Categories are a social construct. Embrace chaos. If readers can’t find your book, then they are probably too dumb to understand your masterpiece.

Most authors would prefer to hear this answer. It saves them a headache. In the short-term, anyway. In the long-term, an improperly categorized book won’t sell.

Some books are obvious. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L Frank Baum is obviously a children’s book, whereas Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina is aimed at more mature audiences. Other books may fall into a gray area.

Shirley Jackson’s We Have Always Lived in the Castle, is narrated by eighteen-year-old Merricat Blackwood. Although many would automatically categorize her as a YA protagonist, Merricat isn’t a typical teen main character. She is a mentally disturbed hermit living with her agoraphobic sister. She has very little in common with the teenage experience. Should Merricat’s age determine this book’s place on the shelves, or are the mature themes the deciding factor? Libraries and bookstores alike seem to struggle with this question.

Typically, age is the first factor to consider. Young Adult, or YA, books usually feature a main character between fourteen to eighteen, and their intended is audience is twelve or older.

Adult books usually feature a main character eighteen or older. If a protagonist is out of high school, the book is usually intended for adults.

If the difference between YA and Adult literature was so simple, there wouldn’t be nearly so many articles gracing the internet. Content matters more than age. If the book handles mature topics like sexual assault, violence, abuse, depression, and war, pay attention to how it is written. Fade to black sexual assault, summaries, and vague descriptions suggests the material might by YA. If the reader stays with the character and witnesses the way the brains spill out of their father’s cracked skull, the story will probably do better with adult audiences. The more graphic the details, the more likely it is intended for adults.

Sex is a hot topic in the current political climate. While it’s true sex has become more and more graphic in YA books, authors should be cautious about including graphic details. Censorship and book banning may be an issue in the coming years, and platforms such as Amazon Books can update their content policies at any time. If you choose to publish a YA book, be deliberate with your details.

Age, sex, and violence. Is that all you need to consider?

Not even close. Mature topics aren’t necessarily violent or sexy. The voice, or the narrator of a story, provides the lens a reader uses to perceive the world. Even with complex, violent topics, a naïve or simple narration style can firmly push the book into YA. Remember, teens aren’t less complicated than adults. Teenagers are just as introspective and their troubles feel just as large. Through YA literature, they examine how they see and react to the adult world.

Theme is also a good indicator of the suggested audience. A major element of YA fiction is exploration and finding their place in the world. Adult fiction often focuses more on self-actualization and personal growth. J K Rowling’s Harry Potter grows throughout the series. He begins Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone as a lonely, nervous boy famous for something he can’t remember. By book seven, he is a confident, skilled, savior of the wizarding world.

In Gillian Flynn’s Sharp Objects, the main character deals with similar themes through an adult lens. Camille Preaker returns to her hometown to report on a serial killer, but spends much of the story confronting the immense abuse she experienced throughout her childhood. Both Camille and Harry are scapegoats who left home for something better, J K Rowling doesn’t dwell on Harry’s trauma. Camille is drifting and unsure of her place in the world, as many YA characters are, but the effects of are much more egregious. Alcoholism, self-harm, sexual assault, and abuse are shown without veils or distractions.

If you are still struggling to decide if your book is intended for YA or adult audiences, sit down and pull out a piece of paper.

“Not paper!” you might scoff.

Yes, paper. This is a serious decision. Give it the gravity it’s owed.

On paper, write down three descriptions of people who will love your book. They could be people you know or people you imagine. Pick a cousin, a friend, a booktokker you feel a kinship with. Pick three people who would adore your story and tell yourself about them.

Age? Gender? Socio-economic level? Career? What are their hobbies? What kind of movies do they like?

It doesn’t have to be perfect, or even true. This exercise is meant to clear out the static in your head. You know your story better than anyone, and that knowledge makes logic hard. Look at your profiles. Are they teenagers who sneak into the adult section when their parents aren’t looking? Are the adults who still like to plunder the Young Adult books for new reads?

Throughout this article, one important category has been omitted. Many books are now shelved under New Adult. As the name implies, it blends many of the characteristics of both YA and Adult fiction. Many bookstores don’t carry a New Adult section, so authors should still determine if their manuscript leans older or younger.

Bottom line: don’t stress. This is an important decision, but it isn’t the end of the world if you pick the wrong category. Traditionally published authors will be told if the book doesn’t match the publisher’s standards, and indie authors can change a book’s categorization if it isn’t selling. Every author wants to give their book its best chance of success, but few mistakes are permanent. Talk to your beta readers, your editors, your agent, and anyone else who may have read your manuscript. Dive into each category and compare your book to the bestsellers. If your book is truly in such a gray area that you can’t decide, err on the side of caution and choose the younger audience.

You’ve got this.