https://www.authorlearningcenter.com/writing/children-s-books/w/age-groupsen-USTelligent Community 10https://www.authorlearningcenter.com/writing/children-s-books/w/age-groups/7803/middle-grade-novels-secrets-of-writing-for-the-7-to-12-year-old-audienceThu, 29 May 2025 19:59:17 GMT809ccca5-04d2-44bf-8f5c-ff0a6d33c80b:c03cc879-10dc-4bca-876b-fcaf8f159f12Derek Taylor KentCurrent Revision posted to Age Groups by Derek Taylor Kent on 5/29/2025 7:59:17 PM<br /> <p><br />From titles such as <em>Harry Potter</em> to <em>Captain Underpants</em>, <em>Percy Jackson</em> to <em>Diary of a Wimpy Kid</em>, <em>Junie B. Jones</em> to <em>Harriet the Spy</em>, middle-grade novels are one of the most popular and best-selling categories, yet very few authors ever try to write them! In fact, there are fewer middle-grade writers than any other genre, which gives you the advantage when pursuing a book deal.</p> <p>Do you think you have what it takes?</p> <p>Watch this webinar and learn all the trade secrets you&#39;ll need to know before taking the leap. Webinar speaker Derek Taylor Kent received a three-book deal from HarperCollins for his middle-grade series<em> Scary School</em> and followed it up with the best-selling title <em>Principal Mikey</em> released through his publishing company, Whimsical World, as well as his newest middle-grade novel, <em>My Homework Ate My Dog!</em></p> <p>Here is the handout referenced in the session:<br /><a href="https://www.authorlearningcenter.com/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-wikis-components-files/00-00-00-00-80/Middle_2D00_Grade-Novels_5F00_ALC-Handout-2025.pdf">www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../Middle_2D00_Grade-Novels_5F00_ALC-Handout-2025.pdf</a><br /><a href="https://www.authorlearningcenter.com/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-wikis-components-files/00-00-00-00-80/MiddleGradeNovelsSecretsofWritingforthe7to12yearoldAudience25.mp4">www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../MiddleGradeNovelsSecretsofWritingforthe7to12yearoldAudience25.mp4</a><em><br /></em></p> <p></p> <p><strong>About the Presenter:</strong><br />Derek Taylor Kent is the author of 19 books encompassing a wide variety of audiences and genres. He has also produced 15 audiobooks to date and has written 6 screenplays. Along with being an instructor for the ALC, he teaches at the Writing Pad in Los Angeles and is a freelance story editor. Derek received a 3-book deal from HarperCollins for his middle-grade book series &quot;Scary School&quot;, and his Mystery/Thriller book &quot;Kubrick&rsquo;s Game&quot; was #1 on Amazon three times and was optioned by Bobby Cohen Films. His middle-grade novel &quot;My Homework Ate My Dog!&quot; was awarded Best Middle-Grade Fiction Book of 2020 by Kops-Featherling Book Awards, and there was a bidding war for his picture book &quot;El Perro con Sombrero&quot;, which was published by Holt/Macmillan. In addition, Derek Founded Whimsical World children&rsquo;s publishing brand with wife, children&rsquo;s author and ALC speaker Sheri Fink, with a mission to inspire, delight, and educate children of all ages while planting seeds of self-esteem and high achievement. Discover more at <a href="https://www.derektaylorkent.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.DerekTaylorKent.com</a> and <a href="https://whimsicalworldbooks.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.WhimsicalWorldBooks.com</a>.</p><div style="clear:both;"></div> <div style="font-size: 90%;">Tags: fiction, Nonfiction, Subscriber, Recorded Webinar</div> https://www.authorlearningcenter.com/writing/children-s-books/w/age-groups/7803/middle-grade-novels-secrets-of-writing-for-the-7-to-12-year-old-audience/revision/2Thu, 29 May 2025 19:56:50 GMT809ccca5-04d2-44bf-8f5c-ff0a6d33c80b:c03cc879-10dc-4bca-876b-fcaf8f159f12Author Learning CenterRevision 2 posted to Age Groups by Author Learning Center on 5/29/2025 7:56:50 PM<br /> <p><br />From titles such as <em>Harry Potter</em> to <em>Captain Underpants</em>, <em>Percy Jackson</em> to <em>Diary of a Wimpy Kid</em>, <em>Junie B. Jones</em> to <em>Harriet the Spy</em>, middle-grade novels are one of the most popular and best-selling categories, yet very few authors ever try to write them! In fact, there are fewer middle-grade writers than any other genre, which gives you the advantage when pursuing a book deal.</p> <p>Do you think you have what it takes?</p> <p>Watch this webinar and learn all the trade secrets you&#39;ll need to know before taking the leap. Webinar speaker Derek Taylor Kent received a three-book deal from HarperCollins for his middle-grade series<em> Scary School</em> and followed it up with the best-selling title <em>Principal Mikey</em> released through his publishing company, Whimsical World, as well as his newest middle-grade novel, <em>My Homework Ate My Dog!</em></p> <p>Here is the handout referenced in the session:<br /><a href="https://www.authorlearningcenter.com/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-wikis-components-files/00-00-00-00-80/Middle_2D00_Grade-Novels_5F00_ALC-Handout-2025.pdf">www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../Middle_2D00_Grade-Novels_5F00_ALC-Handout-2025.pdf</a><br /><a href="https://www.authorlearningcenter.com/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-wikis-components-files/00-00-00-00-80/MiddleGradeNovelsSecretsofWritingforthe7to12yearoldAudience25.mp4">www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../MiddleGradeNovelsSecretsofWritingforthe7to12yearoldAudience25.mp4</a><em><br /></em></p> <p></p> <p><strong>About the Presenter:</strong><br />Derek Taylor Kent is the author of 19 books encompassing a wide variety of audiences and genres. He has also produced 15 audiobooks to date and has written 6 screenplays. Along with being an instructor for the ALC, he teaches at the Writing Pad in Los Angeles and is a freelance story editor. Derek received a 3-book deal from HarperCollins for his middle-grade book series &quot;Scary School&quot;, and his Mystery/Thriller book &quot;Kubrick&rsquo;s Game&quot; was #1 on Amazon three times and was optioned by Bobby Cohen Films. His middle-grade novel &quot;My Homework Ate My Dog!&quot; was awarded Best Middle-Grade Fiction Book of 2020 by Kops-Featherling Book Awards, and there was a bidding war for his picture book &quot;El Perro con Sombrero&quot;, which was published by Holt/Macmillan. In addition, Derek Founded Whimsical World children&rsquo;s publishing brand with wife, children&rsquo;s author and ALC speaker Sheri Fink, with a mission to inspire, delight, and educate children of all ages while planting seeds of self-esteem and high achievement. Discover more at <a href="https://www.derektaylorkent.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.DerekTaylorKent.com</a> and <a href="https://whimsicalworldbooks.