Three Tips on Writing Middle Grade Novels by Agent/Author Melissa Nasson and Alex Perry + Pighearted & Query Critique Giveaway

Happy Monday Everyone! Today I’m excited to have debut author Alex Perry and her agent Melissa Nasson here to share a guest post to celebrate the release of Alex’s MG contemporary Pighearted. It sounds like a page turning story that will pull at your heart.

Here’s a blurb from Goodreads:

Charlotte's Web meets My Sister's Keeper in this charming story told from the alternating perspectives of a boy with a fatal heart condition and the pig with the heart that could save his life.

Jeremiah’s heart skips a beat before his first soccer game, but it’s not nerves. It’s the first sign of a heart attack. He knows he needs to go to the hospital, but he’s determined to score a goal. Charging after the ball, he refuses to stop…even if his heart does.

J6 is a pig and the only one of his five brothers who survived the research lab. Though he's never left his cell, he thinks of himself as a therapy pig, a scholar, and a bodyguard. But when the lab sends him to live with Jeremiah's family, there’s one new title he’s desperate to have: brother.

At first, Jeremiah thinks his parents took in J6 to cheer him up. But before long, he begins to suspect there's more to his new curly-tailed companion than meets the eye. When the truth is revealed, Jeremiah and J6 must protect each other at all costs—even if their lives depend on it.

Follower News

Before I get to Alex’s and Melissa’s guest post, I have Follower News to share. 

Dr. Susan Berk Koch has a nonfiction MG Chemical Reactions. Here’s a blurb: Chemical Reactions brings chemistry to life with hands-on, science-minded activities and plenty of text-to-world connections that invite kids ages 7 to 12 to discover the wonderful world of chemical reactions! Links: Website: https://susanberkkoch.com/  Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Chemical-Reactions-Science-Projects-Explore/dp/1619309416 Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/chemical-reactions-dr-susan-berk-koch/1139977512?ean=9781619309449 Indie bound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781619309418

 

Tyrean Martinson has a new science fiction Nexus: The Rayatana, Book 2. Here’s a blurb: Amaya is supposed to bring peace to the galaxy. Which is tough when she’s being held for crimes against the Neutral Zone. Her imprisonment is on her own ship with her own crew. Close quarters create tension. Honestly, her role as the Rayatana is a mess. Links: Website: https://tyreanstales.com/nexus-the-rayatana-book-2/ Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09BMHPQ1X Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/nexus-the-rayatana-book-2

 

 

Melissa Nasson and Alex Perry Guest Post on Three Tips for Writing Middle Grade Novels

Remember that kids aren’t your only audience

Alex: If you write middle grade, your readers won’t buy themselves your books. Kids are notoriously broke. Knowing that, I like to keep in mind the professionals who help get my book into children’s hands: librarians and teachers.

Ask yourself how a librarian would recommend your book to a kid. For example, a librarian could recommend Pighearted to a kid who liked soccer, was interested in animals, medicine, science, humor, or struggled with a chronic medical condition. Incorporate a diverse array of ideas that would make your book connect with young readers.

The elements that make for compelling reading also make it easy for a teacher to use the book in class. When I taught sixth grade, I’d want to do lessons on particular literary devices. Unfortunately, sometimes the chapter of the book we were reading didn’t have any strong examples. I kept that in mind during revisions and tried to include opportunities for kids to make inferences, notice every character’s growth, and find loads of literary devices.

Melissa: This is excellent advice. It is so important to think beyond the target reader. Clearly, having Alex as a client makes that process a whole lot easier! Agents also think big-picture about audience, because finding an editor who loves the book is only the first step. Once you have that person who connects and sees a place for the book on their list, the editor usually needs to persuade the rest of their colleagues and higher-ups in editorial. And then they need buy-in from sales and marketing. Aside from the editor, a lot of other publishing professionals need to have a vision for how to position the book to reach those librarians and teachers, who will eventually (finally!) connect the book with that kid who will love it. Thinking beyond just the reader—or just the editor—can give a book the best shot possible.

