Writing for Children: Tips and reflections
August 17, 2008 by Sherma E. Benosa filed under WRITING | 2,015 viewsI’ve always thought that I have a childlike personality. Not only do I enjoy trying to look at the world with a child’s eye, I also love being with kids and being like them. I do have a naturally good rapport with very young children, which made me think that I understand them. It even made me dream to write for them.
When, early this year, I thought I had written a brilliant children’s story, I thought to myself: “This is it. The shaping of a dream! Eeeyaaahoooo!”
But when I showed my first draft to my friend Salve for comment, I was suddenly brought back to earth.
Her feedback, said in the gentlest way possible, was this: I lacked characterization, and my setting and characters were stiff.
“Think out of the box, girl,” she told me. “Writing for kids is different from writing for adults. It’s more difficult.”
I didn’t know what to feel then. I was glad that she didn’t think the story was rubbish, but I was confused what “thinking out of the box” meant. I thought that was exactly what I had just done — think out of the box — that’s why I had that ‘brilliant’ story written. I wondered what exactly she meant by it.
Then I remembered that not only do kids see the world differently, their imagination is also very wild and vivid. In their world, non-living things, like celestial beings, can talk and behave differently to how they behave in real life. Their world is poetry brought to life.
Needless to say, I revised my piece, following my friend’s precious tips and my sweetie’s additional comments. And I believe the final outcome was good, I was — and still am — very proud of it. However, I felt that something was amiss in the story which the struggling short story writer (for adult) in me couldn’t figure out. It had been a puzzle for me for months, so much so that when Salve asked if I wanted to join the lecture on writing for kids at Adarna House, I immediately said “yes!” I felt it was there where I would find the solution to my problem.
It turned out I was right. In that lecture, I had several good realizations that I hope will help me find my place in this enchanted form of literature.
The greatest realization I had was that I am not really as childlike as I thought I was, and, with all the children’s literary book I’ve read, I am not well-read enough. I scored zero in the story character recognition exercise! But I do not think of this as something negative; in fact, I take it as a challenge. There is still so much learning I need to do.
I also realized that, yes, children’s literature also has the elements of adult literature, like the plot, the setting, characters, and so on. However, stories for children need not be too complicated, and must be very entertaining to capture the fancy of the kids. One line from our lecture facilitator, Ms. May Tobias-Papa, a best-selling children’s literature author and illustrator, that I loved was this: “Short story for children is like poetry. Every word in the story should earn the right to be there.” She explained that children’s stories are tight, and hence, the author should be very careful with his choice of word. Consider this as tip number 1.
I have also realized that the traditional short stories we know of, with their long introduction which invariably starts with, “Long, long time ago, in a far away land” are now passé. And this brings me to tip number 2, also from Ms. Papa: “Jump right into the action at the beginning and bring the story to a prompt close at the end.” This is the answer I needed. I now know what’s wrong with my brilliant story. I consumed a page just to introduce the setting of my story, and that’s why its start was somewhat boring.
And finally, my thinking that children’s story writers must be very careful with the lessons and values that they impart in their stories; that they must ensure that they are not unwittingly putting unhealthy ideas to the young psyche, was validated. I was so glad when it was mentioned in the lecturethat the story books being published by Adarna go through rigorous tests; that psychologists are asked to read the manuscripts. I think it’s crucial, because I think that there are so many children�s books out there that are entertaining, but are giving our kids an unhealthy perspective on life. Take, for example, the stories of helpless little girls/princesses who couldn’t defend themselves, and hence, always needed a knight in shining armor to rescue them. Or how about the bedtime stories where the resolution requires the ugly hero or heroine to become beautiful? I think these are disturbing values that are being imparted to the kids; very early on, they learn that to be accepted in the society, one has to be beautiful.
There are still a lot of pointers I got from that lecture, but the above are what I consider the most important when it comes to writing stories for children.
When it comes to getting published, here are some tips from Ms. Ani Rosa Almario, publisher of Adarna House:
Read children’s books. I thought I was doing it. But apparently, my efforts weren’t enough. I guess a reading program is in order.
Have someone read your manuscript for critiquing before approaching a publisher. This is a must. You will be amazed at how you could improve your story when you consider your peers’ comments.
Join literary organizations and attend workshops. I completely believe in this. It was when I joined GUMIL that I mustered the confidence to write. And it was in attending this workshop that I realized important lessons, all of which I can use to better my craft.
If you seriously consider writing for children, I suggest you should attend workshops. I can share my notes, but it’s still different when you’re there. It’s the critiquing part that is precious. You get tips on how you can improve your work and you get to know the things you should avoid, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of your story.
Pictures borrowed from Ms. May Papa’s website: http://www.titsermay.multiply.com
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Salve
It was one of the workshops I really enjoyed. Ang dami kong natutunan kahit isang araw lang sya.
Asan na nga pala si “brilliant” story mo?
Naisip ko lang to ngayon: The simplest words are the hardest to say. Like stories for children. Ang simple nga lenggwahe nila, pero ang hirap isulat sa papel, no?
