Would you like to write a classic children's book? One that will be read my millions of children? I think you would like to. However, I will admit, I can't read your mind. So I am making assumptions. Maybe you don't want your book made into movies, or read by children all over the world, or have the main character sold as a plush toy in stores.
But, I have discovered The One Secret, the missing ingredient that takes a story from good to great.
How To Write a Children's Book
When my children were younger I told them bedtime stories every night. Stories of a brave, sword fighting rabbit who protected the fields of romaine lettuce for the King. I didn't realize those stories contained the one secret of classic children's books.
You may have already searched the internet for articles on writing for children. You may have bought ten million books on how to write for children. You have attended every webinar in your native language on writing for children, and you have read every single post on The Write Practice about writing.
You may know the who, what, where, when, and why of the story, but you are missing the most important aspect of writing a children's book. The other who.
First, Answer This Question
Who is this story for?
Are you writing the story for a faceless crowd, or for a specific child?
Some of the most successful children's stories started out as bedtime stories. Bedtime stories told to an author's child. Bedtime stories told by the author to someone they loved.
The one secret to write a classic children's book is: Love Your Reader.
That's it? Yes, that's it. Love your reader. Write a children's story for someone you love.
Five Classic Children's Books That Started Out As Bedtime Stories
Here are five classic children's stories written by the author for someone they loved.
1. Winnie-The-Pooh by A.A. Milne. Christopher Robin, was a real boy, the son of A.A. Milne. Our beloved Winnie-the-Pooh began as bedtime stories for the successful author and playwrights son, Christopher Robin Milne.
The original bear was a birthday gift for Christopher's first birthday. And the other characters were based on a stuffed tiger, donkey, kangaroo and pig that belonged to Christopher.
2. Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang was written for Ian Flemings ten-year old son Caspar. Yes, that's right, the author who wrote James Bond adventure stories wrote a story about a flying car for his son.
3. Pippi Longstocking was written by Astrid Lindgren for her nine-year old daughter Karin, who was bedridden. Pippi, the protagonist in the story, who can lift a horse with one hand, is also nine. The daughter made up the character's name, and her mother brought Pippi Longstocking to life, with love.
4. Thomas The Tank Engine by Wilbert Awdry started out as bedtime stories when his son Charlies was stuck in bed with the measles. The stories about trains who can talk were made into animated films my own children watched. Downstairs in boxes, are several Thomas the Tank engines. Little blue trains with personality.
5. Mrs. Piggle Wiggle by Betty MacDonald started out as bedtime stories for her daughters. I often wondered if my children had enough dirt on their arms to grow radishes like the children in Mrs. Piggle Wiggle's neighbourhood. Mrs. Piggle Wiggle helped me raise my own children.
Five Reasons Bedtime Stories Are So Important
Why are bedtime stories so important for writers to tell their children? Here are five reasons:
- You are sitting with your child, someone you love. Your mind is free to be fantastical, you are not tied to a typewriter, and you can create with wild abandon, with freedom. You are creating to entertain. (Fantasical is not a word. But I hope Joe Bunting, the editor, keeps the word in because children's stories don't follow rules. Hi Joe!)(Joe here: Hi Pamela.)
- While telling your child a story, you are not worried about word count or if you have the recommended thirty-two pages for a picture book, with proper page breaks. You don't care what anyone else thinks. This story is for your child. A story in a world where cars can fly, bears have little brains, trains can talk, little girls can lift horses, and houses can be built upside down.
- Telling a child a story orally means you can create out loud. Where your thoughts come to you with pictures rather than with words on a computer screen or on a piece of paper.
- You can adapt the story as you tell it, embellish details, and create suspense every time you tell the story. Over and over again. A child is very honest and they will tell you if your story is boring. They will also tell you if forget a part of the story.
- And the most important aspect—the one secret to write a classic children's story—the story you are telling is for a specific person. You are telling a story to someone you love.
What if you don't have a child to tell a bedtime story to?
If you don't have a child to tell bedtime stories to, tell the story to yourself as a child. Pretend you are nine years old again, and create for the child inside of you. (You may not have been nine in over seventy-four years, and that is okay. Just try. We are made up of all of our birthdays.)
You might volunteer to be a story-teller at your local library or pre-school. You will get immediate feedback about your story and you will brighten a child's day with your amazing storytelling abilities.
Another option it to tell bedtime stories to your cat. If you don't have a cat, tell bedtime stories to your teddy bear.
And, if you don't have a teddy bear, go and buy one. Seriously. I will wait for you. I read comments weeks after my posts publish. Post a picture of you with your teddy bear and your fifteen minutes of practice.
Every writer needs a teddy bear as much as they need a dictionary or a good chair to sit in or a good idea.
How about you? Do you love your reader(s)? Please tell me in the comments section. I would love to hear from you.
PRACTICE
For today's practice, before you write your story, I want you to make up your story by telling it out loud first. Tell the story to a child, to your cat, to your best friend's child, or to a teddy bear. Then—write down your story. Write for fifteen minutes.
Write your story with a specific reader in mind. Love your reader.