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.WhimsicalWorldBooks.com</a>.</p><div style="clear:both;"></div> <div style="font-size: 90%;">Tags: fiction, Nonfiction, Subscriber, Recorded Webinar</div> https://www.authorlearningcenter.com/writing/children-s-books/w/age-groups/8378/writing-ya-fiction-vs-adult-fictionMon, 10 Jun 2024 14:01:34 GMT809ccca5-04d2-44bf-8f5c-ff0a6d33c80b:be021cb5-5cf4-402c-aec9-3a99711c6441Emiko JeanCurrent Revision posted to Age Groups by Emiko Jean on 6/10/2024 2:01:34 PM<br /> <p>Bestselling author Emiko Jean discusses the difference between writing young adult fiction and adult fiction.<br /><br />She is the <em>New York Times</em> bestselling author of the young adult novels <em>Tokyo Dreaming</em> and <em>Tokyo Ever After</em>, a Reese Witherspoon/Hello Sunshine pick, as well as the novel <em>Mika in Real Life</em>, which was a <em>Good Morning America</em> Book Club pick. For more on this author visit <a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Emiko-Jean/200456062">https://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Emiko-Jean/200456062</a>.</p> <p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5sH2xQTsXk">www.youtube.com/watch</a>&nbsp;</p><div style="clear:both;"></div> <div style="font-size: 90%;">Tags: fiction, Teens & Young Adults, video</div> https://www.authorlearningcenter.com/writing/children-s-books/w/age-groups/8294/using-humor-and-heart-in-a-graphic-novel-to-appeal-to-middle-grade-readersFri, 29 Sep 2023 19:37:45 GMT809ccca5-04d2-44bf-8f5c-ff0a6d33c80b:dd5e2676-6db1-4f06-b951-97c1548fc928Rob HarrellCurrent Revision posted to Age Groups by Rob Harrell on 9/29/2023 7:37:45 PM<br /> <p><br />Cartoonist, author, and illustrator Rob Harrell is known not only for his popular comic strip <em>Big Top</em>, but also for his critically acclaimed graphic novels and novels for children. His work includes <em>Monster on the Hill</em>, <em>Life of Zarf</em>, <em>Batpig</em>, and <em>Wink</em>.<br /><br />Humor has always been a big part of his stories and while it&#39;s not a necessary element when writing for children, it can definitely help connect readers to your content. Harrell writes for the middle-grade audience with his books, which targets ages 8 to 12. He&#39;s found that if you hook readers in this age group with humor, you can then more easily sneak in life lessons and messages from the heart. He&#39;s also found that honesty is important when writing for this age group. This means being truthful and real about life and relationships without being too preachy.</p> <p><a href="https://www.authorlearningcenter.com/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-wikis-components-files/00-00-00-00-80/UsingHumorandHeartinaGraphicNoveltoAppealtoMiddleGradeReaders.mp4">www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../UsingHumorandHeartinaGraphicNoveltoAppealtoMiddleGradeReaders.mp4</a></p><div style="clear:both;"></div> <div style="font-size: 90%;">Tags: Children’s Books, fiction, Comics & Graphic Novels, video</div> https://www.authorlearningcenter.com/writing/children-s-books/w/age-groups/8295/turning-an-adult-experience-into-a-story-that-appeals-to-middle-grade-readersFri, 29 Sep 2023 19:35:25 GMT809ccca5-04d2-44bf-8f5c-ff0a6d33c80b:484fc42d-0d68-46a3-af69-896c1e7cfc03Rob HarrellCurrent Revision posted to Age Groups by Rob Harrell on 9/29/2023 7:35:25 PM<br /> <p><br />Sixteen years ago, cartoonist, author, and illustrator Rob Harrell was diagnosed with a rare form of eye cancer. It was a very scary and trying experience for him, and throughout his treatment he kept thinking there was a story he wanted to tell around the experience. He first thought about writing a memoir or graphic novel on the topic, or even using his <em>Big Top</em> comic strip characters to tell the story. Years later, a family friend&#39;s child was diagnosed with cancer and Harrell learned about her difficult experiences at school including losing friends, bullying, and a lack of empathy from classmates. He realized there was an opportunity to blend his experiences with hers and write a fiction story targeting middle-grade readers. What resulted is his critically acclaimed novel, <em>Wink</em>, which is an Amazon &quot;Teacher&#39;s Pick&quot;.<br /><br />One of the biggest challenges Harrell encountered when writing the story was finding the right tone. He is known for his humor in his comic strips and graphic novels, but he didn&#39;t want readers to think he was being flippant. Harrell credits his agent and editor with helping him find the right balance. The guiding light was the humor that was coming from the main character, Ross, who is diagnosed with a rare eye cancer.</p> <p><a href="https://www.authorlearningcenter.com/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-wikis-components-files/00-00-00-00-80/TurninganAdultExperienceIntoaStoryThatAppealstoMiddleGradeReaders.mp4">www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../TurninganAdultExperienceIntoaStoryThatAppealstoMiddleGradeReaders.mp4</a></p><div style="clear:both;"></div> <div style="font-size: 90%;">Tags: Children’s Books, fiction, Comics & Graphic Novels, video</div> https://www.authorlearningcenter.com/writing/children-s-books/w/age-groups/8295/turning-an-adult-experience-into-a-story-that-appeals-to-middle-grade-readers/revision/1Fri, 29 Sep 2023 17:23:55 GMT809ccca5-04d2-44bf-8f5c-ff0a6d33c80b:484fc42d-0d68-46a3-af69-896c1e7cfc03Rob HarrellRevision 1 posted to Age Groups by Rob Harrell on 9/29/2023 5:23:55 PM<br /> <p>Sixteen years ago, cartoonist, author, and illustrator Rob Harrell was diagnosed with a rare form of eye cancer. It was a very scary and trying experience for him, and throughout his treatment he kept thinking there was a story he wanted to tell around the experience. He first thought about writing a memoir or graphic novel on the topic, or even using his <em>Big Top</em> comic strip characters to tell the story. Years later, a family friend&#39;s child was diagnosed with cancer and Harrell learned about her difficult experiences at school including losing friends, bullying, and a lack of empathy from classmates. He realized there was an opportunity to blend his experiences with hers and write a fiction story targeting middle-grade readers. What resulted is his critically acclaimed novel, <em>Wink</em>, which is an Amazon &quot;Teacher&#39;s Pick&quot;.<br /><br />One of the biggest challenges Harrell encountered when writing the story was finding the right tone. He is known for his humor in his comic strips and graphic novels, but he didn&#39;t want readers to think he was being flippant. Harrell credits his agent and editor with helping him find the right balance. The guiding light was the humor that was coming from the main character, Ross, who is diagnosed with a rare eye cancer.