Using Superstition In Writing for Children

Is Friday the 13th an unlucky day? I'm not one for superstition, but I think that it can add an interesting element in a novel, especially if you're writing for middle graders.

Kids can be less skeptical than adults and more willing to believe that something can bring them good luck (or bad luck). They also might test out a superstition to see if it's true. I love it when story characters have their own, personal superstitions that are unique to them. I suspect there are likely some superstitions or sayings that are specific to particular regions or settings.

Some common bad luck superstitions:

• Friday the thirteenth is an unlucky day
• If you walk under a ladder, you will have bad luck
• If a black cat crosses your path you will have bad luck
• Breaking a mirror brings you seven years bad luck
• Opening an umbrella in the house brings bad luck
• Step on a crack, break your mother's back  
• Wearing an opal when it is not your birthstone is bad luck

Some common good luck superstitions:

• A rabbit's foot brings good luck
• Finding a four-leaf clover brings good luck
• Wearing clothes inside out will bring good luck
• If you blow out all of the candles on your birthday cake with the first breath you will get whatever you wish for
• Crossing your fingers helps to avoid bad luck and helps a wish come true

As I'm thinking about these, I'm remembering my grandmother and some of her sayings, which have passed along to me through my mother.  I'm also starting to hear the voice of a highly superstitious story character in my head!

Have you ever created a story character with any superstitions about what is lucky or unlucky? Or have you come across any stories where superstition plays an important role?

Links

Sleuths, Spies and Alibis tells us about Using Lore, Legends, and Superstitions

Use Smells and Tastes for Powerful Writing

Most writers have heard how important it is to use all the senses to make a story come alive. But sometimes it's difficult to find the right words, especially when it comes to describing smells or tastes. Here are some tips for using smells and tastes in your writing:

Write what comes naturally. Trying to put smell and taste in every situation will seem unnatural. Some settings lend themselves to describing tastes or smells more than others. Use it where it fits -- to introduce a memory, to add richness to a setting or situation, to bring out character.

Use the emotion. Smells and tastes are strongly connected to experiences and feelings -- the cinnamon scent of grandma's cookies, the faint smell of your boyfriend's scent on a pillow, the antiseptic smell of the hospital where Dad was sick. Tying smells and tastes to feelings in your writing can strengthen the emotion.

Make comparisons. There really aren't that many words to describe smells or tastes compared to vision, so it's often useful to compare an unfamiliar smell or taste to a familiar (and interesting) one.

Be specific. Using a specific descriptor always creates a sharper image than a vague one. Think about the word "stink". "The stink of wet dog" evokes a totally different sensation than "smelly sock stink" or "onion breath stink".

More considerations when using smells and tastes in writing for children:

Character reactions. Reactions to smells and tastes reveal character. A fussy kid is bothered by strong tastes and smells. Some people are "supertasters" and react to even a hint of a taste. You can give your character an interesting quirk by giving him a specific smell or by having her always react strongly to a particular taste.

Background and range of experience. Here I go again, talking about filtering everything through the main character's perspective. But it's so important for using tastes and smells effectively. Your character's background affects the way they experience the world. The expression "sour as a lemon" only works if your character has seen or eaten a lemon. Since I write MG, the smells and tastes I include need to be relevant to the age group of my readers - think "bubble gum" vs. "fine wine."

Cliches. Be aware of whether your sensory comparisons for taste and smell are cliched. Sometimes you want them to be. "Sour as a lemon" evokes a specific taste and can get a point across quickly. On the other hand, using too many cliched expressions could make your writing seem stale or ordinary.

Sensory overload. A choice word here or there can sometimes be more powerful than a long description. When writing for kids, go for a word or phrase with a strong image and leave out the wordy descriptions. How much detail do you need for each sense? Do you need to include all the senses in every description?

Do you have any tips on using smell and taste in your writing? Have you read any children's books that are good examples of how to write with smells or tastes?

Links:
*If you know of any other useful links about using the senses, let me know and I'll include them.

 
Feed Your Senses and some ways to use Common Senses at Paranormal Point of View.

Karen Strong has some great examples of effective scenes that use smell and taste.

Some strategies for getting in touch with your senses at Adventures in Children's Publishing.

Over at the Do It Yourself Degree in Creative Writing, you'll find some tips on using each of the senses in Writing Through the Senses.

The Language of the Senses makes some interesting points about how the senses are handled differently in writing.

Jess at the Falling Leaflets talks about writing with the five senses.

Faith Hunter discusses ways for writing with taste and smell.

Check out this in-depth article on writing with the sense of smell by Chip Scanlan.

At The Bookshelf Muse, you'll find an invaluable resource for describing emotions, textures, weather, and settings.

See also my posts on Words for Describing Smells and Ten Non-Food Ways to Use Taste in Writing.

Do You Need Backstory in Middle Grade Novels?

When you’re writing for middle grade readers, you need to keep the story moving. Backstory, or information about the background or history of characters and objects, can create an info dump that stops the action of the story, or at least slows it to a snail-like crawl.

Does that mean backstory is a no-no for middle grade novels?

I think you’d have a hard time finding a novel without any backstory at all. As middle grade writer Laura Pauling points out, we need backstory for helping to create characters with depth.

Knowing some background about a character can help develop a character’s motivation (e.g., Harry Potter’s backstory of surviving Voldemort’s attack as an infant). And knowing what a character has gone through in the past can sometimes help us feel more emotionally connected to characters. So the trick is to somehow include the backstory so that it doesn’t get in the way of the real here and now story of the novel.

Some strategies:

Weave it in gradually. This is the most common tip I see in articles about backstory. Avoid an info dump by giving key details about the character’s past in small pieces, rather than a long explanation.

Make sure it’s necessary. I think it’s so important to only include backstory where and when it’s needed.

Like other elements of your story, it has to be something that the reader really needs to know at that particular point in the story. Maybe it will keep the reader from being confused. Or maybe it shows why the character has made a decision. If it doesn’t have a purpose that helps move the story along, you might not need it. A lot of advice I’ve read (including Donald Maass) says not to include backstory at the beginning, when you’re trying to hook your reader.

