Characters in Middle Grade: The Main Character Every story needs one! Main characters in middle grade books follow similar rules, but there are some things worth mentioning that are more specific to this age range. Here’s a (somewhat brutal!) guide to developing middle grade main characters. Age Children generally don’t want to read about adults… they just don’t. Why would they? When I was a child, it was clear that adults got to go on more adventures than I did. They could choose where they went. If they wanted to run away with a magical ring to Mordor, then they could just up sticks and leave. Children don’t have that luxury. But this also goes the other way. Children don’t usually want to read about younger children. A ten year old will be more interested in reading a book about 10-12 year olds that 7-8 year olds. So, when you’re writing a middle grade main character, make sure you age them in the same small bracket as your intended reader. Personally, I liked to age my protagonists...
We at Crowvus are delighted to bring our newest story to the market!
We were lucky enough to persuade the main character of the book, Pendragon Devon, to come and answer some of our questions. Perhaps, after you've read the book yourself, you have a question for him too. Feel free to write your questions in the comments below.
Here's a bit of background on the Rite, for those who are unsure:
The Rite is definitely not magic (but really, it is, just don't tell Napier we said that). There are 2 ways of channelling the Rite, each having their own pros and cons, and it's not so clear-cut as to be good vs bad. But that's enough from us...let's hand over to Pendragon.
What is a Rendelf, and why is the job so important?
Because there are two different forms of the Rite, I think the Rendelf was set up to make sure peace was kept between the two sides. If you’re a Just Thaumaturge, you don’t necessarily have the ability to protect yourself from a Knave’s Thaumaturge and you need someone to stand up for you if that situation actually happens.
Knave’s Thaumaturges need someone to look out for them too – they’re statistically more likely to have problems with their own mental wellbeing and there needs to be someone there to support them.
It’s a peacekeeping job, which is pretty bizarre because there’s times when it definitely doesn’t seem that way. The Rendelf needs to be willing to put themselves between danger and the person who’s being threatened, which means they may have to take drastic measures.
But there’s a lot of the job which is meetings and administration, which is a lot less psychologically draining but very difficult to keep on top of. It does make sure that you don’t start believing the job’s too heroic though.
Knave’s Thaumaturges need someone to look out for them too – they’re statistically more likely to have problems with their own mental wellbeing and there needs to be someone there to support them.
It’s a peacekeeping job, which is pretty bizarre because there’s times when it definitely doesn’t seem that way. The Rendelf needs to be willing to put themselves between danger and the person who’s being threatened, which means they may have to take drastic measures.
But there’s a lot of the job which is meetings and administration, which is a lot less psychologically draining but very difficult to keep on top of. It does make sure that you don’t start believing the job’s too heroic though.
How did you learn about the Rite?
When my mum and dad sent me to live in Scotland to “finish my schooling”, I had an idea of what I was going to find there. For a start, I assumed that my uncle was a teacher, which seems like a reasonable expectation, to be honest!
Napier (my uncle) was very clear that he definitely wasn’t a teacher and I think that became even more obvious as I learnt about the Rite from him. Right from the start, he set impossibly high expectations and, every time I almost reached them, he’d raise them even further. I don’t remember many times that I was allowed to really relish the feeling of achievement!
Ok, now I feel horrible saying all that. I should point out that one of the most important lessons for a young thaumaturge is that each person is unique and the way they access the Rite is unique too.
That does mean it can be really lonely sometimes. I genuinely don’t think I’d have survived the past eighteen months without Marley.
How do you cope with home sickness?
Honestly? I don’t think I’ve actually learnt how to cope with homesickness yet – and my life is so weird that, wherever I am, I’m homesick. And the worst homesickness isn’t for a place – it’s for people.
When I first moved up to Honour’s Rest, I didn’t think I was ever going to get used to living anywhere other that Cheshire. I had a fairly clear idea of where my life was heading, and it certainly hasn’t worked out that way. I suppose this has left me not only missing my family home, but all the ideas I had about the future too.
The times when I cope best with homesickness are when I’m reminded how important the people around me are, whether that’s my family in Cheshire or my friends at Honour’s Rest. The worst times are when I’m on my own.
What would you say to anyone who is starting to learn the Rite?
Embrace it. It sounds like a cliché, but you’ve got a wonderful gift. I’d also say “don’t expect too much of yourself straight away”, but that’s a bit like the pot calling the kettle black. When I found out about the Rite, I challenged everything about myself, trying to prove that Napier, had made some mistake when he identified it in me. I couldn’t do this or that, so I obviously didn’t have the Rite. But it’s the practice that makes it something you can control and mould into whatever you want it to be. Don’t despair! (He says, probably despairing.)
Hopefully, this has tickled those reading tastebuds enough to encourage you to read the book. You can buy the book directly from us here, or purchase it through Amazon Smile. Either way, we just know you'll love it!
Comments
Post a Comment