Begins Tuesday, May 19th, 2026

Live Seminar via Zoom from 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM ET

Any questions about this class? Use the Chat Button to talk with us. 

Instructor Bio

Instructor Meg Eden Kuyatt teaches creative writing at colleges and writing centers. She is the author of the 2021 Towson Prize for Literature-winning poetry collection "Drowning in the Floating World" and the forthcoming "obsolete hill" (Fernwood Press, 2026) and children's novels, including the Schneider Family Book Award Honor-winning "Good Different," and "The Girl in the Walls" (Scholastic, 2025). 

Who is this class for?

This online writing workshop is for anyone curious about writing middle-grade fiction, or for middle-grade writers looking to level up their craft. Open to introductory- and intermediate-level writers, this seminar welcomes both newcomers to the genre and those seeking fresh strategies for voice and story.

What to expect:

Author Gennifer Choldenko describes being a middle grade writer as being "a professional twelve-year old." To write middle grade, we can't merely remember childhood—we have to relearn how to be kids and write with a 12-year-old's worldview. But how do we do that? After all, middle grade is the great between: it's not quite edgy enough to be young adult, but it's got more heft than a chapter book. It's right in the middle, just like the age of its readers: not quite a teen, but not exactly into the same kid things they were when they read Dr. Seuss.

What exactly are the criteria for middle grade, and how do we write compellingly for this market? How do we get into a space to write the elusive but critical middle-grade voice? And how do we design a compelling plot with clear stakes? Join us for this interactive online writing class and workshop to ask all your middle grade questions, and take part in exercises to explore your own middle grade voice and find joy in the process.

Led by Schneider Family Book Award Honor-winning author Meg Eden Kuyatt—whose middle grade novels include "Good Different," "The Girl in the Walls," and "Perfect Enough"—this Zoom writing workshop gives you direct access to an experienced children's book author and creative writing instructor who knows the craft and market inside and out.

What are the writing goals?

In this course, students will take part in exercises to explore middle-grade voice and develop story pitches. Through interactive discussion and hands-on writing activities, students will practice crafting authentic middle grade perspectives and building compelling narratives for young readers.

COURSE OUTLINE

Session: Middle Grade Magic: Voice and Story

• What constitutes middle grade fiction: conventions, expectations, and market standards
• Finding and accessing your unique middle-grade voice
• Designing compelling middle grade plots with clear stakes
• Interactive exercises exploring voice, story pitches, and the joy of writing for young readers
• Open Q&A on all things middle grade

COURSE TAKEAWAYS:

• A clear understanding of what constitutes middle-grade fiction and the conventions and expectations of the genre
  
• Strategies for accessing your unique middle-grade voice and writing with a 12-year-old's worldview
  
• Tools for thinking about compelling middle grade plots with clear, age-appropriate stakes
  
• Hands-on experience with voice and story pitch exercises you can continue to use in your own writing practice
  
• Confidence to pursue or strengthen your middle-grade writing projects