This week, we finally managed to install our new (not new ) item of furniture - a mid-18th Century grandfather clock. It's not bright and shiny like more modern ones, but a dark oak with a warm patina which the beeswax polish is drawing out. In order to set it up, we had to do a certain amount of research - how to hang the pendulum, where the weight went on the endless chain - and it got me thinking... where and when did certain divisions of time come from? The time periods which I have written either had household clocks or didn't, I have not written novels from the time of their invention. Clocks have been around for a long time, and the obsession with measuring time in an ordered fashion dates back to at least the ancient Sumerians. It was they who established a circular reading of time and, I imagine, the sixty seconds/minutes came about as much because it was an easy way to divide a circle as anything else. But it wasn't until much later that the precision of seconds ...
Why is it that, when you're teaching genres to children, you go through historical, fantasy, science fiction, adventure... and so on... and then... non-fiction. You go into detail about all the wonderful types of fiction, and then non-fiction gets lumped in together.
Perhaps because there are too many genres of non-fiction to count. I can't even name them all. So, with that in mind, I will attempt to write a single blog post about non-fiction.
What is the most challenging aspect of middle grade non-fiction?
For me, personally, the most challenging part is making the facts fun and engaging for children. It's a different skill writing facts for children rather than adults. Think back to when you were a child. If you picked up a dry wall of text, it might have put you off non-fiction for life. So, what can we do to ensure our non-fiction books grip children's attention?
Fun Language
Think Horrible Histories. Some of the facts in those books might not interest some kids, but they are written in a fun and humorous way. Children, in general, love funny things! They love reading things that they can tell to their classmates and have a bit of a laugh. The social currency of the playground is laughter. If you can (intentionally) make people laugh, you know you're onto something.
Consider Alternative Ways of Writing Non-fiction
By this, I mean... can you write facts through a story? Or perhaps through a diary entry. I'm currently writing a non-fiction middle grade book about how stars are formed, but I'm writing it like an autobiography of a star, with thoughts and feelings to offset the concepts of physics and astronomy.
Keep the Page Short and Sweet
If you're in charge of the illustrations too, make sure they take up half the page. When I wrote Tour of the Solar System, the writing on each page is only a paragraph or two, with the rest of the space (pardon the pun) as a picture. By ensuring there is not a wall of text on the page, it will be instantly more engaging for younger readers.
Use Pictures
Speaking of pictures, illustrations are your friends! Have you ever heard the saying, "A picture tells a thousand words." It is true! Diagrams work really well in non-fiction, and they provide a good teaching point too.
Use Interactive Resources
We, at Crowvus, are experimenting with QR codes in books, leading to videos or other interactive material. Children love interactive things, so this could really boost their enjoyment levels. Consider including quizzes or perhaps a related board game at the end of your book.
I know this is only a short blog on such a massive topic, but it's a start. Writing non-fiction for children is rewarding and fun, not to mention a great way to learn or consolidate your knowledge on a topic!
What's New With Crowvus?
Our ghost story competition is live! We had a bit of a fluster today as the payment options weren't working, but it should all be sorted now. Find out more here!
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