Take a trip to your local bookstore and browse the shelves of this category – usually called “independent reader”. Among the books here you’ll find practically every genre represented. There are action novels, fantasy novels, boy books, girl books, classics and contemporary. It is a place where little boys can ride to faraway lands or a twelve year old can deal with their parent’s divorce. It’s where a young boy or girl gets to live vicariously through the story.

Writing for the 8-12 age range goes by many names, “independent reader” being only one. Sometimes you’ll hear it referred to as “juvenile”, “tween” or even just labeled as “9-12”.

That’s why your main character is probably the single most important part of a middle-grade novel. The hero or heroine of the story must be “uniquely familiar”. On one hand, they must be relatable and feel “real”. But there must also be something within that character that inspires the child to want to hang out with them.

In addition, the main character must be the center of the story – it is their experience of the story events that is important. When you work with fantasy or adventure novels, the story world is an imagined one. Kids in this age group are becoming more involved with peer groups in addition to the family structures. They are learning how they operate in their own world so many of their struggles are internal as they adjust to what this new and unique world will require of them.

Word lengths in this category vary but typically fall between 30,000-50,000. When you take that trip to the bookstore (and I highly recommend that you do!) take a look at the back of the novel and read the blurb. Ask yourself:

What is the appeal (or hook) of this book?

What about the story or the character is unique or compelling?

Why would a kid of this age group be interested in this story?

Keep in mind that in this age group, buying decisions are made by both parents and the child. Tweens have the most disposable income than any other age group out there. They read a lot of books, so it’s a great market. But you must be compelling. they can sniff out a fake a mile away. It must have characters that feel real. It must stand out from the crowd. Not an easy task – but one that you can accomplish. Just like with picture books, read a bunch of these types of novels, especially in the genre you’d like to write in. You’ll get a feel for the balance of action and description. You’ll see how they manage scenes and move the story forward. you’ll get a sense of the quicker pacing, yet the depth of the internal struggles that these books can have.

Some common middle-grade mistakes:

1 – Parents (or some other Wise Person) swoop in and solves the problem(s) and/or gives the answer that solves the problem.

Don’t do this! Your characters must make their own decisions and deal with the consequences of those decisions. That doesn’t mean you have to have completely absent parents. They can still be grounded for behavior, they can still be told things or given advice, but there should be conflicting advice. The main character must weight it all and come to his/her own conclusions. An older, wiser person cannot solve the problems for them.

2 – Trying to create a “moral” to the story.

Don’t preach at them. Don’t hammer them over the head with a lesson. Don’t try to fix them. Tell them an honest story, with honest struggles and honest growth.

3 – Not understanding tween-agers.

Often, writers “speak down” to this age group, assuming them to be younger than they are. The average 10 year old out there is way savvier than you were at that age. They know a lot about the world, and they have deep questions. They have struggles that are not easily solved. So allow your characters to wrestle in ways that are true.

Next up: An interview with The Tween Queen herself: Meet Nancy Rue