Middle grade is a genre near and dear to my heart. It’s the genre that captured me and made me a reader, but more than that, there’s something honest and heartfelt about the voices of middle grade characters.

In my career as an editor, I’ve noticed that often when a story isn’t working, it’s not the setting or the plot that usually lies at the center of the problem, it’s the voice of the main character, and sometimes the lack of voice.

What is Voice?

I heard the term “voice” a lot in my college creative writing classes, but as a budding writer who was just beginning to take my craft seriously, there were so many terms that would bounce right off of me. Voice was one of them. After all, what does one even mean when they say that your story needs a strong voice?

Voice is the combination of not only the manuscript’s point of view but the narrator’s thought pattern and vocabulary and how you as the author express the emotional tone of the book (i.e. humorous, suspenseful, etc…). 

For example, in the middle grade novel The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart, the story is told from the first-person point of view. This allows the sincere and witty protagonist Coyote to be emotionally close with the reader. The world of the novel is colored by her view of it, and through that, she brings the reader lots of insight, and the reader in turn gets to be part of her struggles and emotional journey in a more intimate way than if the story was told in third-person. Coyote’s way of speaking in dialogue, thoughts, and the actions she performs in the book also creates a strong sense of that honest, curious, wit that makes up the voice of the novel.

Above all in middle grade, your kid protagonists need to sound like…well kids. Readers should be able to pick up your book and hear themselves in the voice of your main character, no matter what tone you are taking. But how do you know if you are achieving that?

How Do You Know if Your MC Has an Authentic Voice?

Here are a few guiding questions to get you started:

• Does the point of view of your story lead the reader to experience the action of the story in the strongest way possible? Would changing the POV make the story stronger and allow the character’s voice to be more resonant?
• Does the protagonist (outside of historical fiction) use words and language that is contemporary with kids today? Protagonists don’t need to use all the current lingo that kids use, but they shouldn’t be using lingo you used as a kid if the story isn’t set then. Again, kids need to hear themselves. Be sure your MC doesn’t sound like an adult in a kid’s body.
• What tense is your story told in? Does it help or hinder the voice of the story? If you write it another way, is it easier to express your character’s voice?
• What is your character’s personality? Have you expressed their personality through your linguistic choice (grammar, syntax, and diction), their emotional behaviors (their attitude and overall temperament including in actions), and the way they experience the world and express the world around them (this could include the cultural references they might mention).

Use these questions as a jumping-off point for understanding the voice of your manuscript and the main character who is driving it.

Crafting Strong Voice

The questions above are a great starting point, but I wanted to touch on a few more ways to create a strong voice in your story.

Remember When?

Remember when you were a kid? Hopefully, you do because you are going to need to draw on that to create an authentic voice in your middle grade novel. I want you to think back on being a kid. What did you want when you were a kid? What were your fears? What did you love doing? What was important to you? If you really want to tap into the hearts of kids and create an MC that resonates with them, you need to tap into your inner kid first.

Get to Know Kids Today

Understanding kids living in the world right now is also crucial to creating an authentic voice in your story. This goes for both contemporary realistic fiction writers, as well as sci-fi fantasy writers, in the middle grade space. Get to know the difference in voice between an eight-year-old and a twelve-year-old. Read lots of great books that have been published lately to help you get the sense of voice in middle grade lately. Ask your librarians what middle grade books kids have been loving. Kids today want to hear about kids like themselves. 

Kids want to feel understood and see themselves in your characters. So make sure you know them first!

You Won’t Get it Right in the First Draft

I always love a good challenge, and before I finished the first draft of my novel, I probably would have stubbornly fought against this point. The perfectionistic tendencies in me drive me to want to get the voice right in the first draft. To have my character ready to shine when they reach the metaphorical finish line at the end of the book.

But…here’s the truth.

Your first draft is about discovering the voice of your story, not polishing it. Odds are that it will take you the entire book to find out who your character is and what their voice sounds like. But don’t let this discourage you. You will find the voice of your character and manuscript by the end, and if you don’t, put it away for a bit and let your brain work on figuring it out for you. But, where you really start strengthening that voice is rewriting.

As William C. Knott, in The Craft of Fiction so articulately put, “anyone can write–and almost everyone you meet these days is writing. However, only the writers know how to rewrite. It is this ability alone that turns the amateur into a pro.”

Since we aren’t aiming to make the voice sharp in the first draft, mentally prepare yourself to do a lot of rewriting and editing in the second draft. I was shocked at how easy it was to scrap the whole first half of my manuscript and rewrite it. In the first draft of my manuscript, my main character was boring, and his voice was bland at best for about 50% of the book. It wasn’t until I reached the end that I understood him and loved him. I felt his personality and voice come to life. So it was easy to go back to the beginning and redraft the whole first half of the book to match that voice. And, I have to say that even though it was a ton of work; I adore this version of my character and his story much more. 

Don’t be afraid to tinker and rewrite your darlings until you can hear them come alive on the page.

Books with Strong Voice to Them

Here’s a small list of books that have brilliant characters with strong voices. As always, I urge you to go out there and scour your local libraries and bookstores and find your own list of books with strong voices. Find authors that resonate with how you want to write and read their work.

• The Midnight Children by Dan Gemeinhart
• The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart
• Tight by Torrey Maldonado
• Voyage of the Frostheart by Jamie Littler
• The Canyon’s Edge by Dusti Bowling
• Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly

Young readers want to resonate with the characters in middle grade books, so don’t be afraid of taking extra time to find and polish the voice of your manuscript. I promise you it will pay off for you and your readers.

Tell me in the comments: What was the biggest insight about voice that you got from this article?

Olivia Fisher is a children’s lit writer and freelance editor with an English degree from BYU-Idaho. When she isn’t dreaming about living in a treehouse or chasing down her two young boys, she enjoys curling up with a book, watching Star Wars, writing her next adventure, and trying to live in the state of child-like wonder that we all secretly, or not so secretly, miss. Follow her adventures on Twitter or Instagram, or hire her for your next editing escapade on Fiverr.

