 Short Stories: November 22, 2006 Issue [#1384] |
  Short Stories
This week: Edited by: Vivian  
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Writing for children is considered, by some people, as easy, that anyone can can write for children.
Writing for children, in reality, is harder than writing for any other group, IF the author wants to produce a well-written story.
As this week's guest editor, I want us to examine writing stories for children.
Next week's editor will be, uh, me, at my regularly scheduled time.
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Creating Believable Stories for Children
Too many people believe that any and every one can write for children. Sometimes the stories are about children, but they are no for children. Others are filled with grammar and other mechanical problems, but writers don't believe that matters since the material is for children. Wrong! Anything written for children should be as close to perfect as humanly possible. The stories should be interesting, contain all the components of a good story, and should be believable with a child's imagination.
I cannot stress enough the need to write children's stories from a child's perspective, not stories about children for adults to enjoy. The main character or characters do not need to be children, but they should be characters that children can and will enjoy. The plot, conflict, climax, dialogue, and resolution should be those that children understand. If a lesson or moral is included, it should be worked into the story line in such a way that it isn't "preachy," but evolves as a result of the plot itself.
Children learn from what they read. Therefore, stories shouldn't have grammar, snytax, sentence structure, or spelling errors. Some leeway is possible in dialolgue, but even then detours from correct language should be controlled.
Characters that are believable make stories stronger. According to Elaine Marie Alphin ("Writing for Kids: Create Believable Characters," Writer's Digest, December 2006) gives four main points concerning making characters believable:
1. Characters do things. She says, "Characters are rarely passive; they take action."
2. Characters think. "All your characters' thoughts, whether hidden or spoken, will contribute to the tension and drama of your story."
3. Characters feel. "Thoughts are rational, but real people aren't always rational, especially in tense situations." Children feel, have emotions, and so should your characters.
4. Characters speak. "Kids also talk, and what they say (and how they say it) reveals a lot about their character. For readers to believe in your characters, however, you must use language appropriate to that youngster's age and circumstances."
A quote from William Faulker sums up the successful process in writing a story: "It begins with a character, usually, and once he stands up on his feet and begins to move, all I can do is trot along behind him with a paper and pencil trying to keep up long enough to put down what he says and does."
Faulker's advice applies to children's writings, too.
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Words from Readers
Since I'm the guest editor this week, and I do have some feedback from my last regular issue, I thought I'd use come comments now and the rest next week.
eldora_rae
Cool I wanted to know the limit on a short story that gives me a slight idea now. :)
I'm glad I was able to help a little. I wish the limits were more exact, but at least we have an idea.
werden 
Hey. I have been told in comments to my work that I don't use enough description. How can one know the difference between too much and not enough? It seems as if it is an extremely narrow line to walk.
If the description helps the reader understand the plot and characters better, if it moves the story along, then it's needed. If it adds nothing to the writing except to bore the reader, it's too much. Hope that helps a bit.
PasuWrites 
I was unaware of so many things on this site..but I love it. I don't even know how to make the page seem unique to myself...otherwise I like the mail service and all the mail I recieve from the editor.
I have written a book of short stories, but now I am disappointed by the publishers who don't even care to read them...they are so much after printing government works which pay them hugely.
My country has no room for literary work of yet... I think I have to make a room of my own...
I'm sorry that your country doesn't encourage literary work. Please don't give up, keep writing and submitting your work.
catnap
Thank you for including my piece, Where Are You? in your 10/27 newsletter. I appreciate all of the feedback that I have received since it was shown here.
Catnap
I'm glad you have gotten some feedback since your story was highlighted. I try to include works by different writers on the site.
Until next week, I hope you have interesting stories to read and write.
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