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Writing for children is not the daunting task it is often considered, but neither is it as easy as pie, as any parent who has been through the pitfalls of selecting ‘good’ books would know. So what is it that makes some books vanish off the shelves faster than you can say ‘Harry Potter’, while others languish, only to disappear into a never-never land for books? Writing for children is, quite simply, different. While many of the broad guidelines applicable to writing for adults hold good for children’s writing as well, there are striking differences which any aspiring writer of children’s books ought to be aware of.
Writing for children – craft and responsibility 1. One of the primary differences between writing for children and writing for adults is that the former involves both craft and responsibility. Much like parenting itself, where you learn as you go, it takes years of practice before you can sell your first book. The responsibility comes from the fact that books can impact impressionable minds and shape their thinking and outlook on the world. I still recall my experience with Roald Dahl’s ‘Matilda’. My eight-year-old, till then a rather scrappy reader, was so impressed with Matilda’s passion for reading that she promptly resolved to improve her own reading habits and five years on, remains a voracious reader.
Approach 2. There are two approaches a writer can adopt when writing for children. One way is to write about the thoughts, actions and feelings of a child. While this works sometimes, it often does not appeal to children as it sounds unrealistic, overly sentimental and nostalgic.
The second approach – tougher, yet more effective – would be to write from the point of view of a child and allow the reader to share this view. For this to work, a writer ought to be able to recollect – and relive - childhood experiences of all kinds, from exhilarating to hurtful or scary. Spending time with children and listening closely to them can also be of great help in understanding their view of the world.
Themes for different age groups 3. A six or eight-year-old’s concerns are different from say, a ten-year-old. For a younger age group, stories with simple, positive themes, happy experiences with life’s lessons woven into them unobtrusively, work well. Older children are ready to explore more complex themes and darker experiences – relationships, fear of failure, death, competing for success, popularity and sexual identity. It must be said however, that precisely segmenting age groups is not always necessary. Children who like reading will happily grab any book and begin to read it, as long as they can identify with its theme and find the writing enjoyable.
Essentials 4. Reflect on the books you enjoyed as a child. What was it about them that made you love them then and probably still now? In all probability, some of the elements that characterised them are humour, suspense and mystery.
Children are by nature, happy beings – funny situations and characters are instant attention-getters and will have them asking for more. Also, the desire to solve puzzles is an innate feature of the human mind and children will keenly follow themes that invoke curiosity and wonder.
5. Once upon a time..
The story is the key element in any children’s book. A quick pace and a clear-cut course of action are essential elements of good writing. Lengthy descriptions of scenery, though couched in the most beautiful language, will not cut much ice, as this slows down the movement of the story. Neither will excessive gloom nor moralising work well. Children by and large, have an optimistic outlook on life and can be rewarding readers, eagerly accepting new ideas and thoughts.
Every individual has his or her own interests and it pays to begin writing about something that really interests you. If a theme does not excite and engage the writer, it is not likely to grab the attention of his or her young readers. Be it adventure or technology-driven tales, sports, horror, historical themes or folk tales, the writing has to come from the heart.
6. Where and who
Be it a haunted castle, a suburban school, outer space or a tribal village, the setting of a story creates the mood for what’s to come. Done well, it also serves to ‘hook’ the reader’s interest at the start. A word of caution, though. Children dislike long descriptions, so it’s necessary to swiftly sketch in your background before your reader gets bored.
The characters who inhabit the story are one of its most important elements, more so than the physical background. Heroic, conflicted, adventurous, or plain nasty, the main characters need to be sketched in with strong personality traits – people who make things happen in the story. The characters could be children themselves or adults.
Animal characters with human traits are also much loved by children, provided they are believable. A good example is “Harry and The Lady Next Door’ (Gene Zion), about a dog who hates his neighbour’s singing and goes to great – and gently humorous – lengths to stop her. The dog’s ingenious ways, his helplessness in conveying his feelings and his essential innocence make for a lovable combination of character traits which children can sympathise with and appreciate.
7. ‘ Granny, for a change, can you get me something that doesn’t have a moral in it?”
If you’re writing a story with a message, beware. Preachy themes don’t work effectively, at any age. The author’s good intentions notwithstanding, boredom will set in rapidly. A good story will have its message built in, allowing the reader to discover it on his own.
8. Language
Every generation adds its bit to language, tweaks old rules and has its favourite expressions. This is especially true for teenagers. The writer aspiring to reach out to this group of readers must strike a balance between the essential rules of good grammar and contemporary expression.
When writing for younger children, it’s best to write fairly short sentences and avoid adult sounding words and ideas. Around 6-8 years of age, children start reading longer books with chapters. However, even with this group, very long sentences are best avoided. Having said this, one may add that the idea is not to simplify everything completely. Children do need to learn new, unfamiliar words. The trick is to put in a fairly ‘difficult’ word after establishing the context, so that the meaning becomes self-explanatory. For instance, you could write about a child’s positive feelings and then mention that she felt ‘exhilarated’. Children do enjoy trying out new and interesting words and will readily learn them if the story reinforces these feelings.
The best way to figure out if a lengthy sentence reads well is to read it out loud. If the meaning seems lost in a maze of words, it needs to be shortened or split into two sentences. A personal favourite is ‘The Story About Ping’ (Marjorie Flack and Kurt Wiese) where the rhythms of the sentences convey the rocking motion of the River Yangtze in China, where the story is set.
The conclusion of the story is also to be considered. Is it a satisfactory conclusion, where the heroes are suitably rewarded and the bad or undeserving guys get their just dessert? Are all loose ends neatly tied up? Avoid those clichéd conclusions where the main character wakes up to find out that “it was all a dream”.
9. Researching the market
It is important to be in sync with how children think and speak today and be aware of the way they live, even if a story is to be set in different backgrounds. What are the key issues that concern the modern child? What fires their imagination, what troubles them? Friendships, examination pressure, violence, pocket money – according to research, these are some of the concerns of today’s children.
10. The publisher
Finally, there’s another angle to be considered – the publishers. Publishers do not want a rehash of popular books that prospective authors may have enjoyed reading in their childhood. Many of those books – the evergreen Enid Blyton, for example – continue to sell even today, but publishers expect work from contemporary writers, which reflects the present day realities of children’s lives.
Some of these are:
a. A large majority of children live in cities. Many of them have both parents working out of home.
b. The number of children who see their parents divorcing has increased. Many children, therefore, have the experience of living with a single parent or a step-parent.
c. Multiculturalism: With cities becoming increasingly multicultural, writers are addressing an audience of children drawn from varied cultures and religions. Also, children attending school encounter others from cultures vastly different to their own. Publishers like to see themes that use these situations as a background.
Chillibreeze's disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the views of Chillibreeze as a company. Chillibreeze has a strict anti-plagiarism policy. Please contact us to report any copyright issues related to this article.
Out of 5 “chilies”, our editorial team gave this article...
—About our writer:
Poornima says, "I have been a freelance writer off and on for many years. I also enjoy editing, and have worked as an Associate Editor for an erudite yet delightful magazine called 'The Eye', by SPIC-MACAY, a pan-Indian voluntary movement that promotes Indian art and culture among young people. I love reading, travelling, watching films and painting. My two young daughters take up the rest of my time, serving in turns to inspire, exasperate and educate me."
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