The post Tapping into the Hearts of Kids: Crafting Authentic Voice in Middle Grade appeared first on DIY MFA.

But first, what is middle grade? It’s not a name you hear often outside of the publishing world, and if you peruse your indie bookstore or local Barnes & Noble, you won’t find the section with these books titled that. 

Instead, you might see them broken up into graphic novels, books by series, or young readers.  And dang, you should check out all the amazing cover art for these books. I could go on and on about how talented the illustrators designing middle grade covers are. 

But, let’s go ahead and dive right in.

An Overview

Middle grade is the name given to books for 8–12-year-olds. It fills the gap between chapter books and young adult novels and offers young readers with budding tastes and advancing reading skills a broad range of beautiful stories from contemporary, to fantasy, to spooky, to verse novels full of poetry. Middle grade books typically feature characters the same age as the reader (that 8 to 12 range with the occasional 13-year-old in upper middle grade) and deal with subjects relevant to those readers. 

Often, middle grade themes might explore a young character finding their place in the world as they grow up. Family and friendship might feature prominently. Middle grade is also becoming beautifully diverse with a wonderful rise in books about kids of color and their experiences and adventures. All in all, middle grade contains a wide array of adventures to enjoy. I’ve included a few of my favorites below, but please check out your local library and bookstore for yourself. You never know, you might find a new favorite!

Examples: Voyage of the Frostheart by Jamie littler, Cece Rios and the Desert of Souls by Kaela Rivera, The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart, Red White and Whole by Rajani LaRocca, New from Here by Kelly Yang, Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston, The Warriors Series by Erin Hunter, Witchling by Claribel A. Ortega.

Word Count in Middle Grade

Word count for middle grade has a pretty wide range depending on the story you are trying to tell. As a general rule according to the Writer’s Digest and the Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators for 2022, the typical word count for middle grade is between 22K and 55K. And while some recommend 35K as being the ideal word count, your word count comes down to whether you are writing upper middle grade or lower middle grade and whether your story is contemporary or fantasy/sci-fi. You see, there are nuances to these things that often go unspoken. 

While all books are pitched to agents under the general category of middle grade, there are differences in books meant for 8-year-olds versus 12-year-olds, even though both an 8-year-old and a 12-year-old might enjoy the same book. A book geared mainly for an 8-year-old might be closer to that 20K to 35K range while one geared to a 12-year-old with a more complex plot would most likely hit closer to the 45K to 55K range. 

Most contemporary books don’t require the extensive world-building that fantasy and Sci-fi stories require, so you should really stick to keeping the story under the recommended 55K. However, for fantasy and Sci-fi, you have more wiggle room in your word count and can stretch closer to 60K (70K at the highest). 

Now, these word counts are the general guidelines for manuscripts. This may look different for final books since they have gone through extensive revisions and edits, so don’t go comparing your middle grade to the large tomes sitting on the shelves of your local indie bookstore. 

Graphic Novels

I’m no expert on graphic novels, so I’m going to keep this section short. But I absolutely can’t leave this article without mentioning the beautiful rise of graphic novels for a middle grade audience. While some are headed by author-illustrators, others have a separate author and illustrator. Graphic novels are brilliant because they open up a whole new world of visual storytelling for young readers, especially those that might be more reluctant. 

Here are a few of my favorites that I’ve read. This is only a small selection, and I highly recommend hitting up your local bookstore or library and checking out all of the brilliant graphic novels available there.

Graphic novel examples: Roll with It by Lee Durfey-Lavoie and Veronica Agarwal, Lightfall: The Girl and the Galdurian (Book 1) by Tim Probert, Sunny Side Up by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm, Sheets by Brenna Thummler. 

Good Resources for Middle Grade Writers

So, where can you go to learn more about middle grade and refine your craft? Here are a few great places to get you started!

The Magic Words: Writing Great Books for Children and Young Adults by Cheryl B. Klein

Save the Cat Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody. This book, while not directly related to middle grade writing, is a fantastic resource for plotting and revising your novel! I would also highly recommend checking out the resources on Jessica Brody’s website.

The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). This international organization provides so many resources for both new and experienced children’s book writers and illustrators. From virtual conferences, regional critique sessions, and The Book (a book created by the society full of agents, query suggestions, and manuscript formatting guides).

Reading lots of middle grade books. There is honestly no better way to learn about middle grade books than by reading them! Read in different genres. Just read. I can guarantee it’s one of the quicker and more enjoyable ways to improve your craft.

Phew! We’ve made it through all the kid lit I will be covering in this series. Hopefully, this gives you a jumping-off point if you are new to middle grade or new resources if you are already working away on a novel! Thanks for reading and be on the lookout for the next article packed with more kid lit tips and lessons.

Olivia Fisher is a children’s lit writer and freelance editor with an English degree from BYU-Idaho. When she isn’t dreaming about living in a treehouse or chasing down her two young boys, she enjoys curling up with a book, watching Star Wars, writing her next adventure, and trying to live in the state of child-like wonder that we all secretly, or not so secretly, miss. Follow her adventures on Twitter or Instagram, or hire her for your next editing escapade on Fiverr.

The post All about Middle Grade appeared first on DIY MFA.

About Heather Mateus Sappenfield

Heather Mateus Sappenfield loves adventures, especially in the Rocky Mountain landscape that’s been her lifelong home. As part of women’s teams, she’s won 24-hour mountain bike races and road bicycling’s Race Across America—San Diego, California to Atlantic City, New Jersey. She’s also competed in the Mountain Bike World Championships, ski instructed for Vail Resorts, and loves backcountry ski touring. Her toughest adventures, though, arise in the writing of stories. 

