Nov
26th
2012
Tough audience · 5:21pm Nov 26th, 2012
My extended family got together over Thanksgiving, and I decided that instead of reading something from a book, I would read my nieces one of my stories. I didn't write any for children, but I thought "Socks" (from Sisters) might work. So six little girls ages four to ten gathered around me, and I read.
I realized as I read that a satire on politics and fashion might not be very funny to kids. It wasn't. Not a smile was cracked for the entire five or ten minutes it took to read out loud. I thought maybe they didn't understand what had happened, so I asked them to explain it. They understood. It just "wasn't funny" and was "kind of boring". I have new respect for the writers of children's books.
They make it look so easy, don't they?
tough crowd...
Ugh. You have no idea. I've tried writing one. It's... difficult, and I don't know why. Someone should explain to me the way to go about writing it.
Developmentally speaking, kids like repetition, particularly alliteration. Maybe try one where 90% of each paragraph includes the same phonym?
As Foul Ol Ron would say "Bugrit, millennium hand an' shrimp..." . Better luck next time.
Bless the candor of children, they always tell you when they dislike something. Glad I kept that trait in myself as I grew up. I know absolutely no shame in speech.
aww, dont worry i thought it was funny
I've been told that "poo poo" and "pee pee" jokes still carry some weight in the diaper & freshly potty-trained circuits.
Michael Richards is currently touring that sort of laden set to packed houses throughout the lower states.
I am reminded of Baby Cakes.
541659
541659
541659>>542205>>542671 Did I miss the memo? Is it International Change Your Avatar Day already?
543061 Personally, I wanted something more unique than something I threw together with Pony Creator, and I figured one of the most menacing villains that I grew up with was something personal and unique.
543061 Eeyup
543061
My avatar is a gift from an author named Pascal.
He really captured my eyes. And missing ear.
Well I doubt they got the socks reference, even if they understood the satire. Perhaps something with loud and lumbering words, fun verse and a lot of stuff that's just generally fun to say out loud, regardless of whether it means much (though if you've read enough children's fiction, you'd know it always means quite a lot), would have been better to read to them. You make me want to try my hand at something, but I know that kids are too smart for me to write for; I liked "Sisters" anyway, haha
541385 I think if you're asking for an explanation, you're a million miles away from the answer. But I like theory as much as the next guy so I think my last comment's got some teeth, if you want something to chew over...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VOdv2RE4jg <---- also this; his kids loved it, my parent's kid loved it (the kid in me still loves it). Study it, love it, and maybe you could write something for kids. I hope you do, I should like to join you.
Also, J.R breaking the fourth wall!?