WRITING FOR CHILDREN
Under winter’s
How can you add that extra element that makes children enchanted by your seasonal story? Amy Sparkes explores ways for you to make your winter’s tale stand out.
Amy Sparkes
W intrystories can offer an atmospheric read and provide a whole range of storytelling opportunities. But with so many wintry stories for children already in existence, how can you create one with a unique angle? Here are some top tips.
Stretching an idea
Seasonal stories are plentiful. A disastrous Santa Claus, or a lost animal in winter, a wintry wish... all of these are quite commonplace. It doesn’t mean that you can’t write a story like this, but you have to consider what you can offer in your book that isn’t already covered by previously published titles.
There are two prongs to this: firstly, be aware of the stories already in existence; and secondly, strengthen your concept so that originality isn’t so much of a problem. The first of these is the easier of the two! You can look on bookshop catalogues, keep an eye on social media for authors promoting their seasonal stories (even ones which have been written years ago but re-emerge at certain times of the year) and you can also look on publisher websites. Strengthening and creating a more original concept is trickier. Often, we reach for the safest ideas – the challenge for writers is to push beyond that and find a greater treasure. As you sketch out your idea, try to tune into the aspects you love the most. Being aware of what exactly is drawing you to this idea is helpful – there is usually a reason why particular story elements appeal, and these may be the strongest parts of the idea. Being flexible with different aspects of the story will help you develop a stronger idea.