Writing a Successful Children’s Series – 3 Key Elements

 

This is Part2 of writing a children's series. And, if you’re a children’s writer of chapter books, middle grade, or young adult you can write one.

To write a series, you need three things:

1. Strong characters

In a ‘live’ workshop, Scholastic senior editor Matt Ringler noted that the most important element of a series is a strong character.

According to Ringler, the Goosebumps series is a perfect example of characters that people care about. This makes them want to read the next book in the series, and the one after that, and so on.

This is what makes a series successful.

2. Strong plot

Plot is also important, of course you need a good story. But Ringler finds strong characters trump plot.

3. The hook

Your story as always needs to grab the reader. It needs to hold his attention.

I can see you shaking your heads. Of course, you need these elements.

But, with the series it needs to have them consistently to keep the momentum moving forward.

So, how do you write a successful story?

According to Ringler, the most important aspect to writing a successful story is to do your research.

- Look in libraries and book stores. See what’s getting published and study those books.

- Look at similar titles in the genre your write and in the age range.

- Paying attention to comparative titles are crucial. Who published them? Who edited them?

- Know the format for the genres. This includes the word counts, age group, word levels, and so on.

- Read in the genre you write. Read at least 40 books in this genre. If you find this boring or you hate doing the research then you shouldn’t write in that genre. The research should be the fun part.

- Know what the editor edits. Know the genre he works in. If he edits chapter and middle grade books, don’t send him your picture book.

- Check out the editor’s website and try to find him on social media. You can also check Publisher’s Market Place and Book Shelf. The information you get from this research will give you a better idea of what he’s looking for and possibly how to approach him.

Next is to write and keep writing.

- Join a critique group to get other viewpoints (eyes) on your story.

- Revise, edit, slash, cut, and even start over if need be.

- When you’re finished with a project, start on the next one.

Ringler emphasized that the more books you have out there, the more potential you have for visibility and sales. If a child likes a book, she’ll want more of that book in the form of a series.

How do you know if you’re a successful series writer?

Most series have four books, some have six. This is usually the max of a successful series.

Then there is the phenomenon. These books skyrocket way beyond expectation.

Think “Harry Potter,” “Goosebumps,” “Twilight,” “Puppy Place.”

“Goosebumps” has been around over 20 years and the original author, R. L. Steiner, is still writing them. As a standalone series, it may be one of the reasons for its phenomenon success.

“Puppy Place” is on its 54th book.

And, “Harry Potter.” Enough said.

But, again, these are the exception to the rule.

How do you measure success?

Personal Success:

- Making extra money to supplement your income
- Support yourself with your writing
- Living comfortably
- Making the BIG bucks (this is exceedingly rare)

You’ll need to decide which of these meet your criteria for success.

Critical success:

- Positive reviews
- Starred reviews
- Grants and award

If you’re just starting out, don’t let bad reviews hinder you. “Goosebumps was originally slammed by reviewers. So was “Star Wars.”

Longevity success:

- A long lasting career. The ability to continue publishing.
- Consistent desire for more books from readers, libraries, editors, etc.

Promotional success:

- Public recognition (not usual)
- Direct outreach to kids to help promote reading
- A bigger platform for more visibility

Book sales success:

How many books do you need to sell to be considered successful?

Ringler gave an example of a new author, Author1, who had a 10,000-book print run. He ended up selling 20,000 books. The book was considered a BIG success.

In a second example, a new author, Author2, had a 100,000-book print run. The publishing house expected his book to be a hit. But, he only sold 20,000 books. This book was NOT a success. The publishing house lost money on this author.

In example two, if Author2 wants to pitch another book to that publishing house, they’ll think twice about giving him a contract.

So, success can be relative. Both authors sold 20,000 books, but one was considered a success, the other wasn’t.

I love the example Ringler gave. It's something I hadn’t thought of and certainly puts sales success in perspective.

Summing it up:

This wraps it up for two-parter. If you write chapter books, or middle grade, or even young adult, consider turning your story into a series. There’s definitely a market for it.

