Writing for Middle Grade kids differs from writing for Young Adults. Whether you decide to change the audience of your novel or just start writing for a particular age group, here are some guidelines to keep in mind at all times.
Middle Grade novels are for ages 8-12 while books for young adults are for ages12 and up. Generally, for both group age, you do not have to worry about the vocabulary choices or the sentence structure being simpler or more complex.
The Middle Grade fantasy novel:
- The MC (Main Character) conflict is inward even though the themes are centered around school, family, peers.
- The MC learns how to understand his surroundings and the many internal changes like puberty.
- The MC is building her personality through trials and failures.
- The MC is full of hopes and dreams, even if they are not realistic.
- The MC is struggling to be a normal teenager.
- Characters will grow and change internally through the book. The MC will decide what is fair or unfair and decide what to do about it.
- The book mirrors the MC’s personal experiences only.
- There is no romance, but the MC can experience the most innocent crushes.
- The action comes from the imagination, so a lot of magical realism and fantasy is happening.
- The MC is more worried about something planned, something happening in his life than the villain stalking him.
- When faced with a problem, the MC will say, "Why me?" instead of "What does this mean in the long run?"
- The villain appears when it comes in contact with the MC’s bubble.
- The outside world is a wonder to explore. The MC likes adventure just for the fun of it.
- The reader accepts just any crazy plot, idea.
- There is always a "looking forward" feel at the end of a MG book. There is the feeling that there is more life to live.
- MG novels are 100 pages or shorter (less than 60,000 words)
The Young Adult fantasy novel:
- The plot is more complicated. Several plots interlace.
- The MC thinks he knows where he belongs and with whom at the beginning of the novel, but that’s when something upsets the reality of the MC and turns it upside down.
- Everything is black and white in the MC's mind, at first. Throughout the novel, the MC realizes life is about the infinite shades of gray.
- The internal change is triggered by external events that put the MC in question (not internal meanderings). As a consequence, the MC will put everything, everybody in question. The MC will passionately research for truth.
- The MC is more mature than the hero from MG novel. She is confident and experiences the way she influences the world.
- The MC is also influenced by the peers, the culture, external experiences and the larger world.
- The MC encounters adult problems (racism, prejudices, murder, etc.). The reality can be gritty.
- The MC loses his innocence and opens his eyes to the shortcomings of the family, the neighbors, the adult world in general.
- The characters are independent and get in trouble on their own.
- The romance can be sizzling but still within limits. Generally, only kisses are allowed.
- The MC experiences a lot of first times.
- The MC is worried about other people’s lives.
- The MC reads the newspaper, watches TV and asks questions.
- We have a good view of the villain from outside, on her own. The villain has her own plot line.
- The ending of the novel shows only a little bit of hope tinted by a lot of disillusionment.
- The novel goes beyond 100 pages (60,000 words)
Middle Grade novels are for ages 8-12 while books for young adults are for ages12 and up. Generally, for both group age, you do not have to worry about the vocabulary choices or the sentence structure being simpler or more complex.
The Middle Grade fantasy novel:
- The MC (Main Character) conflict is inward even though the themes are centered around school, family, peers.
- The MC learns how to understand his surroundings and the many internal changes like puberty.
- The MC is building her personality through trials and failures.
- The MC is full of hopes and dreams, even if they are not realistic.
- The MC is struggling to be a normal teenager.
- Characters will grow and change internally through the book. The MC will decide what is fair or unfair and decide what to do about it.
- The book mirrors the MC’s personal experiences only.
- There is no romance, but the MC can experience the most innocent crushes.
- The action comes from the imagination, so a lot of magical realism and fantasy is happening.
- The MC is more worried about something planned, something happening in his life than the villain stalking him.
- When faced with a problem, the MC will say, "Why me?" instead of "What does this mean in the long run?"
- The villain appears when it comes in contact with the MC’s bubble.
- The outside world is a wonder to explore. The MC likes adventure just for the fun of it.
- The reader accepts just any crazy plot, idea.
- There is always a "looking forward" feel at the end of a MG book. There is the feeling that there is more life to live.
- MG novels are 100 pages or shorter (less than 60,000 words)
The Young Adult fantasy novel:
- The plot is more complicated. Several plots interlace.
- The MC thinks he knows where he belongs and with whom at the beginning of the novel, but that’s when something upsets the reality of the MC and turns it upside down.
- Everything is black and white in the MC's mind, at first. Throughout the novel, the MC realizes life is about the infinite shades of gray.
- The internal change is triggered by external events that put the MC in question (not internal meanderings). As a consequence, the MC will put everything, everybody in question. The MC will passionately research for truth.
- The MC is more mature than the hero from MG novel. She is confident and experiences the way she influences the world.
- The MC is also influenced by the peers, the culture, external experiences and the larger world.
- The MC encounters adult problems (racism, prejudices, murder, etc.). The reality can be gritty.
- The MC loses his innocence and opens his eyes to the shortcomings of the family, the neighbors, the adult world in general.
- The characters are independent and get in trouble on their own.
- The romance can be sizzling but still within limits. Generally, only kisses are allowed.
- The MC experiences a lot of first times.
- The MC is worried about other people’s lives.
- The MC reads the newspaper, watches TV and asks questions.
- We have a good view of the villain from outside, on her own. The villain has her own plot line.
- The ending of the novel shows only a little bit of hope tinted by a lot of disillusionment.
- The novel goes beyond 100 pages (60,000 words)