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Title: The Way to Write for Children by Joan Aiken ISBN: 0-312-20048-X Publisher: St. Martin's Press Pub. Date: 01 January, 1999 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $8.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.25 (4 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Just my cup of tea.
Comment: A friendly warning to readers: Even though "The Way to Write for Children" is very precise about what SHOULD NOT be in children's books, it is quite the opposite about what SHOULD be in them.
On the very first page of the text, Joan Aiken bluntly informs readers that "there is no _one_ way in which to write for children." In another chapter, she explains the futility of dividing child readers into age groups and trying to target a single age. Throughout the book, she gives examples of what she considers poor children's literature--and not without good reason.
Aiken is not a writing teacher who says, "Do this and this and this, but not that." She is more like a mentor whose gut instinct about these matters is so finely developed that she can tell what will work and what will not, even though she may not be able to explain why. Yet she does try! Those who like their writing manuals well organized into clean-cut sections and subsections will not appreciate her attempts, but those who understand that she is truly sincere may dig deeper and find unexpected treasure.
You'll enjoy this book more if you have read as much children's literature as Aiken has and are familiar with the authors and titles that she liberally "name drops" throughout the text. I bought my copy three years ago and understood about 10% of it. Then I started studying some of the books she used as examples: "Daddy-Long-Legs", "Poems of Childhood", "The Chronicles of Narnia", "The Hobbit", "I Am the Cheese", etc. With that, her words took on new life for me.
I can compare reading "The Way to Write for Children" to listening to a wise and remarkable friend speak--but not lecture--about children's literature. It is definitely not writing school, but the education I receive is superior.
Rating: 2
Summary: But we are not children...
Comment: gee, I bought this book to help me learn to write for children, not to be talked down to by the author...which is what happened. A shoddy, simplistic, overly "this is how I believe it to be" approach that lacks the the clarity and educational value I was looking for when I purchased it. Dated examples and poor type face and formatting doesn't help. I'd avoid this one.
Rating: 1
Summary: Misled by previous review
Comment: I bought this book based on the five-star reader review from December 2000 and I was sorely disappointed and wishing I'd saved my $10 plus shipping! This book is outdated, sketchy (barely touches on YA novels) and very British. Her writing examples rely heavily on Dickens and the like, which didn't exactly bring me up to speed on the last 20 years of children's literature. I'm still searching for a good guide to writing children's fiction that is in print!
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Title: Children's Writer's Word Book by Alijandra Mogilner ISBN: 0898799511 Publisher: Writer's Digest Books Pub. Date: 01 August, 1999 List Price(USD): $16.99 |
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Title: Writing With Pictures: How to Write and Illustrate Children's Books by Uri Shulevitz ISBN: 0823059359 Publisher: Watson-Guptill Publications Pub. Date: 01 May, 1997 List Price(USD): $29.95 |
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Title: The Business of Writing for Children: An Award-Winning Author's Tips on Writing and Publishing Children's Books, or How to Write, Publish, and Promote a Book for Kids by Aaron Shepard ISBN: 0938497111 Publisher: Shepard Publications Pub. Date: 01 March, 2000 List Price(USD): $10.00 |
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Title: A Basic Guide to Writing, Selling, and Promoting Children's Books : Plus Information about Self-publishing by Betsy B. Lee ISBN: 096588533X Publisher: Learning Abilities Books Pub. Date: 01 March, 2000 List Price(USD): $4.95 |
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Title: Creating Characters Kids Will Love by Elaine Marie Alphin ISBN: 0898799856 Publisher: Writer's Digest Books Pub. Date: 01 September, 2000 List Price(USD): $16.99 |
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