Middle grade book length

The word count at big five publishers had a slightly narrower range. For anyone with a passion for childrens literatureteachers, librarians, parents, kids, writers, industry professionals we offer regularly updated book lists organized by unique categories, author interviews, market news, and a behindthescenes look at the making of a children. Look at the sentence structure, the way they describe events and places. The length of time it takes to write a novel varies by author, however a. With fun, lighthearted, simple middle grade youll want to stay around the 20k30k word count range.

May 15, 2019 are you ready to write a middle grade novel. Future installments will include information and statistics on word count, point of view, tense, and debut vs. In this fifth installment of the hilo series, hilo and his earth friends return to his home planet to find out more about his mysterious origins. Browse our latest titles in the childrens middle grade historical books category to discover your next read from. Five lessons i learned writing my first middle grade novel. If you said mg is for readers ages 812, and ya is for readers ages 18, then give yourself a check plus. Rowling, in which the characters internal conflicts. Currently, the society of childrens book writers and illustrators scbwi lists the market trend for middlegrade manuscripts as 100 250 typewritten pages. So childrens book manuscript chapter length is a big question that ive received many times about all sorts of childrens books that have chapters. With this in mind, i decided to take a quick survey of popular middle grade fiction and its page count. Jul 02, 2019 middlegrade fiction is an agebased categorization of fiction works written for readers between the ages of 8 and 12. The lion, the witch and the wardrobe and a wrinkle in time. Theres been talk for a few years now about the expanding page counts in books for young people.

Dissect the plots in these books, and the way authors create their characters. Oct, 2017 middle grade books, aimed for readers eight to twelve years old, have had a run on perfectly creepy books for readers that like to be terrified. What you, the writer, need to do in the meantime is to focus on your next middlegrade ideaand keep writing. Another words, is there an ideal length for both reader and the writer. In this article we will explore how to write middle grade fiction and why this childrens book format is flourishing today. Queer cis male protagonists alan cole is not a coward and alan cole doesnt dance by eric bell a high five for glenn burke by phil bildner felix yz by lisa bunker king and the dragonflies. Middle grade is from 20,000 55,000, depending on the subject matter and age range, and the word count of these books has been trending up. Hero is usually 10, and in middle school grades 48. One type of book that hasnt ballooned is the humble picture book. Dont give up because your fantasy upper middle grade novel happens to be 80,000 words or your lower middle grade novel explores a complicated issue. Most middle grade novels are between 40,000 and 69,000 words long. Typically, a book that is published in paperback format at a length of 300400 pages will come in between 80,000 and 100,000 words.

How to write a middle grade novel childrens book editor. That first plot point needs to come relatively soon in the first quarter of the book or so and grab the reader, compelling them to keep turning pages. Whats the difference between middlegrade fiction vs. They are very complex, often dealing with mature themes and adolescent concerns. The most exciting middle grade books of 2019 brightly. Upper middle grade novels can have a higher word count, and will be read by children aged 10 to years old. Editors will often advise aspiring authors to write a book until they feel it needs to end. Is your idea a picture book, chapter book or middle grade.

Hillary homzie is the author of the chapter book series, alien clones from outer space as well as the middle grade novels, things are gonna get ugly, the hot list, and karma cooper unplugged forthcoming. Aug 08, 2017 discover 100 recentlypublished middle grade books full of magic. Generally 30,00050,000 words although fantasy can run longer to allow for more complex worldbuilding. My middle grade novel is hovering around 70,000 words or 270 pages.

Jul 30, 2018 overall, an excellent and at times hilarious middle grade book, and i think it would make a good funny read aloud book, too. An introduction to middle grade and young adult fiction. For adult fiction especially crime, thrillers, womens fiction, saga and romance, 100,000 words is a good. Winicks graphic novel series about hilo, a robot boy who fell to earth, has been embraced by middle grade readers all over the world. Building a middlegrade book generally, middlegrade fiction should be somewhere around 40 50,000 words. Aug 07, 2014 what sets a middlegrade novel apart from a young adult novel. Discover 100 recentlypublished middle grade books full of magic. How long does it take to write a middle grade novel. For anyone with a passion for childrens literatureteachers, librarians, parents, kids, writers, industry professionals we offer regularly updated book lists organized by unique categories, author interviews, market news, and a behindthescenes look at the making of a. Other readers aged 12 or older still happily peruse middle grade books. Still in doubt about a desirable word count for your novel. Middle grade novels for grades 5 and 6 are standard adult size, although usually shorter than adult titles. When frederick frederickson the name says it all, 10 year old misfit, accidentally sets himself adrift down the river, he ends up marooned at camp omigoshee, a disciplinary camp for boys.