Use only a little. Keep your backstory brief and to the point. (Remember, the Harry Potter novels, which at times seem to be built on backstory, are exceptions.)

Make it interesting or make it quick. If you are including some backstory and have found a natural place to bring it into your story, there are different ways to fold it in. You could just directly state it and quickly move on. Or you might bring it in through a brief memory, especially if you’re trying to develop an emotional connection to your reader. Flashbacks could be another way, but I don’t see those often in books for middle grade readers (they can be confusing).

Including backstory through dialogue is one way people try to avoid the “show not tell’ problem, but as author Elana Johnson says, this can be really awkward and unnatural sounding.

How much do you rely on backstory? Do you have any tips to share?

Links:

*As always, if you know of any great posts on backstory, please let me know in the comments and I’ll add them here for our reference.

Elana Johnson, author of the YA novel, Possession, has some thoughts on using backstory for world building.

Laura Pauling’s take on backstory.

Becca Puglisi of The Bookshelf Muse gives us some strategies for using backstory in this guest post at Sherry's Fiction Writing Tools.

At Writing While the Rice Boils, Debbie Maxwell Allen has a series of 4 posts by Randy Ingermanson that give us a thorough look at the topic of backstory.

Over at Literary Rambles, Casey McCormick posts a great tip on how much backstory to include from one of her blog readers, Carmen Ferreiro-Esteban.

Rachel Larow of Mommy Authors gives some tips on balancing backstory.

Literary Agent Rachelle Gardner gives advice on strategic ways to use backstory, especially in your novel opening.

Author Jody Hedlund weighs in on how much and when to use backstory.

Kristin Lamb on backstory as the 4th deadly sin of writing.

At the Query Tracker blog, Stina Lindenblatt talks about backstory.

Author Mary Carroll Moore talks about how backstory can help or hinder.

C is for Connecting to Readers

What makes you want to keep reading? Often, you feel a connection to a main character and his story so you care about what happens to him. How can writers create that connection?

Give your character a personality. A strong main character can often make me stick with a story, even if I don’t like what’s happening or the writing style. Notice that a strong character doesn’t have to be likeable, though I think 8- to 12-year-olds relate better to a character that has at least a few likeable qualities. But there has to be some reason why I want to see what happens to them, why I care to read their story. Sometimes, the reason might be simply that I see the character has the potential to change and I want to see if she does.

Use character voice. When the viewpoint character has a unique voice, it helps to create a sense that the character is real. But I think it’s important not to try too hard to play up the voice, because you can end up with forced writing that sounds like an adult trying to be a kid. Instead, tap into the character by getting to know them. Construct your character in the reader’s mind through showing how he acts and how he thinks. That’s when the character’s voice will emerge.

Add some shared interests. One of the reasons why you connect well with friends is because you have something to share—the same school, the same life goals, the same hobbies or interests. That's a good starting point for connecting to readers too. Make sure your story includes interests or hobbies that are relevant to middle-grade readers, then take it up a notch by adding a twist. Use things kids know about, like school and family, and add in something else that piques their curiosity, like dogsledding (Dogsled Dreams by Terry Lynn Johnson), having a zookeeper parent (Belly Up by Stuart Gibbs) or figureskating (Sugar and Ice by Kate Messner). Think: What would it be like to….?

Ultimately, you can’t predict whether a reader will connect with your story and characters. Not everyone wants to read every story. But if you can make the reader feel something for your character, chances are he’ll want to keep reading to see what happens next.

What do you do to help readers connect to your stories?

Links:

(*If you know of any other great articles on this subject, let me know and I’ll add them for our reference)

Lydia Sharp writes about how to connect with your reader.

Janice Hardy, author of The Healing Wars trilogy for MG readers, gives us strategies for creating characters that readers will care about.

Author Elana Johnson talks about the first thing a book needs — a character the reader can connect with. 

Tabitha Bird argues that connecting with the book you want to write is more important than connecting with readers.

Lucy Marsen at From the Write Angle writes about how slowing down can help you create connections with characters.

F is for Friendships in Middle Grade Novels

Between the ages of 9 and 14, kids are starting to explore relationships with people outside their families. They're thinking about how to be a good friend, who is not a real friend, and which friends they want to hang with. Someone might be your best friend for one day, and then not the next.  

How can you use friends to develop your middle grade story?

Create conflict. Tension between friends increases conflict. For example, in Leslie Margolis’ novel, Girl's Best Friend, dog-walker Maggie Brooklyn gets stuck working with her ex-best friend to solve a mystery. Talk about conflict! Other ways to create tension? Being too busy for friends, wanting friends when you don't have them, jealousy of a good friend...there are so many. Brainstorm for your own unique friend-related conflict.

Sidekick or support. Friends don’t always mean conflict. They can help solve a mystery or provide support on an adventure (think about Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson books). Supporting friends make the main character seem more well-rounded, emotional or empathetic. They can also add humor or depth as part of a subplot. What if the sidekick always messes up? Or bails out the main character?

Provide information. A friend's different point of view can be a way for the author to add things that can't be shown through the main character. Conversations between a character and a good friend are one way to add in some backstory without creating an info dump. Something a friend has noticed might be an important clue. Just be sure not to rely on the friend too much or too often; the main character should take centre stage.

More tips on using friends in your story:

Beware of cliches. In books where the main character is a boy, one of the good friends is often a girl, to the point where it’s almost becoming a formula. I think this is much less common in real life than in the world of books, because authors want the book to appeal to girls as well as boys. Watch out for stereotypes like the Hermione effect (smart girl sidekick).  

Friends aren’t always people. Middle graders have strong feelings for pets, other living creatures and even inanimate objects, so you can be create in the friendships you choose to include in your novel. For example, Bobbie Pyron’s A Dog’s Way Home focuses on the relationship between a girl and her dog. In Drizzle by Kathleen Van Cleve, the main character has a unique relationship with a plant.

