How to Write Novels That Engage and Delight Middle School Readers
I never attempted to write a novel until after I’d started teaching middle school. Before then, I didn’t think I was creative or talented enough to write fiction. But at the end of my first year in the classroom, I had an idea for a novel, and I used my mostly free summer to draft it.
(7 Tips for Developing a Middle-Grade Fiction Premise.)
That first novel didn’t get published (thank goodness!). Neither did the second book I wrote, or the third. I was writing with my middle school students—and my own middle school self—as my intended audience, but it took me a while to figure out how to write stories that would reach this audience and fit within the market. Eventually, I honed my craft and found my publishing niche in the slowly expanding subcategory of upper middle grade fiction.
But “upper middle grade” isn’t a universally recognized or clearly defined age category. So what is upper middle grade, really? And how can writers craft novels that engage and delight middle-school-aged readers while fitting within the publishing landscape? Here is a working definition and six tips for engaging a middle school audience.
What is upper middle grade and why do we need it?
The name “middle grade” is confusing because “middle grade” doesn’t line up with “middle school.” Most middle grade novels are marketed toward ages 8-12. Meanwhile, young adult books are characterized as “age 12 and up” or “age 14 and up,” with more and more 14+ YA being published recently. Upper middle grade books are generally targeted toward 10-14-year-old readers—the older end of the traditional middle grade age range and the younger end of the YA range.
Usually, upper middle grade novels feature slightly older characters than younger middle grade novels do, and they tackle weightier or more mature topics. They reach readers who have aged out of younger middle grade books but aren’t quite ready for young adult fare, and they keep middle schoolers reading at an age when kids sometimes lose their enthusiasm for books.
Tip 1: Consider what middle schoolers care about.
If you’re writing for middle school readers, find out about the books, music, and shows they’re loving and the social, emotional, and political issues that matter to them. I’m lucky to spend my days with middle school students, but if you don’t have middle school kids in your life, you can mine your own tween years, reflecting on anything you were passionate about and all of your most tender, awkward memories.
The specifics of adolescence have changed, but many of the core emotions and big questions young people grapple with remain constant. Getting to the heart of who you were and how you saw the world as an adolescent may help you get to the heart of your story!
In addition, listen to what your intended audience is listening to, watch what they’re watching, and read what they’re reading. Ask a librarian, teacher, or bookseller which recent titles are most popular with middle school readers. Read those books, noticing places where your early teenage emotions and experiences overlap with the characters’ journeys. The best stories meet readers where they are and grow out of the author’s deepest self, so those places of overlap can be great jumping off points for fiction!
Tip 2: Think strategically about character age.
Most upper middle grade protagonists are between 12 and 14. Unless you have a good reason to make the main character younger, your characters should generally be 12 or older—but not too much older.
The standard wisdom is that kids read “up”—meaning they want to read about characters who are older than they are. By this logic, 14 would be an ideal age for an upper middle grade main character. Indeed, there’s a demand among kids and educators for 14-year-old characters. But 14 is sometimes seen as off-limits in the publishing world—too young for a YA protagonist and too old for middle grade. Thirteen, even, has pushed the middle grade limit in the past, though thankfully I’m seeing more and more 13-year-old protagonists lately.
There are benefits and drawbacks to any age you choose, since younger tween protagonists will have less appeal for seventh and eighth graders but 14-year-old characters can be tough for booksellers and librarians to know how to shelve and less relatable to some fifth or even sixth graders.
Therefore, know the general age range and decide what age choice best serves the story you want to tell. My new book, Keeping Pace, worked best with a character who was turning 14 because the plot was most effective and the emotions were amplified if the story unfolded during the summer after eighth grade. Most of my other books worked best during the summer before eighth grade or early in the eighth grade year, so those characters are 13.
Check out Laurie Morrison’s Keeping Pace here:
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Tip 3: Utilize older secondary characters to expand your novel’s reach.
You can increase your potential readership by making smart use of older secondary characters. Rebecca Stead’s Goodbye Stranger makes brilliant use of an older teen character whose perspective enhances the main storyline. Goodbye Stranger stars three seventh grade girls, but short chapters from the perspective of a ninth grader are interspersed throughout.
In my book Up for Air, the protagonist, Annabelle, joins a high school swim team during the summer before eighth grade and befriends several older teens who play important roles in the novel. Keeping Pace has an endearingly awkward and innocent first romance at its center, but it also includes an older teen character—the main character Grace’s sister—who has much more experience with romance. In general, older teen characters can infuse a story with wisdom and excitement, and they give more mature middle school readers chances to connect and see themselves.
Tip 4: Keep all messages empowering.
Middle grade novels should empower readers. Every character doesn’t need to be a role model and stories shouldn’t be didactic, but writers should guard against confusing, unintentional messages. Characters can absolutely make destructive or unwise choices, but readers should have opportunities to notice when they’re making mistakes and misreading situations.
In addition to adding wisdom and excitement, older characters can act as mentors who empower the characters and readers. In Up for Air, Annabelle’s older teammates realize that a charismatic high school boy is giving Annabelle inappropriate attention. Even though Annabelle isn’t ready to listen to their warnings at first, readers usually hear them loud and clear.
You can also hint that a character is behaving in ways that might not serve them well by showing the character’s self-doubt. Your character might repeat themself as they try to talk themself into something, or there might be a gap between what the character thinks and what they say or do. It’s a fine line to walk: We want young readers to connect with our characters and love them while also recognizing their misbeliefs and missteps, so be on the lookout for organic ways to help your readers understand more than the characters do.
Tip 5: Avoid curse words—unless you really need them—but embrace tough topics and romance!
Upper middle grade novels differ from young adult novels in that, for the most part, they don’t include curse words, underage drinking, or smoking. There are occasional middle grade books that thoughtfully incorporate these elements. But because upper middle grade novels aren’t usually separated from younger middle grade novels, adults are often wary about these specific kinds of content.
However, there’s plenty of space to explore the tough, complicated situations that tweens and young teens deal with, including drug use, addiction, sexual harassment, and more. Paula Chase, Barbara Dee, and Chad Lucas are examples of excellent upper middle grade authors who never shy away from weighty content.
There’s also plenty of space for romance! When I first started writing, people told me romance was off-limits in middle grade, but that opinion is either wrong or outdated. All my books have had a crush or budding potential relationship, and Keeping Pace leans most fully into the romantic elements. I had to think strategically about the setup to make sure the interactions felt believable for the characters’ ages and appropriate for all middle grade readers. But in general, giddy, awkward tween crushes and romance are a hit with many readers.
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Tip 6: Leave readers with hope.
A hallmark of middle grade fiction is that it leaves readers with hope. Readers should close your book feeling confident that the main character is going to be okay. Even when upper middle grade novels delve into especially complex and emotional topics, and even if the characters’ circumstances are still difficult after the final chapter, these books should end with some bright spots.
Characters can find new passions, forge sustaining connections, and learn important lessons about themselves and the world. Your upper middle grade novel doesn’t need to get wrapped up too neatly, but try to leave readers with the sense that your characters have the skills, relationships, and knowledge to navigate future challenges.