Heather is the author of two contemporary YA novels, The View from Who I Was and Life at the Speed of Us, a Colorado Book Awards Finalist. Her story collection, Lyrics for Rock Stars, released as the winner of the V Press LC Compilation Book Prize, was nominated for the MPIBA’s Reading the West Awards, was a silver medalist for the IBPA’s Ben Franklin Awards, and was featured on Colorado Public Radio. Her most recent book, The River Between Hearts, runner-up for the Kraken Prize, is a Middle Grade novel about friendship and healing. 

About The River Between Hearts

On an ordinary Monday, Rill Kruse left for third grade with a dad, but when she came home, he’d been stolen. By a river. One year and thirteen days later—on the first morning of summer vacation—Rill still insists he’s trudging home. Her mom has become a practical woman. Her older brother, Eddy, now calls her baby and dork. Gus, the second-in-command at Kruse Whitewater Adventures, Rill’s family’s rafting company, has gone from being her dad’s “risk bro” to her mom’s guardian angel. Joyce, company secretary, arm-wrestler, and mechanic, still calls Rill a fingerling, but, after learning what a cheater water is, Rill wishes she’d stop. When Rill’s cat, Clifford, leads her to the family tree fort on the mountainside behind home, she discovers a stowaway, Perla. To help Perla, Rill embarks on an adventure that tests her understanding of the world, of loss, and of what it means to be a friend. In the end, what Rill discovers will nudge her—and all those she loves—toward healing.

Interview with Heather Mateus Sappenfield

Olivia Fisher: What made you want to write for kids?

Heather Mateus Sappenfield: Oh, that’s a great question! If you look at my publishing history, I’ve written two YA novels, an adult literary story collection, and now a MG novel! I never plan to write a genre of book. Instead, I have these obsessions, stored in the back of my mind, and one day a narrator will arrive with a story that explores it. It’s my subconscious working, I’m sure, but those narrators have voices all their own and are pretty fully formed when they show up. I listen to and observe them for weeks, months, even years, and when I feel as though I know them and their story well enough, I begin writing.

One of my joys is writing for readers of all ages. That’s probably not the best choice for me commercially, but I strive to stay true to what the protagonist/characters need the story to be. Having written for adults, YA, and now MG, I must admit that writing for this youngest group of readers was the most difficult craft-wise. MG novels are just as rich and textured as books for older readers, but they must be shaped into simpler sentence structures that peel away artifice and muddled meanings. Instances of my adult perspective needed to be yanked like weeds. It took so much time to get this book right! 

OF: I love this. As a writer of MG myself, you really have to get in the head of your young protagonist and have them say and react as they would and not how you would, and that can be difficult for our adult brains! 

What was the publishing process like for you?

HMS: I had an agent for my first two novels, and she sold my books to Flux, which at the time was an imprint of Llewellyn. I unfairly assumed that she and Flux would take care of all my promotions. I was so naïve! Agents only sell and maintain a book’s rights, and marketing departments at publishing houses are overworked and underpaid. News flash: never ever leave your book’s marketing up to someone else! 

After my agent and I mutually parted ways, I was deflated by the business and quit writing for a while. The River Between Hearts drew me back. I decided to enter contests instead of seeking another agent, and I’ve published my last two books with indie publishers this way. I’ve also hired a publicist, and both have been fabulous experiences. 

Simply publishing a book is terrific—it’s exhilarating initially—but eight months down the road, with it not selling and few people reading it, the process can feel anticlimactic and hollow. 

With this fourth book, I’m finally starting to understand the selling side of the industry. It basically consists of two vendor routes: 1) big outlets like Amazon and Barnes & Noble 2) indie bookstores. 

As you can imagine, these two paths have distribution channels that in many ways do not mingle, and to get your book out there, you need to pursue both. The big outlets are pretty straightforward—get your book listed with them, get your advance reading copies (ARCs) on NetGalley, try to get reviews on Goodreads and seller sites, and hope for the best. 

For indies, you must recognize that indie bookstores are run by people, and this means establishing relationships. Attend their regional conferences, make acquaintances, and swim the uphill battle of getting your book into their store. 

Be sure to put your ARC on Edelweiss, and encourage folks to review it there. Edelweiss is one of the main ways booksellers and librarians learn about books! And again, hope for the best.

OF: Yes, I feel like this is something important for all writers to take away. Publishing is a difficult industry no matter if you are self-publishing, publishing through an indie publisher, or aiming for one of the big four publishers. It can take A LOT of work, and doing your research beforehand is so important! These are some great insights into how writers can prepare for this. Thanks, Heather!

What’s the hardest thing about writing a book?

HMS: When I was a little girl, I always knew I’d live in the mountains and be an author. I guess it’s what I’m meant to do. I love the entire process of writing a book, from drafting the initial pages with my ears ringing from how hard I’m listening, to tweaking the polished copy so that nuance, refrain, and thematic elements sing. 

The hardest part, though, is noticing, and then stepping back, when I’m getting in the way of the story. We all have things we avoid, places we don’t want to go, and it’s not always easy to catch those moments and then step aside so the characters can complete their journey.

OF: What’s the best thing about writing a book?

HMS: Ah, there’s two things. First, I love when I’m at the very end of the revision process, the writing is ultra-polished, and I’ve worked with the story so much that it’s as though I’m effortlessly juggling a hundred balls. I know where all the story elements reside, and how they all link. It’s an amazing sensation. 

Second; I love, love, love connecting with readers—hearing how they interacted with the book, and how the story resonated with them. That, truly, is why I write.

OF: What do you hope readers will take away from your books?

HMS: One reviewer stated (paraphrasing here) that my books are deceptively simple yet layered with meaning. I hope that each of my readers—no matter their age—takes from my books exactly what they need in their life right then. That it sustains them, helps them heal, or makes them laugh.

OF: How did you develop your writing craft?

HMS: I’ve always been a voracious reader. I especially loved science fiction and fantasy for the escape they provided. Though I have mild dyslexia, writing has always been something I excelled at. I was an English major in college. I taught high school language arts. Along the way, I wrote a bit, but not seriously. 

