How To Write Middle Grade Fiction In 10 Simple Steps

Writing middle grade fiction can feel tricky. After all, kids today are not easily impressed—they want believable characters, exciting stories, and adventures that make them forget about video games and screen time.

Don’t worry though; you’ve totally got this! Stick around, and I’ll show you exactly how to write captivating stories for young readers, from dreaming up relatable heroes to getting your work ready for publication.

Ready? Let’s jump into the steps that’ll help you make your middle-grade book a hit!

Step 1: Understand What Middle Grade Readers Want

The very first thing you need to do when tackling middle grade fiction is get a clear idea of what kids aged 8–12 actually enjoy reading.

Right now, contemporary stories about realistic experiences and fantasy adventures are huge hits among middle grade readers. Together, these two genres make up over 70% of all recently published middle grade titles—so choosing either contemporary or fantasy could give your story a strong appeal.

But don’t sleep on horror—it’s currently growing fast in popularity, providing readers a thrilling, spooky alternative.

Another thing to remember: middle-grade readers often look for relatable, authentic characters who deal with experiences similar to their own—like school friendships, family dynamics, or finding courage in tricky situations. Themes about personal growth and overcoming challenges resonate deeply with this age group.

It’s also good to include a balance. Readers this age love humor mixed with meaningful life lessons, so try to keep the tone playful and fun while also tackling themes they care about, like friendship or self-confidence.

Step 2: Create Characters That Readers Can Relate To

Once you’ve figured out the type of story you’re gonna tell, the next step is crafting relatable characters your readers will love.

So, how do you create a character that feels real to a 10-year-old?

First, give your protagonist something about them kids can relate to. Maybe your hero is nervous about starting a new school or feels awkward at soccer practice. The struggles don’t have to be huge, just honest and believable.

Keep an eye on your character’s gender, too. There’s been a noticeable shift lately toward female protagonists, matching the growing number of female authors writing middle grade fiction. Feel free to buck the trend, but stay aware that male main characters have seen a bit of a drop in recent years.

A practical tip: Make a list of specific details that bring your characters to life—they love peanut butter sandwiches, always lose their homework, or secretly want a pet dragon. These little touches help readers bond instantly with the characters you create.

Step 3: Write Dialogue That Sounds Real and Natural

Great dialogue can make or break a middle-grade novel—it should sound exactly like kids talking to each other in real life.

How do you get dialogue right? The best trick: listen closely to how kids actually speak. Spend some time observing conversations or even chatting with young people in your life. Jot down phrases, slang, and expressions they use naturally.

When you’re ready to write, keep dialogue short and snappy. Kids don’t typically drone on for entire paragraphs—use quick exchanges with lots of character voice.

Also, keep dialogue tags simple. You don’t have to avoid “said.” Contrary to popular belief, “said” is practically invisible to readers, and it’s way better than distracting synonyms like “ejaculated” or “exclaimed excitedly.”

Remember to give your dialogue a purpose. It should either reveal character moments, move the story forward, or (better yet) do both at once. Check this helpful guide on how to format dialogue if you’re unsure how it should look on the page—which can make your manuscript appear professional and polished.

Step 4: Develop a Setting That Captures Readers’ Imagination

Your setting shouldn’t just be a backdrop—it should pull the reader right into the story.

For middle grade books, readers crave settings they can visualize easily and even daydream about afterwards, like secret hideouts, magical realms, or spooky old houses.

If you’re writing realistic fiction, then everyday places—like a chaotic school cafeteria or the cramped treehouse behind their neighbor’s fence—should feel vivid and relatable.

For fantasy or adventure books, think about cool locations that kids wish they could visit themselves: mysterious enchanted forests, futuristic robot-filled cities, or a hidden underwater kingdom.

Don’t forget sensory details—how does the place smell or sound? Sticky floors and popcorn aroma at the local theater, or creaking floors in an abandoned mansion bring places to life.

And if you’re struggling to come up with exciting setting ideas, try checking out these fun realistic fiction writing prompts for inspiration.

Step 5: Plan a Story with Clear and Rising Action

A solid middle-grade plot usually relies on clear, engaging conflicts and gradually rising stakes.