</p><div style="clear:both;"></div> <div style="font-size: 90%;">Tags: Children’s Books, fiction, Comics & Graphic Novels, video</div> https://www.authorlearningcenter.com/writing/children-s-books/w/age-groups/8294/using-humor-and-heart-in-a-graphic-novel-to-appeal-to-middle-grade-readers/revision/2Fri, 29 Sep 2023 16:54:34 GMT809ccca5-04d2-44bf-8f5c-ff0a6d33c80b:dd5e2676-6db1-4f06-b951-97c1548fc928Rob HarrellRevision 2 posted to Age Groups by Rob Harrell on 9/29/2023 4:54:34 PM<br /> <p><br />Cartoonist, author, and illustrator Rob Harrell is known not only for his popular comic strip <em>Big Top</em>, but also for his critically acclaimed graphic novels and novels for children. His work includes <em>Monster on the Hill</em>, <em>Life of Zarf</em>, <em>Batpig</em>, and <em>Wink</em>.<br /><br />Humor has always been a big part of his stories and while it&#39;s not a necessary element when writing for children, it can definitely help connect readers to your content. Harrell writes for the middle-grade audience with his books, which targets ages 8 to 12. He&#39;s found that if you hook readers in this age group with humor, you can then more easily sneak in life lessons and messages from the heart. He&#39;s also found that honesty is important when writing for this age group. This means being truthful and real about life and relationships without being too preachy.</p><div style="clear:both;"></div> <div style="font-size: 90%;">Tags: Children’s Books, fiction, Comics & Graphic Novels, video</div> https://www.authorlearningcenter.com/writing/children-s-books/w/age-groups/8294/using-humor-and-heart-in-a-graphic-novel-to-appeal-to-middle-grade-readers/revision/1Fri, 29 Sep 2023 16:54:17 GMT809ccca5-04d2-44bf-8f5c-ff0a6d33c80b:dd5e2676-6db1-4f06-b951-97c1548fc928Rob HarrellRevision 1 posted to Age Groups by Rob Harrell on 9/29/2023 4:54:17 PM<br /> <p>Cartoonist, author, and illustrator Rob Harrell is known not only for his popular comic strip <em>Big Top</em>, but also for his critically acclaimed graphic novels and novels for children. His work includes <em>Monster on the Hill</em>, <em>Life of Zarf</em>, <em>Batpig</em>, and <em>Wink</em>.<br /><br />Humor has always been a big part of his stories and while it&#39;s not a necessary element when writing for children, it can definitely help connect readers to your content. Harrell writes for the middle-grade audience with his books, which targets ages 8 to 12. He&#39;s found that if you hook readers in this age group with humor, you can then more easily sneak in life lessons and messages from the heart. He&#39;s also found that honesty is important when writing for this age group. This means being truthful and real about life and relationships without being too preachy.</p><div style="clear:both;"></div> <div style="font-size: 90%;">Tags: Children’s Books, fiction, Comics & Graphic Novels, video</div> https://www.authorlearningcenter.com/writing/children-s-books/w/age-groups/7999/understanding-young-adult-readers-and-what-appeals-to-themFri, 12 Mar 2021 19:11:18 GMT809ccca5-04d2-44bf-8f5c-ff0a6d33c80b:8f855989-c915-4937-a959-c9579f6872f1Author Learning CenterCurrent Revision posted to Age Groups by Author Learning Center on 3/12/2021 7:11:18 PM<br /> <p>The young adult genre continues to be extremely popular, thanks to the success of authors such as J.K. Rowling (the Harry Potter series), Stephenie Meyer (the Twilight series), Christopher Paolini (Eragon and the Inheritance cycle), and Suzanne Collins (the Hunger Games series). While young adult books typically target readers that are age 10 to 17, the best are those that appeal to a much larger age group by integrating themes and storylines that have broad appeal. In this collection of interviews, bestselling and award-winning authors share what it means to write YA fiction, and how you can ensure your content and stories will meet reader expectations.<br /><a href="https://www.authorlearningcenter.com/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-wikis-components-files/00-00-00-00-80/UnderstandingYoungAdultReadersandWhatAppealstoThem.mp4">www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../UnderstandingYoungAdultReadersandWhatAppealstoThem.mp4</a></p><div style="clear:both;"></div> <div style="font-size: 90%;">Tags: Children’s Books, article, fiction, Teens & Young Adults</div> https://www.authorlearningcenter.com/writing/children-s-books/w/age-groups/7803/middle-grade-novels-secrets-of-writing-for-the-7-to-12-year-old-audience/revision/1Tue, 26 May 2020 20:02:01 GMT809ccca5-04d2-44bf-8f5c-ff0a6d33c80b:c03cc879-10dc-4bca-876b-fcaf8f159f12Derek Taylor KentRevision 1 posted to Age Groups by Derek Taylor Kent on 5/26/2020 8:02:01 PM<br /> <p>From titles such as <em>Harry Potter</em> to <em>Captain Underpants</em>, <em>Percy Jackson</em> to <em>Diary of a Wimpy Kid</em>, <em>Junie B. Jones</em> to <em>Harriet the Spy</em>, middle-grade novels are one of the most popular and best-selling categories, yet very few authors ever try to write them! In fact, there are fewer middle-grade writers than any other genre, which gives you the advantage when pursuing a book deal. Do you think you have what it takes? Join this webinar and learn all the trade secrets you&#39;ll need to know before taking the leap. Webinar speaker Derek Taylor Kent received a three-book deal from HarperCollins for his middle-grade series<em> Scary School</em> and followed it up with the best-selling title <em>Principal Mikey</em> released through his publishing company, Whimsical World, as well as his newest middle-grade novel, <em>My Homework Ate My Dog!</em></p> <p><a href="https://www.authorlearningcenter.com/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-wikis-components-files/00-00-00-00-80/MiddleGradeNovelsSecretsofWritingforthe7to12yearoldAudience.mp4">www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../MiddleGradeNovelsSecretsofWritingforthe7to12yearoldAudience.mp4</a></p> <p><strong>About the Presenter:</strong><br />Derek Taylor Kent is the author of 14 books encompassing a wide variety of audiences and genres. He received a three-book deal from HarperCollins for his middle-grade series <em>Scary School</em> and his picture book<em> El Perro con Sombrero</em> was published by Holt/Macmillan after a multi-publisher bidding war. It has been one of the best-selling bilingual picture books in the world since its release in 2015. His puzzle-thriller for an adult audience, <em>Kubrick&#39;s Game</em>, was published by Evolved Publishing and twice became the #1 best-selling book on Amazon and received a Reader&#39;s Favorite Gold Medal. He recently founded the brand Whimsical World with his wife, children&#39;s author and ALC speaker Sheri Fink, with a mission to inspire, delight, and educate children of all ages while planting seeds of self-esteem and high achievement. He taught writing and publishing classes for several years at The Writing Pad in Los Angeles. Discover more at www.DerekTaylorKent.com and www.WhimsicalWorldBooks.com.