Writing for Children - start with a incident
A chance phrase can be the catalyst for a great kids' book
When writing for children a popular method of getting started is to commence with a scenario or situation. Any particular incident, whether you've been told about it, or maybe heard about it on the TV, or maybe a chance phrase or a meeting with someone may create a sudden unshakeable belief that this is a possibility for, one day the beginning of a book. Writing for children is, opposite to what many people believe, just as hard and challenging as writing for adults, it's true to say that in a number of more so, so when you are writing for children, do choose your incident or situation carefully as you need to gain, and keep a child's somewhat fickle attention.
Perhaps it may take a long time for you to start writing for children, but the idea stays firmly fixed in your brain, and so does its potential for a good book. Consider the story of the manager of an orphanage who was aware that many of the youngsters in her institution had invented "real belonging mothers" belonging just to themselves. In some instances the mothers actually existed, but many of these absent moms were invented by the children themselves to fill an aching void, because they didn't know who their real mothers were, they simply invented them.
When you are writing for children, you could perhaps consider this situation - file it away in your mind and give it time to take root. Possibly years later you may be able to use and develop it. Here's one possibility ....
Orphans in a convent create make believe mothers for themselves. Some invent warm, cuddly moms who love them enormously and only abandoned them at the orphanage because they had no other way to carry on in a cold, hard world. Maybe other children fantasise about heartless, uncaring women who simply left them out of cruelty and spite - sounds a bit like a wicked stepmother - doesn't it? And we all know what wonderful stories have been woven around wicked stepmothers!
Of course not all ideas will develop well. You do need to consider carefully what might be grow into a good storyline and which scenarios should be left well alone when writing for children. After all, you don't want to make your stories too scary! Remember those fantasy moms - those children needed fantasy mothers who would support rather than injure them, and any writing for children should always leave the reader feeling warm and reassured after the end of the story.
About the Author
Ellie Dixon lives in deepest rural Devon, England with her husband and two very large Newfoundland dogs. She is passionate about vintage illustrated children's books and loves to restore and edit them for today's kids to rediscover. Visit Scruffy's Bookshop, Ellie's main website for some great books, and Ellie also recommends How to Write a Great Children's Book! for aspiring authors.
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