The Difference Between MG and YA

As someone who tends to have 14-year-old protagonists talking in her head and has written at least two “upper-MG/tween/lower-YA” manuscripts, I keep coming back to this question, and I’m not alone. Check out agents Erin Murphy and Michael Stearns for wisdom and insight. I’m not going to discuss character age, word choice, writing style, or first versus third person. This post is about story.

Midgrade tends to revolve around a search for home and family. The protagonist moves from being alone to having love and support. Consider Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Bud Not Buddy, The Higher Power of Lucky, Ellie McDoodle: have pen will travel, Moon over Manifest, Star in the Forest, and Waiting for Normal.

Young Adult novels tend to be more genre-focused, however the plot often revolves around the protagonist’s need to strike off into the unknown. To search for the Deathly Hallows, Harry must leave Hogworts. In Dairy Queen, DJ challenges her family’s traditions to go out for football. In Suspect, Jen solves the mystery and resolves her issues about her mother’s disappearance. The Everafter is a paranormal novel, and even though Maddie is dead, she has to rediscover her past then leave it behind.

Feel free to argue with these opinions in the comment section. I’ll continue this discussion later in the week or next week.