&nbsp;</p><div style="clear:both;"></div> <div style="font-size: 90%;">Tags: fiction, Nonfiction, Subscriber, Recorded Webinar</div> https://www.authorlearningcenter.com/writing/children-s-books/w/age-groups/7067/tips-for-writing-a-successful-middle-grade-bookFri, 28 Sep 2018 16:58:02 GMT809ccca5-04d2-44bf-8f5c-ff0a6d33c80b:e0ed6860-3084-4e50-a940-5d4563c60326Laura MartinCurrent Revision posted to Age Groups by Laura Martin on 9/28/2018 4:58:02 PM<br /> <p>Former seventh grade English teacher and middle-grade author Laura Martin didn&#39;t start out wanting to write for the 8-12 age group. She initially thought she wanted to write for young adults, ages 12-18, because writing quality content for middle-grade comes with some challenges. Martin later realized that her teaching experience was the perfect training for writing for middle-grade readers, and that is where her heart is. Martin&#39;s critically acclaimed series Edge of Extinction has resonated well with her target readers, which Martin attributes to a few key story elements. While there is no secret formula, she says, middle-grade stories must include a lot of action and be authentic, fun, and relatable. Finally and most importantly, Martin recommends writing a story that you feel passionate about.</p> <p><a href="https://www.authorlearningcenter.com/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-wikis-components-files/00-00-00-00-80/Tips-for-Writing-a-Successful-Middle_2D00_Grade-Book.mp4">www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../Tips-for-Writing-a-Successful-Middle_2D00_Grade-Book.mp4</a></p><div style="clear:both;"></div> <div style="font-size: 90%;">Tags: Children’s Books, fiction, Subscriber, video</div> https://www.authorlearningcenter.com/writing/children-s-books/w/age-groups/7061/writing-for-and-engaging-reluctant-middle-grade-readersFri, 28 Sep 2018 13:48:21 GMT809ccca5-04d2-44bf-8f5c-ff0a6d33c80b:b42e5cd5-fc18-45c5-b03f-9bae6e886ee1Laura MartinCurrent Revision posted to Age Groups by Laura Martin on 9/28/2018 1:48:21 PM<br /> <p>As a former seventh grade English teacher, middle-grade author Laura Martin received the best possible training to write for her target reader. Her daily interactions with the students and seeing which books grabbed their attention and which didn&#39;t provided very valuable insights and ideas. Martin became passionate about finding books that would appeal to her reluctant readers, especially the boys. In her own classroom, Martin introduced book challenges and reading lists to keep her students interested and engaged, which required researching the market and competition. The challenge of writing effectively for this age group, she says, is having the necessary action in the story to keep them reading, without introducing inappropriate content. Many books that are intended for the 8-12 year-old age bracket include content that is more suitable for young adults. Middle-grade readers don&#39;t know the difference between the so-so books and the great books, so they require some guidance on what they should be reading.</p> <p><a href="https://www.authorlearningcenter.com/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-wikis-components-files/00-00-00-00-80/Writing-for_2C00_-and-Engaging-Reluctant-Middle_2D00_Grade-Readers.mp4">www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../Writing-for_2C00_-and-Engaging-Reluctant-Middle_2D00_Grade-Readers.mp4</a></p><div style="clear:both;"></div> <div style="font-size: 90%;">Tags: Children’s Books, fiction, video</div> https://www.authorlearningcenter.com/writing/children-s-books/w/age-groups/6954/the-educational-benefits-of-including-a-glossary-in-middle-grade-booksMon, 02 Jul 2018 15:46:08 GMT809ccca5-04d2-44bf-8f5c-ff0a6d33c80b:3483135f-ef06-4cc5-b6d9-7c1c4e7e15feA.J. LowCurrent Revision posted to Age Groups by A.J. Low on 7/2/2018 3:46:08 PM<br /> <p>When Singaporean co-authors Felicia Low-Jimenez and Adan Jimenez (A.J. Low) started writing their middle-grade series <em>Sherlock Sam</em> together, they weren&#39;t planning to include a glossary of terms in the books. Their first editor with Epigram Books suggested they add a glossary because of the importance of education in Singapore, and to entice parents to purchase the books. Entertaining their target readers has been the biggest focus for the pair when writing their award-winning stories, but they are pleased if their readers do also learn something. Now thirteen books into the series, the glossaries that are included have become quite useful, providing Felicia and Adan with a means to explain cultural differences, terms, or local foods while educating their readers. </p> <p><a href="https://www.authorlearningcenter.com/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-wikis-components-files/00-00-00-00-80/The-Educational-Benefits-of-Including-a-Glossary-in-Middle_2D00_Grade-Books.mp4">www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../The-Educational-Benefits-of-Including-a-Glossary-in-Middle_2D00_Grade-Books.mp4</a></p><div style="clear:both;"></div> <div style="font-size: 90%;">Tags: Children’s Books, fiction, Subscriber, video</div> https://www.authorlearningcenter.com/writing/children-s-books/w/age-groups/6953/how-to-write-age-appropriate-stories-for-middle-grade-readersMon, 02 Jul 2018 15:39:54 GMT809ccca5-04d2-44bf-8f5c-ff0a6d33c80b:53766f74-af53-4635-86d0-4aec4522903cA.J. LowCurrent Revision posted to Age Groups by A.J. Low on 7/2/2018 3:39:54 PM<br /> <p>Sometimes being able to relate to children requires adults to revisit their own childhood, putting themselves in a child-like mindset. For children&#39;s co-authors Felicia Low-Jimenez and Adan Jimenez (A.J. Low), relating to children comes easy because of their lifestyle and the things they enjoy doing like playing video games and Legos, and reading comics and graphic novels. Having an understanding of how children think has been an important part of the content creation for their award-winning, middle-grade book series Sherlock Sam. Children are sharper than you think, Felicia says, so they work hard in their writing to avoid over-explaining things. The pair connect with their target readers often through school visits and workshops, providing them with a first-hand look at what children enjoy and what stimulates them. These experiences are helpful in determining age appropriate content and stories for their series.