Friends change with the situation. In real life, kid’s friendships may be related to the activities they do. They may have one group of friends at school, but a different group of friends on their soccer team or at dance class.

Be realistic. According to at least one reader I talked to, it’s annoying when a character in a book has only one friend. In real life, kids interact with many different peers in different ways. Capturing the flavour of that complexity in your story, even in a simple way, might add to the story believability.

Do you have any tips or suggestions for using friendships to strengthen a story? Have you read any good books where a friendship was essential to the story?

Links

*As usual, if you have any links to other posts or resources on this subject, I'd be happy to add them to the list for our reference.

At Plot to Punctuation, there’s a great post on using a sidekick character in your writing. 

For more material and insights on friendships between girls, a blog by psychologist Irene Levine, author of Best Friends Forever: Surviving a Breakup with Your Best Friend, explores friendships between women of all ages, including teens and preteens. A couple of nteresting articles:

Preteen worries: My family, my friends and me

Friendship by the book: An interview with Alexa Young, author of Frenemies

At Fuel Your Writing, freelancer Kolina gives some tips on how to use your own friends to improve your novels.

X is an Unknown

If you’ve noticed that I’ve skipped letter X in my ABCs of writing middle grade fiction, then I congratulate you on your powers of observation!  Since I’m working at making this a useful resource, I didn’t want to include a contrived post about X. The same goes for Z. I considered a few ideas:

X Marks the Spot – All about the place in your novel where your protagonist finally gets what they want.

X is for X-ray Vision and Other Superpowers – Hey, this actually sounds pretty good. Maybe one day I’ll come back to it. I’d love to write a novel with a superhero character.

X is for Unknown – What is that mysterious element that makes your novel stand out to agents and publishers?

Z is for Zoos – How to write cafeteria scenes with middle grade characters, or all about the behind the scenes research you need to write about zoo animals. I could include a list of books that include zoos. Hmmm.

Z is for Zest – Different ways to bring your novel alive that don’t include zoo animals

Z is for Zzzzzzz – How to keep your readers from falling asleep

In the end though, I just don’t have enough material to make one of these work. I don’t rule it out for the future (or maybe a creative guest post).

Now that I’ve pretty much come to the end of the alphabet, you may be wondering what’s next. Well, I’ve enjoyed learning and collecting links for my ABCs series on writing middle grade fiction. So, I plan to continue adding to it, but not in any systematic order (I foresee a lot of posts starting with letters C, F, and P). There are lots more topics to consider…and I’m open to suggestions. 

What do you want to know about writing middle grade fiction? If I don’t know, I’ll try to find out and consider your ideas for a future post.

Y is for YA, Or is it MG: Where Does Your Novel Fit?

One of the tricky things about writing middle grade can be knowing whether your novel really should be categorized as MG. Maybe it’s young adult? I’ve heard people say you should just write it and figure that out later. But agent Mary Kole points out that when you’re still working to get published or even early in your writing career, it might be a wise decision to make sure your novel is clearly one or the other.

There are many places where you can find the elements that define MG and YA novels. Here’s a quick breakdown:

Middle Grade:

- range from 20,000 to 50,000 words
- focus on family, school, friends, developing independence with ties to family
- magic and adventure are popular
- protagonists are usually 11- to 13-years-old, but no older than 14
- story needs to be appropriate for kids down to age of 8 or 9
- endings are often happy and mostly resolved

Young Adult:

- range from 45,000 to about 90,000 words
-wide scope that includes anything from sweet to edgy, containing drugs, drinking or sex, but authentic
- usually involves romance, since teens are interested in relationships
- protagonists are usually 15 to 17 years old
- plots where teens face adult problems, such as taboo subjects, violence, coping with tragedy
- endings may be ambiguous, not necessarily happy or having all loose ends tied up

Despite these clear cut elements for YA and MG novels, anyone who reads within these categories can find examples that either don’t contain some of these elements, or fall in a mysterious grey area somewhere between. How can you be sure your novel is MG?

I think you need to start with the basic idea behind your novel. Think about these questions:

What does your protagonist want?

What kinds of conflicts stop your protagonist from getting what he/she wants?

If you can place these key parts of the story as MG concerns vs. YA concerns, I think you will have gone a huge part of the way towards making sure your novel is in the MG camp. It’s easier to play with character ages, and often even the setting, other characters, or the ending.

One tip is to consider getting your critique partners to review your plot synopsis or idea before you begin writing. Their comments might help you firmly place your story as either MG or YA.

Do you have any other tips for making sure your novel fits into your category?

Links:

Agent Mary Kole on Is it MG or YA?

Over at MiG Writers, my crit buddy Debbie Riddpath Ohi also tackles the difference between MG and YA, including a good look at word counts.

Margo Dill also explains the difference between YA and MG.

Here are Five Fast Differences Between YA and MG from Michelle at YA Highway.

Nathan Bransford’s forum has a discussion thread on YA vs. MG.

And over at The League of Extraordinary Writers, Angie Smibert started a discussion about what really defines YA or MG.

Ani Louise sums up some points to help you tell whether you’re writing YA or MG.

Sheila at the LDS Women’s Book Review discusses how characters change in MG vs. YA novels.

Alissa at The Grammarian’s Reviews considers questions of age, romance and setting for MG. vs. YA.

Kate Coombs discusses the confusion between YA and MG at the Enchanted Inkpot.

W is for Words: Choosing Right for Writing Middle Grade

Every writer knows how important it is to get the words right. The words you choose reflect the voice of your character and allow your reader to slip seamlessly into your story. Awkward wording, too many clichés, or word choices that don’t fit with the viewpoint character’s style can pull the reader away from the story.

Consistency. Choosing words to create a consistent tone or style is important. You can create a jarring effect by having adult characters use kid language, or by having kids use the wrong type of slang for the time period. Or even worse, to use slang inappropriately, showing that you are adult trying to sound like a kid.

