1. Children’s Stories Key points in creating your own children’s story Adapted from writer Aaron Shepard © 2009-2015 William Victor, S.L., All Rights Reserved.

2. Things to account for when writing your own children’s story: Theme: A theme is an insight or viewpoint or idea that a story conveys. Don’t necessarily blurt out your theme, let it develop as the story develops. If you must blurt it out, do so in dialogue not narration. Avoid preaching - children’s stories should be explorations of life. Keep the theme positive. If you’re writing about a social problem, offer a constructive way for your readers to deal with it.

3. Plot Plot is what happens in the story and the order in which it happens. For there to be a story, something must move or change, that is from point A to point B. This change could be: A physical event (Point A = psycho killer is picking off everyone in town. Point B = police arrest the killer). A decision (Point A = character wants to practice law like his father. Point B = character decides to be a ballet dancer). A change in a relationship (Point A = They hate each other. Point B = They fall in love) A change in a person (Point A = character is a selfish jerk. Point B = character has learned to be less of a selfish jerk.) A change in the reader's understanding of a situation. (Point A = character appears to be a murderer. Point B = The reader realizes that character is actually innocent and made a false confession.) This change could even be the realization that nothing will ever change. (Point A = your character dreams of escaping her small town. Point B = her dream escape is shown to be hopeless.) What is plot? It's the road map that takes your story from point A to point B.

4. Plot - Conflict For there to be a story, something's got to happen. Narrative conflict is what makes it happen. This can be: a conflict between character's (Prince Charming's ex-girlfriend decides to break up the marriage) a character's internal conflict (Cinderella develops a drinking problem) a conflict between characters and an impersonal force (floods, disease, dragon attacks) Einstein once said, "Nothing happens until something moves." If your characters are getting comfortable too early in the story, it's time to stir things up.

5. Plot: Stirring up trouble To come up with an interesting story line, start with your main character. What's something this character desperately wants? What difficulties might get in the way? There's your conflict. What would force this character to do something he or she is really uncomfortable with? Something he or she doesn't feel capable of doing? Create this situation and you’ve got a conflict.

6. Plot: Characters Continued Before you start writing, know your characters thoroughly. Your main character should be someone the reader can identify and/or sympathize with. He or she should be near the top age of your intended readers. (One exception is in folktales.) Identify your characters with one or more telling details—a physical trait, a mannerism, a favourite phrase. A complete description is not needed. Character Profiles (hand out)

7. In thinking about PLOT - Your Roadmap Okay, so you've invented characters, and you've planned a conflict that will get them off their sofa and doing something interesting. How to organize your story? Here's a traditional way of looking plot structure: Step 1) The reader gets to know your characters and to understand the conflict. You can accomplish this by showing instead of telling. Step 2) You build up the conflict to a crisis point, where things just can't continue the way they are. A decision has to be made or something has to change. This point is called the story climax. If the story is a road map, this is the major fork in the road. The character can turn left and wind up in Alabama with her ex-lover or turn right and end up back in Illinois with her husband and kids. The story climax is when Cinderella discovers Prince Charming's dungeon. Will she leave? Will she just pretend she doesn't know? The rest of the story depends on what happens at this moment. The story climax can be a moment of great suspense for your reader. It determines how the story will end, the location of Point B.

8. Step 3) Show, or hint at, Point B. This is called the story's resolution, and it all depends on how the climax played out. This is just one theory of plot structure. But it provides a road map that will give your reader an interesting ride from Point A to Point B. Then, as you read and write more and more short fiction, you will develop your own sense of the best shape for each story.

9. Setting Set your story in a place and time that is interesting OR familiar. An example of familiar can be at home - what can happen here that could propel your story forward? An example of interesting can be a a clothing store - what can happen here that could propel your story forward?

10. Style and Tone Write simply and directly, in short words, short sentences, short paragraphs. Use dialogue wherever possible. Use direct quotes instead of indirect. (Example: “Go away!” instead of “He told her to go away.”) Aim to make dialogue at least one-third of your story. Avoid big chunks of narration—especially description. Often you can split it into smaller pieces, or convey information in dialogue. (Example: “I like your purple hair.”) Use language that creates an atmosphere or “tone” suited to your story. For younger children, use poetic devices like rhythm, repetition, alliteration (“Peter Piper picked a peck”), and rhyme—though generally not in verse. Avoid being cutesy or sweet or sentimental or condescending.

11. Children’s Stories Re-cap: The strongest children’s stories have: well-developed themes, engaging plots, suitable structure, memorable characters, well-chosen settings, and attractive style. For best results, build strength in all areas

12. Showing versus Telling