When it comes to writing middle grade fiction, authors might wonder what works best for this 8-12 years old age group. After all, it encompasses a large audience. Consider the developmental differences between an eight-year-old (3rd grade) and a twelve-year-old (7th grade). Height, puberty, social/emotional awareness, goals, interests… there is a lot of room for variation here. Narrowing down a story idea can prove challenging.
Here’s the good news: middle grade readers enjoy all genres. Historical fiction, science fiction, contemporary fiction, fantasy, mystery, graphic novels, and action-adventure.
What are some elements that work well with this age group?
Stories that are Character-Driven
Make your protagonist the same age as your reader. Let them face authentic challenges and struggles and push them to actively resolve these problems independent of an adult. They need to be likeable and relatable. Show your reader their hopes, their fears, their best friend, their worst day, and their thought process. Remember, at this age, kids make a lot of mistakes, and that’s okay. Keeping it real can lead to entertaining outcomes and set the MC up for major character growth. For example, in the book Wonder, author R.J. Palacio introduces the reader to a child with a severe and very visible facial deformity. Not only is he phasing from homeschool to public school, but he’s doing it at a time when this age group typically hyper-focuses on looks. In laughable fashion, he thwarts a few bullies who underestimate him. At the same time, he faces prejudices and obstacles that help stir empathy in the reader. These factors make the reader open to the valuable but organic lessons housed in the tale, such as you can choose happiness or don’t judge people by their appearance.
Stories with Humor
Light-hearted banter or outright ridiculousness works well with this age group. The book itself doesn’t have to be geared for humor. Writers can sprinkle this in through relationships, exaggerated situations or characters, word play, or crazy reactions. Kids are more likely to pick up on themes or messages you want to get across if it’s couched in humor. Editors love this aspect too.
Our own Kelli McKinney uses humor in her book Jeff Pennant’s Field Guide to Raising Happy Parents. McKinney gives the reader an inside scoop on the thoughts of the main character, Jeff, who is often egocentric and overly focused on a single goal. The conversation between the reader and the author makes Jeff’s actions and reactions hilarious.
Stories with Action
Keep the romance to a minimum but drum up the action. Use natural-sounding dialogue to maintain the fast pace that keeps readers engaged and use the old “show don’t tell” adage when using description. Short chapters, especially ones that end with cliffhangers, will keep readers turning the pages. Look at what author Peter Brown does with The Wild Robot. The chapters average 3 pages. Some are a single page. In addition, each chapter contains a single, pivotal event that propels the story forward. The action itself fits the audience. There are confrontations, problems, and challenges, but those situations are more about pace and chase than it is about violence and graphic details.
In conclusion
One of the best ways to familiarize yourself with strong characters, good humor, and middle grade action is to read, read, read. Visit your local library and request copies of new releases and popular titles like the ones listed here. What are some good middle grade books you would recommend?
Elementary school teacher Lori Z. Scott usually writes fiction. Her down time is filled with two quirky habits: chronic doodling and inventing lame jokes. Neither one impresses her principal (or friends/parents/dogs/casual strangers), but they do help inspire her writing. Somehow, her odd musings led her to accidentally write a ten-title bestselling chapter book series and on purpose write over 175 short stories, articles, essays, poems, and devotions. Lori enjoys speaking, leading workshops, and visiting local elementary schools to share her writing journey. Follow her on Instagram @Stories.by.Lori .
Whether you are writing your first mystery/thriller or have become a seasoned veteran, one thing remains true. Writing in this genre is hard! It’s work. That’s also why it so satisfying. According to the old adage, if it were easy, everyone would do it. Statistics tell us that many people have a desire to write a novel but doing it can be more elusive. Mysteries and thrillers can be doubly hard to write.
Here’s a look at why.
A story without a mystery element can go any direction based on the character’s choices. A mystery/thriller, however, enters the world of deceiving, convincing, and fooling, running parallel with the story. As the author, you must both engage and outsmart your worthy opponent. No, it’s not the villain. It’s the reader! Too easy, and you’re judged as not challenging for the discerning sleuth who bought the book. Too hard or not plausible, and you’re deemed as esoteric and unrealistic. You have to find your Goldilocks moment and get it “just right.”
More hard work?