Descriptions. The words you choose for making comparisons or creating imagery also need to resonate with your readers. That means it’s important to try to think the way kids think and notice what they notice.

These examples from the novel I’m reading now, Flutter by Erin E. Moulton, show how the author has chosen kid-friendly words: “whistley breath”, “frosting that I can lick off the tips of my fingers”, and “spilling a gob of seeds across the kitchen table”.

Vocabulary level. One worry for children’s writers is that the vocabulary or word level is right for different grade levels. I always think that for middle grade, if I’m using mostly words I’d use in ordinary conversation, then they will sound natural and be accessible to my readers.

But some writers are skilled at using a richer vocabulary, as in Lisa Yee’s Millicent Min, Girl Genius. The words you choose need to fit with your viewpoint character. The phrase “I appreciate the intellectual strategies some games involve” wouldn’t work in all middle grade novels, but it’s completely in character for Millicent.

How do you make sure your word choices are right for your novel?

A few fun sites to help you find the right word:

Accents – Here’s some help for getting accents right.

Metaphor – Ideas for common metaphors by category.

Onomaotpoeia or words that make noise
More words that make noise

Rhymes – This unique dictionary allows you to type in any word and it will generate a rhyme.

Slang - A unique dictionary to help make sure you've gotten the slang right.

TextMessage Lingo

Thesaurus Collections - A great online thesaurus collection for writers that includes ideas for describing emotions, settings, colours, textures and shapes, symbolism, weather and character traits from The Bookshelf Muse  

Urban Dictionary

Links:
YA author Vahini Naidoo talks about how choosing the right words helps you convey the voice and mood of the viewpoint character.

At Project Mayhem, Michael Winchell discusses vocabulary in middle grade novels.

Kid-lit agent Mary Kole discusses word choice and how it affects voice and interiority on her blog, and especially interesting are her workshop examples on snippets of reader submissions. Try Workshop #6 for some insights on word choice.

V is for Voice: It Might Sell Your MG Novel

Voice is tricky to define, and even trickier to pin down when you’re writing. But editors and agents often say one of the key things they look for in a manuscript is a strong or unique voice. What does that mean?

Voice has been defined as the specific way that you, the writer, put words together so that your writing shows some personality. In novels where the narrator has a strong voice, the writing sounds natural. As a reader, you don’t notice that you’re reading words on a page. You’re in the story and the mind of the main character.  And if that novel is a MG novel, the story sounds like it comes from a real kid, not an adult.

I know this sounds obvious, but if you’re not an eight- to-twelve-year-old yourself, it’s easy to write something you think sounds like MG, but actually doesn’t. How can you develop your middle grade voice?

Think like a kid as you write. When you’re writing, you really need to see the world of the story and the story events through the eyes of a middle grade character. Kids and adults don’t notice the same kinds of things. They don’t talk the same way. They don’t react the same way. As much as you can, you need to take on that “kid perspective”.

Read middle grade fiction. One of my best tips for writing MG fiction is to read a lot of it. It gives you a feel for the language structures and style of speaking that 8- to-12-year-olds actually use. I know my own writing took a huge leap forward when I started reading more books written for the age level I’m actually writing.

Practice. I practice writing with a MG voice. I write about issues relevant to kids from my character’s point of view. Even if I don’t use my character’s opinions on whether they should be allowed to play more video games in my novel, I find that writing about them really helps to build that middle grade reader perspective.

What do you do to bring out your middle grade voice?

Links:

Anna Staniszewski writes on finding your middle grade voice.

At the SCBWI 2010 Conference blog, you’ll find some thoughts on voice from Jennifer Rees.

Here's a great post on voice from Notes from the Slushpile called Finding Your Voice: An SCBWI Master Class with Beverley Birch by Addy Farmer (added September 2011)

Miriam Forster has an interesting series of blog posts on voice, beginning with the difference between a writer’s voice and the character’s voice.

At Word Play, K.M. Weiland also discusses the differencebetween author voice and character voice.

Alexandra Sokoloff began a great discussion about voice with her blog post That Elusive Voice.

Lynda R. Young gives some strategies for developing a unique voice.

At MiG Writers, Debbie Ohi talks (and draws) about writers and voice.

Jeff Hirsch writes about a strategy for developing voice at The League of Extraordinary Writers.

At Let the Words Flow, Jennifer Fitzgerald writes about the struggle to get the right voice.

And at Writer Unboxed, Juliet Mallier tells some of her thought processes for choosing the right voice.

Shannon Whitney Messenger offers some tips for finding your character’s voice.

Over at The Bookshelf Muse, Becca posted a list of three good reasons why you should work on developing the voice of your novel and some tips for creating a strong character voice.

For more tips and links on developing voice, visit Adventures in Children’s Publishing.

U is for Unlikable Characters: Can They Hook MG Readers?

 Most of the advice I’ve read about creating characters emphasizes the need to make them likable. Some people question whether that is necessary. After all, “likable” is subjective. What is likable to one reader might not be to another.  A character with only positive, redeeming qualities could be boring, since there’s no room for growth. Starting with an unlikable character leaves more room for character growth.

Still, I think that readers of MG fiction usually want the book's hero or point of view character to have at least some likable qualities. Eight- to twelve-year-olds have a fairly “black and white” view of the world. They notice when friends or their parents aren’t following the rules. And they appreciate knowing who are the good guys and who are the bad guys.

Kids also have a lot competing for their attention. They’re likely to give up on a book if there’s something about it they don’t like. And that includes the characters. So, it’s okay, and even preferable if the villain is or becomes highly unlikable. (That follows the rules.) But the hero? If you’re trying to create a main character your readers connect with, they need to be able to see a little bit of themselves in the character…and would you see yourself in character you don’t even like?

That doesn’t mean your main character can’t be the playground bully. But even if your heroine has some traits most people would say are unlikable, such as bossiness or a bad temper, there have to be reasons why the reader should care about her.

Have you read any MG books with an unlikable main character? Any tips on making your own main character more likable?