</p> <p><a href="https://www.authorlearningcenter.com/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-wikis-components-files/00-00-00-00-80/How-to-Write-Age-Appropriate-Stories-for-Middle_2D00_Grade-Readers.mp4">www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../How-to-Write-Age-Appropriate-Stories-for-Middle_2D00_Grade-Readers.mp4</a></p><div style="clear:both;"></div> <div style="font-size: 90%;">Tags: Children’s Books, fiction, Subscriber, video</div> https://www.authorlearningcenter.com/writing/children-s-books/w/age-groups/6627/how-to-get-your-manuscript-selected-for-the-i-can-read-book-program---podcastWed, 13 Dec 2017 16:23:50 GMT809ccca5-04d2-44bf-8f5c-ff0a6d33c80b:cf77b950-d6c1-441b-b50c-a1597d5585a1Diane Z. ShoreCurrent Revision posted to Age Groups by Diane Z. Shore on 12/13/2017 4:23:50 PM<br /> <div class="asl-wikipage-summary"> <p>Widely recognized as the premier line of beginning readers, <em>I Can Read!</em> books are organized into color-coded levels that address every stage of reading for children. Author Diane Z. Shore had a manuscript ready that she thought could be a beginning reader book, but didn&#39;t have the confidence to submit it to HarperCollins, publisher of the <em>I Can Read!</em> series. After submitting it to another large publishing house and receiving a rejection, Shore did her homework and thoroughly researched any available I Can Read! books that she could get her hands on. This process helped her better understand word count, format, and word usage. She rewrote her manuscript following the guidelines and then submitted it to HarperCollins, which resulted in her getting published as a Level 2 <em>I Can Read!</em> book titled <em>How to Drive Your Sister Crazy</em>.&nbsp;</p> </div> <div class="asl-wikipage-media"> <p><a href="https://www.authorlearningcenter.com/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-wikis-components-files/00-00-00-00-80/How-to-Get--Your-Manuscript-Selected-for-the-I-Can-Read_2100_-Book-Program.mp3">www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../How-to-Get--Your-Manuscript-Selected-for-the-I-Can-Read_2100_-Book-Program.mp3</a></p> </div><div style="clear:both;"></div> <div style="font-size: 90%;">Tags: Children’s Books, fiction, Subscriber, podcast</div> https://www.authorlearningcenter.com/writing/children-s-books/w/age-groups/6626/how-to-get-your-manuscript-selected-for-the-i-can-read-book-program---videoWed, 13 Dec 2017 16:23:47 GMT809ccca5-04d2-44bf-8f5c-ff0a6d33c80b:7fa792ec-5b72-4789-9a03-35aaac641e95Diane Z. ShoreCurrent Revision posted to Age Groups by Diane Z. Shore on 12/13/2017 4:23:47 PM<br /> <div class="asl-wikipage-summary"> <p>Widely recognized as the premier line of beginning readers, <em>I Can Read!</em> books are organized into color-coded levels that address every stage of reading for children. Author Diane Z. Shore had a manuscript ready that she thought could be a beginning reader book, but didn&#39;t have the confidence to submit it to HarperCollins, publisher of the <em>I Can Read!</em> series. After submitting it to another large publishing house and receiving a rejection, Shore did her homework and thoroughly researched any available I Can Read! books that she could get her hands on. This process helped her better understand word count, format, and word usage. She rewrote her manuscript following the guidelines and then submitted it to HarperCollins, which resulted in her getting published as a Level 2 <em>I Can Read!</em> book titled <em>How to Drive Your Sister Crazy</em>.&nbsp;</p> </div> <div class="asl-wikipage-media"> <p><a href="https://www.authorlearningcenter.com/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-wikis-components-files/00-00-00-00-80/How-to-Get--Your-Manuscript-Selected-for-the-I-Can-Read_2100_-Book-Program.mp4">www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../How-to-Get--Your-Manuscript-Selected-for-the-I-Can-Read_2100_-Book-Program.mp4</a></p> </div><div style="clear:both;"></div> <div style="font-size: 90%;">Tags: Children’s Books, fiction, Subscriber, video</div> https://www.authorlearningcenter.com/writing/children-s-books/w/age-groups/6212/understanding-children-s-book-classifications---articleWed, 07 Jun 2017 09:09:40 GMT809ccca5-04d2-44bf-8f5c-ff0a6d33c80b:1509c0c7-508a-41e4-b047-bbfee9c25a9cAuthor Learning CenterCurrent Revision posted to Age Groups by Author Learning Center on 6/7/2017 9:09:40 AM<br /> <p>Genre classification plays an important role in a book&rsquo;s life. Publishers, agents, and advertisers use genres to bring your book to market. Readers use it to find your book.&nbsp; The genre determines where the book is placed in physical and virtual <a href="/publishing/distribution-sales/w/booksellers/5340/getting-your-book-in-a-bookstore_a000_-_2d00_-video" target="_blank">bookstores</a> and in <a href="/publishing/distribution-sales/w/libraries/5464/utilizing-the-school-library-market-_2d00_-video">libraries</a>. It helps sellers lead readers to books they may like based on past purchases. It also helps identify the book&rsquo;s competitors and audience, both of which impact marketing, messaging, and sales. The genre even affects where the book is placed in bookseller catalogs and which literary agents support a book project. Ultimately, your chances of selling a book go up when it is accurately classified.</p> <p>Genres start with two major categories, fiction and nonfiction. Beneath these are adult and young adult sub-categories and beneath these are hundreds of additional categories called sub-genres. Genres are also defined by considering aspects such as theme, style, plot, subject matter, and even gender (women&rsquo;s fiction).</p> <p>Children&rsquo;s books can be part of the fiction or nonfiction genres. However, these books are further categorized by the target age of the reader and other details, such as the number of words or the subject matter.</p> <blockquote> <p>&quot;[Children&#39;s] books must be fun and interesting because they help children learn not just to read, but to navigate their world.&quot;&nbsp;</p> </blockquote> <h2 style="padding-left:30px;"><strong>Picture books</strong></h2> <p style="padding-left:60px;">Picture books are targeted at children ages 2 to 8. They primarily use illustrations to tell the story and often share life lessons related to emotional intelligence (empathy, forgiveness, kindness), relationships, social connections, and morals. The books must be fun and interesting because they help children learn not just to read, but to navigate their world. These books usually have 50 to 1,000 words.</p> <h2 style="padding-left:30px;"><strong>Chapter books</strong></h2> <p style="padding-left:60px;">Chapter books are for children ages 7 to 9 and they are 4,000-15,000 words in length. These books have more content and more complex language than the children may have seen before. Therefore, they are broken into chapters to help the readers better comprehend the material.