Here are 100 mustread mg fantasy novels published in the last ten years. Chapter book this varies widely, depending on grade and reader level, usually starting at 4,000 words and 15,000 words max. Middle grade ranges from 20,000 to 55,000 words, with more allowance given to fantasy novels that require world building. To get a book, kids first go through a parent, a teacher or a librarian. I have therefore made some averages, based on what ive heard from publishers and agents at childrens book events, and from research and reading.

The category has seen bullish and even heady times before. Some of her books are currently being made into an animated television series. This is a general list of age categories and word counts for childrens books. Scroll below now to see 25 middle grade book genre examples, or click here to see all book genres for kids. If a book grabs your interest, find out what it is the author does that has that effect on you. Wherever you look, it is estimated that middle grade fiction should be between 20k and 55k words. Young adult books are geared for kids 12 years old and up. Jul 15, 2014 while id love to see some slimmer middle grade fiction, for me its more about pacing than length. Middlegrade fiction is an agebased categorization of fiction works written for readers between the ages of 8 and 12. Younger still, middle grade fiction ages 912 should come in between. Varying the length of your chapters is a good plan. Most manga stories run for as long as their mangaka manga author wants them to, or as long as their readership demands.

Hatchet with 41,672 words and holes with 46,554 words are ideal. Jun 05, 2017 so childrens book manuscript chapter length is a big question that ive received many times about all sorts of childrens books that have chapters. Books are all being tested, tried out, at middle grade. Should i try to reach a certain number before i submit my novel. Levithan acquired and edited george by alex gino scholastic press, 2015 a book many think has successfully redefined the outer limits of topics that a middle grade novel can address. Stories show a little more complexity, subplots and a larger cast of characters. Imagine a world where all middle grade fiction is 192 pages. Selfediting your middlegrade book musings for january 2006. Middle grade or mg 45,000 words max for contemporary, mystery, humor. Young adult fiction allows for a lot of flexibility in word count.

We will learn which age groups to target, what narrative styles work best and why, and what kind of word count you need in order to craft a strong middle grade book. Chapter books would be on the lower end, while upper middle grade would be fine in the. Mixed up files for middle grade authors from the mixed. In particular, the first book in a series should be about this length, with room to expand as the series continues. An introduction to middle grade and young adult fiction, part. A book like harry potter and the sorcerers stone, with 78,792 words, is higher than recommended, but with any genre, there are exceptions. Middle grade books, aimed for readers eight to twelve years old, have had a run on perfectly creepy books for readers that like to be terrified. The word middle is particularly apt in some publishers interpretations of the middle grade book.

Make a list of 15 recently published comparative titles. Overall, an excellent and at times hilarious middle grade book, and i think it would make a good funny read aloud book, too. From the mixedup files is the group blog of middlegrade authors celebrating books for middlegrade readers. Mixed up files for middle grade authors from the mixedup. To receive notifications when the rest of the series is posted as well as my other blog posts, submit your email address in the side bar. The decadebydecade increases with the exception of 1996 are noteworthy, as is the total, 40year increase of 173%. Writing a middlegrade masterpiece a childrens book. I think in middle grade there is an upper middle grade subcategory for the 5th to 8th graders who would be into the longer middle grade books like harry potter and the percy jackson series. While you might want to have that gritty character in your uppermg novel drop a few four. Middlegrade novels for grades 5 and 6 are standard adult size, although usually shorter than adult titles. Word count picture book, middle grade, ya when i finished my first middlegrade novel, last in a long line of rebels, it sat on my desk at 68,000 words. Dec, 2014 that means book length is between 80 pages for lower middle grade and 220 pages for upper middle grade fiction.

