Wisdom from a Writing Conferences: Essentials of Middle Grade

Jennifer Nielsen presented on the essentials of middle grade novels at the LDSStoryMakers conference.

What I Learned:

I can write middle grade. In fact my current WIP is a middle grade novel. The most important thing I learned is middle grade readers to not need to be talked down to or coddled. They can read about adult issue at a high reading level. Take for example that many middle grade readers are reading The Hunger Games.

How I Plan to Apply It:

I have decided to try my had at middle grade. It is a level that I kind of skipped over when I was that age. Of course that was probably because most fantasy and science fiction novels were in the adult section. I have read some middle grade novels recently and fell in love with it.

If all goes well - I may permanently be a middle grade writer :)