Writing Age

I haven't heard anyone talk about this before, but maybe that's because most published authors are adults anyway. I've noticed that everyone has a writing age. What I mean by that is that when I read someone's work, I can often guess their age. The age groups go as followed.

• toddler
• elementary school
• 10-12
• 13-15
• 16-18
• adult
• older adults who started writing creatively as adults (Yes. That's a category.)

Let me explain. When I say that someone has a writing age, I don't mean to say that their writing is bad. If a 15 year old writes something that sounds like it's been written by a 13-15 year old, that makes sense. I would never, ever judge them on that. Even if a 15 year old were to write something in the category I'd call 10-12 year olds. My estimates are made off of what I've generally experienced as a teen from one of the more educated states in the US (according to the standardized tests at least)

Now, how can I do this? Is it because six year olds write about flowers and puppies and ten year olds suddenly reach a new level of deepness? No. There are multiple factors, but here are a few.

Paragraphs

The first thing that stands out to me on a page is paragraphs. Very few adults will write without paragraphs where many children and teens do, but that isn't the end. Young children write each page as one big paragraph. They are taught that long paragraphs are better. I used to be so proud when I wrote a paragraph that was a page and a half long. They are also more structured, like the charts you're given in elementary school.

When you start reading middle grade novels, kids start to notice that not all the paragraphs are a page long. Their paragraphs start to get shorter, but they are still strictly structured. Often, a few different people will still speak within the same paragraph though.

At about 13, kids will start writing more like YA books. They'll realize they can split their paragraphs whenever they want, and they'll start experimenting with voice using these paragraphs for emphasis. At about 16, this experimentation has gained consistency, but it's not always effectively used. (Guilty as charged.... I know. I'm working on it!)

Adults start to have a strong grip on the way they like to split their paragraphs. It's much like the previous two, only the power is used more sparingly. There is a better variety of paragraph shapes. (This is also achieved through detail which will be addressed later.)

Elder adults who started writing quite recently will often use either the elementary format or 10-12 format, some eventually moving on to the next highest, but with bigger vocabulary and different themes. Sometimes, older authors will begin to revert back to younger paragraph styles too, but I'm not sure why this happens or if that's just my missing something as a teen.

Grammar

Grammar is a pretty obvious one. It's similar to the last. Elementary students are strictly sticking to the rules, only making mistakes by accident. Their sentences are also very simple. 10-12 year olds (and sometimes 13-15) start experimenting with sentence fragments, intentional run-on sentences, and other ways of breaking the rules for effect. But they do so at incorrect times or too often. older teens start getting into the right pattern but are often still overusing the effect, and adults get into the run of things. I don't notice reverting with elder adult authors here, but I do notice the overuse when adults found writing later in life.

Detail

This one is huge! Listen very closely if you are interested in increasing your writing age. Okay?

Kids say everything. They tell you everything. Their stories are simple and to the point with no sidetracking.

Younger teens say more than kids. They give detail enough to give you a picture. It sounds almost like finished work.

Older teens inconsistently give more details. Sometimes, they give too many and sometimes too few. (this varies more in this age group. Each kid will lean more toward one side than the other.) Often, when they give too many, they give WAY too many.

Adults are in that perfect little window much of the time. Some still don't have the balance right, but if you're going to get it, this is when.

I think you're getting the pattern that older adults who found writing later seem younger. They put a ton of detail, trying to make up for it, but they end up sounding strange with their adult wording and teen like detail.

Plot

This is another big one, but it is less so once you get to about 13. That's when this area begins to make more sense.

To put it simply, kids have very little (if any) plot in their stories. 10-12 year olds have a basic plot but often get sidetracked and have no subplots. Young teens have a good plot and start to understand subplots but often get sidetracked still (not as significantly). Older teens start to get the hang of this but often add too many sub plots, trying to seem more complicated. Adults, again are most likely to get the right balance. The final group tends to be like either the young teens or older teens in this situation.

As a 17 year old, I know I'm guilty of all these things. I'm trying to work up to the Adult stage, and I think I'll be able to do that by the time I reach adulthood, which is sort of on par. As long as you're actively writing, you'll keep advancing. I'm posting this to make you aware, not to judge you for being a certain age or finding writing later. It's only an observation. Do with the information what you wish.

Keep doodling. Keep writing. Keep living.
Amanda McCoy