You are tasked with becoming an expert about things you probably know very little about. Speak in the voice of a medical specialist? Sure. A government bureaucrat, a judge, a forensic pathologist? All on your plate. Temptations abound. You may be tempted to overshare based on your research simply to impress your readers. Your brain is muddled with anguish, wondering if that red herring is too obvious or oblivious. Will no one figure it out?
Will everyone figure it out?
If your book turns into a series, even more is asked of this world you have created as a basis for mystery, suspense, and thrills. Your characters start to have expectations beyond what you’ve envisioned—instead, your readers call for actions based on their interpretation of the characters. The challenge grows while giving enough background information for a newbie to your series while not boring your existing readers. Because of boredom and a desire to do something outrageous, you can be tempted to cause things to happen. Your readers aren’t having it! They demand your people stay “in character,” or you have to good a darn good reason why this or that was allowed to happen.
While every novelist’s goal is to move a story forward, mystery/thriller/suspense writers know that each scene is a piece of a maze of detection in addition to the baseline story. Bottom line? You’ve chosen to write in a genre that often asks you for double duty.
So, yes. Writing a mystery/thriller/suspense novel is hard. But really, why does anyone do it? If it’s your thing, you already have an answer. There’s that moment when reader feedback lets you know they didn’t see that twist or turn coming, they couldn’t put the book down, and they were surprised by the ending. Getting it just right is a very satisfying goal. Those Goldilocks moments are priceless—enough to make you go out and do it again.
Michele Olson writes stories set on Mackinac Island in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan filled with suspense, romance, friendship, faith, and quirky characters. A top seller in Mackinac Island Fiction to the million people who make a trip to the island every year to experience life with no cars, amazing scenery, and the glorious Grand Hotel, she enjoys opening up this incredible island to even more visitors. Incorporating her work as an artist and a voice professional into her writing whenever she can, she enjoys creative endeavors of all genres and fueling faith with fiction.
Michele lives in the shadow of Lambeau Field in Green Bay, WI with her husband and thoroughly enjoys being a wife, mom, and “Gee Gee” to two adorable grandsons.
As we continue this editing
series how we can develop a great story, I hope you’re able to see that the
elements of storytelling hinges on more than concept and characters. By having
all the layers in place before actually writing, you can have a clearer idea of
where your story is going. Or if you’ve already written your book, how to make
sure all the layers are in place so that you give your readers a delightful
reading experience.
The fourth layer in developing a great story is developing the
scenes within your story, whether nonfiction or fiction.
The scenes within your
story link the characters and plot together like a colorful construction paper
chain link that can be as short or as long as you want them to be.
How to Edit the Scene
What does the
character want or how does the character react in this scene?
What is the most
important dominant impression in this scene?
How does the scene
propel the plot forward?
What does the character want or how does the character react in this scene?
As you know, in storytelling, it’s really all about what’s at
stake for the main character. And the best way to show that is to show the
character interacting with the scene. We’re not going to talk about the character
right now, but more how the elements in the scene help the character.
In my current story about a woman who retrains retired cavalry
horses, she encounters an accident where one of the horses has gotten tangled
up in barbed wire fencing. The horse has been there quite a while, has thrashed
around, and is lying with its neck stretched out, as if struggling for the very
breath of life.
Now, what kind of elements would this scene need to include for
it to grip readers by the throat and pull them through this rescue?
We must ask ourselves the following potential questions (not exhaustive,
by any means):
What is the end of
this scene?
What does this scene
tie back to?
Does the scene open
closer to the middle of the scene, rather than setting up the scene and easing
the reader into it?
What is the driving
emotion and motivation for the character?
Are any of the five
senses represented here, and how to incorporate them?
What character actions
would enhance this scene?
What is the takeaway
for your readers?
If it seems that every aspect of storytelling is comprised of
asking lots of questions, you’re right. It is. As writers, we must don our
analytical hats and comb every journalist-style question as we map out the
story basics. For in asking those deeper questions, we will be able to craft a
compelling scene that dazzles and engages readers.
Here’s a piece of my draft scene for the story I’m writing:
The tips of Laurie’s shoes caught under some overlain bumps of grass, and she landed facedown near a pile of manure. She pushed herself up and limped toward the mare’s cry.
Ebony writhed, struggling, next to the fence.