To read the first part of this two-parter article on writing a series, go to:
Writing a Children’s Book Series – Different Types

This article was originally published at: http://karencioffiwritingforchildren.com/2018/06/24/writing-childrens-series-3-elements/

Karen Cioffi is an award-winning children’s author and children’s ghostwriter as well as the founder and editor-in-chief of Writers on the Move. She is also an author/writer online platform instructor with WOW! Women on Writing. You can check out her books at: https://karencioffiwritingforchildren.com/karens-books/

You can connect with Karen at:
LinkedIn  http://www.linkedin.com/in/karencioffiventrice
Twitter http://twitter.com/KarenCV
Pinterest  http://pinterest.com/KarenCioffi/

 

 

 

Writers: Think Outside the Blank Page

Throughout the journey of writing my first book, I’ve found sketches, pictures and notecards, have helped when composing has fallen short. Just this week as I continue to fine-tune my story—completed many months ago except for revision checks that continue to this day—I made two new sketches: How my main character has grown and How the theme is shown. But I get ahead of myself. Through much trial and error, I finally have found a process that works for me, saves time, and gives me confidence that I’ve covered all the bases.

Keep Track of the Basics in a Three-Ring Binder

• Notes: I make notes all the time on many different kinds of paper, some on small scraps by nightlight in the wee hours of the morning. These notes are stapled, taped and punched into a binder section.
• Drafts: The latest draft is punched in after the note section so when I edit, I can make sure I’ve covered the ideas on the notes, so that they can then be discarded. When the draft has too many marks, I make a new copy. Note: I go back and forth between editing on the computer and editing on paper.
• Basic information: On blank green sheets of paper, I have stapled and taped index cards that contain basic information that informs my story. This information includes, but is not limited to:

             List of characters and their descriptions: Including magazine photos and impressions of people I know who have helped form the characters.

             
            Statements: The theme, story problem, concept sentence – story description in as few words as possible, and my favorite: a longer version of what my story is about. This latter version helps me know what to say to people when they say What is your book about? I used to get tongue-tied trying to explain.

            
           Story arcs: The main story arc, an arc for each character, an arc for each important story element, such as in this story, a key, a cloud, and a deed. This is important. A dog named Star, who is important to the story, disappeared for about 35 pages. I went in and found places to add him that didn’t feel contrived, but made his presence consistent.

            Lists: Animals that appear in the story; clues and red herrings; scenes, to make sure the scenes were placed properly and also to delete any scenes that didn’t add to the story--the scene list also helped me rearrange some parts of the action that fit better; subplots; items to research for accuracy. I know I’m preaching to the choir here, but research is so important. 

Recently, I discovered that I had my character wishing on Sirius, the Dog Star, during the summer in Virginia. Oops, Sirius can only be seen in the Northern Hemisphere during the winter; during the summer Sirius is only visible in the Southern Hemisphere. Did you know the colors of hard hats depict certain jobs? How small buildings vs large buildings are demolished?

Work Out the Plot on Post-it Paper

Plotting began with long, single-spaced outlines which became defunct as soon as I started writing. Next I tried an outline-sketch, which worked better. The sketch was a mere skeleton that propped up the story. Still, the writing invariably changed the outline-sketch beyond recognition. 

Finally, I settled on writing plot-points on post-it paper and sticking the post-its on a large poster. Not only does this method work for me, but I love the process, so important, for our writing needs to be fun and joyful, not tedious. This method has many pluses.

• Your ideas don't have to be in order. They can simply be jotted down and stuck on your poster board, to be arranged in order when you're ready.
• Deleting is easy--throw unnecessary post-its away.
• Adding is easy--stick additions where they fit best.
• There is lots of room for contemplation--This is a fun part. You can stare at your creation as long as you like. Then it seems like magic: your hand reaches for your pencil and off you go, creating and having a ball.
• Arranging and rearranging--Oh boy, my favorite part! That's when your story comes alive and your ideas flow, making your story better and better.
• When you're done, it's time to write!

Work Out Character Growth and Theme on Blank Paper

Recently, I decided to chart how my character grew throughout the story. I wanted to make sure I'd shown a gradual change.

• Start with a list: The handwritten list of my main character's growth took up three lined sheets of paper. 
•  Chart the list on blank paper: I split the paper in half. On one side I briefly listed how my character began: as a little girl. On the other side I jotted down how I showed this: she jumped up and down in her seat as her grandpa races his car up and down hills. This briefer list continued to the Turning Point, when her old ways changed to a bolder, more self-confident girl who, at the end, made new friends, solved the mystery, and is ready to go home and get to know her new baby brother.

The same process was used to show the theme. There are, no doubt, more elements that can be tracked in this way, elements which need to be mentioned consistently and accurately. One-of-these-dayz, though, I must stop editing and offer up my book for publication!

