I gave a talk the other day called something like ‘Writing for Children: generating ideas and writing that children will actually be interested in.’ I can’t remember the exact title. It was a bit long and to be honest I have trouble remembering titles that are more than three words.
Anyway, I thought I might break down some of the things I talked about into blog-sized chunks for your delight and entertainment. Obviously you won’t have the benefit of my exciting and surprising powerpoint presentation that originally accompanied the ordeal, but you have other benefits, such as tea, your own comfy chair and the invitation to imagine that I’m giving this talk in any voice you like. I suggest Yosemite Sam for starters.
So… Writing for Children, Tip 1: Don’t test it out on a child.
I don’t hear many published authors telling people to test out their writing on a child. However, I do hear lots of aspiring writers saying that they’ve done just that – they gave something they wrote to a child they know, and the child loved it. I don’t recommend that strategy.
First of all, the child you test things out on is going to want to like it. Not liking it would be awkward and to tell you so would be borderline sociopathic.
Second, even if the child can identify some moments or aspects of your writing that they don’t like as much, they will struggle to tell you why. That doesn’t just apply to children – people in general are much better at saying they don’t like something than giving accurate feedback as to what should change so that they would like it.
Third, who’s the writer in this scenario? You or the kid? Most of the time (not all, but most) testing your work-in-progress on a child is a sign that deep down you know there’s something not quite right with it. You probably even know what that is, you just don’t want to face it. You’re probably showing your story to a kid with the over-optimistic hope that he or she will smile and laugh and jump up and down and tell you that you don’t need to fix a word. Because any other reaction would mean that you have a lot more work to do, right? Well, here’s the bad news: that reaction would mean nothing even if you got it (see points one and two). And there is definitely more work you can do on your story. Chances are you know that already and you actually just wanted a get-out-of-work-free card from having child’s seal of approval.
When I write, I write for me. I don’t aim at a particular child, or children in general, or even the impression of a child that I nostalgically believe I once was.
No individual child can give you a reaction that’s indicative of all children.
If you really want to test out your story on a kid you might want to try one of two things: give them a few pages to read, and WATCH THEM read it. When do their eyes wander? When do they sit forward in their seat? When are they sluggish turning the page? When do they race through the paragraphs with their mouth slightly open?
Or, even better - pitch them the story. Take ten minutes. If you can’t tell a story in ten minutes, it isn’t worth telling. Five is better. Sit face to face and watch as you tell the story. If you’re honest with yourself about the reaction you’re seeing, you should have all the feedback you need right there.
One last thing: if you’re thinking of testing things out on a child, why not test something out on an adult instead? After all, adults are really just stupid children. You’ll get most of the same feedback. But make sure to tell them not to try to work out whether they think the story will work on a child. Eliminate second-guessing. Just let them enjoy it for themselves.
A good story is a good story, whatever the intended audience.
As always, I’ll be fascinated to hear my fellow cave dwellers’ take on this. And everyone else too of course. Do you test your work on children?
05/11/2009 at 10:30 pm Permalink
never thought of it that way, i always think i write too young, not enough action then i don’t build to the action it just happens
06/11/2009 at 2:37 pm Permalink
Great piece, Joe: Hell, yes!
It’s important for a kids’ author to take their stuff out on the road, to meet young people and talk to them and remind themselves what being young is like. But when it comes to the writing, I like what E.B.White said in THE ELEMENTS OF STYLE:
‘The true writer always plays to an audience of one.’
Since this is from the man who also wrote CHARLOTTE’S WEB, I think it’s safe to say he was including kids’ authors too.
08/11/2009 at 4:48 pm Permalink
“After all, adults are really just stupid children.” Best line in a fantastic piece, Joe.
You’re right, of course: no child you ever choose to read your work before it’s published is EVER going to give you a fair critique and, even if they did, would they really have the technical know-how or vocabulary to do so?
My advice is to find another writer – a writer you trust to give you straight, honest feedback. And, before anyone reading this starts to moan – no-one is ever going to steal your work this way; every writer I know is far too wrapped up in their own work to take someone else’s.
Whether this means you join (or start) a local writers’ group (check your nearest library notice board) or find a like-minded individual on one of the many, many Internet writers’ forums is up to you. Fellow TBMer and Invisible Fiends author, Barry Hutchison and I met in exactly that way – during an online discussion on (of all things) game show formats over 12 years ago. Since then, Baz and I have swapped ideas, chapters and even entire manuscripts for that honest first opinion – and we still chat online almost every day.
So, follow Joe’s advice on this. If you really want someone else’s thoughts on your work (and – he’s right – you SHOULD be writing for yourself) choose your target very carefully indeed.