Kids Who Read Middle Grade Talk About Spring

For me, the first flowers poking up their pretty blooms in my garden are a sign that spring has arrived. But I suspect it's different for the target age group for my novels. Do kids even notice the flowers? What is important about spring to middle grade readers?

To find out, I asked a few preteens what they like about spring. Here's what they said:

• using in-line skates again
• wearing flipflops and sandals!
• finding out you've grown a lot taller since last year
• swinging in the backyard swing
• not having to bring a jacket
• bouncing on the trampoline
• wearing sleeveless shirts again
• basketball
• flowers coming up
• it's warm when we go running outside for gym

I keep talking about describing the world from your character's perspective, but that's because I think it's so important. Nothing pulls me out of a story faster than a jarring description that wouldn't fit with what a character is thinking. But I'm relieved to know that sometimes kids notice the flowers too (or at least, they think they should).

What details do you use in your novels to describe spring?

How Much Detail Does the Setting Need?

Since I've been thinking a lot about setting lately, I was thrilled to discover this great article on the importance of setting at Cynsations. Here's a quote that lingered with me (also included on my Cool Blog Quotes):

"You chose that setting for a reason, mine it so that readers can feel that sense of place for themselves. For your audience, a rich setting is the difference between watching characters and being there with them."

Deborah Halverson, guest post at Cynsations, June 18, 2010

For me, one of the tricky things about building settings for MG is knowing how much detail to include. We know MG readers don't want to get bogged down in a lot of detail that isn't relevant to the story. When deciding about how much detail to include for a setting here are some things I think about:

1. Is the detail necessary to give the reader a clearer picture of what is happening or where the scene is taking place?

2. Does the detail help to strengthen a feeling or impression about the mood of the story?

3. Sometimes, it's helpful to stop and think about what the reader might already know about the setting. For example, there are things about a school setting or home setting that the reader will take for granted, from their own experience. As writers, we can use that and only include the unusual or interesting to build another layer on what the reader already knows.

How do you make sure you aren't overwhelming the reader with too much setting detail?

Author P.C Wrede has a great post on details vs. clutter.

Using Settings from Real Life

I`ve been thinking about setting a lot lately. Most of the settings I create in my writing have some basis in places I've seen or visited. When I'm thinking about a setting in my story, I often choose a place I know fairly well, and conjure up those details in my mind. I've used the inside of a friend's house (they've since moved away), my own backyard, the elementary school my kids went to, and the woods outside a summer cottage we had when I was a kid.

I'm not sure anyone would recognize any of these places in my novels. My setting details create an atmosphere, but they are not specific enough for anyone to pin down a particular place. For the middle grade stories I write, my readers don't need to know a specific city or address. What they need is to feel the simple elements of a place -- its smell, the space it has for running around, whether there are butterflies sunning themselves on the porch, how the big tree in the yard is perfect for climbing, etc. |The details need to bring the story world alive for children.

How do you use details to create setting -- could other people identify your settings or not? Do you think readers need to be able to identify a specific place?

Mondays Are Full of Promise

I'm usually full of enthusiasm on Mondays. There's the whole week stretching ahead of me, with all the possibilities for writing. Of course, knowing this can also be a disadvantage. As in, "Eh, I have a whole week. There's no rush."  

What did I accomplish in my writing time today?

Well, I watched some praying mantises squeeze out of their egg case and I helped my daughter collect aphids for them to eat, because of course we need to keep a few to observe...to go along with the butterfly that can't fly and the pond snails from last weekend. I consider this good research for a future middle grade novel (even though I have no plans to ever write about praying mantises) or at least an investment in my daughter's future career as a zookeeper or entomologist.

Did you do anything interesting today? Can you use it in a novel?

In other big news today, I reached 100 followers! I'm so thrilled. Thank you for your support! I actually planned to have a giveaway to celebrate, but I'm going to have to hold off on that until the Canada postal strike is over. Fingers crossed that happens soon.