You’ve tried submitting your fiction middle grade manuscripts to several publishers, only to receive rejection after rejection. You’ve studied formats, researched websites, rewritten and reworked, yet to no avail. You sigh when you see some of the books in the children’s section of the local bookstore, telling yourself, “I can do better than this.”
Getting a middle grade fiction book contract is your goal; but unfortunately it’s the same goal of thousands of other writers out there. So what do you do? Do you give up, never realizing your dream? No…you side step, or, like in the financial world, you diversify.
Try writing non-fiction. There is a need for non-fiction middle grade books that are both entertaining and informative. Pick a few publishers that look promising. Study their lists, looking for themes or topics they are missing. Then send out a query with a few ideas and see what happens. You may find yourself working on a proposal.
If you want to get published in the middle grade market, you need to look at your options instead of limiting them. Give non-fiction writing a try for awhile. You can still work on your other novels at any time. And you never know–your non-fiction book may eventually lead to a middle grade fiction contract.
Contributed by Catherine L. Osornio
