Hello Everyone!
Before I get into Teaser Tuesday, I just wanted to alert readers, especially those who write middle grade fiction, to a post I read yesterday on the Caren Johnson Literary Agency blog by Agent Elana Roth.
The topic was YA vs. Middle Grade and why publishers and agents are seeing--and have more clients--writing YA than MG. Elana says she, herself, is BEGGING for MG. Yay!!!
Needless to say, this is a very interesting and INSPIRING post as Elana goes on to say that "editors are constantly asking for middle grade series, which need to be grounded in the tradition of what works but also offer something new."
I for one find this heartening as middle grade is easier for me to write than say, a picture book. I think it's because the middle grade years were some of the happiest ones I had in school. In the middle grades (grades 5-8 for me), there was less peer pressure and angst than in high school. And the middle grade years were also when I "discovered" some of my favorite children's authors, like Judy Blume, Norma Klein, Richard Peck, Paula Danziger, Norma Fox Mazer, Lois Duncan, and Rosa Guy. I could go on but I think you get the idea.
So fellow readers/writers, what were YOUR favorite (or maybe not-so-favorite) school years & were they the reason you write what you write now?
Click here to read Elana's entire post.
Happy Writing!
2 comments:
Great news! I've heard it elsewhere, too :)
Funny, when I began writing MG I was told that the market was dead...but I had a great mentor who told me to write what felt best - that whole 'write what you know' concept. I took his advice and the market has turned. See? This is why we shouldn't worry about writing for the trends...by the time we get there, the trend may have changed!
LOL Yes, you are so right, Tess!
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