May 04, 2018 books in the middle grade genre are often 2040,000 words in length. Read every middlegrade book you can get your hands on. Word count picture book, middle grade, ya lisa lewis tyre. Of course, other factors will impact these numbers for you, primarily your style.

Nonfiction picture book 3,000 words max, but closer to 1,000 to 2,000 words. Books in the middle grade genre are often 2040,000 words in length. Middlegrade books are best if kept between 20,000 and 55,000 words in order to maintain the attention of readers this age. Here are 100 mustread middle grade fantasy books published in the last ten years. Nancy lamb in the writers guide to crafting stories for children defines the average length of middle grade fiction this way. Upper middle grade 65,000 words max for fantasyscifi, adventure and historical. The word count range for middle grade is 20,000 to 60,000. Many young gifted readers will move out of picture books and onto middle grade fiction before aged 8. Nov, 2009 nonfiction picture book 3,000 words max, but closer to 1,000 to 2,000 words. The plots are more complicated and include subplots, and there are more complex themes and figurative language for these older readers. Consistent chapter length is nice because many readers schedule it into their day, i. Review this list of popular examples to help you get a better understanding of the middle grade book genre. Oct 28, 2015 word count picture book, middle grade, ya when i finished my first middlegrade novel, last in a long line of rebels, it sat on my desk at 68,000 words. I also attempted to only include series where the first book was published within the last ten years.

You paid attention to the advice of your critique group. So that usually includes everything from chapter books, to middle grade, to young adult novels. Middle grade books are published for children 9 to 11 years old and are generally 100150 pages. Browse our latest titles in the childrens middle grade books new releases category to discover your next read from. Childrens middle grade historical books books penguin. Literary agent danielle zigner takes a look at typical novel lengths and what appeals to.

Middle grade is the space between chapter books and teen fare, says liz szabla. Dec 08, 2017 building a middlegrade book generally, middlegrade fiction should be somewhere around 40 50,000 words. Most middle grade novels are not pitched as a series. Anything shorter than that would lean towards junior fiction, while books that are too long will turn kids off. Middle grade word count is typically 20,000 to 55,000. Writing middle grade a look at the numbers hannah holt. That means book length is between 80 pages for lower middle grade and 220 pages for upper middle grade fiction. I have often looked this up and got different results, which makes it very confusing. How to learn the market for middle grade mg fiction. With oneinch margins and 12point times new roman font also recommended by current scbwi guidelines, 200 typewritten pages comes in at about 56,000 words on my word processor, so. But if youre writing for the juvenile market and thats all you know about these two categories, then im afraid you still need to stick around for the rest of this. Within the publishing industry we tend to talk about the length of a book in words rather than in pages. This is part one in my middle grade fiction series.

Anything longer can be difficult for a younger audience to consume and retain all of the information. This list, originally published on the kids are all right book riot newsletter on october 1 sign up here for the weekly emails, is perfect for anyone wanting to get in the mood for halloween. A quote i found recently said, the real secret of patience is to find something to do in the meantime. Middle grade book genre complete list of book genres. The key differences between middle grade vs young adult. I find that most readers reluctant, voracious, or otherwise need that strong hook. By most accounts, sales of and enthusiasm for these titles are riding high.

More sophisticated than a childrens book or picture book but not as emotionally or thematically advanced as young adult fiction, examples of middlegrade fiction include harry potter and the sorcerers stone by j. Upper middle grade can hit in the 50k word count range possibly longer, if its something really special. Collecting comp titles will prove useful to you throughout your novels journeyespecially later, when trying to market your book. Books that surprised me way better than i thought they would be. Oct 10, 2016 the lengths vary hugely from title to title, but chapters released weekly seem to average 1620 pages while chapters released monthly average 3650 pages. Just as for adults, theres no correct genre, only taste. Dec 15, 2009 5001500 for middle grade 15002500 for tween 15003500 for ya 20004500 for adult these are just guidelines i set for myself for the types of stories i write. Middle grade is generally 912 years and since kids tend to read up, id say marketing your book as mg is the way to go. For middle grade in general, 5255k is definitely not too short, and i dont think its too long. Rules of the road chapter length and chapter length. Most middlegrade novels are 15,000 to 35,000 words long or 64 to 150 pages. What is middlegrade fiction and should you write it.