Keep it interesting

Alex: Most kids don’t read at grade level. This is caused by a wide variety of factors, and means that authors should be aware of trying to make their prose accessible to struggling readers. Maybe they’re learning English or have had some gap in their reading education, but for a lot of these kids reading isn’t enjoyable or relaxing. Illustrated books and graphic novels make things a little easier for them, but using tension and pacing can help no matter what format or genre you’re writing in.

When I taught eighth graders, so many of them said their favorite book was one they’d read in sixth grade: The Outsiders. They loved the characters, the stakes, and tension. It kept their attention. If you write for middle graders you need to draw them in by the end of the first paragraph. Pighearted is an extreme example because my protagonist has a heart attack in the first sentence.

Melissa: I can tell you firsthand that Alex’s writing drew me in from the very first sentence, so she knows what she’s talking about :) Capturing and keeping a reader’s attention is especially critical (and challenging) for young readers, since they have so many forms of entertainment competing for their attention all the time. No matter where or how you begin your story, the reader needs to care about what’s going to happen next. Easier said than done, I know.

Don’t be afraid of complexity

Alex: A student’s reading level has absolutely no bearing on what kinds of concepts they can understand. It sounds weird to say, but when I taught 6^th grade every one of my students was brilliant and able to surprise me with their ideas. You don’t need to shy away from emotionally or ethically complex topics to reach a young audience. Kids go through so much and are capable of processing almost anything and books can and should reflect that.

Pighearted asks its readers difficult questions. Is it okay to genetically engineer an animal to serve as an organ donor? Can you kill one intelligent being to save another?

It’s okay to write something complex that gives kids something to think about while not always giving them the answers. We underestimate young readers at our peril. They’re much smarter than we are.

Melissa: I totally agree—I think the best books for young readers are the ones that give them a topic to chew on. This is one of the major reasons I was drawn to Pighearted. And beyond introducing a challenging topic, it’s important to present it in a way that’s respectful of young readers and doesn’t write down to them. As Alex said, kids can handle more than we think. I can’t wait for young readers to encounter the moral and ethical questions—and the wonderful characters, humor, and heart—that Alex has created with Pighearted. I hope it sparks plenty of discussions in homes and classrooms!

 Alex: You can pre-order Pighearted now, it’ll be out October 26^th. https://www.lbyr.com/titles/alex-perry/pighearted/9780316538800/

And you can find me online at alexperrybooks.com or on twitter @alextheadequate.

Thanks for sharing all your advice, Alex and Melissa!

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday is hosted by Greg Pattridge. You can find the participating blogs on his blog.

 Giveaway Details

Alex has generously offered a hardback of Pighearted and Melissa has offered a query critique for a giveaway. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower of my blog (via the follower gadget, email, or bloglovin’ on the right sidebar) and leave a comment by October 30th. If you do not want to be included in the critique giveaway, please let me know in the comments. If your e-mail is not on your Google Profile, you must leave it in the comments to enter the contest. Please be sure I have your email address.

If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog and/or follow me on Twitter, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry for each. You must be 13 years old or older to enter. The book giveaway is U.S. and Canada and the query critique giveaway is International.

 Upcoming Interviews and Giveaways

 Monday, October 25th I have an agent spotlight interview with Ginger Clark and a query critique giveaway

 Wednesday, November 3rd I’ve got an agent/author guest post by Steven Chudney and Carley Heath and a query critique and YA fantasy The Reckless Kind Giveaway and my IWSG post

Monday, November 8th I have a guest post by debut author Jessica Speer and a giveaway of her MG nonfiction BFF or NRF (Not Really Friends)? A Girls Guide to Happy Friendships

Tuesday, November 9th I’m participating in the Super Stocking Stuffer Giveaway Hop

Monday, November 15th I have an interview with debut author Terry Catasús Jennings and a giveaway of her chapter book Definitely Dominguita Sherlock Dom

Monday, November 22th I have an agent spotlight interview with Danielle Chiotti and a query critique giveaway

Monday, November 29nd I have an interview with debut author Nancy McConnell and a giveaway of her MG fantasy Into the Lion’s Mouth

Hope to see you on Monday!