Can You Write a Book as Successful as Harry Potter?

There is not a set science in writing a successful children's book, and JK Rowling didn't expect such a phenomenal success with the Harry Potter series. Arguably, her success came from her passion to write rather than the expectation of wealth.

Never consider the ultimate success or failure of your book. Consider it a work of art that you want to perfect so that others enjoy reading the journey that you have created. Profit will come later if your book has been written with passion and vigour.

Some of the following tips will help you on your way to a successful book:

- Write background information and notes so that you are familiar with everything about the characters and their lives. This will then naturally convey in your writing.
- Use brainstorming techniques to discover different aspects of the story and broaden plot opportunities.
- Re-write chapters removing prolonged descriptions and discard sentences that give too much away.
- Check each chapter several times after writing to ensure the language, tone and grammer remains consistent throughout.
- For reference, draw sketches of story boards to help you identify the main pieces of each chapter and indeed the complete book. Sketches and photographs of significant locations that you intend to use will also assist you as you will find it far easier to introduce the character to such settings.

Check back on this blog for regular hints and tips to support your writing goals or visit write-for-children.

More on Characterisation and Style

I have posted comments before on building characters.  Have a quick look at my earlier posts if you are new to this blog, or need a quick reminder.  Today, I will link this to writing style.  

Good characterisation and description really adds spice to your story, but how does this link to your writing style?  A good writer avoids clichés and finds another way of creating images.   Here’s an example for you:

A teenage girl could be embarrassed by her aunt who, despite being over sixty, insists on wearing teenage fashions. The obvious cliché is 'mutton dressed as lamb', but not only is that a cliché, it doesn't reveal the full embarrassment potential. How about this instead:

“Auntie Margaret wore mini-skirts above varicose veined legs and trendy long earrings that only served to draw attention to her wrinkled neck.”

I hope that you agree that this makes for far better reading and instills an image in the mind!  Try this in your writing.  One word of warning though…..don't go overboard with these images or you will slow the narrative - and don't use too many of them, for the same reason. However good your style, you are primarily meant to be a story-teller, not an essayist!

Twilight Breaks Record to Top UK Box Office

This month we have again seen record sales at the cinema with the showing of the penultimate episode of the Twilight saga.  The movie took over £13.9 million on its opening weekend, making it the biggest opening of a US movie ever in the UK.

Top marks for all of you who have paid attention to the news reports on this and have made a mental note that the teenage market is hungry for great fiction.

By teenage market, I mean specifically teenage girls.  If you were to go into book shops and libraries and find out what is being bought and borrowed, you will soon discover that by far the greatest number of books for the teenage market are aimed at girls. Teenage boys tend, sadly, not to be great readers of fiction.   The politically correct lobby would like us to believe that this is due to sexual stereotyping, but like many of their deeply held beliefs, this is not really true. It is a fact of life that boys like the challenge of proving themselves in adventurous situations, whereas most girls are more interested in handling relationships.

Look at the crowds collecting outside of the cinema over the next two weeks and pay attention to what is written about this.  You will soon discover for yourself that there is true market potential for a well written teenage romance!

Visit www.write-for-children.com to learn more about writing for teenagers.