Monday 12 January 2015

And Now For Something Completely Different

Well, it is for me anyway. As is probably obvious from the title of my book, Safe Harbourand, more particularly, its cover, I write contemporary romantic fiction. 

However, one of my greatest pleasures when my children were small was reading to them and with them. 

I know I’m not alone in this.You can see above the delight on all three faces so I thought I’d try to understand the appeal to the adult, other than the obvious one of spending quality time with little people. And therein I think lies part of the answer.

Having decided that writing for children was going to be my topic for the week, I stopped off at the library on my way home from my Tuesday morning writers’ group. I’m not even going to tell you how long it is since I last went there. Kindle has a lot to answer for and it isn’t just about holding a book in your hand. Aside from that there are shelves full of books in my home that are still waiting to be read so why go to the library? I found out why soon enough.











Our local library underwent a complete refurbishment a couple of years ago. While it still retains that wonderful hushed atmosphere that prevails in any of its counterparts that I’ve ever visited, it is sleek and modern with a huge computer area and just as large a children’s section, and it was to this latter that I gravitated. What a joy! There were armchairs – adult and child size; tables and books…lots and lots of books. I suppose it was mainly the pre-primary school section I looked at and I discovered almost immediately that I have for many years wrongly been under the impression that most of the illustrations in children’s books were done by the author. Not true, though some most certainly are. I am now given to understand that it is the publisher's job to find an illustrator and that indeed some are so well known that books are written around their pictures or, indeed, that illustrators supply their own words.This is where I admit to a long-held wish. I’d love to be able to write for this age group but, unable to fulfil the other half of the input, I’d rejected it as being out of reach. But if it's feasible to find an illustrator …could I, might I?


I’ve been told it’s hard to write for children. Far fewer words but every single one has to count. I chose six books from the hundreds available and brought them home. I’ve read them all; it didn’t take long; but I was taken back so many years to the excitement and complete suspension of disbelief I’d shared with my daughters. 












So what if a pig could talk or a little bull save the world? There was wonder and joy in all six volumes and each was, in its own way, a morality tale. And I enjoyed them. On my own. Without two small children sitting beside me in rapt attention. Aren't we all just big kids at heart? So isn't that another part of the answer? The child in each of us is just as capable to enjoying something 'aimed' at a four year old. All we have to do is use our imagination...and believe, just for a while anyway. A children's book well-written is suitable for any age group. 

Will I do it, write that book? Almost certainly not. I’ll leave it to the experts. But what a delight to go back in time to such innocence. Time travel. Hmm. Now that’s another genre I’d quite like to try. 




12 comments:

  1. Time to write that book for children!

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  2. It's something I have wanted to do for ages. My day job was reading picture books with toddlers so I have literally read thousands and I still review them for a nursery magazine. Harder to write and to get it exactly right than people assume!

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  3. It's been a long-held dream of mine, Viv, but I've been told many times, as you say in your last sentence, how hard it is to get it right. Maybe one day I'll give it a try

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  4. The mere thought of writing for children fills me with dread! I much prefer an adult readership x

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    1. You think maybe children are more critical, Suzie? I wonder if perhaps the people who think it must be easy to write for children can be bracketed with those (non-writers) who are prone to say 'One day I'm going to write a book - when I have the time'. As if it was the easiest thing in the world.

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  5. I have quite a few ideas for children's books, but have never quite got round to actioning them. As you say, Natalie, people have the idea it's easy to write for children. It isn't. Anita Loughrey did a very good course at Caerleon about writing picture books two years ago. Well worth doing if it's repeated anywhere.

    I loved reading to my children, and now to the grandchildren. My eldest daughter told me recently that she always hears my voice when she reads her old favourite books and even asked me, when reading to her nephews, whether she was doing the voices correctly! Apart from being chuffed that she felt I'd got it right, it also shows how long a good children's book stays with those who've enjoyed them. Francesca Burgess x

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    1. What lovely experiences you have had, and are having, Francesca. When watching a child listening to a story it is difficult to match the joy on his or her face, or the excitement, the amazement and even the fear...and then the satisfaction when a tale reaches its climax.

      How wonderful that your daughter carries your voice in her head. Yes, you obviously got it right.

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  6. I'd love to write a children's book - there's an article about it in this month's forum. Like you though, I'll probably never get around to it.

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    1. Another thing to add to the 'to-do' list, Wendy. Who knows - maybe one day an idea will come, the time will be right. I hope so.
      I don't have a copy of this month's forum. Must get one now.

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  7. I love picture books. It must be the child in me.

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    1. I don't think any of us really completely lets our childhood go, Cathy. My children were my excuse for watching TV programmes aimed at them. Obviously I'm out of touch now but I wonder what it's like for parents - and children - in this day and age. How do today's small people escape to 'magic'?

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