Hi everyone!
I am looking for some advice from those with more experience than me. I have booked myself a place on the W&A Writing for Children course and I have to decide whether to attend a MG or YA workshop as part of the day. But I can't make up my mind where my novel falls, as it seems to be better characterised as 11+ fiction.
It is a high fantasy/thriller/mystery story about with elements of rebelling against the status quo, growing up and a little bit of magic and mystery. I have the first 3 chapters in shared works if anyone would like to take a look and help me figure out where would be best to go!
It is not a typical YA novel with difficult themes so I think MG readers might be more receptive to the plot.
But the way that it is written - language etc - seems to favour older readers.
Help!
I couldn't find chapter 1 in the shared works section, but I.have read chapter 2 and chapter 3.
I like your voice - writing style. Your novel had me intrigued to read on. I believe your novel has potential
I believe your novel is fantasy, because it is not grounded in reality. That is to say it is not set in a time and place that a reader will easily recognise. In a fantasy world, fantastic, unbelievable things happen. It may be inhabited with unworldly creatures, strange plants, creatures and magical objects. Also, you mention humans, that makes me think there are non-humans in your story.
Fantasy differs from Magic Realism, which has a thread of magic running through the story. Magic Realism is firmly grounded in reality - a time and place the reader immediately relates to from page 1.
It would help to engage the reader if you named the village. Names of places are vital clues as to where the novel is set.
I hope that helps.
Good luck.
Hi, Hannah
The main theme of your novel should give you a clue to its genre.
Genre Clues:
What is your novel about?
In what time and place is it set?
What is the protagonists aim?
What does he/she want?
Can you describe your novel in a sentence?
You are uncertain as to whether your novel is Young Adult Fiction or Middle Grade. There is a marked difference between the word counts of each.
Young Adult Fiction (YA): 50,000 to 80,000
This particular genre has become one of the hardest for writers to grasp. This is due in large part to the variety of sub-genres within it. But for mainstream YA it is always best to stick to under 80K.
Middle Grade: 25,000 to 40,000
Such a tight restraint can be beneficial to a writer because it allows them to demonstrate their ability to edit accordingly. For debut books in this field the average word count tends to be 35K and it has therefore become the marker for many industry professionals.
I hope that helps.
Good luck.
Hi Hannah,
If you have any questions about where your novel would be best placed, please do email us on [email protected] and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.
All best,
Writers & Artists