Links:

Jody Hedlund began a great discussion on whether the maincharacter needs to be likable, and some ways to create likable characters.

Over at Adventures in Children’s Publishing, Martina talks about the issue of character likability, with examples from The Hunger Games.

Juliette Wade writes on whether we need to like characters or just relate to them.

At the Blood Red Pencil, Janet Fitch uses examples to show how to help readers connect to a character that seems unlikable.

Roni Loren gives practical tips for helping readers connect to unlikable characters.

And more tips from L.B. Schulman, writing about creating likeable characters we love.

T is for Transitions: Avoid Confusing Middle Grade Readers

There are lots of places in a novel where you need to include information about a change in location, a change in time (e.g. it’s now two days later), or a change from one plot event to another. These connecting parts need to blend in or they can interrupt the flow of the story.

If you’re writing MG, transitions can be tricky.

Too much detail. If takes too long to explain how your character got from one place to another, or that it’s now the next day, you risk losing your reader’s interest. Sometimes, it’s best just to quickly tell the reader, rather than drawing out the movement by showing through actions. But at the same time, you don’t want to tell the reader too much. Long drawn out transitions can slow down the pace of the story. Some questions to ask yourself: Does the reader really need to know this? Does it matter to the story?

Too fast. A quick change of scene or time might easily confuse a MG reader. Make sure you have enough information to orient the reader, so they know where the character is in your scene. You can prepare the reader for a change in place or event in the last line of a chapter or paragraph. This allows anticipation of what might be coming next. Some questions to ask: Does the reader know where my character is? What do they need to know for this to make sense?

The key is to strike a balance between giving information while not slowing down or pulling the reader out of the story. Here are a few tips:

Make them natural. The transitions I use mostly fit in logically with what is happening in the story. For example, if your character doesn’t usually notice the way the light falls on the trees, then using that detail to show a transition will seem awkward or stick out to the reader.

Use sensory details. One effective way to signal a change is through a character noticing a different sensation, e.g. a change in light to signal the time of day, an unusual smell when walking into a new place.

Watch for repetition. Words signalling a transition can easily become overused in your story. Some examples:  “Suddenly”, “All at once”, “Then”, “Next”, and “But”.  

For more ideas, check out some of the great articles in the links below. Do you have any tips for how to create effective transitions?

Links:
*If you know of any other resources on this topic, let me know and I'll add the link.

Janice Hardy, author of the MG novel Shifter, blogs about why transitions are important and where your novel needs them, as well as some great tips for making transitions seamless.

In a guest post at Robin Lucas’ blog, Angela Ackerman from The Bookshelf Muse gives us strategies for helping writing flow from scene to scene.

Lydia Sharp gives some pointers on ways to show the passing of time.

Over at Mystery Writing is Murder, Elizabeth Craig and Riley Adams talk about some of the problems with writing transitions.

Allison Valentine Schrier shows us two ways of writing transitions, using examples.

P.C. Wrede, author of the middle grade novel Thirteenth Child, part of the Frontier Magic series, discusses jump-cut and narrative transitions.

Juliette Wade provides a few tips on using transitions to keep the story moving forward.

S is for Stereotypes: Are Your Characters Really Unique?

When we’re creating characters, one of the things we’re told to watch out for is stereotypes—simple, commonly held perceptions of people, like "smart kids are geeks". A few examples of stereotypes you might come across in MG novels:

The evil step-mother. Why is it always the step-mother who is a monster? It’s been done to death by Disney.

The smart older sister (or friend who’s a girl). You can’t top Hermione, so why not make your female characters stand out for another reason?

Teachers who get on a kid’s case because they haven’t done their homework. Believe it or not, teachers are not always cracking the whip. Is there another way you could show a teacher?

Girls with red hair. As the mother of a redhead, I know this hair colour is definitely not as common in real life as it is in novels.

And the list goes on. What’s so bad about stereotyped characters? They can come across as flat and dull because the reader has already met that type of character in other stories. Relying on a stereotype for a character can leave out interesting quirks, mannerisms, and personality traits that add depth and realism. If a character is too much of a cliché, it might be hard to connect with their problems.

Avoiding character stereotypes can sometimes be a challenge. Here are some ideas that might help:

Brainstorm. In the same way that you might not use the first idea you come across for your plot twist, don't settle for the first personality trait that comes to mind when you're creating a character. You could be choosing a stereotype.

Think about reader expectations. Are you writing about a hero or a princess? What does your reader expect? Change it up by adding an unexpected personality trait or hobby. Instead of the smart older sister, make it an older brother. A brunette. Try to create the opposite of what you’ve been seeing a lot of in your reading.

Use point of view. Remember that characters are seen through the eyes of your point of view character. Maybe your narrator sees the world in stereotypes. If not, the details your narrator notices can help to make your characters seem more real, and less like a stereotype.

Should you always try to get rid of stereotypes? Maybe not. Including a stereotyped character in a MG novel might sometimes be useful.

Short cuts to understanding. If your readers are familiar with “kindly old grandfather” they can make a quick connection between the book and their background knowledge. This can sometimes serve as a “short cut” that eliminates a lot of explanation. Or, it can serve as a starting point for developing a unique character when the story takes the character beyond the stereotype.

Adding humor. Intentional use of a stereotype can be a way to add some fun into your story. The stereotyped character can be exaggerated, giving the reader a chance to poke some fun.

Do you try to avoid stereotypes when creating your characters? If so, how do you make sure your characters are unique?

Links: *As always, let me know if you find a great article on this subject to add for our reference.

At Buried In the SlushPile, read about how seemingly unimportant details can lead to stereotyped characters.

Writing tips for avoiding stereotypes by Matthew Arnold Stern.

Over at The Character Therapist, Jeannie Campbell posts about ways to rejuvenate character stereotypes, for example, The Tomboy.

Janice Hardy discusses how to avoid stereotyping whenwriting characters of a different gender than your own.

Susan Kaye Quinn of Ink Spells writes about moving past stereotypes in kid lit and gives us a look at a teen’s perspective on stereotyping in YA novels.

