But what works for an 8 or 9 year old might not work so well for a 12 or 13 year old—and vice versa–so within that broad category of middle grade, there are sub-categories of lower and upper middle-grade (sometimes the upper end is also referred to as ‘tweens’). Within Middle Grade you can also have Upper Middle Grade which can be read too by 13 and 14 year olds (that awkward tween stage of literature). So agree with you that the word count varies, especially based on genre and whether it’s upper MG or lower. Middle Grade novels – Here’s where you’re going to see a big spread, too but a good minimum goal is around 30-35,000 words. This post covers why word count matters for novels, the standard word count ranges for various genres, and the word counts of some famous novels. A. I think I can help. Then there are the Upper Middle Grade novels, as… Upper middle grade can hit in the 50k word count range (possibly longer, if it's something really special). When writing a longer book that is aimed at 12-year-olds (and could maybe be considered “tween”), using the term “upper middle grade” is advisable. Middle grade fiction will generally be shorter than YA fiction, but again, there are exceptions. Word Count: Middle Grade used to be 20,000-40,000 words, some say around 50,000 words. word count for middle grade fiction Middle grade is from 20,000 – 55,000, depending on the subject matter and age range, and the word count of these books has been trending up in recent years. Middle Grade word count is typically 20,000 to 55,000. Upper Middle Grade Word Count: 45,000 to 65,000. However, writing middle grade (or children's literature in general) is still unlikely to make you rich. Exceptions: So while there are defining differences, there are also exceptions. Third—Word count matters. What do you see your word count being? Lastly, we arrive at word count. As a general idea: Middle grade fiction is generally 30,000–50,000 words (though fantasy can run longer to allow for adequate worldbuilding). Kelly Ford introduced me to middle grade word count after Beastly topped out at close to 80,000 words. I think it also depends on where it falls on the MG spectrum. Chapter books would be on the lower end, while upper middle grade would be fine in the upper range. I think word count is definitely not something to worry about on a first draft. The age of the readership however is only a guide. Someone linked a good post below that might help you too. For example, there is a huge difference between Ramona Quimby, Age 8 and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows, both are considered middle grade. Whether your book is considered chapter book or upper middle grade will depend on the age of your characters, and the subject matter. Middle Grade work needs to have a simpler vocabulary and a less complex sentence structure than Young Adult. Other middle grade genres that tend to have higher word counts include historical and sci-fi, since more elaborate worldbuilding is required there, too. The average middle grade is 30k-40k. An upper-middle-grade fantasy novel: you bet! Always a contentious topic. We've identified some of those here in the past two weeks. 5. The creation of Hi-low books to help children with low reading levels and readers with additional learning difficulties develop their reading confidence. While I knew that shorter was almost always better, I hadn’t considered word count, which as it turns out it is like your protagonist’s age, predetermined. What is “Upper Middle Grade?” Middle grade books are generally described as being for ages 8-12, but not all middle grade is created equal!