Three top tips for children and young adult writers

Are you writing for children and young adults? Success may be yours with the right mix of plot and writing finesse. The Greenhouse Literary Agency, which specializes in children and YA writing, lists these tips as part of a top 10 list. These are three of my favorites:

1. Find out what books today’s kids are buying and enjoying. Absorb contemporary culture and literature, but never try to copy anyone else’s voice or concept because you think they’re successful right now. What’s hot today may be stone cold in a year’s time and it will take at least this long for your book to be published.

2. Publishers publish into age categories – young fiction, middle grade and young adult.  Be very clear who you are writing for; many novels never find a home because they don’t speak clearly enough to any section of the market.

3. What made you laugh as a child? What made you cry? What made your heart beat faster?  Writing that makes the reader feel things is great!

Visit Greenhouse’s website to read the complete list of 10 tips.

While you’re on the website, see how to submit to Greenhouse. You can also learn about Greenhouse authors, agents, and the Greenhouse Funny Prize, a contest that seeks funny writing. The deadline to enter is Monday, July 29. Judges will select two winners. To stay up to date with Greenhouse’s news and updates, follow the agency on Twitter @SarahGreenhouse and founder Sarah Davies’s blog.