Laurie dropped to the ground. “Easy, girl,” she soothed in her calmest voice—or what she hoped sounded calm. “Let’s see what’s wrong.”
Barbed wire had wrapped several times around the mare’s right foreleg. The wire carved gashes in her leg; skin and blood mingled together.
“Oh, my girl, how did you get into this fix?” She found out where the wire started and began to unwrap it.
The mare kicked and struggled to rise, causing the barbs to sink into Laurie’s fingers.
Laurie winced, tears springing to her eyes. “Listen, Eb.” She stroked the mare’s sweaty neck. “You’ve got to stay still until I get this wire untangled. Just take it easy, girl. Relax.” She took a deep breath as the mare squinched her eyes in pain. “It’s okay,” she soothed, working the fencing wire around and around.
Ebony apparently sensed Laurie’s racing emotions and fought to get up. The wire dug deeper into her skin as well as scraping Laurie’s fingers again. As the mare’s sweat dripped onto her bloody cuts, her fingers burned. She blew short breaths, hoping the action would distract her from the pain.
“Ebony, easy, easy,” she commanded in a shaky voice. “Hold on.” She worked furiously despite the fire sensation in her fingers. “I almost got it.”
Ebony settled down, even if the constant twitching in her shoulder did not.
Like it? It’s not perfect, and will change, but it’s a start.
Can you picture the scene as if you were right there? Do you notice words that
invoke emotions such as fear, intensity, pain, anguish? Do you feel the rush
and the patience that Laurie does as she works to free the horse? Do you feel
the blood, smell the sweat, hear the rushing of your heart in your ears?
Think about your own story, and what your character wants. Got
it? Now what kind of things would need to be in your scene for the character to
act upon or react to what they want, or what is happening within the scene?
What is the most important dominant
impression in this scene?
The dominant
impression is what stands out most in the scene. The dominant impression is the
wrinkles in grandpa’s face as he smiles at his grandchildren while he’s
remembering the bittersweet moments with his own childhood. The dominant
impression is the dank cellar filled with root vegetables during the
Depression. The dominant impression is the quirky flying car in Chitty
Chitty Bang Bang.
In my draft scene
example, the dominant impression was the horse, and I used words and
descriptions and motivations that described the animal, while bringing focus to
what my character was feeling—and what she wanted.
In short, the dominant
impression centers around the scene and helps bring focus and emotion to the
scene and whatever happens in it.
How does the scene propel the plot forward?
Propelling the plot forward is tough. Not gonna lie. It’s that
delicate balance between stop, listen to the birdsong, and go, race through the
sun-splashed woods.
In making the scene move forward, whether slower paced or
break-neck speed, it’s crucial to set certain actions, thoughts, motivations,
descriptions in such a way that the scene builds to a crescendo. If you’ve ever
listened to Handle’s Messiah, you know the rush of emotion you get when that
last stanza is played. Same for your writing because readers will be able to
experience all those emotions with your characters at those levels, and then
when you raise the stakes, then that emotion only grows.
For example, in my scene, the highest propeller is toward the
end of that scene:
Ebony apparently sensed Laurie’s racing emotions and fought
to get up. The wire dug deeper into her skin as well as scraping Laurie’s
fingers again. As the mare’s sweat dripped onto her bloody cuts, her fingers
burned. She blew short breaths, hoping the action would distract her from the
pain.
“Ebony, easy, easy,” she commanded in a shaky voice. “Hold
on.” She worked furiously despite the fire sensation in her fingers. “I almost
got it.”
As if Laurie’s fingers are going to get pinched off, right?
Secret Sauce to the Best Scene. Ever.
Classic film director Alfred Hitchcock said,
“There is no terror in the bang, only in the anticipation of it.”
And let that be true of your manuscript, however you choose to set
up your scenes in your story, whether you choose to ease in, ramp up, create
waves, let it ebb and flow, or go off the deep end. No. No. Don’t do that. But do
make your readers anticipate every moment of every line if every scene.
Each writer and author
benefits from exploring their characters inside and out, while asking “what
if?” at every turn when crafting their novel’s scene because it’s really the
secret sauce to writing a great story that captivates people, agents, editors,
readers, marketers, and the person who wouldn’t necessarily pick up a book and
read it.
Questions? Comments?