</p> <h2 style="padding-left:30px;"><strong>Easy Reader </strong></h2> <p style="padding-left:60px;">Easy Reader books, also called Emerging Reader or Beginning Reader books, are for children who are just learning to read by themselves, usually from five to nine years old. These books may look like picture books when written for the younger ages and like chapter books for the higher end of this age group. The books have characters, settings, and themes relevant to this age group, such as challenges the child might face, like feeling left out or making friends.&nbsp; The books include short, uncomplicated story lines that are told with words and illustrations, but the illustrations are secondary and not necessary for understanding the story. Words are simple, sentences are short, and there is plenty of action and dialog. The entire book has 200-1500 words and is 48-64 pages.</p> <h2 style="padding-left:30px;"><strong>Juvenile books</strong></h2> <p style="padding-left:60px;">Juvenile books can be fiction or nonfiction. These books speak to the emotions and intellect of the reader. They are written on subjects that are very relevant to the reader&rsquo;s life and that capture the attention of children a little older and younger than the target age. Popular subjects include sex, drugs, alcohol, and family life. This genre is for children from 7-18 years of age and can include chapter books as well as books for middle grade, teen, and young adult readers. For 7 to 9 year olds, books are usually 2,000 &ndash; 10,000 words; for 9 to 12 year olds, books are 20,000-40,000 words. For 13-18 year olds books are 40,000 &ndash; 80,000 words in length.</p> <h2 style="padding-left:30px;"><strong>Middle grade</strong>&nbsp;</h2> <p style="padding-left:60px;">Middle grade books are for 8-12 year old children. The age of reader is connected to the age of the main character. Plot lines include sibling rivalry, fitting in with friends, becoming attracted to others. Books in this genre usually include 20,000-40,000 words.</p> <h2 style="padding-left:30px;"><strong>Young Adult books</strong></h2> <p style="padding-left:60px;">Young Adult books are for readers aged 12-18 and 16-25. These books can be nonfiction or fiction, educational and entertaining, and they must hold the attention of the target age group and speak to them emotionally and intellectually by being very relevant to their lives. YA books can be written in any genre (historical, crime, romance, etc.). Books in this genre are 40,000-80,000 words in length. Young adult includes a relatively new category of books (since 2009) called New Adult. This is for the 18-25 year olds and the content focuses on topics like leaving home, going to school, deciding on a career, and exploring sexuality.</p> <p>Now that you know more about genres, we encourage you to review your own book and decide the genre in which it best belongs. Verify that the language, word count, and subject matter match with your target genre. If necessary, change either your target market or the elements of your book so it can be properly classified.&nbsp; Then, keep working on <a href="/marketing/marketing-plan/w/finding-your-platform/6184/tips-for-marketing-and-building-a-brand-as-a-children-s-author---video">getting that book to market</a>!</p><div style="clear:both;"></div> <div style="font-size: 90%;">Tags: article, fiction, Nonfiction</div> https://www.authorlearningcenter.com/writing/children-s-books/w/age-groups/6212/understanding-children-s-book-classifications---article/revision/9Thu, 01 Jun 2017 13:32:21 GMT809ccca5-04d2-44bf-8f5c-ff0a6d33c80b:1509c0c7-508a-41e4-b047-bbfee9c25a9cAuthor Learning CenterRevision 9 posted to Age Groups by Author Learning Center on 6/1/2017 1:32:21 PM<br /> <p>Genre classification plays an important role in a book&rsquo;s life. Publishers, agents, and advertisers use genres to bring your book to market. Readers use it to find your book.&nbsp; The genre determines where the book is placed in physical and virtual <a href="/publishing/distribution-sales/w/booksellers/5340/getting-your-book-in-a-bookstore_a000_-_2d00_-video" target="_blank">bookstores</a> and in <a href="/publishing/distribution-sales/w/libraries/5464/utilizing-the-school-library-market-_2d00_-video">libraries</a>. It helps sellers lead readers to books they may like based on past purchases. It also helps identify the book&rsquo;s competitors and audience, both of which impact marketing, messaging, and sales. The genre even affects where the book is placed in bookseller catalogs and which literary agents support a book project. Ultimately, your chances of selling a book go up when it is accurately classified.</p> <p>Genres start with two major categories, fiction and nonfiction. Beneath these are adult and young adult sub-categories and beneath these are hundreds of additional categories called sub-genres. Genres are also defined by considering aspects such as theme, style, plot, subject matter, and even gender (women&rsquo;s fiction).</p> <p>Children&rsquo;s books can be part of the fiction or nonfiction genres. However, these books are further categorized by the target age of the reader and other details, such as the number of words or the subject matter.</p> <blockquote> <p>&quot;[Children&#39;s] books must be fun and interesting because they help children learn not just to read, but to navigate their world.&quot;&nbsp;</p> </blockquote> <h2 style="padding-left:30px;"><strong>Picture books</strong></h2> <p style="padding-left:60px;">Picture books are targeted at children ages 2 to 8. They primarily use illustrations to tell the story and often share life lessons related to emotional intelligence (empathy, forgiveness, kindness), relationships, social connections, and morals. The books must be fun and interesting because they help children learn not just to read, but to navigate their world. These books usually have 50 to 1,000 words.</p> <h2 style="padding-left:30px;"><strong>Chapter books</strong></h2> <p style="padding-left:60px;">Chapter books are for children ages 7 to 9 and they are 4,000-15,000 words in length. These books have more content and more complex language than the children may have seen before. Therefore, they are broken into chapters to help the readers better comprehend the material.</p> <h2 style="padding-left:30px;"><strong>Easy Reader </strong></h2> <p style="padding-left:60px;">Easy Reader books, also called Emerging Reader or Beginning Reader books, are for children who are just learning to read by themselves, usually from five to nine years old. These books may look like picture books when written for the younger ages and like chapter books for the higher end of this age group. The books have characters, settings, and themes relevant to this age group, such as challenges the child might face, like feeling left out or making friends.