Hello, authors! Are you struggling to find the difference between you and the middle grade, or between you and an adult? Wondering what mistakes to avoid if you don’t want to put off agents or disappoint readers? you have come to the right place! In this ‘ya fundamentals’ series I’m going to explore some of the most common problems I encounter when editing manuscripts for young readers, so you’ll be armed with all the facts you need to make the right decisions when writing your story. I know how confusing it is. What can be; the lines are sometimes blurred and many novels are referred to as both middle grade and adult (or even new adult) depending on who you’re talking to or what bookstore you’re in. but don’t panic, you got this!
who are you targeting?
so let’s start with the basics: ya stands for young adult and refers to fiction written specifically for teens between the ages of (approximately) 13-18. this is where it fits into the overall market:
You are reading: Young adult books age range
- Infants and toddlers: board books and picture books
- 5-7 years: early readers
- 7-10 years: chapter books
- 8-12 years old: medium grade
- 12-18 years old: already
- 18-25 years old: new adult
- 18+ years: adult
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all of these ranges are approximate and not set in stone! you’ll see there’s a crossover at various stages because children develop at different rates and may continue to read chapter books even as they start to explore middle grade, for example, and many children and teens will also read adult fiction, either for pleasure or as part of the school curriculum.
In the same way, many adults read to you; In fact, some studies have shown that most of your books are read by people over 25, but that doesn’t mean you should focus on them, or any other age group, when working on your novel. It should already be written for teenagers, full stop.
but 12-18 is a pretty big range. Which end should I aim for?
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You should already speak to your teen audience and different topics and characters will speak to different readers. on the low end, you can feature characters just entering their teens dealing with problems like friendship breakups and first crushes, while the high end can follow the protagonists on the cusp of adulthood, applying to colleges or full-time jobs. . Basically, some will appeal to younger teens and some to older teens; You don’t have to specify which end your story is at when you consult agents or write back-cover blurbs—the subject matter and the age of your main character should make this clear. I’ll talk more about those factors later in the series, but for now, remember that your story should reflect the issues and conflicts your readers face in their everyday lives, even if you’re writing an epic fantasy with dragons and time travel. .
call to adventure!
how to use this information and advice in your own work
start thinking about why you want to write your fiction. I know a lot of authors who are trying to bend and squeeze their plot into a mold already when it’s really middle grade or adult. if, as you go through the rest of this blog series, you realize that your main character is too young for you or that the themes and dialogue feel too mature, don’t automatically start revising your manuscript so that suit the audience. maybe your story isn’t meant to be you, and that’s okay too. Ask yourself why you have chosen this age group to write in and if your story might work better as middle grade or even adult fiction. if you’re sure it’s right for you, you can look at ways to make changes to better fit readers’ expectations.
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