Writing the Middle Grade Novel: From Start to Finish - Part Three

Writing the Middle Grade Novel: From Start to Finish - Part Three

By Suzanne Lieurance

In Part 1 of this article you learned how to get your story started. In Part 2, you learned some tips and techniques for plotting your story. Many writers who start a middle grade novel get halfway through the story and then give up on the project. That doesn't have to be the case for you. Here are a few tips to help you FINISH your manuscript.

1. Don't ask for feedback too soon. Any criticism too early can confuse you or make you stop working on your story altogether. Wait until you're at least 6 chapters into your story before you ask for feedback. Better yet, have a story synopsis to show your critique group, along with your first 6 chapters, so they can see where you are wanting the story to go.

2. If you get stuck on a particular chapter, skip it for the time being and move on to the next chapter or even move several chapters ahead. This will keep you writing, and sometimes you'll figure out WHY you just couldn't get a particular earlier chapter to work and you'll be able to go back and write it once you have a later chapter in place.

3. Don't worry too much about having all the details for every chapter at first. The first thing you must do is just get the entire first draft on paper. This is the MOST important thing, so just keep writing.

4. Avoid endlessly rewriting the first chapter or the first couple of chapters instead of moving ahead to new chapters. Generally, writers are excited to write the first chapter or two. And the writing flows easily. After that, it starts to become more difficult and we think if we go back and rewrite those first few chapters, we'll be able to write the next ones just as easily as we wrote the first ones. But that's a trap that keeps you from moving ahead.

5. If you get so stuck that you just can't seem to figure out anything for any new chapters, stop and move away from the chapters. Get a pad of paper and start interviewing your main character-or the character who doesn't seem to be doing what he/she needs to be doing to move the action forward. You're probably stuck because you just don't know your characters well enough.

6. Go back and write another chapter. Keep following steps 2-5 until you finish the entire manuscript. Just focus on writing one chapter at a time and eventually you'll have the entire book completed.

Now you know how to write a middle grade novel - from start to finish, so what are you waiting for? Get started and keep writing until your novel is completed!

For more writing and marketing tips and resources visit Suzanne Lieurance's Working Writers Club and sign up today. It will put your writing career in 'drive.'

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Suzanne_Lieurance

If you missed Parts One CLICK HERE.

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WANT TO WRITE FICTION FOR KIDS. CHECK OUT THIS IN  DEPTH 180 PAGE EBOOK:

Fiction Writing for Children

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Additional Writing Articles

Write a Novel That Sells
Simple as ABC: 6 Basic Tips for Writing Children’s Fiction (Part 1)
Creating and Beefing up Conflict

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Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
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