Develop a strong plot. Open the story with an attention-grabbing paragraph. You must hook preteens and teems quickly into your story, or they are likely to lose interest. Plan your story around the crises your hero or heroine will encounter. Fill the story with action and give the reader a reason to turn the page to the next section of the story.
Decide on the gender of the main character or protagonist. This is important. Some writers only feel comfortable writing from the viewpoint of a person of their own gender. Others are happy to write from the other gender's perspective. Write a separate biography of your main character, so you feel you really know this person. Make the main character likable. He or she does not need to be perfect, but the reader must care about this character.
Write in short paragraphs. Practice writing dialogue until you feel you have perfected it. Many young people like to be scared and enjoy reading about some darker subjects, but exercise caution when writing about the darker side of life for this age group. Include a note of optimism and hope, particularly at the end of the story.