Learn To Write- Editing Your Children's Book
The process of writing can bring out many emotions
. You may have experienced frustration when you were getting your thoughts and ideas on paper and things just weren't flowing. That's part of how you learn to write. There was certainly excitement when the book was finished. However, you aren't done yet! What could very well be considered the most important part of the writing process is still to be done; that's editing. When you edit, you have to be able to look at your work objectively. You have to step back and see it with fresh eyes. This can be hard, but is absolutely necessary to successfully publishing your work. There are some steps you can take to simplify the process and some standard things that you should be looking for each and every time you edit.
Start With the Basics
One of the most important editing concerns will be the very basic principles of spelling, grammar and punctuation. While this may seem simple to some, there are many nuances that you may not learn until you have been writing for some time. Even good writers seem to have a pocketful of pet errors that they have brought with them to the table. Learn to recognize them and study the common mistakes until doing it correctly becomes second nature. There are several great (and surprisingly entertaining) books on grammar, spelling and punctuation. Below are several very common usage mistakes that you can study more in depth,
-its/it's
-there/they're/their
-your/you're
-further/farther
Also, don't forget to take the same care with things like your query letter. This is the first thing that an editor sees when you submit your children's book. It creates the first impression. Work that is full of errors indicates that you are sloppy and not very intelligent. While that is certainly not true, it's hard to replace that negative first impression.
You Need a Distinct Voice
Every work needs to have a distinct voice. This is especially important when learn to write for children. Adult novels can get away with having a level of complexity in the plot and structure that just does not appeal to kids. Young readers, especially, need to have a clear indication of who the center of the story is. For kids, they want that to be other kids, so they can relate to what is happening. If you write for older children, or teens, you can make exceptions. However, it's still best to err on the side of simplicity when it comes to the voice of the story.
There is a Rhythm
There are two main types of children's books, and each should be looked at quite differently. A novel needs to flow in a way that keeps the reader drawn into the story. This is usually accomplished by keeping the action heavy at the end of a chapter. This makes your reader want to turn the page and continue with your characters. When editing, you should close attention to the rhythm and flow of the story. Give it to several older children to read, and ask for some feedback. Kids tend to be quite honest about what they do and don't like.
When it comes to a picture or storybook, there is a distinct art to the process. Picture books often flow much like poetry. There should be a natural rhythm that comes out when the book is read aloud. Some authors fall into these patterns naturally. However, as you edit, you may need to purposefully create this rhythm to help your book really shine.,
What About Language?
The language of your children's book has quite a few things that you will need to pay attention to while editing. First, when writing for children, focus on keeping your sentence structure short and uncomplicated. Take out any extraneous words and phrases. Reading flows better for children when they don't get hung up on meaning. You should know your audience and keep the structure at an appropriate level.
The next thing to look at with the language is the way that you are describing events. When you write, there should be a certain amount of explanation that takes place in order to set the stage for subsequent events in the story. However, this explanation and detail should not be planted or obvious. As the story unfolds, place the details in the dialogue and text in a natural way. It should be almost unnoticeable.
Finally, look at the language with a fine toothed comb. Be brutal. Remove anything and everything that doesn't contribute to the plot and meaning of the story. This can include descriptive language, adverbs and qualifiers. Look for redundancy. If you find yourself repeating similar language choices, find synonyms. If a sentence needs a qualifier for added impact, look for a better substitute that will portray the same meaning.
Of course, there is certainly plenty more that can be done during the editing process. As you learn to write, you will become familiar with your own strengths and weaknesses and start to see what areas you need to work on when editing. These, however, are some good places to start the process.
by: Lisa Brunel
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