Blogger and book reviewer Meg talks about stereotyped highschools in YA novels and gives us the real life scoop.

Are boys stereotyped in MG and YA books? Hannah Moskowitz gives us one perspective.

Julia Daines writes with humor about how stereotypes can be useful.

R is for Rules: Creating Tension for MG Readers

If you write middle grade fiction, it helps to have a good picture of the life of a nine- to twelve year old. One big part of that life is rules. There are rules for home, rules for school, rules for friend’s houses, rules for sports, rules for games…Everywhere they go, kids have to follow rules.

Explicit rules. There are rules that kids hear around them all the time, like “Homework before computer” or “No talking during the quiz” or “No friends over when a parent’s not home.”

Implicit rules. Some of the “rules” kids follow might not be stated but are learned from the reactions of other kids in social situations, for example, “rules” about how to dress or where to sit in the cafeteria.

What are some key things to know about rules if you’re writing MG?

Think hard about which and how many rules a character will break. Some kids might enjoy reading because the characters in books can escape some of the rules in their lives and do things the reader themselves might not be allowed to do.

On the other hand, parents are still a big part of the lives of middle grade readers and may still be helping to make choices about reading materials and book purchases. Characters that break too many rules might be frowned upon, or depending on what the rules are, push your book more towards YA.

Take a kid perspective. Adults have a totally different perspective on rules than kids do. Have you ever tried to explain your logic in making a certain rule only to see a blank stare from your child? Because adults and kids value different things, there are some rules that kids just don’t get (e.g. Why do I have to keep my room clean again?)

Kids use rules too. Because they are still figuring out how rules work and which ones apply to them, rules are big in kids lives. They care about whether other kids follow the rules in the games they play. They also compare rules and use them to try to influence parents (e.g. “Well, Sophie is allowed to….”)

Rules can be a great way to bring in some tension and conflict in MG novels. Think about your main character’s attitude towards rules. Do they try to break them, maybe in a creative way? Or grumble about them but mostly go along? Which rules bug them the most? Does your story world have any unusual rules?

Do your characters have any rules to follow? How have you used rules in your stories?

Books where following (or not following) rules creates tension:
*If you can think of any others, please let me know and I'll add them to the list.

The Total Tragedy of a Girl Named Hamlet by Erin Dionne
The Girl Who Owned a City by O.T. Nelson
The People of Sparks by Jeanne DuPrau

Links:
Sorry, I couldn't find any on this topic. If you come across a related link, let me know and I'll add it for our reference.

Q is for Questions: Keep MG Readers Hooked

You probably ask yourself all kinds of questions as you develop and write your story. You might ask questions about:

Characters, to get to know them better (e.g. What does he look like? What does like to do for fun? What are his nervous habits?)

Wants, to develop motivation (e.g. What does the villain really want? Why does he need to stop the main character?)

Events and reactions, to develop plot (e.g. How does the reader want this to be solved? What else could happen?)

Something to keep in mind as you write is that readers ask questions too. You need to nurture that curiosity, both on a smaller, scene by scene scale and on a larger, whole book scale. The questions that pop into a reader’s mind keep them hooked on your story.

Big picture questions. Your story problem will generate questions for your reader that won’t be answered until they read the whole book, e.g.“Will the MC get what she wants/find a solution to that huge problem?”

In the moment questions. Other smaller questions emerge as stepping stones to keep the reader moving towards the solution, such as “How will the character get out of this situation?” Scenes that make the reader wonder, even about something small, can help to keep the reader interested.

These smaller questions often get answered in the next scene or next chapter, but the answers don’t need to be too obvious or easy. You want your reader to think, “Now what?” and make guesses about what might happen next before they find out what really does happen.

One way to know if a scene is working is to think about the kinds of questions that might come to mind as a reader. If there's nothing to wonder about, maybe the scene needs to be cut or revised.

Do you think about the questions a reader might have as they read?

Links:
*As always, if you know of any other useful links on this topic, let me know so I can add them to the list.

Janice Hardy discusses the importance of considering “why” as well as “what” in creating a story.

A.J. Hartley at Magical Words blogs about big questions that extend beyond the book.

Over at Cheryl's Musings, Cheryl Reifsnyder has an extensive list of questions you can ask yourself when creating villains.

P is for Parents: Dead or MIA

If you write or read middle grade books, you’ve probably heard about the “missing parent” phenomenon. That’s the situation where the parents of kids in middle grade novels are MIA: either dead (a Disney favourite), away on a trip, too busy to have any clue what their kids are up to, or out of the picture in some other creative way.

Why? Because in middle grade books, you want your main character (a kid) to solve the story problem.

Whether or not parent characters contribute the conflict or to the problem solving in the story, you still need to consider the parent-child relationship and how it affects your character. In the life of a ten- or eleven-year-old, parents are pretty important. Even if your main character is an orphan, not having parents will colour his experiences and emotional reactions (just look at Harry Potter).

Some things to consider about the role of parents in middle grade fiction:

Be consistent. If the parent is a workaholic, they should be a workaholic right from the start, not just conveniently when there needs to be an obstacle to the main character getting help.

Add some realism. Book parents sometimes come across as either being stereotypes (e.g. the deadbeat Dad in a divorce situation) or perfect (e.g. Mom always knows how to make the main character feel better). Like any other characters, parent characters have goals, emotions and flaws.

How do you deal with the parents in your novels? Any tips for creating realistic parent characters?

Books that include involved parents (*let me know if you have any more to add):

Belly Up by Stuart Gibbs (MG)
Sugar and Ice by Kate Messner (MG)
Ramona and her Father by Beverly Cleary (MG)
Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A. S. King (YA)

Links:
*As always, if you know of any other great resources on this topic, let me know and I'll add them here.

For a humorous take on different ways parents are handled in YA novels (which also apply to MG) read Frankie Diane Mallis over at First Novels Club.

Anna Staniszewski discusses 4 different ways to deal with fictional parents.

