How is YA Fiction Different from Adult Fiction? - podcast

When you are writing a young adult novel, it's important to know what designates a book as YA, rather than adult fiction. In this interview, author Deborah Davis defines the difference between YA and adult fiction. One of the characteristics of YA books is that the protagonist is usually a teenager or in his or her early twenties. Another important distinction is that YA books are usually written in present tense. When books are written in present tense, the reader discovers things at the same time as the protagonist. It creates a feeling of immediacy and living in the moment. If there's a longer gap between when the story is being told and when the action happened, then there's a sense of looking back and being reflective, which are more commonly traits of adult fiction.