7/2/2023 0 Comments Childrens story writing![]() ![]() The first page Imogene's Antlers, a picture book by David Small, reads: On Thursday, when Imogene woke up, she found she had grown antlers. You want to begin as close as possible to the story's catalyst, that moment in which your character's life changes from ordinary to extraordinary, and the plot takes off. Start your story with action, dialogue, or set the mood in a way that's so intriguing kids can't walk away. Your readers will stick around for the first few sentences, but if they're not hooked they'll close the book. The next five steps will not only help you polish what's left, but also allow you to "show" rather than "tell" the story to your readers.Ģ. Once you've trimmed the clutter, the remaining words will be more powerful. A good first step when editing any length of book is to go page by page and diligently cut every word, phrase, scene or character that doesn't directly contribute to the plot. Picture book writers are often tempted to add scenes and secondary characters that make the story unnecessarily complex. When writing for the younger ages especially, every word must count. You'll always find exceptions, but if you're a new author, don't stray too far from the norm. Picture books for children up to age eight average 1000 words (though many are shorter) easy readers for ages five to nine are 50-2500 words (depending on the publisher and level of reader) chapter books (short novels for ages seven to ten) typically are 10,000-12,000 words middle grade novels (ages eight to twelve) hover around 20,000-25,000 words, and young adult novels (ages twelve and up) weigh in at 35,000 to 45,000 words. Children's book writers must adhere to strict industry standards for word counts. ![]() Here are six steps to help you flawlessly edit your manuscript.ġ. But if you can honestly answer "Yes," then now the real work begins. Go back and continue to refine your plot and main character. ![]() Does the main character have qualities with which your target audience can identify? Does the plot take off early in the story with an incident that raises a problem for your character? Does that character resolve this problem in a dramatic, satisfying way near the end of the book? Did you throw enough obstacles in your character's way, creating tension and forcing the reader to become emotionally invested in the story? If you answered "No" to any of these questions, you still don't have a solid working draft of your story. With this first, fresh reading, examine the story as a whole. Then, as you read through the story from start to finish, pretend that someone else wrote it. Put the manuscript aside for at least a week two weeks is better. But you can't adequately edit a story you poured your soul into without first removing some of your ego. Editing those words turns that manuscript into a potential book. Getting the words down on paper is only the beginning. Too many authors make the mistake of submitting a manuscript before it's ready. But then print out your manuscript, stick it in a drawer, and walk away. Tomorrow, you'll send it off to a carefully chosen editor. Tonight, you plan to celebrate, then give your manuscript a quick run-through for spelling and punctuation errors. You worked hard to create layered, believable characters, and the plot has an actual beginning, middle and end. You never thought it possible, but you've finished your children's book manuscript. Negotiating ContractsSetting Fees/Getting Paid ![]() HELPFUL LINKS | EDITOR'S CORNER (Ramblings on the Writing Life) HOME | ABOUT US | CONTACT US | SITE MAP | MASTER ARTICLE INDEX | ADVERTISE WITH US! Six Steps to Make Your Children's Story Sparkle ![]()
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