At Scribbly, we get asked versions of this constantly And honestly? It is a good question to ask. Because knowing who your story is for changes how you shape everything — pacing, dialogue, emotional depth, themes, even how long readers are willing to sit inside certain moments.
There comes a point in almost every writing project where the excitement fades slightly, and the questions begin.
Not “What if this becomes a bestseller?”
Instead, smaller and more practical questions like:
- Is this YA?
- Would adults even read this?
- Am I writing for teenagers, children or people my own age?
- Why does this story suddenly feel too young… or too old?
- Who is actually meant to connect with this?
At Scribbly, we get asked versions of this constantly And honestly? It is a good question to ask.
Because knowing who your story is for changes how you shape everything — pacing, dialogue, emotional depth, themes, even how long readers are willing to sit inside certain moments.
But here is the important part: Your Audience Is Not Just About Age.
This is where many writers accidentally trap themselves, assuming audience categories are mathematical.
Child protagonist = children’s book.
Teen protagonist = YA.
Adult protagonist = adult fiction.
Simple. Except… it is not.
A story about a twelve-year-old can absolutely devastate an adult reader emotionally. A fantasy series written for younger readers can develop a massive adult fanbase. Entire generations of adults still line up for books originally shelved in the YA section.
That is because readers are not simply choosing stories based on age. They are choosing stories based on emotional experience.
That matters far more.
Stories Speak Different Emotional Languages
Some stories feel safe.
Some feel confronting.
Some feel like adventure.
Some portray grief.
Some feel like sitting quietly with a friend who finally understands you.
Readers instinctively gravitate toward the emotional experiences they crave at that point in their lives. That is why two people can read the exact same book and walk away with completely different reactions.
When you begin thinking about your audience this way, categories suddenly become much clearer.
Middle Grade readers, for example, are often still deeply hopeful readers. Even when stories tackle difficult themes, there is usually movement, possibility, discovery, or wonder carrying the story forward. These readers are exploring the world.
Young Adult readers are often exploring themselves. That is why YA stories tend to feel emotionally immediate. Identity matters intensely in these books. Friendship, betrayal, belonging, injustice, love, fear — everything sits closer to the skin because adolescence itself feels that way.
Adult fiction often slows down emotionally. Not because adults feel less, but because adult stories often explore complexity rather than immediacy. Contradictions. Moral grey areas. Regret. Consequences. Quiet loneliness. The long-term weight of choices.
None of these are “better” than the others. They are simply different emotional conversations.
Genre Matters Just As Much
This is another thing writers sometimes overlook.
You are not only writing for an age group. You are also writing for readers who enjoy a certain emotional rhythm.
A romance reader usually expects emotional payoff. A mystery reader expects resolution. A thriller reader expects tension. Fantasy readers often want immersion and escapism. Horror readers frequently seek discomfort in controlled environments — which sounds strange until you realise humans have always used stories to safely explore fear.
That emotional expectation becomes part of an unspoken agreement between writer and reader.
Break that agreement too sharply, and readers can feel unsettled — not in a good way.
For example, if a book is marketed like a light-hearted fantasy adventure and suddenly becomes relentlessly bleak halfway through, readers may feel emotionally blindsided. Likewise, if a psychological thriller avoids tension for too long, readers may begin to feel disconnected because the emotional experience they expected never fully arrives.
Understanding your audience helps you grasp the emotional promise your story makes.
One of the Biggest Mistakes Writers Make
Trying to write for everybody.
It sounds generous in theory: “I want everyone to enjoy it.”
But in practice, stories written for everybody often end up connecting deeply with nobody.
The strongest stories usually know exactly what emotional lane they are sitting in.
That does not mean your audience needs to be tiny or niche. It simply means the story understands itself.
Readers can feel that confidence.
Think about the books people become obsessed with. The ones they recommend passionately. The ones they press into their friend’s hands, saying: “You HAVE to read this.”
Those books rarely feel generic.
They feel specific.
Emotionally specific. Tonally specific. Voice specific.
They know what kind of reader they are speaking to.
So, How Do You Actually Work It Out?
Honestly? Part of it comes from paying attention to your own story rather than forcing it into a category too early.
Ask yourself:
- What feeling lingers after someone finishes this?
- What type of reader would emotionally connect with this most deeply?
- Does this story ask readers for innocence, experience, hope, cynicism, curiosity, fear, or nostalgia?
- Is the pacing reflective or immediate?
- Are the themes exploratory or confronting?
- Does the language feel accessible, layered, lyrical, sharp, playful?
You can learn a lot from tone alone.
It also helps to look at what books naturally sit beside yours on a shelf. Not because you are copying them — but because audiences often move toward familiar emotional experiences.
Someone who loves Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thiefis usually seeking a very different emotional journey than someone obsessed with Gone Girl.
Neither is wrong. They are simply feeding different parts of the human experience.
The Good News? Readers Are Flexible
One of the nicest things about modern publishing is that readers cross categories constantly now.
Adults read YA. Teenagers read classics. Younger readers sneak books above their age bracket. Older readers rediscover fantasy. People bounce between literary fiction, romance, memoir, and horror without thinking twice.
The walls are far less rigid than they once were.
So if your story sits somewhere between categories? That is okay. A lot of wonderful books do.