I’d love to engage in the conversation with you! Drop your question or comment
in the chat below, and I’ll look forward to responding!
Your Turn!
What is the dominant
impression in your scene?
Which of the five
senses will you use in your scene, and how?
Tisha Martin writes historical fiction and nonfiction but edits full time for beginning and best-selling writers and publishing houses. Since 2017 she has worked on over 250 books, including Planned from the Start, the devotional companion to Unplanned the movie, and serves as contest judge for Writer’s Digest. She puts her bachelors in Professional Writing, masters in English Education, and editing certificate from the PEN Institute to delightful good use. Her nonfiction essay “The Meaning of an Heirloom” in The Horse of My Dreams: True Stories of the Horses We Love is available from Revell. She enjoys speaking at writer’s conferences and coaching writers in the self-editing process. Learn more at www.tishamartin.com.
In her book The Art of Characterization Fay Lamb proposes that writers “use the other elements of storytelling to cast your novel with unforgettable characters.” (page 5) She includes the following in her list of elements: deep point of view, actions, thoughts, experiences and dialogue.
How can I use these elements of storytelling to create complex characters as Lamb suggests?
I’ve been chewing on her suggestions and have customized them a bit for myself.
Lamb tells us to develop or reveal characters first of all by using what she calls Deep Point of View. I must admit I’m always intimidated by the many explanations of point of view. It’s like trying to remember the 50 states and their capital cities 50 years after high school!
Lamb says that Deep Point of View “immerses the reader into the head of the lead character through that character’s actions, reaction, thoughts, experiences and dialogue.” Okay.
Let’s take those elements one at a time.
I can reveal the body and mind, the heart and soul of a character through their ACTIONS. Makes sense. I must SHOW the reader what the character does, and how they do it sometimes, as a means of revealing a bit about that character with each scene.
This is especially true about their reactions, I think. How a character relates to other characters in the story can definitely reveal secrets or truths about them.
Revealing a character through THOUGHTS can be trickier. The most difficult thing for beginners is to resist the urge to have too much introspection or thought life. That slows the pace down and makes readers misinterpret that character’s psyche, I think. For the same reasons I also avoid characters talking aloud to themselves very much.
EXPERIENCES, on the other hand, are the stuff plots are made of. Action, reaction, escapades, accidents. The character going places, doing things, meeting people, learning, loving, hating, fearing and their reactions to these experiences show me bit-by-bit who my character really is, or who they are becoming.
Last on Lamb’s list is dialogue.
DIALOGUE is a fun puzzle to me as a writer. I’m still learning, but I love the game of creating realistic, effective dialogue. Accurate, effective dialogue reveals a character’s culture, era, education, place of origin or residence, profession, personality, age and more. Peppering dialogue with a few clues helps the reader figure out who this character is.
Lastly, in my opinion dialogue must always do double duty. It must move the plot along getting me from one scene to another, AND, it must reveal something about the people who are talking—something about them personally, or about their plans or problems or hopes.
Each conversation may show only tiny specks of these things, but, for me, if a piece of dialogue can’t do both of those things to some degree I eliminate that conversation from my manuscript.
I believe that character drives story. So, it’s only natural that I, as a writer, would follow Lamb’s method of using the elements of storytelling as a vehicle to parade my characters before the readers.
To me one of the clearest books about writing dialogue is Renni Browne’s and Dave King’s Self-Editing for Fiction Writers: How to Edit Yourself into Print. They devote a chapter to writing convincing dialogue and another to writing natural beats. I’ve read the book three times and refer to it often.
“That book’ll help you, I bet,” I said.
“Think so?”
“Yep. Bet you this 1939 genuine copper penny it will!” I flipped it over in my palm to show off the shine.
“Thanks! I’ll just mosey on over to Amazon and order one of those books for myself.”
I gave you a thumbs-up.
And you were gone.
Jean Hall lives in Louisville, Kentucky. She is represented by Cyle Young of Hartline Literary. Her premier picture book series Four Seasons was recently signed by Little Lamb Books. Jean is a member of the SCBWI, Word Weavers International, and the Kentucky Christian Writers. Visit Jean at www.jeanmatthewhall.com, on Facebook at Jean Matthew Hall, and on Twitter as @Jean_Hall.
