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Children across America cheered when Dr. Seuss' The Cat in the Hat was first released. It was easy to read and had cool pictures. But best of all, it was interesting. No more "See Jane run. See Spot run. See Jane and Spot run." Theodor Geisel had changed the nature of children's primers by deviating from the traditional monotonous primer style. Instead of using nothing but short, simple, choppy sentences, as children were used to, Geisel worked the same 25 words throughout his text to reinforce vocabulary, and he did this in longer, silly, and varied sentences. It's no wonder his books continue to fly off the shelves today. When a child has a choice between a Dick and Jane primer and Green Eggs and Ham, that child is far more likely to choose "I like green eggs and ham! I do! I like them, Sam-I-am!"

Whether or not you're writing for children, you should watch your own writing for signs of primer-style construction. There's nothing wrong with using short sentences, especially when they're used with a variety of other, more complex sentences. Short sentences pack a punch. But if you find that your text is reading choppy, check for the overuse of primer-style construction. Variety and surprise keep the reader alert and interested, and the same goes for the construction of sentences. A text that reads in primer style is often flagged as amateur.

Here are a few examples of how to create more complex sentences, not only making them more suitable for an intelligent audience but also making the most concise and effective use of words.

Combine independent clauses:

We traveled to the desert. We forgot to bring water.
We traveled to the desert but forgot to bring water.
We traveled to the desert; however, we forgot to bring water.

Use a subordinate clause:

Officer Smith had only two years on the job. He was assigned to the toughest neighborhood.
Although Officer Smith had only two years on the job, he was assigned to the toughest neighborhood.

Eliminate repetition:

My dog is a Beagle. My dog is named Sally. My dog loves to run along the riverbank.
My dog Sally is a Beagle who loves to run along the riverbank.

Use "and" to join two related ideas:

In school Sally learned to multiply double digits. She also learned how to divide fractions.
In school Sally learned to multiply double digits and divide fractions.

Use "but" to show contrast:

Officer Smith had only two years on the job. He was assigned to the toughest neighborhood.
Officer Smith had only two years on the job, but he was assigned to the toughest neighborhood.

Use a participle phrase:

Mr. Jones decided to go bowling without his wife. He wanted to join his friends for a men's night out.
Deciding to go bowling without his wife, Mr. Jones planned to join his friends for a men's night out.

Use an absolute phrase:

Bob clutched his trophy firmly to his chest. He left the bowling alley with a triumphant grin.
His trophy clutched firmly to his chest, Bob left the bowling alley with a triumphant grin.

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Myth #1: Children's books are easier to write than adult books.

The truth is that it's difficult to write a good book for any audience, and children are no exception. This is especially true for picture books, which a greater number of people try to write than any other genre, and while it may seem like the easiest thing in the world—30 words! How hard can that be?—each of those words must count. Successful picture books must be simple yet concise, and they should appeal to a young reader's visual sense. That is not an easy task.

Myth #2: My kids love my story. So will an editor!

Yep, your kids probably do love your story. But they probably love the fact that you're reading it to them more than they love the plot or the characters. The fact that your kids (or students or neighbors' kids) love your story does not have any sway with an editor.

Myth #3: You should write down to your young audience.

Wrong. Today's kids are sophisticated, and they'll resent being treated like babies. Children respond to rich, colorful language and creative plot lines. Children also love to hear and read new words, yet many new writers shy away from using words they feel are too difficult for their audience. The meaning of new words, if well-written, should be clear from clues from the pictures or the related text. And if the book is interesting, the child will want to read on.

Myth #4: A good story should rhyme for maximum appeal.

This is a strategy that requires talent and should not be attempted by a newcomer. Editors often look awry at rhyming stories simply because they are so difficult to sell.

Myth #5: A good story should have a moral.

Children's stories should not be Sunday school lessons. If you've got a message, let the child explore it through plot and/or character, not by tacking it to the end like a fable.

Myth #6: Children's books are pretty much the same as what I read as a child.

Modern children's books are more creative and sophisticated than ever. Every aspiring children's writer should begin with extensive research and camp out in the children's section of the library. Read everything, and get an idea of what appeals to youngsters. Editors are not impressed by clich és. Be wary of using talking animals or tales of "It's okay to be different!" In order to catch an editor's eye, you must strive for originality.

Myth #7: I need to find an illustrator.

Your picture book should stand alone. If the editor likes the work, he will match it to an illustrator of his choice. It can work against you to send someone else's illustrations with your work.

Myth #8: Show and tell is good!

Show, don't tell. Just as in adult fiction, resist the urge to lay out your theme in black and white. Remember that good fiction reveals rather than explains. Let your theme emerge naturally through events, and let your characters emerge through their actions, not by telling the reader about them. Children like to make their own discoveries.

Myth #9: I could get rich, like J.K. Rowling!

Most children's writers write because writing is what they do, not because they hope to strike it rich. Only a very elite group of authors can claim a substantial income from their writing.

Myth #10: Children's books are easier to sell than adult fiction.

Success rarely comes easily, whether you're trying to sell a picture book or a full-length novel. It's a matter of knowing your market and doing your research. That query letter should be crisp and exciting, and those submission guidelines should be followed to the letter. Children's publishing is just as competitive as other genres. Be persistent, be prepared, and above all, be patient!

If you have difficulty starting the process of preparing and submitting your children's book to proper markets, we're so excited to present this information to you. Click on this link http://www.writersrelief.com/children.html to order a copy of Insider's Secrets: What You MUST Know To Submit Your Children's Book. You'll also receive a FREE REPORT that contains contact information for 100+ agents and publishers who specialize in children's books.