In a guest post at Laura Pauling’s blog, Kate Messner author of Sugar and Ice talks about writing a story where parents don’t disappear.

Mary Kole discusses how family relationships are related to creating tension in MG or YA novels.

Robin Fevers has some thoughts on parents in children's fiction and meeting the needs of readers.

For different opinions and thoughts on this issue by other writers, check out the What to Do With Parents thread at Nathan Bransford’s forum.

More Links:

Tracy Marchini on the role of parents in middle grade and young adult fiction.

O is for Observation: Don't Write Without It

For me, observation is one of the most important skills I have as a writer. It’s what allows me to add realistic details to my settings, to create interesting mannerisms, and to write authentic dialogue. Even though it’s tempting to go with the way I think kids might act or talk, it’s not always the best idea. My writing ends up giving the impression of an adult trying to sound like a kid.

If you’re writing for 8 to-12-year olds, you can't just observe how kids act, you also need to know what they are observing.

With my adult eye, I observe how, suddenly when my kids hit grade 6, everyone was wearing jeans. Or how my kids think it’s fun to poke each other and giggle about it in the backseat when their Dad is trying to drive. Or how they have weird conversations on the phone with their friends where it seems like they are saying absolutely nothing, e.g. “Hello”, “Hey”, “Me, too”, and “Okay, bye.” These kinds of observations about what kids do and say help to build realistic details, mannerisms and dialogue in writing.

But I also need to know what kids notice about the world around them and about each other. For example:

“Some candies taste like the stuff dentists put in your mouth.”

“Teachers never seem go to the bathroom. Do they ever go to the bathroom?”

“Parents always ask questions that are impossible to answer. Like “How was your day?” What do they expect you to say? I’m not going to describe every little thing that happened.”

Do kids notice how much swimming lessons cost or how they learned a new way to kick? Do they notice that they are holding their fork awkwardly or that Mom tried to slip some vegetables into their hamburger? What are they thinking about and seeing when they look at the world?

When you’re writing for children, I think you need to observe how kids act and talk, but also what they are noticing. Both kinds of observations will add authenticity to writing for middle grade readers.

How often do you observe kids? What kinds of observations do you make?

Links:
*As always, if you know of a good article or resource on this topic, let me know so I can add it to the list.

Laura Backes of the Children’s Book Insider discusses how observation helps you create great characters.

Cornell DeVille writes about how observations can boost creativity.

At the Literary Lab, Domey Malarsan discusses how to add originality through observation.

N is for Names

As a writer, I like to feel that I’ve gotten a character’s name right. A name gives a first impression of the character. Some names seem to go with certain traits. You could argue that once you get to know a character, the name doesn’t matter, and a compelling character will intrigue the reader no matter what her name. True. But how do you feel about your own name? Did you always like it?

Names are pretty important to 8 to 12-year-olds.

They sometimes explore different variations of their own name and they are interested in what their name means. They might take on or suddenly reject a cute family nickname, or decide they’d rather be called by their middle name.

Kids also like to experiment with names while they play. They give their action figures names of friends and names of characters they’ve seen in books or on TV. They are creative and make up unusual names.

Names can be tied to a lot of emotion. What if you have a cultural name that sounds funny to people of another culture? What if people tease you because your name is unusual or different? What if your name is boring and you want to shine like a star?

I’ve even seen some kids consider rejecting a book because they don’t like the main character’s name.

Here are a few considerations when coming up with character names:

Remember your story world. Depending on your setting and time period, readers will expect certain types of names. You can find popular names for a specific year in the U.S. by consulting the Social Security Popular Names database.

Set characters apart. Think about the names of all the characters in your story, including minor ones. Names that sound the same or even start with the same letter can be confusing for your readers.

Reality or fiction. Think hard before you decide to use a real person’s name for a character. I actually make an effort not to use the names of people I know. For me, it’s easier to avoid comparisons between real and fictitious personalities.

Be original. Kids may be intrigued by names they’ve never heard before. Also, think about what other book characters might already have the name you choose. Could you ever name a character Hermione after the strong impression left by J.K. Rowling’s character?

Do you have any good tips for coming up with character names? What is most important to you in choosing names for your characters?

Links
*As always, if you know of a good article or resource on this topic, let me know so I can add it to the list.

Check out http://www.nameberry.com/. It's resource for finding names with interesting posts like, Cool Baby Names: The –Er Names.

Jan Fields talks about considerations for character names in children’s stories.

At Let the Words Flow, Biljana Likic discusses some issues related to naming characters and Samny Bina gives us some great resources for finding names.

Sherrie Peterson talks about researching the meaning behind a character's name.

Gail Carson Levine considers finding a suitable character name.

Over at Nouveau Writer, Hannah Gilead gives us a thorough discussion of how much character names matter.

Plot to Punctuation describes effective ways to use nicknames.

Darcy Pattison has some strategies for coming up with nicknames.

Fellow blogger Skye suggests a resource for looking up theme names.

Livia Blackburne at A Brain Scientist's Take on Writing has an interesting discussion about the sounds of names.

M is for Mannerisms

According to Dictionary.com, a mannerism is “a habitual or characteristic manner, mode, or way of doing something; a distinctive quality or style, as in behavior or speech.” In writing, mannerisms are used for several purposes:

Adding authenticity. Details of behaviour and habits help to make characters realistic.

Distinguishing characters. Unique habits or actions set characters apart.

Showing personality or emotions. Effective mannerisms fit the situation and/or personality of the character. They have a purpose, adding another layer to your story.

Do kids have different mannerisms than adults? Definitely. For example, a nervous kid might chew on their sleeve, whereas an adult might instead rub their lip. In writing for middle graders, you want to capture mannerisms that are specific to kids. Good ways to come up with kid-friendly mannerisms:

1. Search through your memory and list all the different mannerisms you remember from childhood friends and relatives. Here are a few to get you started:

-chewing erasers off pencils
-jiggling a leg at the table
-scraping at fingernail polish
-bouncing instead of standing still
-mimicking an adult with a deep voice
-standing and observing instead of getting into the action
-pretending to kick a ball while standing in a group
-clutching at a shirt
-nibbling instead of taking big bites

2. Use your powers of observation and study real kids in action. Pay special attention to details of action, speech and even how they might be subtly showing feelings.

