Chris Eboch's Blog, page 22

The Parts of a Story or Article for Children

I’ve released a new book on the craft of writing, called You Can Write for Children: How to Write Great Stories, Articles, and Books for Kids and Teenagers. To celebrate the release, I’m sharing a excerpt from one chapter on “Developing an Idea.” The first segment was last week. Here’s part two:
A Story in Four Parts
If “beginning, middle, and end” doesn’t really help you, here’s another way to think of story structure. A story has four main parts: situation, complications, climax, andresolution. You need all of them to make your story work. (This is really the same as beginning, middle, and end, with the end broken into two parts.)
The situation should involve an interesting main character with a challenging problem or goal. Even this takes development. Maybe you have a great challenge, but aren’t sure why a character would have that goal. Or maybe your situation is interesting, but doesn’t actually involve a problem.
For example, I wanted to write about a brother and sister who travel with a ghost hunter TV show. The girl can see ghosts, but the boy can’t. That gave me the characters and situation, but no problem or goal. Goals come from need or desire. What did they want that could sustain a series?
Tania feels sorry for the ghosts and wants to help them, while keeping her gift a secret from everyone but her brother. Jon wants to help and protect his sister, but sometimes feels overwhelmed by the responsibility. Now we have characters with problems and goals. The story is off to a good start. (This became the four-book Haunted series.)
Tips:  
·   Make sure your idea is specific and narrow. Focus on an individual person and situation, not a universal concept. For example, don’t try to write about “racism.” Instead, write about one character facing racism in a particular situation.
 
·   Ask why the goal is important to the character. The longer the story, the higher the stakes needed to sustain it. A short story character might want to win a contest; a novel character might need to save the world.
 
·   Ask why this goal is difficult. If reaching the goal is too easy, there is little tension and the story is too short. The goal should be possible, but just barely. It might even seem impossible. The reader should believe that the main character could fail. (I go into more detail on this in a chapter on Characters in the book.)
  Is your character just sitting there?
·   Even if your main problem is external, give the character an internal flaw that contributes to the difficulty. This adds complications and also makes your character seem more real. For some internal flaws, see the seven deadly sins: lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy, and pride.
 
·   Test the idea. Change the character’s age, gender, or looks. Change the point of view, setting, external conflict, or internal conflict. Choose the combination that has the most dramatic potential.
Next week I’ll share an excerpt on developing the middle of your story. You can get the whole essay now, and a lot more, in You Can Write for Children: A Guide to Writing Great Stories, Articles, and Books for Kids and Teenagers.

Remember the magic of bedtime stories? When you write for children, you have the most appreciative audience in the world. But to reach that audience, you need to write fresh, dynamic stories, whether you’re writing rhymed picture books, middle grade mysteries, edgy teen novels, nonfiction, or something else.
In this book, you will learn:
How to explore the wide variety of age ranges, genres, and styles in writing stories, articles and books for young people.How to find ideas.How to develop an idea into a story, article, or book.The basics of character development, plot, setting, and theme.How to use point of view, dialogue, and thoughts.How to edit your work and get critiques.Where to learn more on various subjects.
Order for Kindle, in paperback, or in Large Print paperback.

