Writing a Children's Book

Lesson 2: Planning Your Book.

W.I.P. Section. Planning Your Book.

If you are following the W.I.P. sections, you will know that you should have chosen the level and genre for your project. You may also remember that this particular book, no matter what age level it is pitched to, is to be planned in five short chapters. If you have an idea to build on, write it up now in the format you learned in the Lesson 2 section on Planning.

1. First, write down the idea, and turn it into a Situation.

X does /wants/ dreads Y, therefore Z happens.

Example - (19th Century. A thief comes to the house while two girls (servant Dolphin and owner’s daughter Cathie) are alone. Dolphin fights back.)

2. Next, make sure your Situation is strong enough. Why is this important? or Does this matter?

3. If the answer is “yes”, continue. If not, try to strengthen the Situation by raising the stakes for your protagonist(s).

4. Decide, and write down, your protagonist’s first reaction to the Situation. What is his or her first move?

Example -. Dolphin is frightened. A former convict, she knows the thief. Cathie is afraid she’ll lose her new brooch.

5. What happens next? Does the protagonist partially solve the problem? Does his or her action make the problem worse, or set off a new problem?

Example -. Dolphin hides Cathie and valuables. She pretends to play along with thief. Cathie is bewildered.

6. Decide and write down, what the protagonist does to solve the current situation.

Example -. Dolphin tries to distract thief.

7. The protagonist decides on and carries out a course of action that either solves the situation wholly or partially, or precipitates a house of cards disaster. This is the climax.

Example -. Dolphin manages to persuade thief there’s nothing of value. She feeds him, and slips syrup of figs in the food. Cathie’s parents return.

8. Decide, and write down, what happens in the end.

Example -. Dolphin is rewarded and Cathie has gained respect for her.

Now you have this step-by-step plan, write it down in synopsis form. This should be a running narrative, like this. It will give an idea of the shape of the finished story, and fill in background.

Sample Synopsis. 12 year old Dolphin is a convict, convicted of stealing a horse and now indentured servant of the Casey family. She also minds the children, one of whom (Cathie) tells the story. Mrs Casey goes to visit a neighbour, leaving Cathie with Dolphin. (Cathie has been ill.) Dolphin is in the kitchen when a bushranger arrives. Recognising him, she drops the family's savings and Cathie’s new brooch in the slops pail and offers the man some food. Cathie realises something is wrong, but Dolphin (who is usually kind) forces her to stay hidden. She then helps the man search the house before leaving. It looks as if Dolphin is helping the bushranger, but Cathie decides to trust her. In the end, Dolphin has not only saved the valuables but has also given the bushranger syrup of figs with his meal. A grown-up Cathie reveals that Dolphin received her ticket of leave and became a businesswoman with her own fleet of ships.

Now that you have a connected story, break it into five chapters.

Ch. 1. Sets up the story, introduces the main character(s) and the situation. Situation may get suddenly worse (as when bushranger arrives)

Ch. 2. tells of character(s) first action attempt, and result.

Ch. 3. Character(s) make new or further efforts. Problem continues or worsens.

Ch. 4. Character(s) make new effort, which succeeds (or fails spectacularly).

Ch. 5. Story ends. Characters’ new situation shown.

Please note, the story need not have a happy ending, but the ending should be believable and suitable for the age level you have chosen.

“Dolphin” is a story at the SCB level. The characters are 12 and 10, but the book's length and complexity are low because it’s a RS title. Because it’s SCB, there can be some detail about convict times, the threat of violence, and genuine fear and suspense for Cathie and Dolphin.

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