Storytelling
For Children
By
Jim Francis
©2002, Jim Francis
Can writing
a children's story be easy? The answer is yes -- and no. Yes, because the basics
are simple. No, because children are not simple. That's all very well, I hear
you saying, but it doesn't tell me much. Many new authors do not recognize that
the basic rules for writing a children's story are the same as for any story.
With all stories, from flash fiction to family saga novels, the ideal is usually
to start the plot when an extraordinary event changes the main character's life.
Story line
equals the events in a character's life. It's possible, of course, to record
mundane events. Usually these are of little interest to most people, and almost
certainly of no interest to children. Therefore, the desired method is to follow
an extraordinary event, starting the story as close to it as possible.
Next, for a
good story you will need details that will locate and show the child your story
world. For this you need to access knowledge the child already has. For
instance, you might want to show a bird, perhaps a blue jay, a swallow, or a
crow. One way to do this would be to name the bird and then give two or three
details.
"The
blue jay flew in and landed on the sun deck. Its blue feathers gleamed in the
sunlight as it held its head high. The head turned first to the left and then to
the right before it strutted toward James like a lord."
Flew and
landed; this would tell any child that it was a bird. Blue feathers; this is a
further indication that it is a bird, and shows the reason for the blue in blue
jay. Strutted (a slightly challenging word) shows the arrogance of its nature
plus its method of walking.
Then there
is the simile, 'like a lord.' Most children are aware of the existence of
aristocrats from stories, and will have a reasonable idea of what a lord is and
what one might look like.
When using
similes, keep the age of the child in mind, allowing them to associate these with prior stories they've
heard. When writing, try to recall stories that you loved as a child such as
fairy tales or adventures like Peter Pan. In remembering these, not only will
you be able to create similar items to stimulate the child's imagination, but
you will also take your memory back to your own childhood, and put yourself in
touch with childhood's needs.
When using
description, remember that much of a child's learning comes from observation,
from sight, but don't neglect other senses. Hearing and smell loom large for a
youngster, and all five senses are important and should be used when necessary.
To plan a
scene description, list all the details you can imagine. Then select the two or
three strongest, most important details and use them to get across your idea and
story. To visualize your scene, research by checking pictures and interesting
videos. Many libraries these days carry a variety of travel and instructional
videos. If these are not available, there are many good books and magazines that
carry excellent photographs. And there is always Internet research.
Many people
make the mistake of keeping the sentences of children's stories too simple. Yes,
keep one idea to a sentence, but be a little challenging and add a few extra
words, or perhaps use a stronger verb, or a descriptive adjective to clearly
identify and modify that noun. Yes, adjectives are supposed to be used
sparingly, but not eliminated. If the language didn't need them, they would
never have been invented, so use them when required, but only then.
Dialogue is
different. Children have a speaking vocabulary smaller than the one they can
understand. Therefore, it's best to keep the dialogue sentences simple so that
the child can relate them to their own life.
Now for the
story itself. What should it be like? Imagine a child confronted with a problem
that requires their initiative and imagination to solve. Most children enjoy
managing their own lives. If the problem is not an overwhelming one, they love a
struggle to accomplish and achieve things on their own. So any story that shows
a young person, or even a young anthropomorphic animal, working out a solution
to its own problem will be enjoyed. If at any point an adult enters the story,
be careful to limit the involvement so as not to distract attention from what
the young person is achieving. If necessary, find a way to lessen the adult
power in pre-adolescent stories.
The younger
the child, the more reliance is placed on the action. As the age group gets
older, then character thoughts can be introduced at the appropriate level. Now
it becomes necessary to decide the time span for the story line. Very young
children can normally handle only a few hours at most. A little older and a day
might be suitable, and for still older children, perhaps a few weeks, or maybe a
season.
Another
good idea, when appropriate, is to include holidays and festivals. This will
allow the reader to locate the story in time. With other countries or ethnic
groups, use their holidays. If you are writing about a fantasy world, invent a
holiday and attach it to a season.
When
writing for children, write tight, spare prose to hold their interest. Too much
verbal clutter, too many excess words, will soon lead a child, young or old, to
a state of boredom. And don't patronize, instruct, or otherwise talk down to the
child. Like adults, they are sensitive people and when condescended to are
easily insulted.
Try to
bring a sense of wonder to the child. Why is this like it is? Where did those
things come from? Who lived in the past? How did they live? What problems do
children in other lands face? Are their lives better or worse than ours? These
and many others are all questions that will interest an inquiring child’s
mind. Remember, what an adult might take for granted is often new and full of
marvel for a child. Answer their need for knowledge through the drama of a
thoughtful and well-written story, and reap the reward of grateful children.
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