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Over on the SFWA website, author Malinda Lo has put together an introduction to writing for middle grades and young adults. The first part is a general introduction and definitions. Here's what Amanda Rutter, editor at Strange Chemistry, the newly launched global YA imprint of UK-based Angry Robot Books, says:
“Middle grade is very much about the external, in my opinion. The protagonist reacts to external situations and events, which leads to adventurous stories, and there is little time spent in the characters’ heads. Think books like Percy Jackson and Skulduggery Pleasant. On the other hand, YA is often much more introspective, and the protagonist exerts their influence on the events in the novel. Think first person perspective and lots of use of the word ‘I’. Of course, there are always exceptions to every rule!”
Those of you who write for these age groups, what do you think?
“Middle grade is very much about the external, in my opinion. The protagonist reacts to external situations and events, which leads to adventurous stories, and there is little time spent in the characters’ heads. Think books like Percy Jackson and Skulduggery Pleasant. On the other hand, YA is often much more introspective, and the protagonist exerts their influence on the events in the novel. Think first person perspective and lots of use of the word ‘I’. Of course, there are always exceptions to every rule!”
Those of you who write for these age groups, what do you think?