Then post your practice in the comments. Please read someone else's story and say something nice about it. Encourage, be kind, and help each other out.
xo
Pamela ( I love my readers.)
p.s. Now I am going to go and tell a bedtime story to my child. And if they are asleep I am going to tell a story to my cat, who keeps trying to catch the words I am typing on my screen.
p.s.s. My child was already asleep. I finished writing this story at 1:30 in the morning, so I didn't want to wake her up to tell her the story about the rabbit again. But, there is always tonight.
Pamela,
You’re on!
I loved this post and the idea of writing for someone special.
I also loved the idea of telling a story to cats in lieu of children. I have no children and my nearest little people relatives are miles away in another state. But I have four three month old kittens in the house and I’m absolutely sure they qualify as cats AND children!
And a story is already beginning to take shape in my imagination…..
This is a delightful story. You carry me all the way through wanting to see what happens next. Kittens and cats and even dogs make good subjects for children with their wonderful imaginations. Sometimes a cat or a dog can be a child’s best friend, their partner in adventure, and the one person in all the world who truly loves them with all its heart.
Hello Juanita,
Thank you for taking the time to read Carrie’s story and made a comment. Yes, cats or dogs can be a child’s best friends. We have four cats and two dogs. They love us, and we love them.
xo
Pamela
Hello Carrie Lynn Lewis,
Your kittens sound amazing. They each have their own personality. You made each one stand out with their own character.
And of course the kittens thought the big cats tail was a toy.
“The kittens all thought he liked to play because he let his tail hang over the bench and swing back and forth. If that’s not a signal to play, kittens don’t know what play is.”
It is obvious you know how to describe kittens who play. The adventure outside was fun as well.
What would be the kittens biggest conflict they want to overcome? Can you think of three ways they try to overcome it, and then on the fourth try they succeed?
Would you please share a photograph of your kittens?
Hope they don’t keep you awake at night. Harper, constantly comes and paws at my face in the middle of the night.
xo
Pamela
Pamela,
I have yet to decide on the conflict. The story has already started taking a slightly different direction when Oreo gets out of the house by accident.
By the way, the kittens are real. They’re all curled up in the back room as I write, so I have real live models!
They don’t keep me up anymore, but when they first came into the house, they were two-week-old orphans. Three hour feedings around the clock. Oh boy!
Can I post a picture here? I didn’t think that was possible.
Kittens are always an eye catcher on the book shelf, what a great job.
As I read the whole post, my bedtime story starts to unfold in my head. I want to stop reading so I can start writing. I see stars. I see a great warrior. I see a journey. This is MY grandson’s story. Love him to infinity and beyond.
Hello Julie Young,
A story written with love for your grandson. Please come back and share.
It already sounds exciting!
xo
Pamela
A Cherokee boy, Strong Horse (Ashwin) gets guidance from his grandfather long since past, to find his way home after going on an adventure to find the perfect tree for his first bow. As Strong Horse finds his way home with his grandfather’s guidance, he finds out many legends and the history of his forefathers. Strong Horse learns the love of his history and a deeper appreciation for the life his forefathers have tried to preserve for him even with all the struggles his family have faced over the years. (This is an early thought)
Julie,
What a great start! We could all do with a deeper understanding of our forebears!
Here goes mine, dedicated to all the kids that I met every Sunday morning in a classroom and taught them stories from long ago…It comes from a walk on the park and a child asking, why are all the flowers on the ground? To this I said,
“There was once a tree, that stood tall and free. Deep down went her roots, and high up went her branches, that danced in the wind with flowers in their hands, and in the center of their palm, a fruit.
Mother tree loved them all.
Of all the branches there was one, that although she seemed alright, could not bear fruit. Seasons came and birds built their nests, the branch danced and looked her very best. But there was no fruit.
This mother tree could not understand. She shook down to her roots, demanding a response. The roots asked each other and pushed up all that they had.
Mother tree then turned to the sky. The sun was bright but soon, it would rain. Mother tree looked around and saw that everything was good yet the branch had no fruit.
This saddened the branch so, that when it rained the following season she refused to drink. This mother tree could not see.
It was when the birds flew by, one hot summer day, and sang a sad melody, mother tree realized she had lost her darling little branch.
She then took all the flowers from her daughters’ hands, and placed them on the ground.”
Good Morning B. Gladstone,
Your illustration with your story gives a nice visual to your story. How fun to use Mythology, to create a story explaining to a child why the flowers were on the ground.
I hate to admit that
This is an excellent article. Apart from my current WIP, I’ve also been working on a Children’s book called “Little Snookie Wants a Cookie” – about a little girl who (over countless attempts) tries to sneak past her mom to get cookies out of the cookie jar for her and her dog ‘Prince Mortimax’; failing every time. I developed this idea after my son kept badgering me for cookies before dinner one night. Thanks for the article Pamela!
Hello Zachary Klimczak,
Thank you for your kind words. Your children’s book makes me want to eat a cookie. 🙂 Did you son eventually get his cookie after supper?
How many times does little Snookie try to get her cookie? Here is an article talking about “The Rule of Three in Children’s Books” I hope it helps Snookie get her cookie.
https://thewritepractice.com/rule-of-three/
Oh, Zachary, did you try telling your story, “Little Snookie Wants a Cookie” to your son as a bedtime story? I wonder if the plot-line will change when it is told out loud?
