Writing for the Wee Ones

by Mike Martin, @mike54martin

What’s different about writing for children than for adults? I hadn’t thought about that until recently when after 13 books in the Sgt. Windflower Mystery series I ended up with two children’s Christmas books. How did that happen anyway?

Maybe I’ll start with what’s the same about writing, no matter what the age. To my mind at least, it is always about the story. Characters and theme and plot and story arc are important, but ultimately it is about telling stories. Stories that have enough depth and weight to them to be interesting to readers. They have to be engaging and interesting so that people, of any age, will want to sit and read or listen to them.

Secondly, and this is just my preference, I prefer to write about positive things. Finding and keeping happiness. Dealing with life on life’s terms but not getting stuck in the muck. Speaking of muck, I don’t like much of it. I prefer to write and read clean literature. It can deal with mature issues; I do write murder mysteries and sometimes kill people after all. But I choose my erotica to be personal and my swear words to be private.

Both of those latter terms helped when I made the shift, at least temporarily, to the children’s side of the aisle. I don’t have to censor my thoughts or add another filter. I already have a handle on that stuff. Plus, I think that most of what ends up in books as salty real-life dialogue is just for dramatic effect versus artistic endeavour.

What about writing children’s stories? What’s different? A whole lot actually. I find it’s somewhat easier to write for children. Mostly, because you don’t have to convince them that an animal can talk. Why couldn’t rabbits or beavers or cats talk? Children are open to the possibilities, especially younger ones. That’s before we teach them rational thought and not to believe everything that people tell them.

The two biggest things about writing a book for children in my opinion are that we shouldn’t deliberate scare or frighten them, and that they should always, always have a happy ending. The world is scary enough for small people. And if there really is something that should be afraid of, like crossing a busy street, we teach them to look both ways before crossing. And we try and get through the sometimes-scary parts quickly, so they see that they can be brave and do that too.

All of my other suggestions are optional, but the happy ending is mandatory. I envision parents and grandparents sitting and reading to or with their wee ones Probably at the end of the day when everyone is getting a little sleepy, and it’s time for dreamtime. A nice happy and positive ending brings a glow to their hearts, and everyone can rest, relax and go to sleep peacefully.

The best words I could hope to hear from wee ones would be: “Poppy or Nanny, that was a good story.”

Mike Martin is normally the author of the best-selling Sgt. Windflower Mystery series. But now he is also the author of two Christmas books. The latest is A Friend for Christmas. Available on Amazon everywhere.