Lorraine Mace: Writing for Children

I received lots of positive feedback on my first post on this topic. I hope you find this week's offering useful, too. If you have any questions on writing for children, or any other writing-related subject, feel free to comment below, or use the Ask a Question button in the top left corner of the website.

Tip Two - Read Before You Write

One of the best ways to learn how to write for children is to read the finest the market has to offer.

Try making a list of the authors that children like, not those that adults claim young readers want. Ask every child you know, your own children or grandchildren, and those of friends and neighbours, who their favourite writer is, and then read as many books as you can by those authors.

Ask your local librarian which are the most requested authors. Which writers do children return to again and again?

Visit Lovereading4kids and read the opening pages of popular books.

Make notes as you read about the aspects that made the characters come alive, or what it was that made the story so exciting.

How did the writers end each chapter so that you felt compelled to continue reading?

Broaden your horizons and read outside of the genre and age group for which you intend to write. Try to get a feel for the length each age group requires.

Study the story structure. How is the excitement level maintained?

By reading and learning from the masters of your craft it becomes easier to write convincingly. At first you might find yourself copying another author’s style, but persevere, and your own distinctive voice will soon come shining through.