Contributed by Karen Cioffi
It seems there are still new children’s authors or wannabe authors who don’t take the time to learn how to write for children… at least to learn the basics.
The absolute must-nots when writing for children:
The Picture Book Cliffhanger
A recent client of mine was for a picture book rewrite project with the ending missing, so there was a bit of ghosting involved. The intended age group was four to eight.
I rewrote the story and added a ‘satisfying’ ending with a takeaway only to learn the client wanted it to be a cliffhanger and didn’t want a takeaway.
Well, kind of a cliffhanger. The client wanted the ending missing.
No loose ends tied up. No satisfying ending. No full character arc. No full story arc.
This client scenario was a first for me.
Not wanting a takeaway is one thing, but not wanting a satisfying ending for a young children’s book doesn’t make sense.
The story was to leave the reader to guess what the author had in mind for the ending or create their own.
The author’s intent was to create a series of cliffhangers motivating the reader to get the next picture book.
I tried my best to help the client understand that a young children’s book needs all the elements of a ‘good’ story, especially when seeking a traditional publishing contract.
I understand that in self-publishing a lot of new authors do whatever they want (even though they should produce a quality book), but it’s a different ball game when going the traditional route.
The Perfect Story World
I don’t get too many of these types of authors, but it came up in another recent project.
This scenario is when the author doesn’t want any significant conflict in the story. No real stakes involved.
-No swarm of bees to block a path the protagonist must get through.
-No ferocious fire-breathing dragon blocking the entrance to a cave the protagonist must get into.
-No dangling from a cliff before being rescued.
The author also doesn’t want the characters, even the villain, to have any bad traits.
-No evil Professor Moriarty (Sherlock Holmes’ nemesis).
-No evil Joker or the Penguin (Batman’s nemesis).
-No evil Lex Luthor (Superman’s nemesis).
This type of story is sugar-coated.
Instead of a roller coaster that goes up and down, where the rider has to hold on tight, this type of story is the stationary horse on the carousel, no holding on needed, no real movement involved.
You always want your story to be the one the reader is motivated to hold onto, motivated to turn the pages. You want your story to go up and down and around.
Hitting the Reader Over the Head
Most of my clients have a specific goal for their story. They want to send a message to a child. They know exactly what they want the takeaway to be.
A number of stories have the bullying theme, but interestingly, that’s eased off. Now I get more requests for inclusion, standing up for yourself, and being kind themes.
Some new authors think they have to hit the reader over the head with their message. They blatantly want to tell the reader how the main character grew because he was kind, stood up for himself, or included someone different in her group.
Hitting the reader over the head with the story’s message is frowned upon. The story should convey the message subtly. The reader will pick up on it.
I hope these three absolute must-nots in kid’s writing help you on your children’s writing journey.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Karen Cioffi is an award-winning children’s author, working ghostwriter, rewriter, and coach. If you need help with your story, visit Writing for Children with Karen Cioffi.
Karen also offers authors:
HOW TO WRITE A CHILDREN'S FICTION BOOK
A DIY book to help you write your own children’s book.
WRITERS ON THE MOVE SELF-PUBLISHING SERVICE
Self-publishing help for children’s authors.
