Writing a Children's Book

Lesson 4: Shaping and Pacing.

In this lesson, we'll be looking at the shape of book plans, and checking out books for older children.

How to shape your plan.

Shaping Plans for Longer Books

Unwritten Rules about Subjects.

Specific level - Senior Chapter Books.

Supplement. Anatomy of a specific SCB.

W.I.P. Section. Troubleshooting Your Plan.

Exercises and Bibliography

How to Shape Your Plan

Your plan is made and your characters are chosen, and soon you’ll be ready to begin writing the book. It is important at this point to make sure your plan is the right shape. Generally speaking, the lower age level books (RS and JCB) are easier to plan, because they have a single plot and a few clearly-defined characters. Things can still go wrong, but they’re easier to identify and easier to fix.

The longer and more complex your book, the more subplots and the more themes it is likely to have. This need not be a problem, but it does offer difficulties for the inexperienced writer.

Imagine you are sitting in a pony trap or carriage and driving a pony. Even if you’re not an experienced driver you will have a pretty good idea of how to do it. You will click your tongue, maybe flap the reins and say “Walk on” or “Get up there!” to the pony. You may touch it with a driving whip. The pony will set off at a walk or trot.

To go faster, you repeat your “Go” instructions with more vigour.

To stop, you will increase the feel on the reins and probably say “Whoa!”

To turn left, you will increase the feel on the left rein, and may touch the pony’s right side with the whip. To turn right, you will do the opposite.

You will have two reins and possibly a whip to control, and one pony to direct.

Now, suppose your carriage is harnessed to four horses, two by two. You will have two leaders and two wheelers to control. The reins will be more complex, and you’ll have to use the whip on four separate horses to direct them. If one horse doesn’t like the others, it might kick out. How do you discipline it without alarming the other three? If your left leader goes too fast, you will have to steady it without the other three slowing down as well. When you turn left, the left leader and left wheeler will need to turn more sharply than the right hand pair.

No doubt experienced drivers control four horses without conscious effort, but someone who has only ever driven a single pony will be at a serious disadvantage. Getting the balance right is essential, and so is getting the balance right in a longer novel.

In a five chapter JCB, the shape is pretty obvious.

In Chapter 1, the situation and characters are introduced. A problem or goal appears, or an event changes the status quo. The story is off to a start. It may proceed directly from the original situation, or it might take a left or right turn if the change is a big one.

In Chapter 2, the effects of whatever happened in Chapter 1 will be felt. The pace of the narrative may pick up a bit. If there was a change in Chapter 1, it will be consolidating now as the character(s) realise it isn’t just a blip.

In Chapter 3, a complication or new event will probably push the story along. The story stream will deepen and widen a bit, as other characters or events make input.

In Chapter 4, a major event, gain or loss will usually occur, with the extra input from Chapter 3 consolidating. The climax might belong here.

In Chapter 5, the story will come to a conclusion. This might involve solving the problem, or achieving the goal, but it’s just as likely to mean acceptance that change is permanent, or that the goal can’t fully be achieved.

The ending of your book might be happy, sad or satisfactory. It might be what we call a “qualified happy ending”. The ending might seem inevitable, or it might be a twist and a surprise. The kind of ending you choose will depend partly on the genre and party on the theme. The general tone of the book will affect it, too.

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