tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post2498884403176405345..comments2024-03-17T07:55:51.361+00:00Comments on Help! I Need a Publisher!: "My book is suitable for children of all ages"Nicola Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12189894289540344094noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-89485267550360947642012-06-12T11:51:58.643+01:002012-06-12T11:51:58.643+01:00Miriam – Thanks for the support! That is exactly t...Miriam – Thanks for the support! That is exactly the decision I need to make now – age up or simplify down!<br /><br />Really not sure which way it’s going to go at the moment, but I’m hoping once I decide the rest will all fall in to place.<br /><br />I hope!Laura Maryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01604133412050870730noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-25652302141280583172012-06-12T11:06:40.141+01:002012-06-12T11:06:40.141+01:00Miriam - no way! I'm writing a book for 8-10 m...Miriam - no way! I'm writing a book for 8-10 myself! It's entirely as appropriate a range as 5-7, 6-8, 7-9, 9-11. The only problem arises with 11-13, which then does need to go in either teenage or below teenage (which in shops will be either called 8-12 or 9-12). I had that prob with my highwayman books, which are loved by many 10s and many 13/14s. But I had to make a choice and I chose Nicola Morganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12189894289540344094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-65180234345417650652012-06-12T10:54:52.443+01:002012-06-12T10:54:52.443+01:00Hello!
Just wanted to express moral support for L...Hello!<br /><br />Just wanted to express moral support for Laura Mary as I recently went through the same thing with my book. I realised the level of difficulty I was writing at was too advanced for my target audience (9-11) and had to decide whether to make my MC older or do a complete rewrite simplifying my plot and style! I went for the latter. It feels much better when you're back on the Miriamnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-81917961055743762112012-06-12T08:49:53.573+01:002012-06-12T08:49:53.573+01:00I have the words 'feckity feck' stuck to m...I have the words 'feckity feck' stuck to mine...<br /><br />Grr...Laura Maryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01604133412050870730noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-85583806974548778702012-06-12T07:44:25.126+01:002012-06-12T07:44:25.126+01:00I have the word "Focus" in large text, s...I have the word "Focus" in large text, stuck to the side of my monitor. I think it's helping.Ebony McKenna.https://www.blogger.com/profile/02724727996270658767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-12109309322361173852012-06-11T22:51:39.248+01:002012-06-11T22:51:39.248+01:00"If the book is adult, there's no rule ab...<i>"If the book is adult, there's no rule about MC age. Only if it's for younger people."</i><br /><br />I get so many people asking if they're YA because of the age. But this clears up so much.<br />They <i>are</i> both adult works. ^_^Aldrea Alienhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05652344290376563676noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-88109800924082987462012-06-11T21:57:00.538+01:002012-06-11T21:57:00.538+01:00Laura MAry - "better now than later" - o...Laura MAry - "better now than later" - oh yes indeedy!<br /><br />Aidrea - the age of MC is not the only determinant. Also, very importantly, many many books for adults have younger MCs, even young children as MCs. If the book is adult, there's no rule about MC age. Only if i's for younger people.<br /><br />Becky - I d rather like feckity feck on occasion :) Chocolate paper - Nicola Morganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12189894289540344094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-87350575461523762262012-06-11T21:49:12.099+01:002012-06-11T21:49:12.099+01:00Excellent use of the phrase "feckity feck.&qu...Excellent use of the phrase "feckity feck." :D<br /><br />I don't write children's books, but I heard this same advice on a creative writing course. The different age groups vary so much in the concepts they can understand, or are interested in, so it's madness to claim your book is suitable for all of them. Unless the plan is that it should be printed on chocolate so they BeeCyclinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03112685054452735536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-22316572261673900132012-06-11T20:46:16.572+01:002012-06-11T20:46:16.572+01:00Children of all ages? How I forget the books below...Children of all ages? How I forget the books below adult are broken into further groups. (am I excused since I don’t write in it?)<br /><br />I'm having trouble deciding if my current story (that has a 17 yr old MC) is YA or still Adult like the rest of the stuff I've written. <br /><br />Then I start wondering if the last story I wrote is maybe YA too as she's 18, but then the other Aldrea Alienhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05652344290376563676noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-54415851012954701232012-06-11T15:59:04.202+01:002012-06-11T15:59:04.202+01:00All very good points! (That's why I come here!...All very good points! (That's why I come here!)I can see I have some long hard thinking to do on this. Am now wondering if MC age and overal themes match up. Argh, pick at one thread and it all unravels! Still better now than later! <br /><br />I better go do some more reading then(always such a chore!) <br /><br />Thanks for the mini tutorial!Laura Maryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01604133412050870730noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-42281098530655783512012-06-11T14:45:11.150+01:002012-06-11T14:45:11.150+01:00Also a waste of time to use exceptions (eg Pulman)...Also a waste of time to use exceptions (eg Pulman) as examples... You really do need to get the age of MC right and (as you already know, i can tell) make it a tiny bit older than readers. OK, so why not make the book 10-12? That's quite different from 9-11. However, still v diff from YA. My highwayman books are 10-12. It's very very unusual (and hard to see how it would work) to have Nicola Morganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12189894289540344094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-51436737828791729462012-06-11T14:36:48.925+01:002012-06-11T14:36:48.925+01:00Possibly. I have thought of doing that before, but...Possibly. I have thought of doing that before, but my 12 yr old is very much 12! I think he'd be very different two years on.<br /> <br />Are there any examples of teen/YA books where the characters are that much younger? <br /><br />Only one I can think of is Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials, where Lyra & Will are only 12/13. Although I see that book on both the teen and 8-12 Laura Maryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01604133412050870730noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-3217895510354879772012-06-11T14:05:31.297+01:002012-06-11T14:05:31.297+01:00Could you make the MCs 14/15?Could you make the MCs 14/15?Nicola Morganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12189894289540344094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-82641412254054935412012-06-11T13:13:42.161+01:002012-06-11T13:13:42.161+01:00Well I started out thinking it was YA Fantasy… the...Well I started out thinking it was YA Fantasy… then I read lots of things about ‘knowing your target audience’ and got very confused!<br />The two MCs are 12 and 13 - I think that was what first made me think it should be '9-11' – however, (current) length of novel is waaaay too long for 9-11 genre. Also there are a few deaths and other nasty things that happen along the way!<br />HoweverLaura Maryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01604133412050870730noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-69822853528655170762012-06-11T11:46:02.062+01:002012-06-11T11:46:02.062+01:00Laura Mary - the first question is: what age is yo...Laura Mary - the first question is: what age is your MC? (Mind you, if you've got that wrong, the voice and everything may not match the content or whatever. But Anyway, how old is MC? And what is his/her problem/goal etc? What are the dark things that happen and who contributes to solving the problem?<br /><br />9-11 is VERY different from YA...Nicola Morganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12189894289540344094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-16624118695827179012012-06-11T11:13:36.554+01:002012-06-11T11:13:36.554+01:00Oh boo. I feel properly told off now! I cannot dec...Oh boo. I feel properly told off now! I cannot decide if mine is 9-11 or YA... Depends on my mood and what else I've been reading at the time.<br />Most certainly not suitable for all ages though, I know that much!Laura Maryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01604133412050870730noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-42328857382267721942012-06-11T11:13:06.833+01:002012-06-11T11:13:06.833+01:00Oh I cringed as I read this. I have had this said ...Oh I cringed as I read this. I have had this said to me several times. The same people look at me as if I am mad when I say that's not possible. It needs more of a focus. Thank you for reminding me that I am slightly more sane than some people think I amNess Harbourhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07370427313780759711noreply@blogger.com