Plotting a Children's Book
By Robyn Opie
In a previous article I explained the ideas behind some of my children's books. Over
time, I've trained my brain to be on "alert" for ideas and I discover a lot more ideas than
I have time to put pen to paper or fingers to laptop.
Not all ideas are equal. Some ideas work well and become books. Some ideas fail to
develop. So how do we take an idea and develop it into a plot for a children's book? How
do we work out what to write once we have the initial idea? Here's a basic plot outline:
1. A main character is introduced.
2. The main character's problem is revealed.
3. Obstacles stand between the main character and their goal.
4. The main character reacts and new obstacles arise.
5. The main character reacts again and new obstacles arise. The tension is mounting.
6. All seems lost. But wait!
7. All is resolved as the story is brought to a satisfactory conclusion.
It's important to remember that a plot is supposed to help the writer and reader. Don't
adhere too closely to the above plot outline if it hinders your writing.
Some writers prefer to work with a plot outline. Some writers don't give plot a thought
until they've finished the first draft. Do what works for you.
Let's look at some important elements of plot.
The best plots come from characters. It's a character's personality, background and experiences
that determine how he or she will react to certain situations, events or people. As a writer, you can
come up with an idea. Where your idea goes - the plot - depends on your characters. Every idea can
go off in many directions. More on this in a minute.
A plot needs conflict or a problem to be interesting and entertaining. Sure, I can sit
here and tell you the "plot" of my day. Ho hum! No one cares, other than me, and possibly my
dogs. However, if I go outside and find a lion in my backyard, you'd probably become interested
in my day. My day has a conflict or problem. What am I going to do? How am I doing to solve
this problem? Can I solve this problem? Or will I become lion lunch?
Okay, back to the character. Me. Imagine I've been abusing my dogs... Huh! They're asleep
on my bed. Anyway, imagine that I'm abusive to animals. You'd probably be rooting for the lion,
hoping that I get my just desserts. Or hoping that the lion gets its just desserts. Me!
Now imagine that I'm a little old lady who takes in poor orphaned children and cats.
Er small, domestic cats. You'd probably be rooting for me (and my brood), hoping that the nasty
lion goes away hungry.
The direction this plot takes depends on the main character - their personality, background
and experiences. Animal abuser or little old lady with orphans? The animal abuser might feed
her dogs to the lions then try to escape. The little old lady would probably feed herself to
the lions to save the orphans - as a last resort.
Every character has motivation - a reason to be in the story. The main character has
motivation that the reader cares about i.e. the little old lady saving herself and her poor
orphans from being lion lunch. Sometimes it's the motivation of other characters that become
obstacles to the main character reaching his or her goal i.e. the next-door neighbour wants the
old lady and orphans to move out and therefore tries to assist the lion. He probably put the lion
there in the first place.
The best plots have tension. It's the tension that keeps a reader involved in a story, that
keeps them turning the pages. Most of us have had the feeling "I need to know what happens next".
The little old lady is about to be eaten. No, she's not. Yes, she is. No, she's not.
Keep building the tension. Your main character has a problem. They try to fix their problem.
But the problem gets worse. They try to fix their problem. But problem gets worse. They try
to fix the problem. Yay! They finally solve their problem.
| 
About BTH
User Agreement
Privacy
Site Map
Contact
News Feeds
RSS Feed
Follow @Stephen Bucaro
Start Your Own Web Business
