By Gloria G. Adams
This year, I decided to dip my toe into the pond of chapter book series writing. There was a lot to learn!
My new series is just beginning, and I’m not sure how
successful it will be, but I’m enjoying the journey.
My main character is
Silvee Spoon, junior chef, who loves cooking and science and uses both to solve
a mystery in each book. She gets help from her triplet siblings, Parker and
Trina, along with their fluffy cat, Hashbrown. Because, you know, cats.
Check out Silvee’s website, too!
www.silveespoon.com
So, if you’re thinking about it, here are some tips to get
you started.
Read as many chapter book series as
possible.
Analyze writing styles, vocabulary, voice, subjects, chapter
length, word counts, descriptions, settings. I like to write out what happens
in each chapter. How does the author build tension? How many characters?
Make sure your main characters solve the problem/overcome
the obstacles. Don’t let their parents or teachers bail them out.
Chapters and sentences should be short. Word count varies, and
some sources will give as broad a figure as 4,000-15,000 words. One editor I
met at a conference was asking for submissions between 5,000 and 8,000 words,
so I aim for somewhere in that range.
Know your target audience, which is typically ages 6-10.
Make your characters memorable; give them individual traits,
habits, skills, passions.
Aim for a familiar setting (think Wayside School, Capitol
Mysteries) or a jumping off place (Magic Tree House) or a traveling vehicle
like the Magic School Bus.
Also aim for consistency, especially with characters.
If you plan to write a proposal for a series to traditional
publishers, you’ll need to give them titles and ideas for at three to five more
books in your series, along with comparable titles of other series.
It’s a lot of planning!
Here are a couple of good articles on writing chapter book
series. Best of luck to you if you decide to go down this road!
https://www.writersandartists.co.uk/advice/writing-for-younger-readers-and-chapter-books
https://bethandersonwriter.com/2022/03/25/behind-the-scenes-how-to-write-a-chapter-book-series-by-christine-evans/
