When writing a middle-grade story, the author must understand from the beginning that you are writing a book for kids. That’s the first rule. I want you to forget (just for a second) everything your writing instructors have taught you, all the things your critique partners point out, and understand that your primary audience is children. 

So with that in mind, let me point out three rules to remember when writing for Generation Alpha

• Simplify your language and sentence structure with shorter works
• Make kids the central point of view
• And push the lessons you want to teach to the back of your mind

First – What is Generation Alpha?

Children born in Generation Alpha are the first generation to be born entirely in the 21st century. These are kids born between 2010 – 2025, which means they are still growing. These are the future of Middle Grade fiction and YA publishing over the next fifteen to twenty years, and understanding this new target audience is key to finding success as an author. 

Generation Alpha burst onto the scene the same year Apple launched its iPad, Instagram debuted, and the word “app” became the word of the year. Generation Alpha are surrounded by tech from the moment of birth. In many cases, this is the first generation to have nearly every unique moment of their life publically documented on social media.

While living in a world where they know nothing but the idea of being plugged in can have significant advantages, it can also have disadvantages- such as shorter attention spans and possibly delayed social development. 

Oh, and one other important point. These are the kids of Millennials. 

I could spend hours talking about the research I’ve done on this new generation, but for the time, I’ll leave you with a few links and articles I think would be beneficial for you.

2019 KIDS COUNT Data Book

Understanding Generation Alpha 

The Complete Guide to Generation Alpha

So what does this mean for authors writing middle grade

Every writer understands that knowing your target audience is key to reaching new readers. But my personal feeling is that books aren’t adapting. I’m not claiming to have figured it out, but I’m trying to adapt. Below are three keys to what I plan to do with my middle-grade books going forward. 

Move to shorter works with simple words and sentences.

Kids in the 9 to 12 age range are smart. The kids that are about to move into that age range, I predict, will be even smarter when it comes to digital tech. We have just spent an entire year having a majority of kids plugged in virtually to get schooling. Once all schools go back entirely into in person, I predict teachers and kids will struggle because of the habits developed in 2020. We need to understand that this, coupled with the digital competition of entertainment, kids’ attention spans are shorter than they have ever been. 

Yes, Middle-grade readers are still developing their reading skills, building vocabulary, and increasing comprehension. They can understand the quest they are taking in Minecraft, but stick a book in front of them, and they look at it like it’s a plate of Brussels sprouts. (Which is why I believe ebooks among middle-grade readers is about to explode)

Now I know what many are thinking: This isn’t my kid, I limit screen time, my kids like physical books, etc. My research leads me to this conclusion. Your kids are in the minority. 

The first rule in bad marketing is to assume that everyone thinks, behaves, and acts the same way you do. They don’t. If you want to reach this generation of readers, you can’t base your actions only on your own kids, or a small sample from your acquaintances. 

My advice is to write shorter than traditional guidelines suggest. Some guidelines say middle-grade books can get anywhere from 40,000 to 60,000 words. I think a new success will be around 20,000 to 30,000 words. I feel a good strategy would be to target reluctant readers in love with the digital world. 

Keep your stories short. Limit over description, and don’t get so consumed with beefing up the text. Make sure there is lots of white space. Use dialogue to drive the story.

Intentionally use simpler language and sentences with a fast-moving plot. Strive to place words with fewer syllables. Don’t be afraid to use fragmented sentences.

Make kids the central perspective or POV.

Earlier I told you that you were writing for kids. But most importantly, you’re writing a story for kids who want to be entertained. Therefore, you must understand that kids– not their parents–need to be the hero/heroine of the story. The main character needs to make their own decisions, mistakes, and triumphs. Older characters, especially adults, should never overshadow them.

One trick I’ve learned to keep kids at the center of the story is to make the parents and other adults irrelevant to the plot. Maybe they don’t believe the kids, or perhaps they are off doing some pointless task with little to do with the story. The point is that adults should never be the ones to solve the problem. Kids want to read about kids facing enormous problems, facing their fears, and then climbing out of whatever pit they’ve been dropped in. 

By presenting the story through the tight POV of a child, we can teach kids to face fears, solve unexpected issues (to an extent) and build up their self-confidence. This is the magical part of writing middle-grade fiction that we should all embrace. 

I know this sounds like common sense. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve critiqued a middle-grade story where the kids are always dependent on the adult. If you’re writing middle grade, make sure your kid characters are still front, center, and active.

Push the lessons you want to teach to the back.

One mistake I’ve seen some new middle grade authors making is allowing the theme or life lesson they want to teach kids to overtake the story. I feel I even did this with my story: Iggy & Oz: The Soda Pop Wars. Young readers read first and foremost either because they are being told to, or they want to be entertained. Personally, I think kids know when they are getting a message-driven story, and when they spot it, they’ll shut it and move on to something else. Yes, we want to use our stories to teach kids important lessons on life. But no matter what happens, never sacrifice character or plot. Keep the kids engaged throughout the story. 

I wish I could tell you I have it figured out. I don’t. There isn’t a magic button one can push. This genre is always changing. But I think this genre is about to explode over the next few years. I’m excited about where it is heading. You may disagree, and that is fine. The magic of writing is there is no one way.