Annika Klanderud
Intrigue & Inspiration
Author of the 2024 Cascade Award Winning MG Novel,
I LIVED THROUGH A WIND CHILL ADVISORY
the 2024 Cascade Award Runner Up YA Novel,
QUALIFY
and the 2022 Cascade Award Winning YA Novel,
RED ROCK
Middle Grade & Young Adult Fiction
that refuses to leave you alone.
Clean Fiction
No Magic
No Zombies or Vampires
How to Write Stories that WILL be Published
October 26, 2025
Does It Matter How Old My Main Character Is?
Absolutely it does. In fact, you might be surprised how set in stone the guidelines are for MG and YA. Industry professionals believe that young people want to read stories about heroes who are older than they are. That’s why authors are advised to age up.
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For example, the MC for a YA novel should be 16, 17, or 18 YO. The MC of a MG novel should be 12 or 13. Now, this might sound absurd, but this means ages 14 and 15 are what I would call the “Dead Zone.” Novels are not generally written with an MC that is this age.
What about side characters? Are their ages important?
Side characters are a different story. Their ages are not nearly as important. Authors really have a great deal more liberty with their ages.
March 9, 2025
Does my story really need an enemy?
The short answer is, yes. But most authors should really take the time to rethink the enemy in their story. I see far too many enemies out there that are cliche or stereotypical. And we want to avoid cliches in writing.
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Let's take a step back and define what an enemy actually is in the world of writing. Simply put, the enemy is the force working against the main character. In other words, throughout the story, the enemy stands in the way of the main character learning the theme of the story and solving the main story problem.
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This means that the enemy can actually be someone the main character loves and respects. The enemy can even be a friend or family member.
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Whatever the enemy looks like--however the enemy acts--he must be realistic. And in the real world, even the worst people are kind, thoughtful, and fun at times. So authors must be sure to give the enemy some likable character traits.
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And, especially if we are writing for Christian audiences, I would caution authors against making our enemies overly evil.
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Yes, he or she needs to work against the main character's efforts, but that action against the main character does not necessarily need to be overt.
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Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that we should delete all conflict, trouble, and problems from our books. Without those things, we would not have a story. But I am saying that a little goes a long way in the enemy category. As Christians, let's not magnify sin. Hinting at the evil around us is usually good enough.
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And, finally, when showing the contrast between good and evil, we must be sure to stick to the biblical definitions of each.