Suppose you want to write a fictional story for children. What are some of the things you need to do? One of the first steps is deciding on your message. For example, in my first fiction story, Charlie the Horse, I wanted my young readers to know how important it is to focus on your work and always try your best, even if you’re not in the mood that day. Charlie had all sorts of trouble concentrating on his work during his training. He would much rather eat the tulips and daffodils that decorated the sides of the race track! He liked to think about his appetite, as well. He was always ready for dinner! Charlie wanted to become a famous race horse like his dad, Charles the Great, but he had a lot to learn before he could reach his goal. One of the things I did to make my story fun for young children is to make the horses talk to one another. That way, readers can smile at their amusing thoughts and statements. For example, here’s Charlie having a chat with his mentor, retired race horse, General Quick. “You will become a star if you remember how important it is not to give up when you’ve had a bad day. We all have them. You need to stay focused on what you want most and you will do fine,” said the General.

“Maybe I should get you a professor’s hat. I’ve seen them. They’re a funny shape and they have strings hanging on one side,” said Charlie.

“They’re called mortar boards,” said the General.

“What a funny name for a hat. Who would want to wear a board on their head,” answered Charlie.

Have you thought about how to begin the story? You might want to engage your readers with interesting dialogue, but be sure to include some action so your reader is really wondering what will happen next.

In my second fiction book, Charlene the Star, Charlene is Charlie’s little sister. Of course, everyone expects her to become a racehorse like Charlie. But I wanted her to have a different set of dilemmas. What happens when she decides she doesn’t like racing? She has to figure out how to show her trainers that she’s bored, so she yawns and has tantrums on the race track; just to be sure they notice her. Here are Charlene’s thoughts as she shows her trainers she doesn’t care for racing:

“I’m galloping as fast as I can but all the horses are far ahead. I think I’ll do some crow hops (little bucks when she hops stiff-legged). Maybe Eva and Ted will know racing is not my thing. I’ll yawn too. Maybe they’ll notice I think it’s boring.”

Charlene is like many children who don’t think they fit in with their friends. She must experiment until she discovers her talent.

What about the ending?

Some authors like to write the ending first and fill in the rest as they progress with the story. In my view, the important thing is to be sure you tie the story together. Have you solved all of your conflicts? Did you leave anything unresolved? Does the ending sum everything up the way you’d like? You don’t want the ending to fall flat. Of course, if it’s a series, you could leave some mystery so your readers will be eager to buy your next book.

In my book, Charlie the Horse, Charlie finally realizes his dream. He’s thinking about the journey. At the end of the story, Charlie learns he’s got a new baby sister. He’s reflecting on their future. Here are his thoughts:

“I can hardly wait to see my Mom. I heard she has a brand new baby sister for me to meet. Maybe she’ll look up to me like I do the General. I’ll try not only to be the best racehorse, but the best big brother, too.”

I hope these little hints help you create an amazing children’s story.

See Deanie’s previous article HERE

Her Guest Author post is HERE

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