Trends in Writing for Children and Young Adults

The adage of never writing to trends is one I strongly uphold, but I also like to keep my eye on the pulse of the publishing for children. In doing so I’ve found some of the movements in the marketplace.

Editors show interest in books (children - teen) that sell well in an international market. Setting may be in America, but the characters are universally relatable and stories evoke emotions.

Books with content suitable to be built into games and toys.

The demand for biographies of groundbreaking women has been overflowing and may be saturated. Yet, one told with a unique angle can be a hit.

MG humor and fantasy is strong, along with those offering powerful emotional punches. 

Illustrated MG is hot. So are graphic novels.

Standalone titles for MG.

Realistic contemporary MG and YA that tackles serious topics. 

Female protagonists in contemporary, fantasy, and literary titles for MG and YA.

Paranormal stories for teens have been down, but seem to on the rise again.

YA thrillers, mysteries, and horror are popular.

YA fantasy that can crossover into the adult markets.

Diverse books by Own Voices authors are sought after in every category and age group.

Call for Submissions for Young Writers:

Skipping Stones. You can send your regular submissions of poems, stories, essays, art and photo essays anytime. We accept your submissions for upcoming issues as they come in.

Submissions guidelines at http://www.skippingstones.org/wp/youth/

Call for Submissions for Adult Writers:

Chicken Soup for the Soul. Everyone loves holiday stories and our contributors write great ones. They are so good that we create a new edition for the holiday season every year. We are now collecting stories for our HOLIDAY 2020 book and we are looking for stories about the entire December holiday season, including Christmas, Hanukah, Kwanzaa, Boxing Day, and New Year’s festivities too.

We want to hear about your holiday memories and traditions. The rituals of the holiday season give a rhythm to the years and create a foundation for our lives, as we gather with family, with our communities at church, at school, and even at the mall, to share the special spirit of the season, brightening those long winter days. Please share your special stories about the holiday season with us. Be sure that they are “Santa safe” so that we don’t spoil the magic for precocious readers!

Submissions guidelines at https://www.chickensoup.com/story-submissions/submit-your-story

Nancy Kelly Allen has written 50+ children’s books and a cookbook, SPIRIT OF KENTUCKY: BOURBON COOKBOOK.

Comment or check out the blog at https://nancykellyallen.blogspot.com/

Trends

If you’ve been writing or reading children’s literature for a few years, you’ve probably noticed some changes. Let’s look what editors and agents are seeking:

Graphic novel style of writing has moved into the picture book arena.

Short picture book manuscripts, 500 words or less, are hot property.

Middle grade stand alone and series. Historical fiction remains popular.

In middle grade and young adult books, authentic characters take on real world issues.

Diverse books and diverse voices from around the world are sought by agents and editors.

Fantasy is still fashionable in young adult books.

Nonfiction books retain their popularity.

Biographies of the famous and the not-so-famous are in vogue.

Retelling of folktales are, once again, in demand.

A constant in children’s literature is the author who writes original stories with authentic voice and laugh-out-loud books.

Call for Submissions for Adult Writers:

805. Awaiting Your Masterpiece. We can't wait to see your work!  We seek writing and art that is unexpected, striking, and moving. We accept submissions from residents of Manatee County as well as the rest of the universe. We take submissions from debut, emerging, and established authors and artists.
Art & Photography

Five at a time
Fiction or flash fiction 

One at a time, max 2,500 words
Creative nonfiction

Two at a time, max 2,500 words each

 Graphic fiction/nonfiction

Two at a time, max 8 pages each

Submission guidelines at http://www.805lit.org/submissions

Nancy Kelly Allen has written 40+ children’s books and a cookbook, SPIRIT OF KENTUCKY: BOURBON COOKBOOK. Check out her blog at www.nancykellyallen.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Writing a Middle Grade Novel/Call for Submissions for Adult Writers

Today, I’m continuing the series, Writing a Middle Grade Novel.

Writing a middle grade novel is an exciting, tiring, uplifting, exasperating, and enormously satisfying activity. Stringing words together to tell a story can bog down by the middle of the manuscript. Most, maybe all, authors deal with this at some point in their writing. A strong plot with lots of tension prevents a sagging middle in a manuscript. The protagonist’s motivation must be clear. Why does s/he want to solve this problem? What is the character’s goal and motivation? What is preventing the character from reaching the goal?

To quote E. M. Forester, an English writer, who described the difference between story and plot.

The king died and the queen died. (A simple story that shows what happened.)

The king died and the queen died of grief. (A story with a plot that shows not only what happened but the effect of what happened. That’s a plot.)

Plot is a plan of action that moves the story from beginning to end. The plot must be age appropriate for the audience in children’s books. Also, it has to capture the interests of the readers so keeping the audience in mind when writing scenes is crucial. Readers in the 8-to-12 age range like plots with suspense, action, and humor. If you can combine all three, that’s even better. Family, fantasy, and realistic, contemporary stories are popular with middle grade readers.

Call for Submissions for Adult Writers:

Cicada, a magazine for readers ages 14 and up, publishes original fiction, poetry, first-person nonfiction, and comics by both adult and teen writers and artists. Cicada's on the lookout for the smartest, strangest, and most beautiful YA lit/art/comics around. Writers, artists, and comic artists of all ages: Visit the Cicada Submittable page to read our guidelines, create an account, and submit work!