You want to write a children’s book, and you’re ready to start.
What’s your very first order of business?
You need an idea. You think about it, and your story will be about one of your pets getting into trouble.
Next up?
You need a main character (also known as the protagonist). Since your cat is always doing funny things, you decide your cat, Samson, will be the main character.
Okay, you now have an idea and a main character.
You’ll also need a story, so that idea and main character will need to be turned into WHAT happens.
Using the family cat, Samson, as the main character and Max, the family lab, as his unwitting antagonist, you come up with a storyline.
So, WHAT can the story be about?
Samson left his favorite toy on the living room chair.
Not much going on with this so far. There’s no reason for a reader to care.
That’s where the IF comes in.
If Max (the family lab) is snuggled in on that cozy, comfy living room chair, taking a nap, what will happen?
Samson needs that toy now. Well, he doesn’t exactly need the toy. But he really, really wants that toy, and he wants it now. The problem, the conflict, is that Max is in the way.
Here’s where the HOW comes in. How will Samson get his toy?
For this scenario to work well enough to engage a child, Samson needs to be an active main character.
The main character needs to be active because suppose Samson decides to wait until Max moves. Samson jumps up on the couch to take a little nap while waiting.
This doesn’t create much of a story, at least not an engaging story.
Samson would be considered a passive main character in this scenario. The reader would read about him lying on the couch, periodically opening his eyes, or maybe just one eye if he’s very tired, to see if Max has moved yet.
Not much to engage a reader engaged or make them turn pages.
But…
What if Samson is an active main character?
Instead of lying on the couch waiting for Max to move, Samson decides to take action. He goes on a mission.
He devises a plan to get that dog out of his way, but his first attempt backfires.
He’s not going to give up, though. He works on a second plan to get Max out of his way. He’s sure it will work, but Max totally ignores him.
Samson is frustrated at this point. He’s beginning to feel hopeless. He’ll never get that toy that he really, really wants… now.
But then, an idea pops into his head. He comes up with a plan for a third attempt. This is the one. He can feel it.
He goes into stealth mode and puts his plan into action.
It works! He’s victorious!
Samson gets Max out of the cozy, comfy chair and gets his toy.
Granted, there’s not much of a character arc in this story aside from Samson learning never to leave his toy in a place Max may take a nap.
But it does include the WHAT, IF, and HOW every story needs. And it will have kids engaged, maybe even laughing.
I’m a working children’s ghostwriter, book doctor, editor, and self-publishing consultant. I help turn your idea, outline, or manuscript into a book you’ll be proud to call your own—and provide hands-on guidance through every step of the self-publishing process.
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