Recent YA & MG Publishing TRENDS // Winter 24'/25'

lol her channel is the book Leo ❤❤

I love this series!!

Ok sorry in advance this is a long one 😅💁‍♀️

Your commentary on romantasy is very intriguing - I think that stumbling blocks is normal with anything new or unexplored. And I don’t know much about publishing houses and branches of them so correct me if I’m wrong but it seems like making a separate branch catering to the romantasy genre expectations would cover them for any negative repercussions? But then also how does that flow down through to actual marketing for the books that are heavier on “romance” in YA? Are they going to be marketed in store as ‘mature YA’ or get lumped as regular YA. Because if that’s the case doesn’t that defeat the purpose of publishing them in a more mature branch?

Also the timing for cozy fantasy blowing up 👀🤯 I did NOT put that together - have I been under a rock? 😅🤦‍♀️

The Taylor’s concept is super interesting and you’re right, makes sense to jump on the swiftie brand train. I also think it’s very clever that they’ve done a MG and a YA - obvs hits that wide target audience because of the spread and the Taylor empire but also gives readers who perhaps only read the MG to shift into the YA as they age - basically expanding their reach right? I suppose from a brand pov it makes sense ya know? 🤔

TBH, none of those sound engaging. They are trying too hard to be all things to all people, and it comes off as pandering. Pandering is a death sentence, as Disney found out.

Omg this background is so fun.

I love fantast and the concept of cozy fantasy. My issue is that many of them don't feel refined enough for theur published draft. Something either in the world, characters, or motivations are missing. I want the subgenre to do well, but I haven't read enough to wow me. I will keep trying because there is a lot of experimentation within the genre.

I am so ready for new adult to become a trad pub "offical" category. That'll help with the indie publishers who have been pushing it. I do hate the term mature YA and prefer New Adult.

That Swift inspired MG to lead into the YA that they likely originally wanted to write is so smart.

I never understood why books supposedly for a teen audience was ever called Young ADULT??? It should’ve always been called Teen books since teens are the main audience. And Young Adult, or New Adult, could be marketed to 18-25 range bc those ages are, in fact, young new adults! Publishers blurred the lines too much because old adults started reading Young Adult, aka teen books, and now those books are almost too adult. There doesn’t seem to be enough books about teen issues for the actual teens. It’s like people got confused because the word Adult is in the audience marketing.

Another fun one! I am looking forward to the next one. What are things you are hoping to see in the numbers that you have yet to see? More Horror?

I think if New Adult as a marketing category is gonna take off then there needs to be a clear line drawn in the sand between it and YA. I've read YA with strong romance subplots that usually have a close door scene, so I don't think intimacy between characters needs to be axed in that category. Teenagers deserve a safe space to digest yearning/wanting. How healthy relationships can form etc. (and of course, as the saying goes if teenagers want to read mature stuff they know where to get it)
I don't think "Mature YA" as a category should be a thing though. That really feels like it's pushing a weird boundary and should just be New Adult.

I binge watched your channel after finding your query videos. This series is so helpful!

Love you and your videos.

Is there a stigma on just calling a book's genre what it is? Isn't erotica just erotica, why are these books being mislabeled as Young Adult?

Thank you so much for putting in the time and work for these videos! These make my publishing nerd heart so happy! It so makes me want to track Adult and Romance trends for myself!

I have a lot of thoughts on the spice topic as a Romance writer and reader. And I’m not even set in stone about my own opinions. Lol

First of all, I think we need more education and clarity on what defines Young Adult, New Adult, and Adult. Although NA should be shelved with Adult in bookstores so I’m not as worried about a young teen picking it up thinking it’s written for them. And parents need to educate themselves on what their kid is reading and decide what they are okay with or not.

There’s a writing Craft book called Writing New Adult Fiction by Deborah Halverson that teaches the genre conventions for NA like the age range is 18-25, and the underlying theme is not just being like a young adult novel with adding in open door love scenes, but about the character finding one’s place in the adult world. And so on. Everyone should at least read chapter 1 and chapter 10. We first saw this genre take form with books like Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire for example.

This “mature YA” genre label is not something I like. I think it’s publishers trying to hang on to Adult Romance readers and make their money. We all know the highest selling fiction Genre is Romance and it seems every other genre is trying to add in those best selling elements, like high spice, to increase sales.

I personally am still a fan of YA not having love scenes at all, or not having open door love scenes and using the fade to black for those older teens, or the scene is written vague, flowery, just an inner dialogue of feelings. Etc. Because I do believe that books are the safest place for teens to explore s£x. Because teens are curious and books can be a safe way for them to see healthy loving relationships and what consent looks like. It‘s a line though that could be easily crossed over to New Adult or Adult if not written correctly in my opinion. There’s a whole lot more to unpack here.

