Why I Love Writing Middle Grade, As a YA Debut Author, a guest post by Jill Tew

To be completely candid, I never intended to be a middle grade author. I originally queried my agent with an adult science fiction manuscript, and saw myself as a writer of exclusively YA and adult sci-fi romance. But about a year into my career as an agented author, an invitation came from a new imprint at Disney Hyperion called Freedom Fire, which was dedicated to stories about Black joy, Black resilience, and Black storytelling. They asked my agent if I had any middle grade pieces that might fit their taste. As luck would have it, I did: a short story I’d originally envisioned as YA, about a Black girl in suburban Atlanta who would compete to be crowned the queen of her local renaissance faire’s summer camp. I’d been trying to figure out what to do with the piece, when the Freedom Fire call made me realize that aging it down might be an option. Retooling that story for a middle grade audience was like blowing oxygen on a dying ember. A fresh spark caught on the story, and I saw it with new eyes. The telltale curiosity and whimsy of pre-teen adolescence was exactly the lens I needed to bring this story to life, a story about a girl who was grappling with the difference between her family’s desire to protect her and her own desires. A girl who was wondering exactly who she’d turn out to be, in the end.

This past year, as I was putting the finishing touches on my YA dystopian romance debut, The Dividing Sky, I was also balancing deadlines for that story, my upcoming middle grade debut Kaya Morgan’s Crowning Achievement. Almost like clockwork, the second I’d wrap a bow on something for one manuscript, a time-sensitive request from my other editor pinged in my inbox. Though switching back and forth between projects comes with its own set of challenges, the primary emotion I felt each time I’d switch was wonder. Wonder at being able to switch back and forth between two very different stories, each with their own bold, hopeful take on the human experience. Both sustained me, but it was my middle grade project especially that reminded me of why I love writing kidlit. Kaya Morgan’s Crowning Achievement may be the first time a child realizes the power of books to make them feel seen. It may be someone’s first favorite book, of many to come. If I’m lucky, that person will grow to be a lifelong reader, perhaps even someday picking up my books intended for young adults and beyond.

I’m honored to wield the responsibility that comes with writing for this audience, and I don’t take it lightly. I can’t wait to start meeting younger readers as part of my promotion of Kaya Morgan’s Crowning Achievement, hear their feedback, answer their zany questions. Middle grade may not have been in my initial career plans as an author, but now I can’t imagine writing without it.

Meet the author

From a young age, Jill Tew was destined for speculative fiction nerddom. She grew up watching Farscape, Hercules, and The Tribe every week, and always had the latest copy of Animorphs tucked in her backpack. Now she writes the kinds of stories she loved as a kid, with characters she wanted to see more of— Black heroines asking big questions, saving the world, and falling in love along the way.

A recovering business school graduate, Jill enjoys belting show tunes on the way to Target and baking in her spare time. She is also a co-host of Afronauts Podcast, which provides writing tips and community for Black aspiring speculative fiction writers. Her debut novel, a YA dystopian romance titled THE DIVIDING SKY, was selected as a Kids’ Indie Next pick and has received starred reviews from Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and School Library Journal. Her middle grade debut KAYA MORGAN’S CROWNING ACHIEVEMENT is forthcoming from Freedom Fire / Disney Hyperion in April 2025.

Jill lives in Atlanta with her family. She is represented by Jen Azantian of Azantian Literary Agency. Find her on Twitter and Instagram at @jtewwrites, Tiktok at @jilltew, and her website at www.jilltew.com.

Links for my books:

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/736783/the-dividing-sky-by-jill-tew

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/764010/freedom-fire-kaya-morgans-crowning-achievement-by-jill-tew

About Kaya Morgan’s Crowning Achievement

A vibrant and heart-warming novel about the unforgettable joys of the Renaissance Faire, overcoming grief through cherished memories, and remaining true to yourself—even in cosplay.

For as long as she could remember, Kaya Morgan has spent her summers with her dad at the greatest place on Earth: The Renaissance Faire. Full of performers cosplaying as thieving pirates, enchanting fairies, and courageous heroes, the Ren Faire has always been a place where anyone could be anything they wanted to be. And for as long as she could remember, Kaya and her dad have dreamed of her someday being named the first Black Queen of the Faire.

Unfortunately for the last two summers, Kaya has been known as something else: the girl with the dead dad. But she’s not going to let anyone stop her from taking her place as the Queen’s apprentice (the first step on her journey towards Queen). But when the role is given to the pretty and blonde Jessie, the only spot left for Kaya is the Court Jester (who doesn’t even come with a crown).

It’s bad enough that it’s another summer at the Ren Faire without her dad, and that her family thinks her love of medieval times is weird. But with everyone around Kaya determined to put her in a role she doesn’t want to be in, Kaya must decide whether to hold onto her old dreams no matter what, or realize that it’s okay for new dreams to become reality.

ISBN-13: 9781368104685
Publisher: Disney Publishing Group
Publication date: 04/01/2025
Age Range: 8 – 12 Years

Filed under: Guest Post