Children’s Author Fiona Ingram Talks About Writing for Children

Writing for Children

written by: Fiona Ingram 

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2868182.Fiona_Ingram

Writing for children can be the most inspiring choice for any writer. For a start, you get to enjoy loads of adventures, the type you loved reading about and experiencing via the pages of your favorite books. However, choosing the age group is very important because you, the author, will be sinking yourself right into that age group and reliving those experiences to convey the story accurately and honestly to the target audience.

I mention honesty, and for me that is paramount in writing for any age group. Young readers, from little ones to YA, can sniff out a patronizing attitude from ten paces, and that will turn them right off. So how does one achieve honesty in writing for children?

First, choose the age group you feel most comfortable with. Some authors may not feel comfortable with the burgeoning issues of angst and social dramas of the YA audience. They don’t see themselves writing about unrequited first love (or sparkly vampires!). I have very fond memories of my middle grade years, and the mostly imaginary adventures I conjured up with my younger brothers, so I feel very much at home with middle grade escapades.

Second, get the level of language and themes right. Kids like to read up, so don’t write down to them. Throw in a few big words to send them racing for the dictionary. They’ll also enjoy showing off that new big word to their peers. You might not want to include weighty issues like global warming and scientific jargon in your text, but don’t shy away from facts and figures that kids will either already know or be interested in learning more about. 

In Book 3: The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper, my young heroes meet an uncontacted tribe in the Mexican jungle and a big issue is the survival of uncontacted tribes in a world that is increasingly encroaching upon rainforests and the last remaining territories of unspoiled nature.

Third, find out what kids are reading these days. Just browsing Amazon’s shelves is very handy. What are the new titles? What are the new topics? But don’t feel that you must ditch your own unique ideas of a realistic story, set in the real world, in favour of yet another mythologically, magically, or futuristically themed tale just because everyone is writing them these days. It helps to know what’s happening out there but be true to your own ideas. Don’t worry, the pendulum will swing back soon enough.

Fourth, get the dialogue right without too many ums and ahs. Listen to kids of that age group, or if none are easily to hand, watch movies aimed at the age group. Get the tone and vocabulary right, and make sure there’s enough conflict to move the plot forward, and keep those readers glued to each page.

Fifth, engage your readers on a sensory level as well. Touch, taste, sight, smell, hearing; all this adds to young readers’ experiences of what the heroes encounter in their adventure. In my adventure series, the young heroes always find themselves in unique circumstances and environments. It’s not enough to tell readers what the heroes experience; the young reader must also experience it with their own senses.

Sixth, without preaching, don’t forget the moral lesson embedded in every story, vital to every choice made by both heroes and villains. Stories should advise, showing young readers what choices can be made and that making the right decisions is determined by their own personal moral compass. Who they are will determine what they do in life.

Last, enjoy yourself. From my own experience, every middle grade adventure I write is like an adventure for me. I have a wonderful time and I think if an author can absolutely throw themselves into the story and have a fantastic time writing it, this will come through and be clear to the intended audience. So, get in front of your computer and embark upon the adventure of a lifetime!