The Teen Market
Dystopian novels make up a unique category within the world of book publishing. The category is nothing new; dystopian novels have captured the attention of readers and critics alike for decades. Consider for example, 1984, the popular novel written by George Orwell, published in 1949. In recent years, the category of dystopian literature has changed and developed resulting in the formation of sub-categories and markets within it. Most prominent is the formation of a new market for dystopian literature: young adults.
Why Dystopia?
The premise of young adult dystopian novels is much the same as those geared towards adults, but subtle shifts in sub-genres and plot development have come into play to best capture the attention of young readers. These books often move towards themes of importance for young adults today. For example, the novel Feed, by M.T. Anderson takes a critical look at the impact of the media and advertising on not only our society at large, but specifically on teenagers.
Most importantly, teenagers can easily find ways to relate to the novels and often see their own lives reflected in them. In the article “Shining the Light on Young Adult Dystopian Literature,” the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) points out, “many teens do feel they have inherited a chaotic world” (“Shining the Light,” 2012). Additionally, “teenagers frequently feel they are being oppressed, and the reaction to rebel against any totalitarian regime or powerful adult figure is a natural one” (“Strong BBL,” 2013). The extreme storylines may capture and hold the attention of young adult readers, but it is the themes and relationships within those storylines that result in dystopian literature making up such a large part of the young adult literature market today. Ultimately, teens relate to the books, enjoy the books, and buy the books. That means that publishers view dystopian literature as valuable, and they are willing to invest their own time and money into publishing dystopian novels in vast quantitie
Why Dystopia?
The premise of young adult dystopian novels is much the same as those geared towards adults, but subtle shifts in sub-genres and plot development have come into play to best capture the attention of young readers. These books often move towards themes of importance for young adults today. For example, the novel Feed, by M.T. Anderson takes a critical look at the impact of the media and advertising on not only our society at large, but specifically on teenagers.
Most importantly, teenagers can easily find ways to relate to the novels and often see their own lives reflected in them. In the article “Shining the Light on Young Adult Dystopian Literature,” the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) points out, “many teens do feel they have inherited a chaotic world” (“Shining the Light,” 2012). Additionally, “teenagers frequently feel they are being oppressed, and the reaction to rebel against any totalitarian regime or powerful adult figure is a natural one” (“Strong BBL,” 2013). The extreme storylines may capture and hold the attention of young adult readers, but it is the themes and relationships within those storylines that result in dystopian literature making up such a large part of the young adult literature market today. Ultimately, teens relate to the books, enjoy the books, and buy the books. That means that publishers view dystopian literature as valuable, and they are willing to invest their own time and money into publishing dystopian novels in vast quantitie
Marketing
In terms of marketing, the world of young adult dystopian literature is rich and interesting. Of particular note is the series trend. Many dystopian novels aimed towards young adults are written in a series format. From a marketing standpoint, readers are being drawn in by the first book and then hooked into reading the books that follow. Most recently, series such as The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and the Divergent Trilogy by Veronica Roth have demonstrated the power of series writing for young adults. In an article written in 2011, Publisher’s Weekly predicted that dystopia was “the next big thing” in young adult publishing (“YA Comes of Age,” 2011). Two years later, the trend is stronger than ever and publishers are churning out YA dystopian series one after the other and both young adults and adults are scooping them up off the shelves at an impressive rate. To learn more about the emergence of dystopian fiction in popular culture, visit our Pop Culture page.
In terms of marketing, the world of young adult dystopian literature is rich and interesting. Of particular note is the series trend. Many dystopian novels aimed towards young adults are written in a series format. From a marketing standpoint, readers are being drawn in by the first book and then hooked into reading the books that follow. Most recently, series such as The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and the Divergent Trilogy by Veronica Roth have demonstrated the power of series writing for young adults. In an article written in 2011, Publisher’s Weekly predicted that dystopia was “the next big thing” in young adult publishing (“YA Comes of Age,” 2011). Two years later, the trend is stronger than ever and publishers are churning out YA dystopian series one after the other and both young adults and adults are scooping them up off the shelves at an impressive rate. To learn more about the emergence of dystopian fiction in popular culture, visit our Pop Culture page.