August 18th, 2008 at 12:31 amSherma Benosa
The brilliant story? I’ve shelfed it for a while. Hehehe. Waiting for it to take shape. I have ideas on how to revise it, but I’m kinda busy. Kaloka! Anyway, thanks for the inputs, girl. I can never thank you and my sweetie enough. It was my first venture into children’s lit. I hope someday, I’d really get the hang of it. I dream of reading MY stories to my future children at bedtime. Actually, to my nephews din sana… but they’re growing so fast, and it’s taking me so long to write at least just one story for them! I should be able to write something for them soon!
Hey, I like what you said.
So true. Like, ‘I love you.’ Or, ‘I’m sorry.’ Or, ‘Please forgive me’. Simple words, but very difficult to say. Pride… that’s the culprit, I think.
As to children’s stories, I think it’s our being adult that gets in the way. As we were growing up, something must have happened that screwed us up… so our view of the world changed. We learned so many things, we became complicated, we learned to love sophistication. And, in the process, we lost the very basic of it all… simplicity, innocence.
Ah, well. We can still go back and re-learn the things we’ve forgotten. I think. What say you?
August 18th, 2008 at 11:20 amMighty
Yeah, the simplest words are really the hardest to say.
Maybe that’s way I have not ventured into prose yet. My internal critic always finds what’s wrong.
heheh. I’ve explored poetry. But still, I have not been writing poetry as often as I should. Hahah. Must be the addiction to blogging! Weheheh.
August 18th, 2008 at 7:37 pmSherma Benosa
Mighty! Blog addict. Ako din. It’s all your fault. Hehehehe.
More poems from you! I so love your poems.
Sayang girl, wish you can understand Ilokano. I can show you lots of good Ilokano pieces.
Magre-post ka dito, Mights! Have you written English poems? Or mas trip mo ang Iluko lit?
Speaking of internal critic… it’s also a problem for me. Both a blessing and a curse. It lets me edit/revise my work… but it also hinders me from finishing them. Andami kong draft na di ko matapos-tapos. Puro umpisa.
They say the trick is to let your internal editor sleep while you write, then make it work only after you’ve written everything. Easier said than done. There are times that I edit while I write. There are even instances when I cannot move on without revising my earlier paragraphs. Crazy!
August 18th, 2008 at 11:39 pmLeng Nojadera
Hi beautiful people!
It was great being a part of the lecture-workshop at The Adarna House. I am certain that all of us were able to bring with us some gems of learnings. Oh, the child in all of us. That child who has grown and mature too fast that we did not notice. We did not notice we are counting ages but it makes me smile to think that we are always a child by heart. I realized how tough it is to speak to a child in writing. I mean, the language,tone, emotion and how to handle sensitive ish. I hope I can find a treatment to my story. hehe…Thanks for sharing this site.
Cheerah,
August 19th, 2008 at 11:23 amLeng:)
Mighty
Te, I got lots of poetry at http://www.penstalker.blogspot.com. I havent updated it much kasi I have not written in a loooong time!
hehehe.
August 19th, 2008 at 11:26 amSherma Benosa
Mighty… And I thought I know all of your blogs! Kaloka. Could you list here your other blogs and promise, Ill give you a saparate space for all your blogs! Mighty’s World, kunak to. Ngak. Hehehehehe
Been to the link you just provided. I’m gonna read all your poems, promise!
August 19th, 2008 at 11:41 amSherma Benosa
Hello Leng!
I think so, I think so. It’s nice learning from your peers, I swear. I am amazed at the feedback everyone gave at the workshop. And Ms. May was really good. I hope we will all be able to write!
Shall I see your works at the bookstore?
August 19th, 2008 at 12:04 pmSalve
Of course we can always go back to being a child and see the world different again: more colorful, magical, and happy.
Hey, check out crumb trails. I posted an Adarna book that I really love.
August 19th, 2008 at 10:10 pmLeng Nojadera
It’s a rainy morning,She!
Oh, I hope really that we can all WRITE. As in write.All of us during the workshop went home carrying a big grin:) My story is kindda complicated. That one with a big birthmark on her face? Well, it takes several steps to tango! hehe…
Happy thoughts,
-leng-
August 20th, 2008 at 10:27 amBrainteaser
Yay! Rainy morning to you too, Leng!
Yup, I hope so too! I saw huge potential in all of us in the workshop. And we did enjoy it, didn’t we? We learned a lot. So yes, I hope we all will put them into paper. And have our works published.
You know, just the other day, I was reading an old copy of Writer’s Digest given to me by an Ilocano writer. I came upon an article by Tom Clancy (How To Write a Bestselling Novel Part I, October 1987 issue). He said:
It’s so amazing I’d hear a similar thing from you. And it’s really right. We can have all the inspiration, we can attend workshops, get good ideas, and so on. But if we don’t write down our story ideas, how do we hope to become successful? Let alone become writers?
Oh, I remember your story so well. And I remember too that we loved it. Yes, it’s complicated, it will be a challenge for you to simplify it (Remember Ms. Papa’s comments?). But look at its potential, girl, at the value it will teach our children. If you could make it into something that will change how our children will look at life, particularly the concepts of beauty, handicap, etc., you will be doing humanity lots of good!