Clipart courtesy of: PD4PIC Clipart; laoblogger.com/paper-drawing-clipart.html#

Linda Wilson, a former elementary teacher and ICL graduate, has published over 100 articles for adults and children, and six short stories for children. Recently, she has completed her first book, a mystery/ghost story for children 7-11 years old, and is hard at work on Book Two in the series.  Follow Linda at www.lindawilsonauthor.com.

Plot or Character?

Which is more important in fiction: a page-turning plot or deep and compelling characters?

I've always thought it depends on the genre, the audience, and personal taste. However, I've just started reading a book in which the author, Jeff Gerke, argues convincingly that both are equally important but most authors are naturally good at only one.

Moreover, many character-first writers underestimate the need to have a good plot and may even feel that they're selling out if they add too much Hollywood-esque excitement. Plot-first writers may use their characters mostly to advance their fantastic plots, not realizing that their characters come across more like props than actual people. To create truly great fiction, whether it's literary or commercial, a writer needs to master both character and plot. It's got me really thinking about what kind of writer I am: a character writer. So this year my new goal is to work on becoming a great plotter too.

I challenge each of your to analyze what you're best at and focus for a while on the other skill. In future posts, I'll pass on anything particularly useful I learn from this intriguing book: Plot Versus Character; A Balanced Approach to Writing Great Fiction by Jeff Gerke.

Melinda Brasher's most recent sale is a twist on Rumpelstiltskin, appearing in Timeless Tales. You can also find her fiction in Nous, Electric Spec, Intergalactic Medicine Show, and others. For what readers have called "extraordinary character development," read Far-Knowing, her YA fantasy novel. Visit her online at http://www.melindabrasher.com

Randomness to Spark Creativity

A while back I was playing with an online story idea generator. It puts random things together and gets ideas like this:

What if Marco Polo fought Lewis Carroll?
What if Columbus had access to robotics?
What if Montezuma was indirectly responsible for the Klondike Gold Rush?
What if the destruction of the Hindenburg involved witch-hunters?

So I had to laugh when I got to this one:
What if the fall of Mankind from the Garden of Eden involved forbidden knowledge?

It reminded me of the theory that a room full of monkeys tapping at keyboards for an infinite time period will eventually type Hamlet.

As a writer, I'm full of ideas, but sometimes none of them are the right idea for the moment, or they're just not gelling.  When I need inspiration, sometimes the randomness of these generators will spark an idea that my imagination then builds a fire with.  

You'll find all sorts of generators online: completely random but sometimes intriguing nonsense like above, customizable back-cover blurbs created from information you input, alien world generators, etc.  Obviously, your own imagination should do most of this for you, but taking a few minutes to laugh at the randomness will prime your creative pump if you find you're stuck in a rut.

Here's Seventh Sanctum's What-if-inator, where I got the above what ifs.

Melinda Brasher currently teaches English as a second language in the beautiful Czech Republic.  She loves the sound of glaciers calving and the smell of old books.  Her travel articles and short fiction appear in Go Nomad, International Living, Electric Spec, Intergalactic Medicine Show, and others.  For an e-book collection of some of her favorite published pieces, check out Leaving Home.  For something a little more medieval, read her YA fantasy novel, Far-Knowing. Visit her online at http://www.melindabrasher.com.

More Plot Possibilities...

Writer’s block? Try one of these:

·      Change of scenery: write a scene that takes place at: a park, the beach, the forest, the country fair, a theme park, the mountains, a relative’s house…

·      A Big Contest/Big Game/Big Prize is announced. Your character wants to enter, or maybe is convinced to enter by someone else…

·      Your character goes swimming.

·      Your character is called into the boss’s office. (Or, if writing a children's book, the principal's office.)

·      A stranger asks your character to do him/her a favor.

·      Your character sees someone in trouble.

·      Someone your character knows is in the news. Who? Why? What is your character’s reaction?

·      A fire breaks out. Or an earthquake. Or a tornado.

·      Your character sees a ghost.

·      Someone has been reading your character’s private journal/diary.

·      Someone breaks into your character’s house. Why? Do they steal anything?

·      Your character gets caught red-handed.

·      Your character does something he/she knows he/she’s not supposed to do.

·      Your character tells a lie.

·      What is the very worst thing that could happen to your character right now? Make that happen! How is your character going to get out of it??