You do not need to panic about labelling your story perfectly before it is even finished.
In many ways, the audience becomes clearer once the emotional heart of the story fully reveals itself.
And usually? Writers already know the answer deep down.
Not through spreadsheets or algorithms.
But through instinct.
Because somewhere inside you already understand who this story is speaking to.
The real work is learning to listen to it.
What About Children’s Books
This category is often misunderstood because people assume writing for children must be “easy.”
It is not.
In fact, writing well for children can be one of the hardest forms of storytelling.
Children’s books are usually designed to be:
- read aloud
- visually engaging
- emotionally safe
- rhythmically satisfying
- simple without feeling simplistic
A strong children’s book understands that young readers experience stories very differently from adults. They respond strongly to rhythm, repetition, imagery, humour, emotion, and familiarity. They also have far less patience for unnecessary detail or slow openings.
That means every word has to work harder.
Your story may fit this category if it:
- relies heavily on illustrations or visual storytelling
- uses shorter sentences and clearer language
- focuses on simple but meaningful emotional experiences
- explores themes like family, friendship, bedtime, kindness, confidence, or curiosity
- is designed to be read together between adult and child
Readers (and parents!) often want: Comfort. Joy. Familiarity. Reassurance. Gentle humour. Wonder.
And importantly? Parents, carers, grandparents, and teachers are often the actual buyers of children’s books — so the reading experience matters for them too.
The best children’s books work on two levels: entertaining the child while remaining enjoyable for the adult reading it for the fifteenth time that week.
Common Children’s Book Categories
| Category | Typical Age | Typical Features |
| Board Books | 0–3 | Very short, sensory, durable |
| Picture Books | 3–7 | Illustrated, emotional or playful storytelling |
| Early Readers | 5–7 | Simple independent reading with basic sentence structure |
Think:
- The Very Hungry Caterpillar
- Possum Magic
- Where is the Green Sheep?
One final thing worth remembering:
Children do not need stories that “talk down” to them. They need stories that respect their imagination.
That is a very different thing entirely.
Quick Cheat Sheet: Who Is Your Story Really For?
Sometimes the easiest way to understand your audience is to stop thinking about publishing categories for a minute and instead look at the overall emotional shape of your story.
This is not about locking your work into a box.
It is simply a tool to help you recognise the kinds of readers most likely to connect with what you are writing.
If Your Story Feels Like This…
Middle Grade (Approx. 8–12)
Your story probably fits here if it:
- centres around discovery, adventure, friendship, or belonging
- has younger protagonists navigating growing independence
- moves with curiosity and momentum
- avoids heavy graphic content
- still leaves room for hope, wonder, or safety even during darker moments
Readers often want:
Adventure. Fun. Mystery. Emotional honesty. A sense that the world is still opening up.
Think:
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
- Wonder
Young Adult (Approx. 12–18)
Your story may sit in YA if it:
- explores identity, belonging, first love, rebellion, or self-discovery
- feels emotionally immediate and intense
- has faster pacing and high emotional stakes
- focuses heavily on relationships and personal growth
- captures the feeling of becoming someone
Readers often want:
Connection. Emotion. Urgency. Characters who feel real and deeply relatable.
Think:
- The Hunger Games
- The Fault in Our Stars
New Adult (Approx. 18–30)
Your story may lean New Adult if it:
- explores independence after school
- focuses on careers, university, adult relationships, or identity shifts
- balances YA emotional intensity with adult themes
- contains more mature emotional or romantic complexity
Readers often want:
Intensity. Transition. Messiness. Real-world emotional stakes.
Adult Fiction
Your story likely sits here if it:
- explores long-term consequences, moral complexity, regret, or layered themes
- tolerates ambiguity and slower pacing
- asks readers to sit with discomfort or nuance
- assumes a broader life experience from the audience
Readers often want:
Depth. Reflection. Complexity. Emotional realism.
Think:
- Gone Girl
- The Midnight Library
Genre Clues Matter Too
Sometimes, the audience is less about age and more about emotional expectations.
| Genre | Readers Often Expect |
| Romance | Emotional payoff and connection |
| Thriller | Suspense, tension, danger |
| Horror | Fear, unease, psychological discomfort |
| Fantasy | Escape, immersion, wonder |
| Mystery | Resolution and curiosity |
| Literary Fiction | Reflection, layered meaning |
| Cosy Fiction | Comfort, familiarity, warmth |
| Sci-Fi | Big ideas, future possibilities, ethical questions |
Questions to Ask Yourself
Instead of asking: “What category is this?”
Try asking:
- What feeling lingers after the final page?
- Who would connect with this most deeply on an emotional level?
- Does this story feel hopeful, confronting, playful, reflective, intense, or comforting?
- Would younger readers understand the emotional weight?
- Would adult readers feel emotionally challenged or nourished by it?
- What existing books feel emotionally similar?
Those answers usually point you toward the right audience.
Remember
You do not need to perfectly define your audience before you write.
Sometimes the audience becomes obvious only when the story fully reveals itself.
And many successful books sit across multiple categories anyway.
Your goal is not to please everyone.
Your goal is to find the readers who will feel seen by your story.
That is where the magic usually happens.
References and Further Reading
- Writing NSW Resources
- Australian Publishers Association
- Children’s Book Council of Australia
- The Australian Society of Authors