Creative Writing For Dummies, 2nd Edition

Chapter 13

Once Upon a Time: Writing for Children

IN THIS CHAPTER

Recognizing that writing for children is tougher than it seems

Understanding the needs of different age groups

Going arty with comic books

Delving into nonfiction

Before you pick up your pen to start writing for children, you need to do some careful thinking and some research. Books for children need to be very tightly focused on the specific age group you’re writing for – huge differences exist between writing for toddlers, early readers, and teenagers. You also need to consider the relationship between illustrations and the text and ensure the vocabulary fits the age range you’re aiming at.

When writing for children, many people think of the classic books they enjoyed when small, many of which are still in print today. However, just because these books are still read doesn’t mean that publishers want more of the same. Today, editors are looking for something new, original, and related to the fast-paced modern world. Contemporary children are easily bored and so much competition exists for their attention that a ...