Your story idea is something I’d love to read to my future children and to my nephews and nieces. And I’d love it more if I’d see your name on the book cover.
YOU CAN DO IT. I know you can!
~Sherma
August 20th, 2008 at 1:40 pmstern57
hello everyone!especially to my ading ingpis lol.
I cant say anything about your topic because iam not a writer and not a poet,so iam nothing when it comes to literature i can only read pieces and give comments hehehe.
Imee
August 22nd, 2008 at 5:04 amSherma Benosa
Manang Imee! My goodness. Hugs and kisses for me. Ahahahah. My lovely Manang is here. I’m laughing out loud iti postem. Sobra. Aahahahahahahahaha!
You’re wrong though. I’ve read some of your poems in iluko.com, malipatam kadin? You already have the hang of it. Ituloymo ketdi ti agpraktis, Manang, and post your work. Here or in iluko.com. Or why not in both, di kadi?
And you still have that story to write. Dayta man la sadutmo ti agadun, ahahahahahaha!
Ey, adda erotica challenge idiay blog ko. Umaymo man kitaen no ania ti makunam? Here’s the link tapno saanka a mapukaw (masadutkanto man nga agbiruken):
http://bilingualpen.com/brainteaser/?p=420
August 22nd, 2008 at 8:10 amfram
Ms. Almario had the same workshop in my school when i was in college (UP Baguio), and I drank her every word like a thirsty camel. I had a baby then already (and another one coming) so my heart was really into it. I wanted to be a children’s book author! And read my own stories to my babies! I scribbled some storylines at the back of my note….That was 1991. Now it’s 2008, I don’t know where that old notebook is, and the babies have turned 17 and 16 (this was the one coming) and now going to the same school where I first met Ms. Almario (I wonder if she’s the same Ms Almario or nanay nya). Though I have published so many articles (only a few noteworthy ones though, hehe), I have never started with any of my supposed stories. Waaah! Baka pag may apo na lang ako. Moral of the story: there’s a thing called “career path.” (Thanks for this post, Sherma girl! Ba’t ba ang dami kong naalalang nakaraan pag binabasa kita? Hmmmm, siguro nga magka-age talaga tayo, hehehe. Malas mo naman, tumanda ka ng konti
)
August 22nd, 2008 at 1:44 pmSherma Benosa
Frammy! Ahahahahah! I couldn’t believe you already have teeners! You look so young! Maaga ka nag-asawa, ano? Don’t you dare tell me na hindi, because I’ve always thought we’re roughly of the same age! Kaloka…
You can always go back, girl. You can always try again. The little girl in us never grows old. Oh, we may count years on earth… but the part of us who dreams of happy endings, the one with hopeful eyes and good, pure heart will always stay, kahit na maputi na ang mga buhok natin! (Kaloka, check ko nga sa mirror later kung ilan na mapuputi kong mga buhok! Ahahahaha).
And hey, you are too humble! I know I’ve told you this before face to face, and I say it again: you are one of the writers I truly admire. And I mean that; that’s not something I say lightly.
August 25th, 2008 at 10:36 amQuintin Mariano
Hay ading, if you are not already a parent, thinking and acting like a child and at the same time thinking and acting like a mother might help…..there’s a long road ahead of you though, because different parents have different approach to realities but you know what? You are only a step away from your reality!!!!!
February 17th, 2009 at 9:59 amSherma E. Benosa
Hey Manong QM!
Not yet a parent to my own child… but I’ve been somewhat like a parent to other peoples’ kids… like my nephews and inaanaks.
Soon, I hope.
Wen gayam, thanks for spending your precious time here. Ken pasensia no saanko amin a masungbatan dagiti komento. Hopefully, maitugawakto.
February 18th, 2009 at 12:43 amVF
Hi QM, weloome to BP.
Wen, nalaing nga agistoria ni Ms. Sherma iti para-ubing, aglalo no personal nga iyestoriana. Kumpleto agsasabali a punto ket dimo maaluadan ti mailibay no mangngegmo ti bosesna (no saan a sumro hehehe).
Ms. Benosa, mabalin ti agpa-adapt kenka?
February 19th, 2009 at 7:26 pmSherma E. Benosa
hehehehee.
what dya mean sumro, buddy?
February 20th, 2009 at 10:53 pmQuintin Mariano
Thank you VF. I feel adopted already because I am still homeless. Thanks for all of you, I feel at home already. As if i’m living in sherMAAAAA’s guestroom;I hope she won’t charge me rent ha ha ha shhhh! don’t mention it to her hoping she won’t read this.Nasayaat no sumro ti maysa a tao ta masarmingam pudno a katataona. Panagkunak no sumro ket saan a sumangdo no di ket palapalennaka it nasam-it nga issemna.
March 4th, 2009 at 1:17 ambrainteaser
Elow, Manong QM! Kumusta?
Hehehehe. Bagtit ti sumro kaniak.
Kuna da adingko a nasingpetak kano… ngem dakkel ti bagtitko. Whatever that means. Ahahahhaha!
Don’t worry ta no agpalapalak ket sigurado nga adda matinnag…
… a bunga ti mangga!
March 4th, 2009 at 11:49 pm