&nbsp; The books include short, uncomplicated story lines that are told with words and illustrations, but the illustrations are secondary and not necessary for understanding the story. Words are simple, sentences are short, and there is plenty of action and dialog. The entire book has 200-1500 words and is 48-64 pages.</p> <h2 style="padding-left:30px;"><strong>Juvenile books</strong></h2> <p style="padding-left:60px;">Juvenile books can be fiction or nonfiction. These books speak to the emotions and intellect of the reader. They are written on subjects that are very relevant to the reader&rsquo;s life and that capture the attention of children a little older and younger than the target age. Popular subjects include sex, drugs, alcohol, and family life. This genre is for children from 7-18 years of age and can include chapter books as well as books for middle grade, teen, and young adult readers. For 7 to 9 year olds, books are usually 2,000 &ndash; 10,000 words; for 9 to 12 year olds, books are 20,000-40,000 words. For 13-18 year olds books are 40,000 &ndash; 80,000 words in length.</p> <h2 style="padding-left:30px;"><strong>Middle grade</strong>&nbsp;</h2> <p style="padding-left:60px;">Middle grade books are for 8-12 year old children. The age of reader is connected to the age of the main character. Plot lines include sibling rivalry, fitting in with friends, becoming attracted to others. Books in this genre usually include 20,000-40,000 words.</p> <h2 style="padding-left:30px;"><strong>Young Adult books</strong></h2> <p style="padding-left:60px;">Young Adult books are for readers aged 12-18 and 16-25. These books can be nonfiction or fiction, educational and entertaining, and they must hold the attention of the target age group and speak to them emotionally and intellectually by being very relevant to their lives. YA books can be written in any genre (historical, crime, romance, etc.). Books in this genre are 40,000-80,000 words in length. Young adult includes a relatively new category of books (since 2009) called New Adult. This is for the 18-25 year olds and the content focuses on topics like leaving home, going to school, deciding on a career, and exploring sexuality.</p> <p>Now that you know more about genres, we encourage you to review your own book and decide the genre in which it best belongs. Verify that the language, word count, and subject matter match with your target genre. If necessary, change either your target market or the elements of your book so it can be properly classified.&nbsp; Then, keep working on <a href="/marketing/marketing-plan/w/finding-your-platform/6184/tips-for-marketing-and-building-a-brand-as-a-children-s-author---video">getting that book to market</a>!</p><div style="clear:both;"></div> <div style="font-size: 90%;">Tags: article, fiction, Nonfiction</div> https://www.authorlearningcenter.com/writing/children-s-books/w/age-groups/6212/understanding-children-s-book-classifications---article/revision/8Thu, 01 Jun 2017 13:18:23 GMT809ccca5-04d2-44bf-8f5c-ff0a6d33c80b:1509c0c7-508a-41e4-b047-bbfee9c25a9cAuthor Learning CenterRevision 8 posted to Age Groups by Author Learning Center on 6/1/2017 1:18:23 PM<br /> <p>Genre classification plays an important role in a book&rsquo;s life. Publishers, agents, and advertisers use genres to bring your book to market. Readers use it to find your book.&nbsp; The genre determines where the book is placed in physical and virtual <a href="/publishing/distribution-sales/w/booksellers/5340/getting-your-book-in-a-bookstore_a000_-_2d00_-video" target="_blank">bookstores</a> and in <a href="/publishing/distribution-sales/w/libraries/5464/utilizing-the-school-library-market-_2d00_-video">libraries</a>. It helps sellers lead readers to books they may like based on past purchases. It also helps identify the book&rsquo;s competitors and audience, both of which impact marketing, messaging, and sales. The genre even affects where the book is placed in bookseller catalogs and which literary agents support a book project. Ultimately, your chances of selling a book go up when it is accurately classified.</p> <p>Genres start with two major categories, fiction and nonfiction. Beneath these are adult and young adult sub-categories and beneath these are hundreds of additional categories called sub-genres. Genres are also defined by considering aspects such as theme, style, plot, subject matter, and even gender (women&rsquo;s fiction).</p> <p>Children&rsquo;s books can be part of the fiction or nonfiction genres. However, these books are further categorized by the target age of the reader and other details, such as the number of words or the subject matter.</p> <blockquote> <p>&quot;[Children&#39;s] books must be fun and interesting because they help children learn not just to read, but to navigate their world.&quot;&nbsp;</p> </blockquote> <h2 style="padding-left:30px;"><strong>Picture books</strong></h2> <p style="padding-left:60px;">Picture books are targeted at children ages 2 to 8. They primarily use illustrations to tell the story and often share life lessons related to emotional intelligence (empathy, forgiveness, kindness), relationships, social connections, and morals. The books must be fun and interesting because they help children learn not just to read, but to navigate their world. These books usually have 50 to 1,000 words.</p> <h2 style="padding-left:30px;"><strong>Chapter books</strong></h2> <p style="padding-left:60px;">Chapter books are for children ages 7 to 9 and they are 4,000-15,000 words in length. These books have more content and more complex language than the children may have seen before. Therefore, they are broken into chapters to help the readers better comprehend the material.</p> <h2 style="padding-left:30px;"><strong>Juvenile books</strong></h2> <p style="padding-left:60px;">Juvenile books can be fiction or nonfiction. These books speak to the emotions and intellect of the reader. They are written on subjects that are very relevant to the reader&rsquo;s life and that capture the attention of children a little older and younger than the target age. Popular subjects include sex, drugs, alcohol, and family life. This genre is for children from 7-18 years of age and can include chapter books as well as books for middle grade, teen, and young adult readers. For 7 to 9 year olds, books are usually 2,000 &ndash; 10,000 words; for 9 to 12 year olds, books are 20,000-40,000 words. For 13-18 year olds books are 40,000 &ndash; 80,000 words in length.</p> <h2 style="padding-left:30px;"><strong>Middle grade</strong>&nbsp;</h2> <p style="padding-left:60px;">Middle grade books are for 8-12 year old children. The age of reader is connected to the age of the main character. Plot lines include sibling rivalry, fitting in with friends, becoming attracted to others. Books in this genre usually include 20,000-40,000 words.