Can a Teen Novel with Traditional Values Sell?

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Dear M….

Young adult fiction reflects teen behavior, interests, and concerns. And truthfully, some teens do engage in or at least wonder about the stuff outside traditional morals, so of course it’ll show up in YA lit. Realistic contemporary YA, in particular, is known to sometimes include sex outside of marriage and to explore morally debatable topics. Since that’s the hottest genre in the market right now, it can seem like traditional moral values aren’t in vogue. But YA doesn’t always bust moral norms. Perhaps not even most of the time. Plenty of its stories show teens exploring who they are and how they fit into the world via non-norm-busting scenarios. Broken friendships, for instance, and threatened dreams, and finding out if the boy you’re crushing on likes you back. Agents, editors, and readers are generally more interested in being emotionally moved by a character or storyline than titillated, so traditional-values YA with strong emotional resonance will always have a place in the market.

Happy writing!
The Editor

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