CCBC-Net Archives
Fwd: Re: Pushing the Envelope
- Contemporary messages sorted: [ by date ] [ by subject ] [ by author ]
From: Monica R. Edinger <edinger>
Date: Sun, 18 May 2003 16:58:25 -0400
Dear Monica
Sex is part of the YA landscape as for youth, sex is a driving force in their lives. Realistic YA literature that is successful is usually about identity and young people coping with the challenges of life. Sex becomes part of that, and can be one of the drivers. Where a novel has explicit sex for vicarious reasons rather than narrative and/or character development, then it isn't going to work and won't be accepted in my view.
However you can write what you want because the publisher will be the
"gatekeeper".
Publishers do "censor" YA books because these books go both into trade and the educational market. In the latter situation, sexual references are often questioned and can be toned down or omitted. My recent YA novel "The Cave"
(HarperCollins Australia) had some sections censored because of the gatekeeper issue. If it was an adult book, it would not have been censored.
"The Cave" has sexual references which elude to oral but not in a detailed way. There are some other scenes which explores the issues of sexuality. However "The Cave" is not about sex. It is a revelation of youth male culture today set against the backdrop of the Australian wilderness. This has to include sexual references and some scenes both funny and serious, but the book has to be more than sex.
Where the literature is good, the sex won't matter. From my experience you have to argue the toss with the publisher when you get to that stage over what is or what is not "acceptable".
All the best
Susanne Gervay gervays at bigpond.com Australia
----- Original Message ----From: "Monica R. Edinger" To: "Subscribers of ccbc-net" Sent: Sunday, 18 May 2003 12:35 Subject: [ccbc-net] Pushing the Envelope
on...
Received on Sun 18 May 2003 03:58:25 PM CDT
Date: Sun, 18 May 2003 16:58:25 -0400
Dear Monica
Sex is part of the YA landscape as for youth, sex is a driving force in their lives. Realistic YA literature that is successful is usually about identity and young people coping with the challenges of life. Sex becomes part of that, and can be one of the drivers. Where a novel has explicit sex for vicarious reasons rather than narrative and/or character development, then it isn't going to work and won't be accepted in my view.
However you can write what you want because the publisher will be the
"gatekeeper".
Publishers do "censor" YA books because these books go both into trade and the educational market. In the latter situation, sexual references are often questioned and can be toned down or omitted. My recent YA novel "The Cave"
(HarperCollins Australia) had some sections censored because of the gatekeeper issue. If it was an adult book, it would not have been censored.
"The Cave" has sexual references which elude to oral but not in a detailed way. There are some other scenes which explores the issues of sexuality. However "The Cave" is not about sex. It is a revelation of youth male culture today set against the backdrop of the Australian wilderness. This has to include sexual references and some scenes both funny and serious, but the book has to be more than sex.
Where the literature is good, the sex won't matter. From my experience you have to argue the toss with the publisher when you get to that stage over what is or what is not "acceptable".
All the best
Susanne Gervay gervays at bigpond.com Australia
----- Original Message ----From: "Monica R. Edinger" To: "Subscribers of ccbc-net" Sent: Sunday, 18 May 2003 12:35 Subject: [ccbc-net] Pushing the Envelope
on...
Received on Sun 18 May 2003 03:58:25 PM CDT