3. Read MG books to get a feel for how other authors use mannerisms to develop their characters.

4. Watch child actors in movies or TV to get a feel for actions that might set your characters apart.

Okay, so now you have a list of kid's mannerisms. How do you use them in your writing?

Remember less is more. Too much focus on mannerisms could detract from your characters and story. A couple of mannerisms are probably enough for each main character. Don’t overwhelm your reader. Choose your details carefully and make them count.

Be consistent. Make sure those carefully crafted mannerisms stay with your character all the way through your story. One tip is to keep a list of mannerisms and traits associated with each character and use it to check for consistency during revisions.

Try to be original. How many books have you read where people roll their eyes when they are exasperated? Or where their lips tremble when they’re feeling upset? While sometimes using these almost universal mannerisms can get across what you want, other times you might want your character to show more individuality. Think up a unique behaviour that you haven’t seen in every MG novel you’ve read for at least one of you character's mannerisms.

Have you noticed or used any effective mannerisms in your writing? Do you have any tips to share?

Links:
As always, if you are aware of any additional links that would be useful, let me know and I’ll add them.

Mervyn Love discusses the basics of using mannerisms.

This great article at Plot to Punctuation teaches you how to use mannerisms to strengthen characters during the revision process.

Wendy Toliver over at Books, Boys, Buzz gives some excellent advice on how to use body language to bring out character.

Here's a peek at some common kid mannerisms related to stress to help get you thinking about those details of how kids behave.

Nicole Humprey talks about thinking beyond obvious mannerisms in trying to capture a person’s uniqueness.

L is for Language

When it comes to the language you use when writing for middle graders, simple is usually better. But that doesn’t mean you need to “dumb down” your writing for kids. I find that using language at a level you would normally use when speaking is effective when writing for middle graders, whether you are writing narrative or dialogue. Here are a few considerations for making decisions about using language:

Vocabulary. Because middle graders are curious, it doesn’t hurt to sprinkle in some interesting vocabulary. New words can be fascinating. Just be sure not to overwhelm your readers. You want to write a good, readable story, not one that will make your readers drop the book because it’s too much like decoding a weird alien language (though see point #4).

Swearing. While most 9- to 12-year-old readers will have heard (and possibly used) “bad words”, parents still figure strongly in their lives and may have opinions about what they are able to handle emotionally. Also, many middle grade books are sold through school book clubs, signed out at school libraries and/or studied in class. A general rule of thumb is to avoid or use only mild swearing when writing for middle graders. Otherwise, you may be limiting your marketability. If you do decide to include swearing in your story, use it sparingly. One alternative is to make up your own “nonsense” swear word or phrase as a replacement for a contentious word.

Slang. Although slang can add realism to your writing and dialogue, it can be tricky to pull it off so that it sounds like a real kid, rather than an adult trying to sound like a kid. The best way to find out what kids are saying is, well, go listen to some kids talking. Keep in mind that what’s cool/hip/hot/rad this year may not be by the time your story gets published.

Foreign languages. I love the authenticity that develops from using cultural words and expressions in stories (e.g. Linda Sue Park’s novels). It adds a layer of depth to the story and it’s interesting to learn how you say things in a different language. This holds true for the made up words in fantasy or other world stories. Again, the key to doing this effectively is to not overwhelm the reader (three or four new expressions per chapter at most).

Do you have any pet peeves (or great tips) for using language effectively?

Links:

Check out these thoughts from a school librarian on using coarse language in middle grade fiction at Susan Kaye Quinn’s Ink Spells.

Another opinion on swearing in children’s fiction at Throwing Up Words.

Over at Let the Words Flow, a few agents and writers weigh in on swearing in YA.

Candy Gourlay has posted some great tips for using slang effectively at Notes from the Slushpile.

Beth Revis talks about using evolved language in futuristic writing at The League of Extraordinary Writers.

Elizabeth Craig asks some questions to help you decide whether or not to use profanity.


Over at From the Mixed Up Files, Rosanne Parry talks about whether or not to use profanity in middle grade fiction.


*If you know of any other links on using language in middle grade writing, let me know and I'll add them to the list.

K is for (yuck) Kissing

If you want to write for middle grade readers, you need to be able to think like one. Nine to twelve year olds experience a lot of changes in their lives, including changes in how they feel about expressing emotions and the act of kissing.

For some, kissing is a subject that is sure to start some nervous giggling. For others, it’s totally below the radar. In thinking about kissing and MG, it’s useful to think of the category in terms of younger and older middle grade readers.

For younger readers of middle grade books (ages 8 to 10), it’s probably still okay to accept kisses from parents and relatives, maybe even a younger sibling (with some quick face wiping if you’re in front of your friends). The thought of kissing a “boyfriend” or “girlfriend” is yucky. It’d be better to kiss your pet dog or cat.

Readers of “upper” middle grade books (ages 11 and 12) may be curious about kissing, even if they won’t admit it. I think this is especially true for girls. Boy readers probably don’t care if there’s any hint of romance or kissing in a novel, as long as it has lots of action and adventure. But older girls often connect with a bit of light romance, because they’re starting to experience the feeling of “liking” a boy or may have been wondering what it’s like to kiss a boy. The trick is to keep it light. As for kisses from parents? Probably rejected, especially in public. But that goodnight kiss when parents sneak in before they go to bed? Well, that one's okay, because you’re pretending to be asleep.

Have you ever included kissing in your novel? How did you make it work for your readers?

Links:

This discussion at Through the Tollbooth brings up some issues related to “upper middle grade” books.

Blogger Sara Nicolas talks about how the first kiss scene can make or break a YA novel.

Writer Jenn discusses some challenges of writing a kissing scene (mostly for YA but provides some food for thought).