Dallas Woodburn is the author of two award-winning collections of short stories and editor of Dancing With The Pen: a collection of today's best youth writing. Her short fiction has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize three years in a row and her nonfiction has appeared in a variety of national publications including Family Circle, Writer's Digest, The Writer, and The Los Angeles Times. She is the founder of Write On! For Literacy and Write On! Books Youth Publishing Company and is currently pursuing her Master's degree in Fiction Writing at Purdue University, where she teaches undergraduate writing courses and serves as Fiction Editor of Sycamore Review.

Plot Possibilities...

Writer’s block? Try one of these:

·      Your character gets a phone call that changes everything.

·      There is a car accident.

·      A secret is revealed.

·      The weather changes.

·      The power goes out.

·      Someone picks a fight with your character.

·      Your character gets his/her fortune read, or even just breaks open a fortune cookie. What does it say? What is your character’s reaction?

·      A shiver runs down your character’s spine. He/she has a bad feeling…

·      The car breaks down/runs out of gas/pops a tire.

·      Your character is out of milk.

·      Your character is allergic to ________ and, unbeknownst to him/her, has been exposed to exactly the thing he/she is allergic to.

·      An animal enters the story.

·      Your character receives a mysterious postcard/letter in the mail/email.

·      Your character’s best friend suddenly stops speaking to him/her for no apparent reason.

·      Your character's significant other, brother, sister, mother, father, or someone else close to them says, “I have something I've been meaning to tell you…”

·      A new person moves in next door.

·      Your character is invited to _______. Does he/she want to go?

·      Bring in a holiday, any holiday.

·      “Someone, call 911!!”

Dallas Woodburn is the author of two award-winning collections of short stories and editor of Dancing With The Pen: a collection of today's best youth writing. Her short fiction has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize three years in a row and her nonfiction has appeared in a variety of national publications including Family Circle, Writer's Digest, The Writer, and The Los Angeles Times. She is the founder of Write On! For Literacy and Write On! Books Youth Publishing Company and is currently pursuing her Master's degree in Fiction Writing at Purdue University, where she teaches undergraduate writing courses and serves as Fiction Editor of Sycamore Review.

Writing Elements Mix – Is There a Right Balance?

Writing can be thought of as a recipe, a handful of plot, a quarter cup of setting, a third to a half cup of dialogue, and a half cup of action and forward movement. Then you also need to add just the right amount of theme, character, and style. Stir it all together and bake for several months (might be longer, depending on your oven), and that’s it.

Ah, if it were only that simple.

Today, there are a number of rules to writing that didn’t plague writers years ago when the world was slower and people actually had time to sit and read at a leisurely pace. Writers had the luxury of setting scenes in detail and didn’t have to worry about ‘telling’ too much.

Now, publishers want your story to begin with a BAM. Grab the reader right away, or you’ll lose her. And, it’s important that setting and telling are limited. In addition, don’t forget to magically weave backstory for your characters seamlessly into the mix.

So, what is the right balance of writing elements that will create a successful story?

Well, there really isn’t a pat formula. Each story will call for its own particular amounts of elements, and each publisher will have her own set of rules that the author must adhere to. But there are certain basics that all stories must contain.

The five basic elements of a story are:

Plot: The arrangement of circumstances and/or events in the story, including conflicts and resolution.

Character: Without the main character and supporting characters the plot is useless. It is the character’s struggle to overcome the conflicts or obstacles in his path that gives the plot life.

Setting: This element includes the physical backdrop of the story, the time period and location.

Atmosphere or Tone: The mood, including the setting, characters and their clothing, weather, and other elements within the story, determines the tone of the story.

Style: The author’s way of expressing herself is the style. Sentence structure, diction, choice of words, point of view, imagery, and symbols are all means of conveying a story that is unique to the author.

In regard to the amounts or balance of each element, the objective is to create a story that continually moves forward toward a satisfying conclusion while holding the reader’s attention. You can have a plot driven story, or a character driven story, you can also have a story with a lot of dialogue, but you need to be sure the story is focused, coherent, and engaging.

Often, as you self-edit your own work, you won’t be able to see if the elements are just right; you should have it critiqued and have an editor take a look at it to see if you’re on the mark. And, then after all that, it will be up to the publisher’s editor to give the final say on whether you have just the right balance of writing elements for a successful story.

Karen Cioffi is an award-winning children's author and children’s ghostwriter as well as the founder and editor-in-chief of Writers on the Move. You can find out more about writing for children and her services at: Karen Cioffi Writing for Children.

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