The Difference YA Vs. Adult

I was asked to ponder the differences between my methods when it comes to writing YA vs. writing adult novels. I tend not to worry overmuch about my audience until the book is finished, to be honest.

I have specific boundaries I don't cross as a writer (some of which I'll admit I've broadened over the last year) and those boundaries mean I tend not to write overly graphic works be it in a sensual or gory nature.

I will admit to using stronger language in adult fiction than YA. This is a conscious choice on my part. While my first drafts might be littered with every swear word under the rainbow, when I head in with my audience in mind (draft two or three) I go through and edit out anything I think is inappropriate. I'm pretty sure everyone has their own threshold for this sort of thing, but I tend to be old fashioned.

The same goes with descriptions of violence and certain behaviors. I might go into detail in an adult book that will get glossed over in YA. Not because I don't think kids can't handle it, but because it is the line I have drawn between the two age groups.

As far as themes, plots and content go, however, I take the age of the reader into consideration only once. I'm a big believer in the understanding of young people. You can present them with all sorts of scenarios and complex plots and heavy themes and they can absorb and relate just like an adult. Because, you know, they have a brain.

I might tend towards more character growth in YA, and I certainly stick to main characters who fit into the same age range as my target audience, but beyond that, I find there is little difference between the two. My writing style depends on genre and voice of character rather than age of audience.

So no matter what audience I'm writing for, I stay true to myself and the line in the sand.

What do you think belongs/doesn't belong in YA fiction?