Writing for Children: Developing an Idea

I’m releasing a new book on the craft of writing, called You Can Write for Children: A Guide to Writing Great Stories, Articles, and Books for Kids and Teenagers. If you are just starting out, this book will get you going. If you have some experience but need help developing your skills, this book will do that as well. I focus on sharing insight and advice on writing well. You’ll find straightforward information and exercises you can do on your own.
In this book, you will learn: Opportunities for writing for children: Explore the wide variety of age ranges, genres, and styles, in both books and magazines.How to find ideas.How to develop an idea into a story, article, or book.The basics of character development, plot, setting, and theme – and some advanced elements.How to edit your work and get critiques.Where to learn more on various subjects.To celebrate the release, over the next three weeks I’ll be sharing an excerpt from one chapter on “Developing an Idea.” Here’s the first segment:
Ideas can grow from anywhereDeveloping an Idea
People often ask writers, “Where do you find your ideas?” But for a writer, the more important question is, “What do I do with my idea?”
If you have a “great idea,” but can’t seem to go anywhere with it, you probably have a premise rather than a complete story plan. A story should have three parts: beginning, middle, and end. This can be a bit confusing though. Doesn’t every story have a beginning, middle, and end? Technically, yes, but certain things should happen at those points.
1.  The beginning introduces a character with a problem or a goal.
2.  During the middle of the story, that character tries to solve the problem or reach the goal. He probably fails a few times and has to try something else. Or he may make progress through several steps along the way. He should not solve the problem on the first try, however.
3.  At the end, the main character solves the problem himself or reaches his goal through his own efforts.
Thinking is not actionThere may be exceptions to these standard story rules, but it’s best to stick with the basics until you know and understand them. They are standard because they work!
Teachers working with beginning writers often see stories with no conflict. The story is more of a “slice of life.” Things may happen, possibly even sweet or funny things, but the story does not seem to have a clear beginning, middle, and end; it lacks structure. Without conflict, the story is not that interesting.
You can have two basic types of conflict. An external conflict is something in the physical world. It could be a problem with another person, such as a bully at school, an annoying sibling, a criminal, or a fantastical being such as a troll or demon. External conflict would also include problems such as needing to travel a long distance in bad weather.
Conflict can be externalThe other type of conflict is internal. This could be anything from fear of the dark to selfishness. It’s a problem within the main character that she has to overcome or come to terms with.
An internal conflict is often expressed in an external way. If a child is afraid of the dark, we need to see that fear in action. If she’s selfish, we need to see how selfishness is causing her problems. Note that the problems need to affect the child, not simply the adults around her. If a parent is annoyed or frustrated by a child’s behavior, that’s the parent’s problem, not child’s. The child’s goal may be the opposite of the parent’s; the child may want to stay the same, while the parent wants the child to change.
For stories with internal conflict, the main character may or may not solve the external problem. The child who is afraid of the dark might get over that fear, or she might learn to live with it by keeping a flashlight by her bed. The child who is selfish and doesn’t want to share his toys might fail to achieve that goal. Instead, he might learn the benefits of sharing.
The child should stay in charge of the storyHowever the problem is resolved, remember that the child main character should drive the solution. No adults stepping in to solve the problem! In the case where a child and a parent have different goals, it won’t be satisfying to young readers if the parent “wins” by punishing the child. The child must see the benefit of changing and make a decision to do so.

Next week, I'll share another way of looking at story structure, using four parts: situation, complications, climax, and resolution. You can get the whole essay now, and a lot more, in You Can Write for Children: A Guide to Writing Great Stories, Articles, and Books for Kids and Teenagers. The Kindle version is available for pre-order now and will be automatically delivered June 30. The print version should be available by next week.

Connecting Kids to History

Chris Eboch on Connecting Kids to History
"Historical fiction is a great way to bring history to life. It’s especially valuable for young people, who may not find textbook history interesting and who haven’t lived long enough to understand how quickly and dramatically the world can change."

See the entire post:
http://madaboutmghistory.blogspot.com...

From Idea to Story

From Idea to Story, at The Children's Writer's Guild: "People often ask writers, “Where do you find your ideas?” But for a writer, the more important question is, “What do I do with my idea?”

See the full post:

http://www.childrenswritersguild.com/...

Learning from the Maya

My post on "Mad about Middle Grade History" blog is on "Learning from the Maya": One thing that intrigues me about history is how some of the lessons of the past resonate today. In The Well of Sacrifice, I explored some of the reasons the Mayan civilization collapsed. But I also showed how one person could have caused change. http://madaboutmghistory.blogspot.com...