Try mapping out the basic plot structure in advance: start with your character dealing with a relatable problem—for instance, getting lost in a new city or being nervous about giving a speech at school.

Slowly put pressure on your protagonist as the story moves along, making the obstacles tougher and the stakes higher until you get to an exciting climax, where readers genuinely worry about how everything will turn out.

Since mystery and fantasy stories tend to have higher word counts (often 45,000 to 65,000 words), make sure your rising action has enough going on—add twists, complications, and surprises to keep readers staying up past bedtime.

If coming up with thrilling plot points seems challenging, you might get great ideas from a resource like this fun dystopian plot generator.

Step 6: Include Themes That Resonate with Young Readers

Every memorable middle-grade book tends to tackle deeper themes beneath the surface story.

Popular themes often connect directly with what 8-12 year olds experience—things like friendship building, overcoming fears, and figuring out family relationships.

But recent trends show younger readers particularly enjoy themes tied to escapism and adventure, especially when they include dragons, robots, or wild settings—think wilderness survival or robot sidekicks.

For instance, the buzz around dragon adventures really blossomed recently, proving imaginative quests help kids connect to big ideas about bravery, identity, and teamwork.

A good way to brainstorm meaningful themes is asking yourself what your story really aims to say—maybe courage can look like asking for help, or perhaps friendship means accepting others as they are.

Step 7: Use Language and Sentences Appropriate for the Age Group

When it comes to writing for middle graders, language matters a whole lot.

Avoid vocabulary that sends kids scrambling for dictionaries every paragraph (not happening).

Instead, keep sentences straightforward and conversational, just like chatting with your friend’s kid about their day.

One proven tip is reading your dialogue and paragraphs aloud—if you stumble over words or run out of breath, simplify and break down sentences to make them smoother.

Also, humor is a huge hit—light jokes or funny observations sprinkled throughout the narration can keep a potentially bored reader fully engaged.

If you’re uncertain about writing in present tense or staying consistent with your chosen tense, take a peek at this easy guide on how to write in present tense.

Step 8: Structure Your Chapters to Maintain Readers’ Interest

One trick many authors swear by is structuring chapters to end with minor cliffhangers or moments of suspense.

This small-but-mighty technique gently nudges readers—whoops, guess they can’t put the book down after chapter three after all.

Try to plan each chapter around a specific event or minor problem your character has to deal with, giving readers lots of mini payoffs that keep their curiosity hooked.

Generally, chapters in middle grade fiction should range between 1,000 and 2,000 words each, striking a balance that’s not too overwhelming, keeping your reader’s attention locked tight.

Keep chapter endings intriguing without feeling contrived—finish chapters mid-action, or introduce an unexpected revelation or challenge that’ll make kids excited to turn the next page.

Step 9: Revise Your Work Carefully Based on Helpful Feedback

First drafts are rarely, if ever, perfect—especially in middle grade fiction.

Don’t skip this revision stage: feedback from beta readers or critique partners who understand middle grade fiction is gold.

Focus revision specifically on pacing issues, confusing elements, and whether characters feel consistently engaging and age-appropriate throughout.

Small corrections like adjusting awkward sentence phrasing won’t feel exciting, but trust me—they absolutely make a difference in a polished final book.

If you’re new to giving good feedback or asking others to check your story, check out this useful post on how to become a beta reader for some handy tips.

Step 10: Prepare Your Book for Publication and Find a Publisher

Once you’ve polished your manuscript, publishing options might look overwhelming—but honestly, it’s simpler than it seems.

You could go the traditional route, sending queries through agents and publishers who accept middle grade fiction submissions.

Or, if you feel ambitious, you could go solo by self-publishing your book through popular services like Amazon KDP (without a literary agent handy) by following detailed steps on how to get a book published without an agent.

Whichever publishing route you take, spend quality time coming up with a catchy book title, an engaging synopsis, and preparing a professional book cover to help your story stand out in a crowded market.

If you’re planning on pitching traditional publishers, don’t forget that understanding the current market conditions is a must—middle grade print sales dropped about 5% in early 2024 compared to previous years, meaning competition might be tighter and your submission materials need to shine.

Either way, be patient, stay persistent, and keep scanning contemporary bestseller lists in your genre to get an idea of what connects right now with young readers.

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