How to Write Children's Stories

How to Write Children's Stories
by Aymee Thomas

My Inspiration

I used to write horror and science fiction stories. However, after my son was born, I began writing children's stories. When I write children's stories it helps me to pretend I am telling him a story as I write. Having my son as an inspiration has been a wonderful resource tool.

The Big "Who?"

If you have a working title to start with that is great. Otherwise don't worry about it until you are done with the story. The main thing is to have the story.
Then You will need a main character and try to incorporate as much detail as you can without making the story lengthy. This takes care of the big "Who" part of the process. Now think of things this character will do in your story and you can also bring in other characters.

The "What?"

For the "What" part it is important you find what works for you as opposed to trying to write something unappealing to you. For me, writing fictional self-help books is where I do my best work but I also wrote a few fantasy tales for my son. I will stress also that you need to know your target audience. Know the age of the readers, and know what interests them(ex. Educational, ABCs and 123s, - morals and virtues, - wildlife, poems, etc.). Once you know this information it is easier to receive feedback from children you know who are interested in your topic.

The "When?"

Think about what time period you want your story to take place in. If it is a fairy tale you may want the "When?" in a long ago kingdom. Research all you can about the story's time frame. Even when you are writing for kids your story must be consistent. Could the tale of Cinderella be just as enchanting if she is chauffered to the ball in a limousine? You can have a lot of fun with this part of your story. This is your "When" part.

The "Where?"

The "Where?" can be fun, too. You can make up imaginary places or leave them intentionally vague, like a small New England town by the sea. You can also have fun researching other countries like Ireland. If you go into detail make sure it is someplace you know well or have researched.

Think about the Reader

The "Why?" and "How?", for some reason, aren't as important to me. Except when I think about the reader. Such as, "How can I incorporate fun into the reader's learning experience?"

Your Love Will Show

The most important thing I can stress is that you can write for children if you love writing and love children. Your love will show in your work. Writing for children is not what I started out wanting to do. As I look back, however, I can honestly say my adult fiction stories can't compare to what I have written for children. Writing for children is the work I am most proud of.