How to Write a Best Selling Kid's Book Quickly
Creating a Series like Madonna’s "The English Roses"
Nov 15, 2008
How to write a best selling chapter book for tweens that will make you a fortune.
Madonna’s series of chapter books, ‘The English Roses’ is a triumph of packaging, enjoyed by millions of little girls worldwide. While purists are scathing about their literary merits, the books serve a purpose in building reading stamina and drawing reluctant readers into reading for pleasure. Here’s how to create your own series.
- Create a cast of characters who fit stereotypes. Have a sporty kid, a clever kid, a poor shy kid, a pretty, fashionable kid, and an arty creative kid. Make one an ethnic minority. Give them different colour hair – a red head, a blond, a dark haired, a brunette, and one with messy hair, and generic bad habits that readers relate to, like nail biting. By using the characters in different combinations, and focusing on one at a time, you have material for at least five books in a series.
- Make each child cool and attractive. This kind of book is aspirational – you want to create a group of generic heroines so that every reader can find one they relate to best, and wish they could be. Make them the coolest, best kids ever.
- Don’t try to explore any problem or emotional process in too much detail. This kind of book is all froth no beer, so as long as there is a conflict or problem, and it is easily solved in 9 chapters and 12 000 words, you’re doing fine. Make sure every problem is completely solved by the end of the book. This kind of story is not meant to represent real life, but how people wish life could be, so address problems as dramatically, but as frivolously, as possible.
- Include a meaningful message.
- Use lots and lots of current slang, and make your dialogue as realistic as possible.
- Don’t worry too much about writing style. This is not literature but chick lit for tweens. The only descriptions you need to take pains over are those to do with fashion, accessories, nail polish, and hairdos. Make sure that these are up to date, and include them wherever possible.
- Use lots of adverbs. Don’t worry too much about the craft of writing. Leave almost nothing for the reader’s imagination. After all, you want them to read quickly and run out to buy your next book. These are not books to be loved and lingered over – they are entertainment.
- Find a first-rate book designer to package the book in a distinctive hard cover. Include lots of white space – spread the 12000 words out over 125 pages. This is double the usual length, and will guarantee that readers feel sophisticated and clever while they read it, while making it as accessible as possible.
- Find a top rate commercial artist with a fan base all round the world, especially in Japan, to be the illustrator. Go for a distinctive retro style, and include lots of illustrations, including some colour plates.
- If you’re a celebrity, find a ghostwriter.
Follow these easy steps, or adapt them for different age groups and with any luck you'll soon be rich and famous.
The copyright of the article How to Write a Best Selling Kid's Book Quickly in Writing for Children is owned by Helen Brain. Permission to republish How to Write a Best Selling Kid's Book Quickly in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
 |