Then, when my daughter was a year old, she started talking with the Australian accent of her daycare provider. I love Australian accents, but…paradigm shift! I resigned from teaching. While she napped, I began to seriously pursue writing. 

I had some bad habits, though, mostly from being on the teaching end of literature. After a few near misses with getting stories published in magazines, I decided to pursue my MFA in Writing at Pacific University’s low residency program. Boy! Did they ever strip away those habits and hone my craft! I was able to study one-on-one with some incredible writers! 

In my third semester, one of my stories was runner-up in a contest. Then another story won a contest, and another was accepted for publication. 

Here I’d like to say, however, that not everybody needs an MFA. They’re costly and don’t fit with every life or learning style. What it really boiled down to for me, I believe, was the intense, focused, open-minded intentioned time dedicated to the craft.

Post-graduation, my craft has continued to evolve in a steady unfolding and unfolding and constant learning about how to write stories in ways that most directly connect with readers. Every day, I learn something new.

OF: I love this. Writing and honing a craft can be a varied journey, and one approach doesn’t fit every writer as you said. You mentioned that what it really came down to for you was the intensely focused time, and really, that’s what I feel like is both the biggest obstacle and the pivotal point of success for writers: making the time to write. But not just write, write with dedication and focus. It’s something I’ve certainly struggled with as a young mom, but that time isn’t impossible to make. It just takes work and intentionality.

OF: What’s next on your author-journey?

HMS: I hope to soon announce some good news about a finished humorous literary/women’s fiction novel! I’m in the final one-hundred pages of drafting another humorous novel. After that, I’ll start a new MG novel, I think. At least, right now, the narrator indicates it will be MG.

OF: I love it! It’s so fun that you are juggling multiple genres and relishing each one! I’m excited to hear more about your next book.

Heather, thank you for taking the time to interview with me and sharing your insight into the world of being a kid lit author with us! Congratulations on your latest book The River Between Hearts. You can find Heather’s book and follow along with her author journey on her website.

Tell us in the comments: What were your big takeaways from this interview with Heather Mateus Sappenfield?

Olivia Fisher is a children’s lit writer and freelance editor with an English degree from BYU-Idaho. When she isn’t dreaming about living in a treehouse or chasing down her two young boys, she enjoys curling up with a book, watching Star Wars, writing her next adventure, and trying to live in the state of child-like wonder that we all secretly, or not so secretly, miss. Follow her adventures on Twitter or Instagram, or hire her for your next editing escapade on Fiverr.

The post Kid Lit Craft: Interview with Heather Mateus Sappenfield appeared first on DIY MFA.

Have you signed up to be a DIY MFA Radio Insider yet? This is an exciting new monthly newsletter especially for our podcast listeners. Every month, you’ll get an email from our podcast producer with recaps of the most recent episodes, a curated Listening List of episodes on a particular theme, and other fun goodies we only share via email. Best of all, it’s free to join! The theme for March is Magic, and you can become an insider by signing up with your email at diymfa.com/insiders.

In this episode Gillian McDunn and I discuss:

• How she created a dynamic depiction of neurodiversity in a novel for middle grade readers.
• What children can learn from cooking and how it applies to other life skills.
• Why middle school is an intense time for learning about adult dynamics.

Plus, her #1 tip for writers.

About Gillian McDunn

Gillian McDunn is the author of These Unlucky Stars, The Queen Bee and Me, and Caterpillar Summer, which received two starred reviews and was selected for the Texas Bluebonnet Award Master List, and Kirkus Reviews and Parents magazine Best Books of the Year lists. When she isn’t reading or writing, she is probably cooking, traveling, or spending time with her family. She lives near Raleigh, North Carolina, with her husband and children, and a very silly dog named Friday.

You can find her on her website or follow her on Twitter, Instagram, or Goodreads.

Honestly Elliott

Sometimes finding yourself can be a little messy … 

Elliott has been struggling since starting middle school, when his ADHD spiraled and his best friend moved away. He’s not too sure where he fits into his own family either, especially since his newly remarried dad and stepmom are expecting a baby. Especially when he already feels like his dad just doesn’t get him–or the fact that Elliott is happiest when he’s cooking. The kitchen’s scents and sizzles always ignite his creativity. There, it’s actually a good thing to have a brain that goes in six directions at once. 

When he’s paired with the super smart and popular Maribel for a school-wide project, Elliott worries they won’t see eye to eye. But Maribel is also looking for a new way to show others her true self and this project could be the chance they’ve both been waiting for.

Sometimes the least likely friends help you see a new side to things . . . and sometimes you have to make a few mistakes before you figure out what’s right.

Highly-acclaimed author of Caterpillar Summer, Gillian McDunn explores boyhood in a funny and big-hearted story about a kid trying to find the best way to be his best self. 

If you decide to check out the book, we hope you’ll do so via this Amazon affiliate link, where if you choose to purchase via the link DIY MFA gets a referral fee at no cost to you. As always, thank you for supporting DIY MFA!

Link to Episode 399

(Right-click to download.)

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Until next week, keep writing and keep being awesome!

The post Episode 399: Neurodiversity, Family Dynamics, and Cooking: Adventures in Contemporary Middle Grade Fiction – Interview with Gillian McDunn appeared first on DIY MFA.

Anna has been writing children’s books for 10 years now; her first book came out in 2011, and her most recent book, Double Clique: A Wish Novel, came out in December of 2021. She was born in Poland and moved to the US when she was five. Stories have always been a part of her life and have given her a voice. Anna has published picture books, chapter books, and middle grade books, a few of which I’ve had the pleasure of reading.

I had the opportunity to interview her and talk all about her books and her journey as a children’s book writer! I wish I had the space to share all of our fantastic interview, but Anna has some beautiful insights for you into the world of being a children’s book writer.  

Interview with Anna Staniszewski

What made you want to write for kids?