All my best, and you are welcome Zachary.
xo
Pamela
Hi Pamela,
Yes – he eventually ate enough of his dinner to warrant getting a cookie.
She tries three separate ways to get it before succeeding. Unfortunately, after reading your previous article, I realized how similar my story was compared to the one you developed for that article; this leaves me hesitant to stay with Snookie. Maybe I’ll have to tweak with the character to something more along the lines of what my kids are interested in (“Cousin Randy wants some Candy” or something like that). Likewise I’ll have to see what my kids think when I put it together and read it to them. Thanks!
Hello Zachary,
Snookie can still get her cookie. I probably got the idea from Calvin and Hobbes, or from my own childhood sneaking into the kitchen. We both had cookies on our mind.
There will always be someone wanting a cookie or a piece of candy.
I hope you have fun telling your story to your children.
xo
Pamela
All of these stories are so remarkable. They are so bigger than life. I have never written children stories. However, I have read stories to my nieces and nephews years and years ago. I have not thought about this in years. The stories were grim fairy tales. All of you keep up the great work. A lot of children loves stories told to them. KEN
Hello Kenneth M. Harris,
How nice of you to come and visit.
You were kind to read to your nieces and nephews. The Grim Fairy tales are another example of books that were originally stories told out loud. They were published in 1812 and 1815, and were a written record of traditional fold oral folk tales.
Thank you for your encouragement Kenneth. And best wishes to you and your writing.
xo
Pamela
Pamela, thanks for your kind words. I’m a little behind in some of the practice prompts. In the comment section, I did try to come up with a practice children’s story? KEN
Becca had a large blue/black ribbon tied to the braid that nearly covered her left eye. I have lemonade for you Kim and for you Milly. The small pitcher was made like a bird. It’s dark blue wings stood up on each side. It looked as if it was about to swoop through the air. Becca wrapped her hand around the left wing, bent and poured the lemonade from the beak into the yellow, tiny cup on the right and checkered green cup on the left.
Now, I hope you like your lemonade. She always talk for her guest. Milly, do you want a straw with yours? Okay, I’ll get it for you. She reached in the middle of the table and took a straw and stuck into Milly cup. Oh you want one two she said to Kim. Oh you don’t? Then, she sat back and drinked from her cup. Suddenly, a thin, low voice, What about mine? Becca covered her mouth with her hand. Looked around the payroom, then she the voice again. What about mine? Oh! She cried, She covered her mouth with her little hand. Her cat, Jolson hoped on top of the table, Wandered slowly toward her, opened and closed it’s eyes. It’s tail long as rope, curled around the right foot. It meowed
“I can only talk when you have guest.” Jolson, Cats don’t talk, Whispered Becca and she sat back and folded her arms. Well, I can…..Jolson said.
Pamela, I wanted to at least try. I have never written from a children’s book so that’s why this is not that good. But, I always willing to try something new. Thanks so much for this. KEN
Hello Kenneth,
Jolson can talk! How fun. You described the room very clearly. I can see it in my mind. I wonder what adventures Jolson and the little girl will get in to. Maybe you can keep telling the story to your nieces and nephews in letters. A serial story, one letter at a time.
xo
Pamela
Pamela, you have made my day. You know, I have never, ever written a children’s story. Not that this is a full length story, but, my first thought was try and get into the heads of a child. How they talk, look, use their hands and how they see the world. Thank you so much. It’s so wonderful to have encouragement. Probably talk with you soon. KEN
I started aged ten off by telling my three younger brothers and their friends ghost stories to entertain them. I didn’t write for kids until much later when my mom took me and my two nephews to Egypt – they were then aged ten and 12. When we came back, I decided to write them a short story called The Secret of the Sacred Scarab, based on our adventure there. The short story turned into a multi award winning book, now published in North America, Japan and soon China; and led to a book series, with several interested movie possibilities. I am on book 3. My books star my young nephews as the characters tasked with saving the world. Although my nephews are now older, as I write, I write for those 2 enchanting little boys that started the ball rolling with their excitement and awe and wonder at being in Egypt.
Hello Fiona Ingram,
How exciting! Congratulations on your story being read by so many children all over the world. Now, I want to read it too, I want to know the secret of the sacred scarab.
That is so interesting that you still think of your nephews as little boys when you write. A story with love.
Thank you for sharing your story.
xo
Pamela
Thanks for this encouraging post, Pamela.
I told my grandson about 20 stories at his bedtime, and he would always ask for them over and over, saying, “Don’t tell me stories from books. I like your stories.”
Well, I’ve decided to write those stories, because they were for a child I dearly love, keeping in mind your quote, ‘Write with love’, and mine are overflowing with love.
Hello Lillian,
This is so sweet. You have a treasure trove of stories to write. I can hardly wait to read them. Your grandson knows what he likes. He likes your stories Lillian. A true critic, and the one you wanted to please.
Stories overflowing with love.
All my best,
Thank you for letting me know what you are working on.
xo
Pamela