Writing Irresistible Kidlit: The Ultimate Guide to Crafting Fiction for Young Adult and Middle Grade Readers

Captivate the hearts and minds of young adult readers!

Writing for young adult (YA) and middle grade (MG) audiences isn't just "kid's stuff" anymore--it's kidlit! The YA and MG book markets are healthier and more robust than ever, and that means the competition is fiercer, too. In Writing Irresistible Kidlit, literary agent Mary Kole shares her expertise on writing novels for young adult and middle grade readers and teaches you how to:

   • Recognize the differences between middle grade and young adult audiences and how it impacts your writing.
   • Tailor your manuscript's tone, length, and content to your readership.
   • Avoid common mistakes and cliches that are prevalent in YA and MG fiction, in respect to characters, story ideas, plot structure and more.
   • Develop themes and ideas in your novel that will strike emotional chords.


Mary Kole's candid commentary and insightful observations, as well as a collection of book excerpts and personal insights from bestselling authors and editors who specialize in the children's book market, are invaluable tools for your kidlit career.

If you want the skills, techniques, and know-how you need to craft memorable stories for teens and tweens, Writing Irresistible Kidlit can give them to you.

Mary Kole has worked at Chronicle Books, the Andrea Brown Literary Agency, and now spends her days as a Senior Literary Manager at Movable Type. She holds her MFA in creative writing from the University of San Francisco, which is where she cemented her love of learning and teaching the crafts of writing and storytelling. Mary blogs at Kidlit.com, named one of the "101 Best Websites for Writers" by Writer's Digest Magazine for three years running, and lives--and explores the vibrant food scene!--in Brooklyn.