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(Excerpted from our Insider’s Secrets: What You MUST Know To Submit Your Children’s Book, available at http://www.writersrelief.com/children.html)

Primary Age:

Children ages 6 to 8, or 1st through 3rd grades. These children read picture books, easy-to-read books, and picture story books. Easy-reader books are meant for children to read alone, and sentences should average five to six words, with the maximum number of words being ten.

Elementary Level:

Children ages 8 to 12, or 4th through 6th grades. These children read sentences of approximately 10 words, with the maximum number of words being 20. Most books written at this level range between 20,000 and 40,000 words.

High School Level:

Children ages 13 to 17, or 7th through 12th grades. Very often, younger children and 6th graders read books at this level. This level uses adult structure and vocabulary. Most books written at this level range between 25,000 and 55,000 words but longer lengths are found.

Types of Children’s Books

Check the text of your children's manuscript to be certain that the words used are age appropriate. Using words that children do not understand is a common mistake among inexperienced writers looking to place their children’s books. For example, if you are submitting a young-reader book, choose words that children ages six to nine will understand. The information below will help you to choose your words (and topics) wisely.

Picture Books

These books run from 50 to 1,500 words. Many children have a short attention span so this length is appropriate.There are three categories of picture books:

1) Books for babies to three-year-olds. These books have very little text.

2) Books for toddlers to five-year-olds. These books are designed to be read aloud and at one sitting. They should have a happy ending. Length of sentences is about five to six words. These books should take no longer than 15 minutes to read.

3) Books for five- to eight-year-olds. These books contain a story. They should have a beginning, a middle, and an end. The plot should be simple. These books may also be read aloud.Picture Story Books

These books are filled with illustrations but have a more complicated plot than picture books. The text drives the story. These books are written for five- to eight-year-olds. Picture stories have lots of action. These books are read to children so the words used must be understandable to them.

Young Reader Books or Easy-To-Read Books

These books run from 500 to 2,000 words, but 1,500 words is preferred. The children reading these books are six- to nine-year-olds. About 50 pages in length with only 40 or so pages of text. Sentences should contain approximately five words with a few up to eight words. These books are created for children to read on their own.

Young Adult Novels

These books are created for readers 12 to 18 years old. The protagonist should be a teenager, and the plot significant to this age group.

Hi-Lo Books

These books run from 400 to 1,200 words. They are considered high interest, low reading level. These books are created for slow readers. They contain a lot of action. Sentence length is about eleven words. The ratio of all children’s books published is about 60% fiction and 40% nonfiction.

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A myth is traditionally a story that is accepted as a piece of history to explain the world of a group of people. Originally recounted through oral tradition, myths were eventually written down into short stories. Mythology is a collective account of myths. Typically, the word "myth" evokes thoughts of ancient cultures, such as ancient Greek or Norse mythology.

Many times, myths help to explain the unexplainable or how things came to be. For example, the mythological Greek god Apollo carries the sun across the sky in his chariot. This would explain to ancient Greeks why the sun appears to move across the sky. The mythological Norse god Loki is another example. Loki is described as a trickster and was often blamed for mishaps or disasters in a Norseman’s life. The myth is also attributed to more epic stories such as the Mesopotamian The Epic Gilgamesh, which is used as a way of explaining the creation of the world and humankind.

Fables, on the other hand, offer a moral or a lesson. The fable is a short story, usually written in a simple form, though it can also be created in verse. Often the fable makes use of animals as the central characters, though personification can also be extended to inanimate objects such as trees or rocks. Still, the objective remains the same, which is to teach the reader or listener a lesson of some sort. Aesop (circa 620-560 BC) is perhaps the most well-known writer of fables and one of the most prolific—this Greek slave has around 200 fables attributed to him.

The fable should not be confused (though it often is) with the myth or the more closely related form of writing, the parable. The parable usually has a moral maxim as well, but the content deals with the real world, where animals can’t talk, and plants don’t smile and say "hello." An example of a modern fable is George Orwell’s Animal Farm, which satirizes totalitarianism through the use of farm animals.

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One element of success when writing your historical or children's story is the use of language. It is very important to understand the language spoken during a specific time period or focused toward a particular age group. Words that were used as recently as 25 years ago are either not used today or have a different meaning than in the past. For example, the word balderdash was one of the worst curse words a person could use 150 years ago. It is rarely used today. Consider what the culture and society was like for the particular group you are writing about. Different cultures may have many words for the same thing. A medieval warrior might be a knight in England, a samurai in Japan, a Shaolin monk in parts of the Far East, or a Teutonic Knight in Lithuania. Merchants who were looked upon favorably in western culture were the lowest members of society in China.

An anachronism is an event, person, item, or verbal phrase placed in the wrong historical time period. Here is an example from Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, in Act II, Scene I, lines 193-194.

Brutus: Peace! Count the clock.
Cassius: The clock has stricken three

Of course, the wall clock was invented by the Swiss hundreds of years after the Roman Empire's collapse. Do your research before taking on the giant task of writing a historical work.

In addition, when writing for children, check the text of your manuscript to be certain that words used are age appropriate. Using words that children do not understand is a common mistake among inexperienced writers looking to place their children's books. For example, if you are submitting a young reader book, choose words that children ages six to nine will understand. In many picture books, humor plays an important role. Children enjoy hearing a book that makes them laugh or giggle. (How many times will a child ask you to read the same book?) Make sure that the jokes are age appropriate, as well as the reading difficulty. Kids laugh at kooky things. They like visual jokes, corny jokes, silly riddles, far-fetched situations, quick thinking, and the traditional pie in the face slapstick comedy. Nonsense, absurdity, and exaggerations work for kids. For more information in preparing your stories for children, check out our Insider's Secrets: What You MUST Know To Submit Your Children's Book (which is available for purchase here: http://www.writersrelief.com/children.html).

http://www.writersrelief.com/
Author’s Submission Service Since 1994