How to Write Compelling YA Romance
by Mary Kole | Former literary agent, now a freelance editor, writing teacher, and IP/story developer for major publishers and creators.
The topic of this article is a bit controversial, but there’s no denying that YA romance is a juggernaut category in the publishing market. And this involves the discussion of whether or not to include romantic action in your young adult novel, and whether “spicy content” is appropriate for teen YA romance readers (because, let’s face it, adults read YA romance as well).
The Spice Level of YA Romance
As is the case with romance and erotica for adult readers, there are all kinds of flavors of YA romance, from “clean teen” to pretty controversial and “content-forward.” These various preferences in YA romance match the tastes of writers, literary agents, publishers, and readers. Basically, there is a fit out there for the most conservative YA romance, all the way to the raunchiest YA romance (with a few exceptions).
Let’s dive right into the topic of sex and intimacy in YA romance. In this era of book banning and controversy, this is an important issue to discuss. Should writers censor the more “edgy” elements of their YA romance work? Should books be stripped of any explicit content to appease a certain target audience (e.g. schools, parents, politically motivated organizations)? Or is there an agent, publisher, or reader for more “spicy” YA romance?
Let it be clear: we have no intention of encouraging teens to do anything immoral, or pushing anything they don’t feel developmentally equipped to handle. The fact is, though, that there are certain teens who have had more “mature” experiences in their lives, or are comfortable consuming more “mature” media. They might be on one side of the YA romance spectrum when it comes to content. There are also teens who would prefer not to expose themselves to more mature topics like sex and intimacy when reading YA romance (this is where “clean teen” comes in).
Writing What’s Real and True in YA Romance
Ursula Nordstrom, an iconic editor who basically started the category of children's books, once asserted, “The writer of books about the real world has to dig deep and tell the truth.” Well, the truth is that teens do engage in sexual activities. While some refrain, the vast majority are at least curious. Irrespective of their guardians', educators' or religious leaders' thoughts on the "correctness" or "propriety" of sex and sexual acts during the teen years, it’s naive to say that teens don’t at least think about these issues, especially as they mature from puberty to young adulthood.
One argument for including sex and intimacy scenes in YA romance is that a book is a safe way to explore these topics, without having to live through them. Vicarious experience is safer than real experience. There are also fewer interpersonal or social risks. One purpose of books is to render realistic depictions of real life so that kids can learn from characters and make informed decisions for their own lives. Edgy YA romance offers young readers this opportunity.
Fictional teenagers are often written to be relatable to real teens. And just like real teens, some teen characters have sex. Whether or not a manuscript chooses to address this reality is up to the writer, the literary agent, the editor, and the publishing house. This tolerance for sex in YA can also vary from book to book, from a more subtle suggestion of sex to a more graphic description.
When it comes to edgy YA romance books, two that come to mind are Swoon by Nina Malkin and The Duff by Kody Keplinger. These books feature pretty explicit scenes of sexual activity. On the other hand, books such as the last Twilight installment, Breaking Dawn, fade out just as the two characters are about to become intimate. This has as much to do with the tone of the YA romance novel, the writer’s sensibilities, and the publisher’s direction.
The main consideration, though, shouldn’t be whether or not to include sex or graphic content in YA romance. It’s whether that content serves the story. It’s very easy for sex in YA romance to seem gratuitous. (And to some readers, any mention of sex seems “gratuitous” or “graphic,” so those readers might be wise to stay away from YA romance as a category.)
Simply put, if the scene or action belongs in your YA romance because the story necessitates it, then that’s a much stronger reason for including sex in YA than simply doing it because the writer believes that YA romance demands it. Authenticity and truth are paramount when writing YA romance. No matter what route you decide to take in terms of sexual content, be sure to make it’s believable and serves the story.
The Wide Range of YA Romance
No matter which stance you take on sex in YA, there will always be a publisher that can suit your book's sensibility. If your novel contains graphic sexual content, Zondervan (a Christian publisher) may not be a suitable option, but it would likely have better results at Simon Pulse. In other words, young adult fiction has something for everyone, and that goes for YA romance as well.
If you feel that you haven't accurately portrayed a moment and can go further, an editor may suggest you add more detail to the scene. Ultimately, though, it is up to the writer and editor to make a decision based on the story's credibility and the publisher's goals. So, while drafting your manuscript, don't concern yourself too much with writing something edgy for a YA audience. (Keep in mind that by including explicit content in your novel, the book’s market will be limited because some libraries, book clubs, book fairs and schools do not support what they consider to be “edgy” YA romance literature that contains graphic or controversial content.)
We believe that it’s important to keep the concept of choice in mind. Sexuality has and will always be a part of the teenage experience—whether it be encouraged, yearned for, or even forbidden (more here on writing teenage characters). That is why it should have a place on YA romance shelves. Those readers who relate to it should have access to it, and it is up to the readers, educators, and parents to help each individual reader make an informed choice.
As a writer, you are allowed to make your own choices as well as you approach your own YA romance writing. And readers are allowed to make their own choices as well.
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