</p> <h2 style="padding-left:30px;"><strong>Young Adult books</strong></h2> <p style="padding-left:60px;">Young Adult books are for readers aged 12-18 and 16-25. These books can be nonfiction or fiction, educational and entertaining, and they must hold the attention of the target age group and speak to them emotionally and intellectually by being very relevant to their lives. YA books can be written in any genre (historical, crime, romance, etc.). Books in this genre are 40,000-80,000 words in length. Young adult includes a relatively new category of books (since 2009) called New Adult. This is for the 18-25 year olds and the content focuses on topics like leaving home, going to school, deciding on a career, and exploring sexuality.</p> <p>Now that you know more about genres, we encourage you to review your own book and decide the genre in which it best belongs. Verify that the language, word count, and subject matter match with your target genre. If necessary, change either your target market or the elements of your book so it can be properly classified.&nbsp; Then, keep working on <a href="/marketing/marketing-plan/w/finding-your-platform/6184/tips-for-marketing-and-building-a-brand-as-a-children-s-author---video">getting that book to market</a>!</p><div style="clear:both;"></div> <div style="font-size: 90%;">Tags: article, fiction, Nonfiction</div> https://www.authorlearningcenter.com/writing/children-s-books/w/age-groups/6212/understanding-children-s-book-classifications---article/revision/7Wed, 17 May 2017 09:50:56 GMT809ccca5-04d2-44bf-8f5c-ff0a6d33c80b:1509c0c7-508a-41e4-b047-bbfee9c25a9cAuthor Learning CenterRevision 7 posted to Age Groups by Author Learning Center on 5/17/2017 9:50:56 AM<br /> <p>Genre classification plays an important role in a book&rsquo;s life. Publishers, agents, and advertisers use genres to bring your book to market. Readers use it to find your book.&nbsp; The genre determines where the book is placed in physical and virtual <a href="/publishing/distribution-sales/w/booksellers/5340/getting-your-book-in-a-bookstore_a000_-_2d00_-video" target="_blank">bookstores</a> and in <a href="/publishing/distribution-sales/w/libraries/5464/utilizing-the-school-library-market-_2d00_-video">libraries</a>. It helps sellers lead readers to books they may like based on past purchases. It also helps identify the book&rsquo;s competitors and audience, both of which impact marketing, messaging, and sales. The genre even affects where the book is placed in bookseller catalogs and which literary agents support a book project. Ultimately, your chances of selling a book go up when it is accurately classified.</p> <p>Genres start with two major categories, fiction and nonfiction. Beneath these are adult and young adult sub-categories and beneath these are hundreds of additional categories called sub-genres. Genres are also defined by considering aspects such as theme, style, plot, subject matter, and even gender (women&rsquo;s fiction).</p> <p>Children&rsquo;s books can be part of the fiction or nonfiction genres. However, these books are further categorized by the target age of the reader and other details, such as the number of words or the subject matter.</p> <blockquote> <p>&quot;[Children&#39;s] books must be fun and interesting because they help children learn not just to read, but to navigate their world.&quot;&nbsp;</p> </blockquote> <h2 style="padding-left:30px;"><strong>Picture books</strong></h2> <p style="padding-left:60px;">Picture books are targeted at children ages 2 to 8. They primarily use illustrations to tell the story and often share life lessons related to emotional intelligence (empathy, forgiveness, kindness), relationships, social connections, and morals. The books must be fun and interesting because they help children learn not just to read, but to navigate their world. These books usually have 50 to 1,000 words.</p> <h2 style="padding-left:30px;"><strong>Chapter books</strong></h2> <p style="padding-left:60px;">Chapter books are for children ages 7 to 9 and they are 4,000-15,000 words in length. These books have more content and more complex language than the children may have seen before. Therefore, they are broken into chapters to help the readers better comprehend the material.</p> <h2 style="padding-left:30px;"><strong>Juvenile books</strong></h2> <p style="padding-left:60px;">Juvenile books can be fiction or nonfiction. These books speak to the emotions and intellect of the reader. They are written on subjects that are very relevant to the reader&rsquo;s life and that capture the attention of children a little older and younger than the target age. Popular subjects include sex, drugs, alcohol, and family life. This genre is for children from 7-18 years of age and can include chapter books as well as books for middle grade, teen, and young adult readers. For 7 to 9 year olds, books are usually 2,000 &ndash; 10,000 words; for 9 to 12 year olds, books are 20,000-40,000 words. For 13-18 year olds books are 40,000 &ndash; 80,000 words in length.</p> <h2 style="padding-left:30px;"><strong>Middle grade</strong>&nbsp;</h2> <p style="padding-left:60px;">Middle grade books are for 8-12 year old children. The age of reader is connected to the age of the main character. Plot lines include sibling rivalry, fitting in with friends, becoming attracted to others. Books in this genre usually include 20,000-40,000 words.</p> <h2 style="padding-left:30px;"><strong>Young Adult books</strong></h2> <p style="padding-left:60px;">Young Adult books are for readers aged 12-18 and 16-25. These books can be nonfiction or fiction, educational and entertaining, and they must hold the attention of the target age group and speak to them emotionally and intellectually by being very relevant to their lives. YA books can be written in any genre (historical, crime, romance, etc.). Books in this genre are 40,000-80,000 words in length. Young adult includes a relatively new category of books (since 2009) called New Adult. This is for the 18-25 year olds and the content focuses on topics like leaving home, going to school, deciding on a career, and exploring sexuality.</p> <p>Now that you know more about genres, we encourage you to review your own book and decide the genre in which it best belongs. Verify that the language, word count, and subject matter match with your target genre. If necessary, change either your target market or the elements of your book so it can be properly classified.&nbsp; Then, keep working on <a href="/marketing/marketing-plan/w/finding-your-platform/6184/tips-for-marketing-and-building-a-brand-as-a-children-s-author---video">getting that book to market</a>!</p><div style="clear:both;"></div> <div style="font-size: 90%;">Tags: article, fiction, Nonfiction</div>