Anybody here writing for children?

[DannMcGrew]

I'd like to generally discuss and maybe share some work.

 

[tegeus-Cromis]

I once wrote a cute Star Wars story for my daughter... When she was maybe five or six.

 

[Dozmonic]

I used to try writing stuff for the 8-12 range. It has been a while since I wrote that, although I did revisit one of the stories from a structural perspective, getting my head around how the story was made and why it didn't work. If I'm doing NaNo I'll usually write teen/YA, just because it flows more easily.

I remember @Perpetual Man had some children's fiction several years back. There'll be others too

 

[DannMcGrew]

I used to try writing stuff for the 8-12 range.

That's sort of the age range I'm interested in - maybe a little more 6-10 (first to fourth grade in US) I'm working on science-based but speculative fiction, trying not to use incorrect basic information. For example, I've got a talking frog, but all the science is right and his name is Rana.

 

[Dozmonic]

It's always fantasy of some flavour I try to write. The main stuff I worked on for that age range was a series of pirate books with my dad. There's not enough pirate fiction around. I can't see I've seen too much scientifically accurate talking frog fiction either...

 

[RJM Corbet]

I'd like to generally discuss and maybe share some work.

When my daughter was little she told me the secret of writing for children: the children get the advantage over the grown-ups. The children win. It's Roald Dahl's secret. Harry Potter too. There you go. Lol ...

 

[DannMcGrew]

It's always fantasy of some flavour I try to write. The main stuff I worked on for that age range was a series of pirate books with my dad. There's not enough pirate fiction around. I can't see I've seen too much scientifically accurate talking frog fiction either...

I definitely agree about pirates. I got into "scientifically accurate" because The Very Hungry Caterpillar sent me apoplectic. lol Kids love it, but it's all wrong; and it would have been so easy to be right.

 

[RJM Corbet]

After Harry Potter all the wannabe YA writers were getting into magic as the ticket -- but magic wasn't the heart of Harry Potter -- magic was the vehicle for his outwitting the adults?

 

[DannMcGrew]

After Harry Potter all the wannabe YA writers were getting into magic as the ticket -- but magic wasn't the heart of Harry Potter -- magic was the vehicle for his outwitting the adults?

But the magic is super! I'll might get trolled, but I love those books.

 

[RJM Corbet]

But the magic is super! I'll might get trolled, but I love those books.

No problem with the magic. But Harry Potter was a winner over the grown-ups. That was the real magic of Harry Potter?

Enid Blyton: the kids are the smart ones. They solve mysteries grown-ups can't?

Children don't want to be lectured or taught when they're reading for recreation? Much like adults, I suppose?

Oh well ...

 

[Steve Harrison]

I wrote a picture book story for my daughter when she was three or four (with her as the main character), but I never got around to submitting it or looking for an illustrator. She's 25 now, but the idea has grown into half a dozen stories, so when I finish my current project I'm planning to contact a local cartoonist who would be ideal.

 

[DannMcGrew]

Children don't want to be lectured or taught when they're reading for recreation?

I agree about lectures, but kids I know love learning stuff in a story.

 

[tinkerdan]

If Harry Potter works for that age range....
I'm pretty sure my books would work; however, I did not write them for that age range.
The originals were too long--I think--for that age range and some of the Harry Potter are longer than mine.
I did begin separating them into smaller chunks--so maybe they are good for that age range.
However the Protagonist is more in the age range of 16 years old.

 

[Star-child]

I have an idea for a story about smart kids solving problems in clever ways to rescue themselves. Interested in discussing how to write for kids.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Can I just check that you all read books aimed at your target audience?

 

[Dozmonic]

Can I just check that you all read books aimed at your target audience?

Do people genuinely have an interest in writing what they don't read?

 

[DannMcGrew]

Can I just check that you all read books aimed at your target audience?

Well, I do -- even when there's no child around to provide an excuse. Stellaluna is currently very high on my list of favorite books.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Do people genuinely have an interest in writing what they don't read?

You’d be surprised ...

 

[Star-child]

Do people genuinely have an interest in writing what they don't read?

Used to read.

 

[Steve Harrison]

Do people genuinely have an interest in writing what they don't read?

Well, I wrote my YA novel with no particular interest in YA. I wrote it for my daughter, who complained she couldn't find the kinds of novels she wanted. I read a few YA novels during the course of writing the novel and enjoyed them, but my reading interests lie elsewhere. I thoroughly enjoyed writing the book, though.

I write stories that excite me and that I enjoy writing. Genres aren't really a consideration when I formulate a story and I don't care if I don't read similar material.