Why Write Historical Fiction for Children

My post today on the Mad About MG History will blog is on "Why Write Historical Fiction for Children." http://madaboutmghistory.blogspot.com... #histfic #MGlit

Workshop on writing voice

I'm hosting a Q&A on writing voice at the Institute of Children's Literature's Writers Retreat. You should be able to read as a guest, even once it's over.

http://institutechildrenslit.net/inde...

Blogs on middle grade, historical fiction, the Southwest

Three new blog posts:

The Stories in History, with Chris Eboch, on "Mad About MG History: A blog about middle grade historical fiction":

"In honor of Black History Month (February) and Women’s History Month (March) let’s look at this enduring genre. It can explore any period, from ancient – even prehistoric – times, to recent decades (that’s right, your childhood is now historical). The best books let readers explore a fascinating time in the past, through a character who appeals to modern tastes...."

http://madaboutmghistory.blogspot.com...

Middle Grade, Young Adult, or Both?, on the Project Middle Grade Mayhem blog

"I’ve been writing a column on self-publishing for the SCBWI Bulletin. In a recent issue, I addressed sales. Several authors claimed that YA sold much better than MG. To quote one source: “Anything under YA just doesn’t sell.”...

"You can’t randomly assign a genre or age range to a novel. In general, something is what it is. However...."

http://project-middle-grade-mayhem.bl...

Falcons: Inspiration from a Bird of Prey, on the Southwest Armchair Traveler:

"A couple of years ago, I met a local falconer. I tagged along on hunts, as he released a falcon after homing pigeons on a cold winter morning or let a hawk chase rabbits on a spring afternoon...."

http://swarmchairtraveler.blogspot.co...

Treasure Hunting Adventure New Mexico

The Dead Man’s Treasure - Book 2 in the Southwest Treasure Hunters series - is now available for Kindle ($3.99) or in print ($9.99).

Rebecca Westin is shocked to learn the grandfather she never knew has left her a bona fide buried treasure – but only if she can decipher a complex series of clues leading to it. The hunt would be challenging enough without interference from her half-siblings, who are determined to find the treasure first and keep it for themselves. Good thing Rebecca has recruited some help, in the form of a green-eyed charmer determined to show her that a desert adventure can be sexy and fun. But there’s a treacherous wildcard in the mix, a man willing to do anything to get that treasure – and revenge. In a frantic race across New Mexico, Rebecca will have to ignore caution in a defiant bid for victory. If she fails, she could lose everything.

Action and romance combine in this lively Southwestern adventure, complete with riddles the reader is invited to solve to identify historical and cultural sites around New Mexico. See the DMT page of Kris Bock’s website for a printable list of the clues and recipes from the book.

The first book in the Southwest Treasure Hunters series is The Mad Monk’s Treasure. The Dead Man’s Treasure is book 2. Each novel stands alone and is complete, with no cliffhangers. This series mixes action and adventure with "closed door" romance. The stories explore the Southwest, especially New Mexico.

The Dead Man s Treasure
Website sample: http://www.krisbock.com/the_dead_man_...
Kindle e-book: http://bookShow.me/B00SJXNBUG
Print on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/0692371672/
Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-d...

Bandits Peak: for readers who enjoyed Gary Paulsen’s Hatchet

I'm happy to announce my latest novel for young people,  Bandits Peak !
Danger in the Wilderness
While hiking in the mountains, Jesse meets a strange trio. He befriends Maria, but he’s suspicious of the men with her. Still, charmed by Maria, Jesse promises not to tell anyone that he met them. But his new friends have deadly secrets, and Jesse uncovers them. It will take all his wilderness skills, and all his courage, to survive.

Readers who enjoyed Gary Paulsen’s Hatchet will love Bandits Peak. This heart-pounding adventure tale is full of danger and excitement. Appropriate for ages 10 and up.
Read a sample of Bandits Peak on my website.See Bandits Peak on Amazon.
Bandits Peak for Nook.