I even think changing the Young Adult bookstore shelf labels back to Teen Fiction would help define expectations as what that genre delivers to readers.

Also writers need to know what they are actually writing. You have more and more YA books with open door s£x scenes that I wonder if the author should have changed to the adult genre because they are putting those elements into their story, rather than keep blurring the lines.

I thought the first book I wrote was going to be Young Adult Romance but when what came out of my brain was 18+ characters and knowing I was going to write open door s€x scenes, I immediately changed lanes to Adult Romance.

Again, I think this all comes back to education, and publishers pushing boundaries in genres they shouldn’t all for profit. And the Young Adult authors may even be feeling pressure to write spice into their books when they normally wouldn’t. Especially with the Spicy BookTok community seemingly all around them on that platform. Again, a whole lot to unpack but all very interesting!

While I am not a horror girly, I absolutely love your videos particularly these round ups :) clearly a lot of hard work happening behind the scenes which I super appreciate and look forward to.

I feel super uncomfortable having erotica in a place that 12/13 year olds are looking for reading material- especially if it shows problematic relationships. I really want to see a firm line between New Adult and Young Adult and agents, editors and publishers taking a firm stance on where these books should be marketed. Pushing smut into children's spaces is not the right way to help lead adults into the genre they want, this is just lazy and detrimental marketing.

We dont deserve the effort you put into these, thank you!

Love these and 2030 deal, nah we're only just in the 2020s (ssh I know we're halfway through, don't remind me!) 😅

LOVE this! I’m so glad you do this!

I don’t like smut, but I do love a good romance. I do wish NA was more of a thing.

My friend, Clare Edge, is one of the people you popped up on the screen who got a six figure deal! Proud of them! Clare is disabled, but their YA debut does not feature disabled main characters.

Thank you so so much for making these, they're amazing!!! never stop pls <3

Personal opinion time!
(For context, I’m freshly 18 with a homeschooled Christian background)
The move to add spice to YA is actually really dangerous. Do they realize how reading this content affects young minds? But oh, I get it, “there’s a market for it,” but if you market your spicy, sexy book well, those teens will find it! (there’s a reason AO3 lives as a nonprofit fanfiction house run by donations… people love their gay s*x… and yes there’s a market for all this mind junk, but that doesn’t mean you should cater to it.)

I just worry for the poor, unsuspecting preteen / teen girls who know too much because of books and it lead them down a path that’s dangerous to their mental and physical heath. I know kids are exposed to a lot these days, but at least allow parents to keep their kids innocent and safe, instead of shoving it down their throats.

Thank you for all the work you do to make these fascinating break downs!!!

Amazing, as always! Thank you!

As a Librarian I wish New Adult had it's own section in the library. YA has such a varied age group. I'm always encouraging the parents of younger teens to see what they are reading. Maturity is everything a 13 year old isn't going to read those scenes with the same thoughts as a 18 year old. I wish writers, agents and publishers would recognize this it shouldn't be about the money. Although if they do make it a new section we would have to buy books to fill it.
Thank you so much for doing these videos it always helps for upcoming books to buy for the library.

Smut in YOUNG Adult is insane. They should go and make YA YOUNG Adult again, and publish their smut in NEW ADULT

context YA goal group = 12 to 18, imagine giving smut to anyone under 16 and even 16, 17 is weird. its fine if they wanna discover themselves in safe ways and they shouldnt be shamed, but this trend is seriously so fkn annoying

Sry, but this is one of my biggest gripes with publishing rn xD

Lindsssay!!! Such a great video as always. But, this whole smut in YA?! Like what? Interesting is a word I would use for that. 😂
When are we gonna get a coloring day vlog?! I saw your pics on IG! Amazing. 🤩

Once again, I love this video. And tiny thing: "Latine." Thank you SO MUCH!!! SO MUCH!!! FOR SAYING LATINE!!! INSTEAD OF LATINX??? Because it gets on my nerves, I KNOW "latinx" is supposed to be inclusive, but it's literally butchering a Spanish word to make it fit English parameters... "latine" makes SO MUCH MORE SENSE... THANK YOU...

Oh man I LOVE the cozy fantasy genre (i mean... i feel like you're going to have a market for yours tbh) its been such a fun boom in stories and I think with the world being absolutely horrible to live in, its something a lot of readers are seeking!!

I am an echo chamber of the comment section but i really think NA needs to become it's own official genre in the traditional publish space. Or even a "smut" genre almost like what some of these imprints are doing so it can cater to those who want to read it but people who don't love that as much aren't as surprised when they pick up a YA/NA book and they get graphic scenes.

Thank you so much for this video, Lindsey. I'm actually working/outlining a Contemporary, New Adult project for my agent. I'm excited since the protagonist is a college senior but it's a challenge since there are no direct comps with a Black American Muslim main character.