confusing rejecter blog post about genre

[brendao]

Please give me your take on the post dated Wednesday November 22 in The Rejecter blog. It's titled "Children's Books" and delineates middle grade and young adult differently than I've heard before. Here's the link http://rejecter.blogspot.com/

I've just begun querying what I'm calling a middle-grade novel with a 12-year-old MC who's struggling to cope with her parents' divorce. (My query is posted in Share Your Work). Should I be calling it Young Adult?

[Provrb1810meggy]

I disagree. I'm in 9th grade, and I read YA books. Most of the people I see reading in high school are reading YA books. It sounds as if this post is based on his own reading experience, not anything solid.

[brendao]

I agree. If high school kids aren't reading YA, then who is (besides me)? I love YA and middle grade. What's weighing on my mind is that my middle grade novel targets the higher end, say fifth to eighth graders (10-14). But does an agent see middle grade and think 8- to 12-year-olds? Should I be calling it upper middle grade?

I guess it doesn't matter that much, because an agent can always decide what to call it if they like the manuscript enough. I'm probably just looking to obsess over something because my query's gotten four rejections. :cry: At this point, I'm just hoping to get someone to read my manuscript!

[Christine N.]

No. 12 year old protag clearly falls into the MG or 'tween' market. I wouldn't worry about the word count - that poster is a bit over the accepted norm, but only by about 5K. And if it's a fantasy piece, that's even acceptable.

My first book was targeted at 9-12 year olds - both ends of the range read and liked it, and the protag was actually 11. It was 50K, right in the middle of the word count range too.

[Toothpaste]

This blog entry very much seems like personal experience and not based on anything industry related. To be honest it makes me a bit nervous for the rest of the blog. I wonder if she just answers any and all questions whether or not she knows what she is talking about. I don't expect her to know everything, but it would be nice if she could say, "I don't know, but check out these sites" as opposed to answering the question so definitively.

[brendao]

She posted a continuation saying, basically, she didn't know what she was talking about.

[ORION]

I think a lot of the useful information on this blog comes from the comments section.
Remember 'rejector' is actually reading queries and even though she has an imperfect understanding - she probably is like most of the assistants and readers employed by literary agencies.
Ultimately it comes down to the writing and the premise.

[Provrb1810meggy]

From what I've seen, the youngest protagonist in YA novels are in seventh grade, or are around 13. I think 12 would still fall in MG, but once you get to thirteen, you have more of a choice, early YA or upper MG.

[Soccer Mom]

Rejector does say in one of her earlier posts that she is not an agent but an assistant to an agent. And Children's Lit is not her field. I haven't been that impressed with her advice. I wouldn't take it to heart. MG and YA really refers to the sophistication level of the manuscript, not the reader. If this is the one with the girl and the dog, it's MG. You've been right on target. :)

[ghost]

I read her entire blog and I don't think she really knows what she's talking about in regards to anything.
If children in highschool still don't read YA then why is Harry Potter, Phillip Pullman, Jonathon Stroud, etc popular?
I taught creative writing to high school students last year and they love those books. Even the ones who are seventeen and eighteeen.
I also think what she said about MA's to be bull*&^%. I'm doing a MA in creative writing in England and it's opened doors for me that might have otherwise taken years. Agencies and publishing companies will look at you first before anyone else if you have a MA. Especially one from one of the best schools in the world.

[Christine N.]

Weeeeelll, I have to say that most agents I've talked to/read blogs about really don't give an MFA any more credence than the qualifications of other writers. They'd rather see publishing credits, frankly, or real world experience.

Just my experience.

Good writing/good story trumps everything.

[mnmamma]

The rejector's blog is useful, not because it's knowledge of the industry, but because it provides a window into the cubicle of the the hand that opens the envelopes. She does nt have good information, nor does she demonstrate any willingness or curiosity to search beyond her small sphere. What is interesting for me as a writer, is that she, and people like her, is the gatekeeper for her boss. My query letter has to please Ms. Rejecter before it can please Ms. Fancypants in the corner office. WHich means that our letters have to have two audiences. Sometimes more.

The blog is useful because it reminds us that sometimes, we are beholden to people whose imaginations and educational gleanings are inferior to our own - and not just in publishing either. I just had a conversation with an insurance adjuster that sounded like something out of Camus. It doesn't have to be that way, but it is. The publishing world, like any other industry, is filled with brilliant gems and dim bulbs, and we don't know who is going to be the first one to handle our letters representing hundreds of days of blood, sweat and tears. We have to win everyone over. Everyone.

[ghost]

Weeeeelll, I have to say that most agents I've talked to/read blogs about really don't give an MFA any more credence than the qualifications of other writers. They'd rather see publishing credits, frankly, or real world experience.

Just my experience.

Good writing/good story trumps everything.

I'll have to half agree with you there. It depends on the school. We've had agencies like PFD coming in every week to recruite us. Publishing companies like Chicken House have given lectures and asked for us to submit work.