Anna Staniszewski: I knew pretty early on that I wanted to be a writer. Eventually, I started writing plays, and I went to college for playwriting, actually. After I graduated, I loved theater, but I didn’t love it enough to do it in such a tough industry, not that writing books is that much easier. 

So I started working on short stories instead, and I thought I was writing for adults. But I got some feedback from a critique partner who said, “You know, all your characters sound 13.” And I thought, “Hmm. That’s interesting.” Then I kind of thought back to all the books that had really meant something to me in my life and so many of them were books I had read when I was young. 

Right around that time, I wound up getting a job at the Eric Carle Museum in Western Massachusetts. I started working there, and I was surrounded by people who loved children’s books. I thought, “Maybe this is a sign. This is what I am supposed to be doing.” So I went back to grad school to learn how to write children’s books.

Olivia Fisher: That’s amazing! And that must have been such an experience working at the Eric Carle Museum!

What was the first book you published?

AS: So this was actually the fourth book that I wrote and the first one that got published. It was my book My Very UnFairy Tale Life, and it came out from Sourcebooks. This book basically took all the things that I loved when I was a kid and put them into one book. It’s like a funny fantasy that’s rooted in fairy tales, especially the darker ones. 

I had been trying to get published with like a couple darker stories. It had taken me like a year to find an agent, and I was querying multiple projects. Then it took us [my agent and I] a year to sell something. This was right around when dystopian was really big. 

So I had like some darker manuscripts that almost got picked up but didn’t, and while I was kind of struggling through all that I was really writing this book just to make myself giggled. It’s so often true for writers that we start down one path thinking, “Yeah, I’m going to do this thing.” And then all of a sudden, we find ourselves doing what we love and being able to publish.

OF: Did those other books ever end up getting picked up, or are they still on the shelves?

AS: They’re on the shelf, but I feel like I learned so much. I feel like you learn so much from every book that you write, and I always feel like you take little tidbits from books you put aside, and some element of those projects might work itself into another book. It was never a waste of time to write those books. It was the time I needed to really get better at my craft.

What was the publishing process like for your first book?

AS: I had queried a couple other books and got some really nice rejections, but they didn’t go anywhere. I was working on something new and that actually wound up winning the Pen New England Discovery Award. So while I was at the reception for that award, this agent came up to me and was like, “I’m a new agent. I’m looking for new clients. If you’re looking for an agent…” and I was like, “Oh!’ I’d been querying for like a year,” and so I wound up connecting with Amy Jill Packett who is still my agent now, and she signed me for a different project. That one came really close to selling, but it didn’t. Luckily, I was working on this other book, and that’s the one that sold. We sold it as a stand alone with series potential.

How has the publishing process changed for you? Did that process change after you published your first book?

AS: The publishing process has changed so much for me because my first book, My Very UnFairy Tale Life, I was writing for fun, so I had no plan. There was no outline. I would just work on it when I felt like it. And then to go from selling that book to suddenly having to write two sequels with a deadline, I had to learn so much about plotting and getting unstuck. 

That first book from the time I started it to the time that it was on shelves was probably about four years. And since then, I’ve gotten to be much more organized about my writing process. I’m still not an outliner necessarily, but I’ve gotten really into writing a synopsis of the whole story. 

I’ve also found that I work best when I have deadlines and have multiple projects going at the same time. If I’m working on one thing and I get stuck, then I need something else to work on while this other thing’s sitting for a while. I can’t afford to get stuck. I can’t afford to give up on something, especially if I have a deadline. So I feel like I’ve found different ways to stay motivated and focused.

Where did you get your inspiration for your latest book?

AS: So with the Clique series, Clique Here and Double Clique, they’re both kind of inspired by my middle school woes. I was not exactly popular in middle school, and I remember wishing there was some kind of magic, like a popularity formula, that I could use. 

Then, about three or four years ago, I was thinking about that again and trying to come up with a new idea for a story. I went back to that idea, but I want to try writing it as a realistic novel rather than something that was magical because that would have been too similar to the project I had just finished. 

I thought what if it wasn’t magic that this character was using to try to become popular? What if it was science? So basically, she uses science in the first book to try and hack popularity because she was being bullied at her old school, and now she’s starting over at a new school. She thinks if she could just be in the popular crowd then she’ll be safe from bullies. So she uses science to try to get in with the popular crowd, and of course, hijinks ensue. 

In the second book, Double Clique, she tries to use science to help her patch things up with her friend. So they were very fun to write.

OF: That’s fantastic! I know those are definitely issues that lots of kids can relate to in their middle school experience.

What’s next on your author journey?

AS: I always like trying new things. That’s how I went from writing middle grade to writing picture books to writing chapter books. I love writing all sorts of things in different genres and different formats for different audiences. 

Right now, I’ve been working on a work for hire series, which I’ve never done before, and it’s actually under a pen name. It’s the Simon Seahorse Series and they’re written under my pen name, Cora Reef, which is adorable.

OF: That’s so cute!

AS: The first three books of this series actually just came out last month, and I have a few of those in the works, which has been really fun to do. And then, speaking of trying new things, I’ve been working on graphic novels, middle grade ones. And I am actually using a lot of my playwriting skills that I’ve sort of dusted off because writing a graphic novel script is very similar to playwriting in a lot of ways. And then I’m just always playing around with new ideas on the side. I want to always keep learning and trying new things by challenging myself to write for a new genre, or format, or audience.

OF: Oh man, that is so cool, and the world of kids graphic novels has become so vibrant recently.

Anna, thank you for taking the time to share all of your incredible author journey with us, and congratulations on your latest book Double Clique! To read Anna’s books or follow along with her writing journey, feel free to visit her website.

Tell us in the comments: Have you ever read anything by Anna Staniszewski?

Olivia Fisher is a children’s lit writer and freelance editor with an English degree from BYU-Idaho. When she isn’t dreaming about living in a treehouse or chasing down her two young boys, she enjoys curling up with a book, watching Star Wars, writing her next adventure, and trying to live in the state of child-like wonder that we all secretly, or not so secretly, miss. Follow her adventures on Twitter or Instagram, or hire her for your next editing escapade on Fiverr.

