Having an idea is essential but so is taking it to the next level if you are going to write and publish books. Lots of would be writers have lots of ideas but if they are not used then that’s all they’ll ever be.
Once you have gathered together a few ideas, you need to decide what you will do with them. Do you want to write a picture book or a novel, will you publish yourself or submit to a professional publisher? Publishers have certain criteria you must meet, make sure you’re aware of these before you start.
How will you tell the story? From whose point of view? This will also depend on the characters in your story, and the direction you want the story to take. Finding the narrator position in a story can sometimes be the most difficult part and can often let down an otherwise good plot if not done correctly.
Reading childrens books will help you get a feel for how this is done. Writing in the first person from the main characters point of view is often the most acceptable and can also be relatively easy. A close relationship can be developed with the reader as they experience the story through the main characters thoughts and feelings, but make sure you can stick with it throughout the story.
Take some time to work on the introduction to the story, it is here in the first few lines that you will capture or lose the reader. For young children introducing the character/s first is essential to get them interested. Raising a question they need answered and a clue to the environment is also important. Achieving all of this in the first few lines of the story can be tricky but worth the effort.
Go over your ideas, explore them, play with them and see where they take you.
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