By KarenCioffi
Sitting at the computer with a blank word document in front of you
may be intimidating for a writer. You just finished one manuscript, or
you’ve hired out to ghostwrite a story, or whatever the reason is, you
need to begin writing a children’s story.
Hmmm. What should it be about? You think and think. You gaze out the window. You draw a blank.
Alexander Steele wrote a short article in the October 2010 issue of
the Writer, “Where can you find the seeds of a good story?” It was
interesting to read that Herman Melville, author of Moby-Dick, had his
own whaling adventures which he used to create a wonderful and
everlasting story. Steele advices, “Probably the most fertile place to
look for ideas is right inside the backyard of your own life.”
You might be thinking you don’t have close contact with children and
your childhood was boring, so you don’t have any experiences do draw on.
Or, you may be so busy living your life and raising your children that
you don’t have time to stop and see all the amazing story opportunities
that are right in your own backyard. Well, even if these scenarios fit,
you can take steps to rectify the situation.
Finding Story Ideas if You Don’t Have Close Contact with Children:
1. Turn on the TV. Yes, this is an excellent source for story ideas,
as well as watching children’s behavior. While it may be in the confines
of a scripted show, the writers of these shows try to keep it as real
as possible. Take note of the situations, the attitudes of the actors,
the scenes, and everything else. Even children’s cartoons have engaging
storylines. It may be just the spark you need.
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