Part Three – Contemporary Settings …
Diana Wynne Jones Reading - Highlights
Common Pitfalls
- Long exposition that is unbroken by action, including sections dealing with politics, extensive soul-searching by one or more characters, explicit sex, descriptions of the workings of machinery not necessary for the story, lectures on the rules of magic or astrology, and general ranting will bore readers.
- Many people still believe that it is the duty of children’s writers to teach moral lessons, impart wisdom and inculcate civilised behaviour. And so it is – you probably wouldn’t want to do the opposite – but it is fatal to do it overtly. Children hate to feel got at, so build your message into the story and show readers what you mean, or, better still, let it just arise as you write.
- Children also hate being talked-down to but, alas, they are very used to being patronised.
- Children will learn by being challenged by new words, so make sure that any unusual or complex ones are explained by the rest of your descriptive passages or dialogue.
The Trouble with Cliches
- Make sure you don’t leave anything out, because every story has to have reasons for the things which happen in it. You are going to have to put all the connections in, although it is surprisingly easy to forget and leave them out.
- As with any form of creative writing, clichés are also to be avoided.
- The signs to watch for are when you find yourself slipping along too easily in rather colourful phrases (and the warning of your own inner squirm, of course), and the real trouble is that clichés make your book very ordinary. To avoid this, whenever you find yourself possessed of a cliché, try taking the action right back behind the words that describe it and then live what you are trying to say.
Wrapping It Up
- First make sure all the important facts are accounted for, like explaining why the villain did what he did, or making sure that Jack is not still buried alive in a mineshaft.
- Above all, never get out of your difficulties by ending, ‘Then she woke up and it was all a dream.’ I know there are precedents for this, but children regard it as cheating
Exercise
Write some dialogue between two of your characters. Imagine them confronted with a danger or a challenge. Convey urgency and excitement in your dialogue, though only use strong language judiciously. Avoid any patronising comments from adult characters or you as author. How does the situation allow the central character to grow or learn about themselves? Perhaps they realise an inner strength of which they had been previously unaware. Or perhaps the discovery is something much more concrete: a secret of some sort, or a solution. Use short sentences, clear but brief description, and be aware of the levels of humour or horror in your writing.
Setting the scene …
The apology letters didn’t work. Miss Daisy realises that Pino can erase the writing in the journal and Oscar is rushing to rub out the final contents of the journal. Miss Vile is storming across the playground towards the class.
Miss Vile knew. She knew that Pino and Oscar had discovered her secret. Oscar ran into the classroom to warn Pino and Miss Daisy. The way Miss Vile stared at Oscar from across the playground scared him. He shivered knowing that she knew. Almost out of breath he reached the classroom and ran towards the satchel.
“It didn’t work. She’s out in the playground. She’s still alive! I thought that she was going to disappear after I delivered all the apology letters. I gave the last one and as I was on my way back to check on you and Miss Daisy and I saw her looking at me. She was angry. She knows!”
“Oscar, it burns”
“Didn’t you just hear what I said?”
“My head is burning?”
“It’s glowing, your eraser is glowing”
“Rub it against something, it’s starting to itch!”
“But she’s coming! Miss Daisy what are we going to do?”
“Everything evil that she’s done has been written in this book and it’s been written with a lead pencil. Quick Oscar grab Pino and start rubbing out the writing!”
Oscar did as Miss Daisy said. He rubbed and rubbed and sneezed and sneezed because of the residue from the eraser. He looked out the door and saw Miss Vile coming towards them.
“Hurry Oscar. You’re almost there.You can do it mate!” said Pino as he could feel the sweat from Oscar’s grip. The words faded and as Oscar adjusted his glasses from slipping off his face he caught a glimpse of Miss Vile. Pino had been watching the whole time and although upside down he saw her body slowy disappear as Oscar erased each page. What was left of her were her eyes. The anger that scorched her eyes could have lit a fire. And then as Oscar erased the final sentence, they were gone. Oscar dropped Pino onto the table and sighed with relief …
