Who Are YOU Talking To? A Guide to Writing Cross Genre

You know how you change your voice to talk to a baby? You wouldn't dare speak to an adult in that same squeaky high voice, right? Or a teen? And school kids might think something was wrong with you.

Things change as we mature, and authors have the responsibility to know what "voice" to use for their intended audience. Some authors develop a voice that only appeals to one group, while others jump across genre boundaries like jackrabbits leap sagebrush.

I'm a genre jumper, so I thought I'd share a few quick secrets today.

MIDDLE GRADE WRITING: 

First of all, if you can't remember being a kid, you have no business writing for them. When writing for middle graders, you have to: 

• Break down adult limitations on creativity and go to the extreme. Let yourself build the impossible upon the impossible. 
• Be charming.
• Keep your descriptions light and let your audience fill in the blanks with their imaginations.
• Be aware of the injustice kids feel when faced with adult mandates. 
• Remember kids typically feel alone in their difficulties.
• Simpler language. Vocabulary should be commensurate with the age your writing for.
• Keep it clean. No language at this age. 

Themes center around building friendships and learning how to fit into ones world.

YOUNG ADULT WRITING:  

Same thing applies here. If you don't remember being a teen, you're sunk. Most YA authors still feel like they're 16. Tips for writing YA:

• There is going to be a love interest. Teens hormones dictate that. Deal with it.
• Angst. Yes, teenagers are angsty. It's just a fact. 
• Descriptions should be heavier than middle grade, but still leave some room for imagination.
• Realize that teenagers are constantly worried about how their peers perceive them. 
• Write quirky/smart dialog. Seriously. Teens have some of the craziest/funnest conversations.
• Some language/older themes are acceptable, but keep it toned down. 
• If you were a teenager 20+ years ago, your ideas of teenage living are ancient. Either write in a historical setting, or go hang out with teens to get a feel for their world.
• Know technology.

Themes center around the worries of becoming an adult, figuring out how the individual stands out in the world, and resolving ones feelings of injustice with the way the world actually is.

ADULT WRITING:

This genre is so varied based on you're specific audience that I will only offer a couple thoughts:

• Description should be rich. Unless your a minimalist. 
• Anything goes as far as content.
• Adults expect more believable worlds grounded in a reality they can relate to.
• Most adult readers want to be engaged on an intellectual level. 

Themes often include looking back and wishing to start over.

 

And now to test your intellect...

Last week Meradeth Houston shared with us TRAVELERS, along with two truths and a lie. Those who guessed the lie correctly were entered into a random drawing for the chance to win ANY of her eBooks.

Meradeth's Game:

1. The only continent Meradeth has yet to make it to is Antarctica (and considering she hates the cold, that’s not high on her list! :).
2. She was fluent in Spanish long before English and actually didn’t learn to read in English until second grade.
3. Her family ran an animal rescue ranch while she was growing up and it was an odd week when there wasn’t something being raised or nursed back to health in their kitchen (everything from emu, to ferrets, to desert tortoises).

THE LIE: #1. She has yet to make it to Africa, which she hopes to remedy soon! Though there are too many awesome places to visit she can’t pick where she wants to go first.

Way to guess everyone! And the winner is:

...DRUM ROLL...

Michael Pierce!!!

Congrats, Michael! 

And now for this week's feature... 

A contemporary Rapunzel.

Seventeen-year-old Anya leads a very secluded life in a house on the edge of town with her adopted mother. She doesn't go to school, but instead has a private tutor. Her over-protective mom keeps her so sheltered that she doesn't even have a best friend.

But Anya doesn't seem to mind. She has her books, her photography, her daydreams, and would do anything to please her mom. Until one day at the library, the only place she's allowed to go, she takes a picture of a beautiful boy.

Before long she's lying to her mom, and sneaking out late at night to meet Zander. But Zander wants more than a secret romance. If Anya wants to be with the boy of her dreams, she will have to risk her relationship with the only other person she's ever cared about.

Get your copy HERE.

Ready to meet the author?

Rachel Schieffelbein grew up in a tiny town in Southeast Minnesota reading books, riding horses, and participating in speech and theater. She is now married with four kids and enjoys reading books, riding horses, and coaching speech and theater. If it ain't broke, don't fix it! 


She enjoys writing characters she can relate to, ones she would want to hangout with, or fall in love with. She hopes her readers will love them, too.

Rachel gave me two truths and one lie to test your "lie detector" skills. Those who figure out the lie will go into my magic hat for the chance to win an eBook of DON'T FALL.  

You have until Tuesday, September 15 at 1 p.m. EDT to guess. Be sure to come back for the answers on September 16. 

TRUTH OR LIE

1. I once drove down a Canadian highway on a golf cart, and then took it through a McDonald's drive-thru with five other girls all on board.
2. Won a ballroom dance competition in five inch heels.
3. I was attacked by a deer. 

So sleuths, which is the lie? Do you have anything to add to the genre tips above? What is your favorite genre to read/write or both? Do you like Rapunzel's story?