The post Kid Lit Craft: Interview with Anna Staniszewski appeared first on DIY MFA.

Have you signed up to be a DIY MFA Radio Insider yet? This is an exciting new monthly newsletter especially for our podcast listeners. Every month, you’ll get an email from our podcast producer with recaps of the most recent episodes, a curated Listening List of episodes on a particular theme, and other fun goodies we only share via email. Best of all, it’s free to join! The theme for February is romance, and you can become an insider by signing up with your email at diymfa.com/insiders.

In this episode Ryan Dalton and I discuss:

• Why he wrote This Last Adventure as a middle grade story, as opposed to YA.
• How he created a sense of hope when his amorphous antagonist was undefeatable. 
• Writing group scenes and what to include and what to leave out to make each character distinct.

Plus, his #1 tip for writers.

About Ryan Dalton

Ryan Dalton spends his time thinking up stories when he’s not wearing a cape and fighting crime. He’s a singer, a voiceover artist, a pretty decent amateur chef, and a lover of all things geek. Ryan lives in an invisible spaceship that’s currently hovering over St. Louis, Missouri. Please don’t tell anyone he’s Batman–it’s a secret.

You can find him on his website or follow him on Twitter, Instagram, Goodreads.

This Last Adventure 

Archie’s grandpa has always been his hero. But after Grandpa is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, the confident and adventurous man Archie’s known all his life starts disappearing. He’s not just losing his memory. He’s losing pieces of himself.

Archie desperately wants to slow the progression of Grandpa’s memory loss. Using Grandpa’s old journal entries as inspiration, he creates shared role-playing fantasies with epic quests for them to tackle together–helping Grandpa to live in the present while staying in touch with his fading memories.

But there’s a limit to the power of the fantasies. And not all the memories recorded in the journal entries are happy. When Archie learns a painful secret about Grandpa’s past, he questions everything he thought he knew about his hero.

As Grandpa’s condition worsens, Archie has to come to terms with the reality of what he’s losing and decide what it truly means to live a life worth remembering.

If you decide to check out the book, we hope you’ll do so via this Amazon affiliate link, where if you choose to purchase via the link DIY MFA gets a referral fee at no cost to you. As always, thank you for supporting DIY MFA!

Link to Episode 396

(Right-click to download.)

If you liked this episode…

Head over to iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Spotify, or Google and subscribe so you’ll be first to know when new episodes are available.

Also, remember that sharing is caring so if you know anyone who might enjoy this podcast, please tell them about it or leave us a review so other listeners will want to check it out.

Until next week, keep writing and keep being awesome!

The post Episode 396: When Fantasy and Reality Intersect: Writing Contemporary Middle Grade Fiction – Interview with Ryan Dalton appeared first on DIY MFA.

I’m sometimes tempted to respond to this query with one of my own: why wouldn’t I choose to tackle heavy subjects for middle grade readers? 

Even before the pandemic, kids were grappling with school shootings. And since the beginning of time, they’ve had to deal with the loss of loved ones––mother, fathers, extended family, friends, and community members. 

As a society, we like to pretend that childhood is a place of innocence and wonder, a place filled with ice cream and teddy bears, a place where nothing bad ever happens. 

That’s not to say that I don’t understand the temptation to shelter children, to provide them with books that reflect the gentler side of life. Those types of books are wonderful, and important. 

But keeping children from stories of loss and grief deprives them of a safe space to grapple with difficult subjects. It deprives them of the chance to reflect on their own beliefs, to internalize a model for how they might one day not only encounter trauma and survive, but thrive.

The Real Question

The question, then, isn’t why it’s important to tackle heavy subjects with middle grade readers––it’s how do we approach these subjects in a way that’s age-appropriate? 

For me, the answer comes in the form of writing fantasy. 

More specifically, I reinvented the traditional (and often frightening) Grim Reaper mythology to make it more kid-friendly. Instead of a skeletal figure dressed in black, my Reaper is an invisible Great White Wolf. And instead of exploring concepts like heaven and hell, I utilized my setting––a French-inspired fishing village––to create the Sea-in-the-Sky, where stars are lanterns lit by the departed while sailing to eternity. 

In replacing funerals with a Release ceremony, flowers with feathers, and coffins with boats, I’ve removed some of the immediacy of real death, giving readers the chance to approach the subject on their own terms and at their own comfort level. 

Knowing the Middle Grade Market

This is especially important because the middle grade market ranges from kids as young as eight all the way up to twelve and thirteen years old. The needs of kids on the younger end of that spectrum are far different than the needs of older readers. 

Fantasy books are unique in that they offer a layered reading experience, allowing each reader to pull from the book whatever they need depending on maturity and interests. Young readers or those who are looking for fun, adventure, mystery, and escape can find it in the pages of fantasy novels. Older readers looking for more depth and emotional resonance will tune in to the darker themes that younger readers may gloss over. 

Books such as Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate, The Boy, The Boat, and the Beast by Samantha M. Clark, A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness, and The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman are all great examples. 

Humor and Tackling Heavy Subjects with Middle Grade Readers

Another important tool in tackling heavy subjects with middle grade readers is the use of humor. In The Wolf’s Curse, the Wolf acts as an omniscient narrator, offering moments of levity with wry observations about the villagers’ many superstitions, including their insistence on carrying dead rabbits’ feet to protect them from death. 

Such moments offer young readers a reprieve, a release from the darker truths reflected on the pages. 

Author Tahereh Mafi uses this same tool with great results in her middle grade novel Whichwood, in which a young girl is tasked with washing souls from their bodies. She’s haunted by her mother’s ghost, a spirit she tolerates with observations such as, “Ghosts, it turns out, were excessively insecure creatures, offended by every imagined slight; they required constant coddling and found comfort only in their romantic musings on death––which, as you might imagine, made them miserable companions.”

