3 COMMON MISTAKES IN WRITING CHILDREN'S FICTION

If I were to fill a room with 100 writers and asked them what they thought was the biggest mistake newbies make when writing children's fiction, I feel certain at least 99 of them would say something along the lines of SHOW, DON'T TELL! But since most of us, if we hang around the writing community long enough, have it drilled into our brains that our books should show every nuance of our story, not bore our readers by vomiting back story, I think I will focus on three other areas where newer writers might also make mistakes in their stories.

TRYING TO FORCE A RHYME

I'm occasionally guilty of this one just as much as the next writer. I'll have what I consider a gem of a story idea, yet when I sit down at my computer, I try to become the next Shakespeare and write a sonnet when a simple story line will do. I've even submitted a few of my rhyming stories to critique groups. While I've always been told my rhyme is usually spot on, my meter and cadence lacks a certain strength to be able to resonate with my potential readers. That disappoints me because I enjoy writing some of my stories in rhyme but I'm honest enough with myself NOT to try to submit a rhyming story that I KNOW it will only cast a shadow on my overall skill as writer. Unless you are an exceptionally skilled writer when it comes to rhythm and rhyme, I would suggest either take a few courses first to strengthen your skills or stick to prose.

FORGETTING TO TELL PART OF THE STORY

Have you ever opened your eyes in the morning and rushed to write down a dream you thought would make a fabulous story? I'm raising my hand here because it happens to me quite often. I can see my main character clearly, can describe everything about them down to the color of their shoelaces and my fingers will fly across the keyboard as I rush to get this Pulitzer Prize winning story down. In reality, I might have made mistake number two in writing children's fiction. In today's world of children's literature, a story not only has to have a beginning, middle, and an end...it has to show there has been some sort of monumental growth or change to the main character. My story might have described the perfect scenario but if I haven't shown my main character's new level of maturity or some kind of an emotional epiphany, I've left my readers slightly disappointed and potentially uninterested in reading any more of my work.

OPENING THE WRONG CURTAIN

Have you ever watched the Price Is Right where a contestant had to choose between two sets of curtains? One might have an old sofa behind it and the other one a luxury cruise to the Bahamas. Opening the right curtain fills the contestant with a sense of wonder while opening the wrong curtain leaves a bad taste in their mouth. It's the same with writing stories. Never leave your reader hanging or confused unless you are writing Book One of a series. You might have the most compelling plot and the most riveting main character ever created, but if you don't give your readers a surprise ending, you might have failed in your chance to build a connection with them. Whether it's funny, or sad, or thought provoking...the right ending is like the frosting on the cake. It's something readers will want to come back to taste again and again if done correctly.

Remember, most writers have made these common mistakes and many more. When it is YOUR turn, just learn to correct them before you send your stories out into the world and let everyone see them shine!

I hope you learned something new today and be sure to check back tomorrow for the next post in my month long celebration!

You can preorder my book, THE STORY CATCHER, now through Amazon, www.amazon.com, or Barnes & Noble, www.barnesandnoble.com. It is available in both ebook and print copies. Here is the book blurb and book trailer.

Blurb:
  
Addie comes from a long line of readers, or "story catchers," as her family likes to call themselves. Every time Addie tries to catch a story on her own, though, the words play tricks on her. Addie tries everything she can think of to corral those wiggly letters, but it will take a little faith to become the next STORY CATCHER.
 
Trailer:

May I Take Your Order?

When I was a young teen, I was allowed to work at the local diner in my small hometown.  I wasn't allowed to serve alcohol but anything else we served was fair game.  And I was good.  Really good.  I took pride in what I did and it wasn't too long before I had a regular set of customers who sat at my tables despite my tender age.  I paid attention to my customers interests, I knew what they liked and I served it to them in the best manner I could which made them want to come back for more.

In today's world, many eateries try to cut corners by cutting quality and it shows in their menu items.  Where is the pride in one's work when you are slinging hash at some greasy diner these days?  Even the big dogs in the fast food sector are starting to make smaller portions and use fillers to downsize the quality of their products.  

I say writer's should always be careful they don't become the greasy diners of the writing industry.  Be sure to prepare your manuscripts with only the freshest characters, the tastiest storylines and the finest words your imagination can create.  Why become a fast food writer when you can be a gourmet one?

Tennis Anyone?

When I was a teenager, my friends and I attempted to play tennis.  Honestly, we were pathetic.  We didn't know how to hold the racket properly, and we couldn't hit the ball to save our lives, but if enthusiasm counted for anything, then we were winners!  It would have been better for us if we would have taken the time to hone up on our skills and become more serious about what we were attempting to do whenever we walked around calling ourselves champions.

Writers should do the same thing.  It's easy enough to surround ourselves with the tools of the trade, but if we don't actually learn how to use them, then not only do we fail our readers, we fail ourselves.  The game of writing great stories is not won by the occasional contest where we dress to impress and "talk" about the craft of writing.  The writing game is won by doing one simple thing...writing.  Daily.  About anything.  Everything.  Until we have sharpened our skills to a razor's edge.  Until our characters are as sharp as the sword we use to cut through the meaningless words which prevent our stories from reaching the winner's circle.

Only then do we have the power to do exceptional things.  Only then can we create rich stories which inspire and impress our readers.  And if we are truly lucky and have practiced writing daily until we are the best we can be, then maybe one day we will even get to take home the prize...