favoured by druids and shamans. Despite this, he is a very human character who refuses to work as a hired killer, and though he's a bit of a bad-ass, he is a redeeming protagonist in the end. There's also some mild swears like b*st*rd, bl**dy h*ll etc - though nothing too bad really. What do we think? Is a publisher going to throw a YA novel based on a hard done-by deliverer of illegal drugs into the waste paper basket? There are no instances of actual drug use in the book.

Thanks,

Matty

St Force

I can't help you here Matty but I must say your story sounds really intresting.

Jediya

[quote=mattman1001]There's also some mild swears like b*st*rd, bl**dy h*ll etc - though nothing too bad really.[/quote]

Does the former really count as 'mild' swearing? To me, the latter certainly does and I've seen in many a YA book but definitely not the former :/

Otherwise, sorry, I can't really comment but I'll keep it bumped up for some of the more experienced lot to have a look-see.

Tracy

I've read YA that use the F word and milder.
The drug issue - it depends how well you handle it, I think, but I certainly don't think it would necessarily be a problem. I've read some YA books that tackle very difficult subjects. But I do think that whatever you do make sure you know the genre and read as much as you can.

Jediya

I must get around to reading more YA books then. I don't remember them using such words when I read them as a kid (and I was reading YA earlier than I 'should have been'), I guess they've changed or I just didn't read those type :P

Liz

Casual use of profanity it not permitted but the occasional use in extremis is, I think the guidelines are... but as I said on the other similarly named thread, drug peddling by a main character where the drug peddling does not have negative consequences FOR THE PEDDLER would I think be not permitted.

Drug use is one of many of the almost mandatory themes for Young Adult novels, but the point is to have the moral guidelines there in the plot.

Mabh

I'm with Liz - it's the drugs that are the issue, not the swearing.

Jay Mandal

See also, on Members General Chat:

http://www.writersnews.co.uk/writers_talkback/comments.php?DiscussionID=147442#Item_1