Including humor can be particularly important when writing contemporary, realistic stories that tackle heavy subjects. Debut author Yvette Clark uses this technique in Glitter Gets Everywhere, a novel about a young British girl trying to cope with the loss of her mother. Among all the grief, the main character manages to find small moments of humor, such as turning her ponytail wearing, bully-squashing older sister into an imaginary superhero called “Ponytail Girl,” who she imagines will save the world and then film Youtube videos about avocado hair conditioners. 

Clark also utilizes quirky and humorous side characters, such as Mrs. Allison and her French bulldog, Sir Lancelot, who is described as a “glum-looking creature, constantly snuffling and with numerous digestive issues resulting in horrible farts…” These touches result in a story that doesn’t shy away from the grieving process, but still provides an enjoyable read. 

More than ever before, the middle grade market is opening up to books that address nearly every heavy topic out there; there’s no doubt that writing these stories can be a challenge and carry a great responsibility, but offering young readers books to help them process traumatic events is essential, and incorporating fantasy and humor can help make the stories more palatable for the young readers we’re trying to reach. 

Jessica Vitalis is a Columbia MBA-wielding writer. After leaving home at 16, Vitalis explored several careers before turning her talents to middle grade literature. She brings her experience growing up in a nontraditional childhood to her stories, exploring themes such as death and grief, domestic violence, and socio-economic disparities. With a mission to write thought-provoking and entertaining literature, she often includes magic and fantastical settings. As an active volunteer in the kidlit community, she’s also passionate about using her privilege to lift up other voices. In addition to volunteering with We Need Diverse Books and Pitch Wars, she founded Magic in the Middle, a series of free monthly recorded book talks, to help educators introduce young readers to new stories. An American expat, she now lives in Canada with her husband and two precocious daughters. She loves traveling, sailing and scuba diving, but when she’s at home, she can usually be found reading a book or changing the batteries in her heated socks. You can follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

The post Not All Ice Cream and Teddy Bears: Tackling Heavy Subjects with Middle Grade Readers appeared first on DIY MFA.

Traci is the author of the critically acclaimed book We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga. She is an enrolled citizen of the Cherokee Nation and lives in northeastern Oklahoma, where her tribe is located. Today we’re talking about her picture book Classified: The Secret Career of Mary Golda Ross, Cherokee Aerospace Engineer (Illustrated by Natasha Donovan).

Carole is the author of numerous award-winning books including the Newbery Honor book Box: Henry Brown Mails Himself to Freedom (illustrated by Michele Wood), and R-E-S-P-E-C-T: Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul (illustrated by Frank Morrison). Today we’re discussing her picture book Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre (Illustrated by Floyd Cooper).

When she’s not traveling or visiting museums, Carole is mining the past for family stories, fading traditions, and forgotten struggles. She lives in North Carolina.

In this episode Traci, Carole, and I discuss:

• Why they each decided to tell these forgotten stories as middle grade picture books.
• The deliberate and unique choices they made in structuring their narratives.
• How they created a distinct sense of time and place to ground their books.

Plus, their #1 tip for writers.

About Traci Sorell 

Traci Sorell is the author of Sibert, Orbis Pictus, AILA American Indian Youth Literature Award, and Boston Globe–Horn Book Honor Book We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga. She is an enrolled citizen of the Cherokee Nation and lives in northeastern Oklahoma, where her tribe is located.

You can find Traci on her website or follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Goodreads.

Classified: The Secret Career of Mary Golda Ross, Cherokee Aerospace Engineer

Mary Golda Ross designed classified airplanes and spacecraft as Lockheed Aircraft Corporation’s first female engineer. Find out how her passion for math and the Cherokee values she was raised with shaped her life and work.

Cherokee author Traci Sorell and Métis illustrator Natasha Donovan trace Ross’s journey from being the only girl in a high school math class to becoming a teacher to pursuing an engineering degree, joining the top-secret Skunk Works division of Lockheed, and being a mentor for Native Americans and young women interested in engineering. In addition, the narrative highlights Cherokee values including education, working cooperatively, remaining humble, and helping ensure equal opportunity and education for all.

About Carole Weatherford

Carole Boston Weatherford is the author of numerous award-winning books including and Box: Henry Brown Mails Himself to Freedom, illustrated by Michele Wood which received a Newbery Honor; R-E-S-P-E-C-T: Aretha Franklin, The Queen of Soul, illustrated by Frank Morrison which won the 2021 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Book Award. When she’s not traveling or visiting museums, Carole is mining the past for family stories, fading traditions, and forgotten struggles. She lives in North Carolina.

You can find Carole on her website or follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre

Celebrated author Carole Boston Weatherford and illustrator Floyd Cooper provide a powerful look at the Tulsa Race Massacre, one of the worst incidents of racial violence in our nation’s history. The book traces the history of African Americans in Tulsa’s Greenwood district and chronicles the devastation that occurred in 1921 when a white mob attacked the Black community.

News of what happened was largely suppressed, and no official investigation occurred for seventy-five years. This picture book sensitively introduces young readers to this tragedy and concludes with a call for a better future.

If you decide to check out these books, we hope you’ll do so via these Amazon affiliate links for Classified and Unspeakable where if you choose to purchase via the link DIY MFA gets a referral fee at no cost to you. As always, thank you for supporting DIY MFA!

(Right-click to download.)

If you liked this episode…

Head over to iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Spotify, or Google and subscribe so you’ll be first to know when new episodes are available.

Also, remember that sharing is caring so if you know anyone who might enjoy this podcast, please tell them about it or leave us a review so other listeners will want to check it out.

Until next week, keep writing and keep being awesome!

The post Episode 375: Bringing Omitted BIPOC History to Light through Middle Grade Picture Books – Interview with Traci Sorell and Carole Boston Weatherford appeared first on DIY MFA.

