Middle Grade Monsters and Mysteries with Emily Daluga

Whether it’s a classic whodunit or a new spine-chilling tale, kids can’t get enough of horror and mystery stories! Even though many young readers are struggling with reading right now, these two genres remain some of the most popular categories in middle grade. They continue to sell year after year and are getting more critical acclaim in awards and reviews. Kids are clamoring for their next great read—and publishers are eager to help them find it! In this presentation, we’ll discuss recent killer trends, investigate how to craft a satisfying story, and crack the case on how to help your project stand out in the market! 

Emily Daluga (she/her) is an editor at Chronicle Books who focuses mostly on middle-grade novels and graphic novels for kids of all ages. Whether it be heartfelt contemporary fiction or funky genre fiction, she’s most drawn to stories that feature a diverse cast of queer characters, monsters of any kind, unexpected twists, and tug-at-your-heartstrings emotions. When not editing, she enjoys reading and writing in cozy coffee shops, seeing musicals with her partner, and overanalyzing bad horror movies. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.

You can find more about Emily Daluga

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Emily will offer 7 critiques for the first 10 pages of Middle Grade Manuscripts! Each critique will include; 20 minutes face-to-face via Zoom on Sunday, November 15th from 12-4:00 PM, line edits of the first 10 pages submitted, and written comments using the official SCBWI critique form. The first 10 pages of Middle Grade Manuscripts will be due on Friday, October 16th. Written comments will be mailed one week prior to the face-to-face meeting with Emily.

Guidelines for formatting your first 10 pages of your Middle Grade Manuscript:

1. Word document with 1/2 inch margins.
2. Double spaced
3. New Times Roman font – 12 points
4. Cover page with your name, title, email
5. Manuscript pages numbered 1-10
6. Your name on each page
7. Saved as your first initial - Last name in a word document (example: xSurname.doc(x)

SCBWI NY: West-Central Upstate Regional Advisor, Patty Wurster, will be in contact with you via your registration email with scheduling and submission details.

THIS EVENT WILL BE RECORDED AND MADE AVAILABLE UNTIL November 15, 2026.

Contact Patty Wurster [email protected]

SCBWI is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization. SCBWI Regions are managed by unpaid volunteers. Region funds support programs that benefit SCBWI members.

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