FeedMiddle Grade Historical Fiction–Is it Dead?
April 23, 2012 in Books With Social Studies Content, Elementary Educators, Middle Grade Novel, Middle School Teachers, Reading Skills, Research Ideas Tags: middle grade historical fiction
This fall, I will have a middle-grade historical fiction novel coming out from White Mane Kids. I went to a writing conference in St. Louis this weekend, where the agents said that historical fiction for kids is not selling. It is one of the hardest genres to sell, and agents probably won’t take you on if this is what you have–no matter how good your story/writing is. I didn’t have an agent for mine–I sent it to an independent publisher and have worked with them directly. White Mane Kids ONLY publishes historical fiction set in the U.S. though, so my book fit them perfectly.
What do you think? Do you think historical fiction for middle graders (4th to 6th grade) is dying? Do you think teachers and home school parents are still using this genre to teach history?
Just curious. We had a big discussion about it at lunch too, and several of us writers are upset about this trend.
Back to the regularly scheduled program on Thursday, so share your opinion here if you have time!
April 23rd, 2012 at 8:02 am
For sure historical fiction is not selling as well as other genres, but don’t lose hope. Carolyn Yoder, senior editor at Boyds Mills Press, has her own imprint and publishes only history and historical fiction.
I have a historical fiction novel, THE BALLAD OF JESSIE PEARL, forthcoming from namelos, http://www.namelos.com in the winter of 2013.
Augusta Scattergood’s novel, GLORY BE, was published in January 2012 by Scholastic to great critical acclaim. (set in 1964 during Freedom Summer).
I’m currently reading MAY B by Caroline Starr Rose, recently published by Schwartz and Wade. Think Little House on the Prairie in verse.
Historical fiction gals need to hang together. What’s your novel about?
April 23rd, 2012 at 12:49 pm
Historical fiction will continue to be published but it may continue to be difficult to sell novels that are set before the Depression. The 1950s, 60s, and 70s are showing up more and more, and although that doesn’t seem too historical to me, it certainly is for 10 year olds. Time doesn’t stand still, so there should always be room for historical fiction.
April 23rd, 2012 at 12:50 pm
Hi Margo, Anonymous is me! I forgot that I was using my laptop and wasn’t automatically signed in.
April 23rd, 2012 at 1:48 pm
Hi Shannon: Thanks for the specific examples of historical fiction still being alive!
Congratulations on your novel coming out next year, and I wish you great success! I have actually attended a Carolyn Yoder workshop. I LOVE HER! She is a stickler for detail, though–you really have to make sure you have your research together and labeled well, etc. She is the one who taught me about all of that.
Anyway, my book is set during the Siege of Vicksburg in the US Civil War. I hope it is different because it is told from a Southern perspective AND from a citizen–not a soldier or even someone who wants to be a soldier.
I also hope that I have themes in there that girls today can relate to–those are all things I tried to do, so we’ll see. 
Yes, we must stick together.
April 23rd, 2012 at 1:49 pm
Hi Anonymous, I mean Clara!
You have a good point about possibly writing NEWER historical fiction–if that’s a possible term. I am actually really interested in those time periods as well and I was born during the 1970s. Hey, maybe we wouldn’t have to do as much research on every single thing that was said or worn–although my memory is going since I had my daughter. Best of luck to you with your HF work!
April 23rd, 2012 at 2:09 pm
Hi, Margot,
When the agent said it is hard to sell historical fiction, did he mean it’s hard to sell it to publishers or it’s hard for publishers to sell it to the public/readers? I guest it’s the same thing, actually, so it really doesn’t matter.
But I think educational publishers probably still sell a lot of historical fiction to schools and libraries because teachers do use it in the classroom. It would be interesting to hear what some children’s educational publishers have to say about this, though.
April 24th, 2012 at 5:20 pm
Hi Margo
I certainly hope not since eventually I want to write an historical fiction novel inspired by an 1870 doll and by all of Clara’s books. Currently I am using that inspiration on an historical nonfiction book ..The Princess Doll’s Scrapbook- An Emigration/Immigration Story… an outgrowth of the ICL course in which Clara was my instructor!! Most of the book, except for some memoir is centred on the period 1850-1910. Now I’m almost there on this one I know it has to have a sequel. I am having the book self published through FriesenPress and hope it will be available before the end of the year.
I was reminded of all the work ahead (marketing) after the manuscript’s submitted on FriesenPress’s Facebook that I read just before following through and finding this post through the WOW link.
So much fun to meet again, all the best on the new books coming out , Shannon and Margo.
April 25th, 2012 at 3:57 pm
Like someone said either here or on Facebook, we need to write what is in our heart and worry about selling later, AND my home school friends said they definitely use historical fiction to teach history.
April 25th, 2012 at 3:59 pm
Suzanne:
I think she meant hard to sell to editors, but is it because people aren’t buying it and publishers can’t make money from it? I also think you can get a historical fiction novel published without an agent –at specialty publishers like White Mane Kids or Carolyn Yoder’s imprint.
May 30th, 2012 at 10:58 pm
I think everything in the publishing world is suffering but it’s our job to bring it back. We’ll always be reading and needing to encourage the art of it as well as the importance of history so the world needs you.
I do completely understand the need to sell as bill collectors want money, not books or knowledge, for payment but that’ll come. Right now it’s important to live our passion to tell the stories the world needs to read and we can only do that if we forget about the sales and concentrate on who we are and the stories we want to share.
Best of luck with all you do and thanks for reading!
Sarah