Post by Site Administrator on Nov 26, 2009 21:13:27 GMT
What are the most important components to consider when writing a children's book?
Question asked by "Redhotlover" via Yahoo! Answers.
I haven't yet tried my hand at children's fiction, but imagine that the following points are most important:
Try to write characters that kids will really to aspire towards, even in their wildest dreams - wizards, space-travellers, or kids who go to amazing places and speak with amazing people, even come into posession of items of great power or command armies! Anything that will make the reader want to act out the role or talk about how cool they are with their friends.
Don't make the story too complicated. You mustn't patronise your readers, but if you use too many unusual words, unpronouncable names or adult situations, you'll put them off.
Kids under 15 aren't usually interested in adult relationships - romance, father-son stories, how important family is and what have you. Teach them that the world can be a good and safe place at times, but instil your stories with a sense of darkness and danger (if you're doing genre fiction) and you'll keep them excited throughout.
If you're looking at pre-adolescent fiction, illustrations are a good idea. I'm only 10 years gone from that age and I remember how absorbing it was to come across a full-page illustration every twenty or so pages. This is especially useful if you have characters who are really interesting to look at, in terms of costumes or of a different race.
Hope that helps! Don't forget that there aren't any rules at all, but if you follow trends (in terms of the WRITING in popular books, rather than stories) then you'll realise that with kids' fiction, what is popular usually works, which isn't really true of adult fiction.
Good luck!
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Question asked by "Redhotlover" via Yahoo! Answers.
I haven't yet tried my hand at children's fiction, but imagine that the following points are most important:
Try to write characters that kids will really to aspire towards, even in their wildest dreams - wizards, space-travellers, or kids who go to amazing places and speak with amazing people, even come into posession of items of great power or command armies! Anything that will make the reader want to act out the role or talk about how cool they are with their friends.
Don't make the story too complicated. You mustn't patronise your readers, but if you use too many unusual words, unpronouncable names or adult situations, you'll put them off.
Kids under 15 aren't usually interested in adult relationships - romance, father-son stories, how important family is and what have you. Teach them that the world can be a good and safe place at times, but instil your stories with a sense of darkness and danger (if you're doing genre fiction) and you'll keep them excited throughout.
If you're looking at pre-adolescent fiction, illustrations are a good idea. I'm only 10 years gone from that age and I remember how absorbing it was to come across a full-page illustration every twenty or so pages. This is especially useful if you have characters who are really interesting to look at, in terms of costumes or of a different race.
Hope that helps! Don't forget that there aren't any rules at all, but if you follow trends (in terms of the WRITING in popular books, rather than stories) then you'll realise that with kids' fiction, what is popular usually works, which isn't really true of adult fiction.
Good luck!
What do you think of this answer? Disagree? Have something to add? Did it help at all? Post your message below!