|
|
Jumpstart Your Writing Career
 Category |
: Writing |
 Times Read |
: 32 |
 Date |
: 03 July 2008 07:00 |
** Jumpstart Your Career by Asking "Why?" ** by Laura Backes,Publisher of Childrens Book Insider, the Newsletter forChildrens WritersWhen developing a story or article, writers learn to incorporatethe "who," "when," "where," and "how." But what often getsoverlooked is the "why." Without examining why a story takesplace, or why an article would be of interest to the reader, theentire writing experience can be a fruitless exercise.Why this character?At a writing conference I once critiqued a manuscript featuring acharacter in a situation where you wouldnt normally expect tofind him. When I wondered why he was there, the author answered,"He just is." "But how did he get there?" I asked. "One of theother characters put him there," the author stated. "Why?" Ipushed. The author didnt have an answer.If you arbitrarily think it would be cute to have a monkey, adoll, or a policeman as your storys protagonist, the readersnot going to care unless it makes sense to have that characterinhabit your particular plot. And if a monkey shows up where heshouldnt be--at school, for instance--why hes there has to bean integral part of the story. But more than that, the reader hasto know why this monkey is suddenly sitting in a first gradeclassroom. Whats unique about the character that makes him theonly monkey who could possibly appear in this book?Why this story?Just as important as knowing why your character inhabits yourbook is understanding why this character experiences the conflictor problem that fuels the plot. Your readers have to believe thisprotagonist would encounter these obstacles, and not be able toresolve the problem in a few lines of text. Not every child isafraid of the dark, so if your character hides under the coverswhen the lights are out, plant something in her personality thatcauses this behavior.How the plot conflict is resolved also harks back to "why." Whydoes your character take these particular steps, instead of aneasier or more obvious route, to reach his goal? What fears,hang-ups or quirks does the character have to overcome to getwhat he wants? Would a child understand and care about thesetraits? Have you laid the groundwork in the beginning of thestory so the reader believes the character could not possibly actany other way, thus never forcing the reader to question you inthe first place?Why this article?Virtually any nonfiction topic can hold a childs interest ifits presented in the right way. But first ask yourself whyyoure writing this article or book. Does it have a directapplication to the experiences of your readers? Can it tie inwith what theyre learning in school? Will it enrich their livesin some way? If your motivations are clear, then take a hard lookat your audience. Why would kids this age be interested in thistopic? How can you present the material in a way thatsentertaining as well as informative? If you find youre workinghard to shape the information to fit a specific audience orformat, perhaps you need to rethink your approach. Maybe youretrying to write too young, and the subject really requires anolder reader. Or perhaps you assume middle graders will befascinated with an animal alphabet book, but after researchingother ABC books on the market, you learn theyre really targetedto much younger children. About the Author Laura Backes is the publisher of Childrens Book Insider, theNewsletter for Childrens Writers. For more information aboutwriting childrens books, including free articles, market tips,insider secrets and much more, visit Childrens Book Insidershome on the web at http://write4kids.com |
|
Writing |
Most Popular Articles |
|
|
|
Random Article 1 |
Random Article 2 |
- Article Writing: How To Use Your Chakra Energy To Write
by: Ron Passfield The seven Chakras are the hidden energy centres in your body through which you receive, process and transmit life energies. They act as "energy transformers" and influencers of change. Your thoughts, emotions or actions can either block or activate these hidden e
|
- How to Start Your Story with a Bang
by: Caterina Christakos The purpose of creating a story is to create a world that will draw the reader away from their own. In order to do this one must create suspense, drama and mystery. Your reader must absolutely need to get from page to page, to find out what happens. There a
|
Random Article 3 |
Random Article 4 |
- Hooked On Books? Write A Book Review For Your Target Audience
by: Bonnie Jo Davis If you are burned out with writing how-to articles to promote your business then consider writing a book review. I recommend you write a review about a book you enjoyed that is related to your products or services. Your review, of course, will be capped off with yo
|
- 8 Advantages to Writing a Book as an Entrepreneur
by: Denise Hamilton As an aspiring or an established entrepreneur, you are an expert in something, but does the rest of the world know? You have a wealth of information, experience and knowledge that you can package into a book that will benefit others. This truly is the information a
|
|