Cynthia is a New York Times bestselling author known for her award-winning children’s and YA books. She writes both realistic contemporary stories and fantastical narratives, and most recently, she won the American Indian Youth Literature YA Award for Hearts Unbroken published by Candlewick.

Today we’ll be discussing one of her most recent projects: Ancestor Approved: Intertribal Stories for kids, a Middle Grade anthology published by Heartdrum, a Native-focused imprint at HarperChildren’s where Cynthia is the author-curator. In addition to her work in publishing, she is also on the faculty of the MFA program in Writing for Children and Young Adults at Vermont College of Fine Arts. She is a citizen of Mvskoke Nation and makes her home in Austin, Texas.

In this episode Cynthia and I discuss:

• How the lack of Native representation in Middle Grade books inspired Cynthia’s writing and the impetus for Heartdrum.
• What elements are important to include when writing specifically for Middle Graders and how MG is distinct from YA.
• Why it’s important to create an inclusive feeling  of a “we” not “me” book within diverse literature.

Plus, her #1 tip for writers.

About Cynthia Leitich Smith

New York Times bestselling author Cynthia Leitich Smith is known for her award-winning children’s and YA realistic contemporary and fantastical books. Most recently, she won the American Indian Youth Literature YA Award for Hearts Unbroken, published by Candlewick, and she looks forward to the release of Ancestor Approved: Intertribal Stories for Kids, a Middle Grade anthology published by Heartdrum.

Cynthia is the author-curator of Heartdrum, a Native-focused imprint at HarperChildren’s and on the faculty of the MFA program in Writing for Children’s and Young Adults at Vermont College of Fine Arts. She’s a citizen of Mvskoke Nation and makes her home in Austin, Texas.

You can find Cynthia on her website or follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn. 

Ancestor Approved: Intertribal Stories for Kids

A collection of intersecting stories set at a powwow that bursts with hope, joy, resilience, the strength of community, and Native pride.

In a high school gym full of color and song, Native families from Nations within the borders of the U.S. and Canada dance, sell beadwork and books, and celebrate friendship and heritage. They are the heroes of their own stories.

Featured contributors: Joseph Bruchac, Art Coulson, Christine Day, Eric Gansworth, Dawn Quigley, Carole Lindstrom, Rebecca Roanhorse, David A. Robertson, Andrea L. Rogers, Kim Rogers, Cynthia Leitich Smith, Monique Gray Smith, Traci Sorell, Tim Tingle, Erika T. Wurth, and Brian Young.

If you decide to check out the book, we hope you’ll do so via this Amazon affiliate link, where if you choose to purchase via the link DIY MFA gets a referral fee at no cost to you. As always, thank you for supporting DIY MFA!

(Right-click to download.)

If you liked this episode…

Head over to iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Spotify, or Google and subscribe so you’ll be first to know when new episodes are available.

Also, remember that sharing is caring so if you know anyone who might enjoy this podcast, please tell them about it or leave us a review so other listeners will want to check it out.

Until next week, keep writing and keep being awesome!

The post Episode 346: Curating a Middle Grade Anthology of Intertribal Stories – Interview with Cynthia Leitich Smith appeared first on DIY MFA.

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Henry Clark.

Henry is the author of What We Found in the Sofa and How It Saved the World as well as The Book That Proves Time Travel Happens. He has contributed articles to MAD magazine and published fiction in Isaac Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine in addition to acting at Old Bethpage Village Restoration, a living-history museum. Today we’ll be talking about his latest novel: What We Found in the Corn Maze and How It Saved a Dragon.

In this episode Henry and I discuss:

• The symbolic meaning of numbers and how it interplays with magic.
• Why a trio of protagonists creates a great dynamic for moving along a story.
• How to use humor as a vehicle for character development.

Plus, his #1 tip for writers.

About Henry Clark

Henry Clark is the author of What We Found in the Sofa and How It Saved the World and The Book That Proves Time Travel Happens. He has contributed articles to MAD magazine and published fiction in Isaac Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine in addition to acting at Old Bethpage Village Restoration, a living-history museum. He lives in St. Augustine, Florida. Visit his website and connect with him on Twitter and Facebook. 

What We Found in the Corn Maze and How it Saved a Dragon

For fans of Adam Gidwitz, Chris Grabenstein, and Adam Rex comes the story of three kids who discover a book of magic spells that can only be cast a few short minutes a day!

When three kids discover a book of magic spells that can only be cast a few short minutes a day, they’ll need all the time they can get to save a dying magical world, its last dragon, and themselves!

An ordinary day turns extraordinary when twelve-year-old Cal witnesses his neighbor Modesty summon a slew of lost coins without lifting a finger. Turns out she has a secret manual of magic spells…but they only work sometimes. And they’re the most boring spells ever: To Change the Color of a Room, To Repair a Chimney, To Walk With Stilts, To Untangle Yarn. Useless!

But when Cal, his friend Drew, and Modesty are suddenly transported to the world the spells come from — a world that’s about to lose its last dragon — they’ll have to find a way to use the oddly specific incantations to save the day, if only they can figure out when magic works.

From the inventive mind of Henry Clark comes a hilariously wacky adventure about magic, friendship, a lookout tower come to life, a maze in the shape of a dragon, an actual dragon named Phlogiston, and lots and lots of popcorn.

If you decide to check out the book, we hope you’ll do so via this Amazon affiliate link, where if you choose to purchase via the link DIY MFA gets a referral fee at no cost to you. As always, thank you for supporting DIY MFA!

Link to Episode 311

(Right-click to download.)

If you liked this episode…

Head over to iTunes, Stitcher Radio or Google Play and subscribe so you’ll be first to know when new episodes are available.

Also, remember that sharing is caring so if you know anyone who might enjoy this podcast, please tell them about it or leave us a review so other listeners will want to check it out.

Until next week, keep writing and keep being awesome!

The post Episode 311: World-Building in Middle Grade Fantasy – Interview with Henry Clark appeared first on DIY MFA.