Writing for Children

A How-to Essay on Writing
by Margaret Hamill


You want to write for young children. You have an idea for a story, and you imagine it published in a magazine, maybe Highlights for Children, or Cricket. You see little kids listening with eyes wide, and mouths open as someone reads your story to them. This is a great goal. With effort, enthusiasm, skill, and persistence you may have a good chance of succeeding.


Here are a few things to remember as you prepare your manuscript:

Just as in stories for older readers, you must have an interesting plot and make your characters come alive on the page.

Include excitement, or tension, lots of dialogue, and plan a great ending to your story.

Consider the age of the child you are writing for, the reading level, and the current interests of children.

Does that sound difficult? It really isn't. Just remember what you liked to read when you were younger and try to create a similar story.

• What do children want in a story?

Children want action, mystery, humor, and excitement. They like to laugh, be surprised, and maybe just a little frightened. Touch their hearts with emotion, and tickle their funny bones with humor.

Give enough description to place them in the story, but no long paragraphs. You don't want them to toss the book aside out of boredom.

Finally, and this is very important, don't allow an adult to come into the story and solve the problems. Children like to identify with the main character, and be a part of the intrigue. They enjoy trying to solve the problems, or the mystery, as they read the story.

• What do editors want?

If you are writing fiction, remember its purpose is to entertain. Your story should start off with something to grab the reader and hold his interest. Editors often advise writers to discard their first page, or chapter, and begin further along in the story where things begin to get exciting.

Maybe you would rather write an article, or a true story, something exciting that others might like to hear about. There is a good market for non-fiction at this time. Editors are looking for interesting articles about science, animals, the environment, historical events and characters.

Kids are curious about the world around them, but the facts must be clothed in interesting wrappings. Avoid dull encyclopedia-like texts. Non-fiction for children should entertain as well as teach. Colorful pictures, or drawings, informative, well-written text, and current, fascinating subject matter will often sell your manuscript.

• Where do you get ideas for writing children’s stories and articles?

Look around you. Watch children. Notice what they talk about, what they wear, and what games they play. Focus on hot topics and current interests of kids in the age level you are writing for.

Search your own childhood. Did you have an interesting experience that would make a good story? You can fictionalize it, and change the facts and characters as you please. Your memory can be a vast storehouse of ideas.

Read children’s books--lots of children's books. Carry them out of the library by the armful. Discover which books children check out again and again.

Visit the bookstores. See what’s out there.

Talk with kids. Ask questions that require more than a 'yes' or 'no' answer. Listen to children talking among themselves. Notice how they put words together and what they talk about when they are at play.

Watch kid’s shows on television. Even the cartoons can give you ideas.

Carry a notebook and pencil so when the ideas come, you can write them down before you forget them.

• You've written your story or article. Now what?

When you have finished writing. Read your story out loud, maybe to a younger friend. Correct mistakes and make it as interesting and as neat as you can.

Search the markets to find just the right magazine for your type story. Look in the Writer's Market, in writer's magazines, and online for publishers.

Finally, prepare your story for the publisher. Be sure your manuscript is properly addressed to the correct editor. Type it double-spaced, with no misspelled words. Put your name, story title, and the page number on each page.

Create a cover letter introducing your story and include a paragraph about your writing experience, if any. Tell the editor why you think your story would fit in his magazine.

Prepare a self-addressed, stamped envelope for an acceptance from the editor, or for the return of your story.

Package everything in a sturdy envelope. Make sure you have enough postage on it. Drop the envelope in the nearest mailbox. You have taken that first important step toward publication.

Now the waiting begins. When that return envelope comes back it could contain an acceptance. If it happens to be a rejection, don't be discouraged. Be proud. You are a writer, and you believe in yourself.

Before you lose your nerve, repackage that precious manuscript and send it to the next publisher on your list. Remember Gone with the Wind, by Margaret Mitchell, was rejected about twenty five times before it finally was published, so there is hope for you.