Writing Kid Characters in Children’s Books
by Mary Kole | Former literary agent, now a freelance editor, writing teacher, and IP/story developer for major publishers and creators.
If you dream of writing books for children, you must have a specific affinity for kid characters. Kid protagonists, after all, anchor every children’s book in today’s market. Keep in mind that children differ from adults in many splendid ways—they are not just “little adults” in smaller bodies. For some writers, it’s easy to conjure up their childhoods through the written word, but for others, writing kid characters requires continuous effort and thought. This is perhaps the most important thing to get right when you’re writing a children’s book that features kid characters.
Access Your Memories to Write Kid Characters
Understanding the mindset of a child who is the same age as your kid characters is essential. Kids have exceptional lie-detector abilities. It's tough to sound authentic with them because they are so deeply involved in their lives that they can easily identify adult writers who are trying to create kid characters without deeply relating. (Parents get called out for not understanding their own kids all the time!)
Many drawn to writing children's books have a strong connection to the stories they tell—they remember the joy, innocence, and adventure of being a child, and have something to share about that experience via the kid characters they create. But even if you don't have children of your own, it's important to reconnect with the inner child inside you to get the best results when writing for young readers.
If you’re having trouble connecting to your inner child, you might want to try journaling. Think back through your history and remember what mattered to you at different ages. Be yourself and just let it flow. (Oh, how we know that's easier said than done!)
If you want to write for a certain age group, the key is to make sure you don’t just approach it from an adult mindset. After a long, deep sleep, you may find that words start to flow and ideas, memories, and feelings emerge. The key to success is to keep doing this—focus on what it was like to be a part of that age group. Remember your own childhood and pour those memories into your kid characters.
Other Ways to Flesh Out Kid Characters
Another method to flesh out your kid characters—if your access to your own childhood memories is a bit rusty—is to spend time around living, breathing children. Obviously, not in a creepy way, and this exercise is better with kids you know—and who know you, which fosters trust and honesty. You can offer to help with story time at the library, hang out with your nieces and nephews, or offer to host a sleepover for your teenager. Don't lurk in the background and try to engage with them, even if they don’t outright welcome you right away. Open your listening ears and your perceptive eyes.
Childhood has certainly evolved in the last few decades. Although the core emotions of childhood may remain similar, the plot of modern childhood has shifted dramatically. There are now entirely new challenges to contend with, such as cyberbullying. Our planet has changed, too, and become both frightening and fascinating at the same time.
Reach out to your inner child, and be sure to converse with the children of today as well. They are overflowing with information and are eager to divulge their own stories, provided you show them a sincere curiosity for their lives. You can then use the insights you glean to write your kid characters.
Read Successful Kid Characters
Another way to learn how to write child characters is to read them. It’s probably been a while since you’ve stepped into the waters of kidlit yourself, and you might feel silly reading children’s books as an adult, but don’t! Not sure what to read? Look no further than award winners — authors at the top of their craft, encompassing all age ranges, genres and styles. Give the Caldecott, Coretta Scott King, Newbery, Printz, Belpré, Stonewall, Morris award winners and honorees a try, for starters. The ALA has tons of awards and lists.
Kid Characters By Age Group: Picture Book
When writing kid characters in picture books, remember that children are still learning and growing. Their lives are centered around family and home, and they're continually taking instructions from teachers and parents.
Kids in this age group need stories that empower and inspire them to be the stars of their own lives and to find solutions on their own. Adults can't do everything for them, but universal book themes—like love, loss, friendship, challenges, and discovering what makes them special—can create a strong connection with these young, egocentric minds.
When creating kid characters for young readers, it is essential to remember the importance of understanding their perspectives. Children under the age of three have difficulty recognizing the difference between others and themselves, and that they are not merely objects to serve their needs. Therefore, if you wish to capture the imaginations of your young readers, it is crucial to dive into their mindset and embrace their unique way of living in the moment with intense feelings.
Kid Characters in Chapter Book and Middle Grade
As kids grow, they develop independent skills (like reading!) and the kid characters you create have to be more layered and nuanced. Nowhere else is the split between child and grown-up felt so acutely as in late elementary and middle school. Middle school-aged readers (and those slightly younger) are really leaning into developing their identities. Yet they also crave a safe haven when life gets to be too much, or when they get in over their heads. To all the world, they might be confident young people … but sometimes they’d much rather run and hide under their covers or have Mama bring them hot chocolate after a rough day. Your kid characters should be written with similar tension.
Exploring identity, developing friendships, and learning that life is not always black-and-white (including the idea that parents may not always be infallible) are major milestones for late elementary kids and middle schoolers. Communication, bullying, and deciding on a personal moral code will be recurrent topics in stories that hit the most profound emotional chords.
Though most of us are glad to have left middle school and the overwhelming confusion it brings behind, it is an essential stage for middle grade kid characters to find themselves, decide who they want to become, and take the first steps in attaining that goal.
Kid Characters in Young Adult
This brings us to writing teenage characters. Contrary to popular belief, teens aren't just mini adults with less on their plates—assuming this is a huge disservice to the age group. Teenagers won’t be compelled by a romanticized portrayal of their lives, just because adults have their rose-colored glasses on about their own adolescence. Today’s teen emotions are overwhelming and the issues they face are incredibly real. Furthermore, they don't yet possess the necessary coping skills to tackle these challenges in a healthy way.
No matter how hard teens may try to prove that they know better, it's important to remember that just a few short years ago they were still kids. Your kid characters should reflect this. In the midst of the chaos of adolescence, there are also moments of clarity and insight, where teenagers can appreciate and understand the depth of their own experiences, as they begin to forge their identities. It is this vulnerability that makes YA writing—and the kid characters in YA novels—feel so alive and electric.
No matter how your kid characters grapple with the responsibilities that come with teenage-hood, or if they even choose to engage with them at all, they will still be children at heart. The complex duality that comes with writing Young Adult characters is captivating, and if you're able to capture it accurately, you'll be sure to draw in readers who yearn for vulnerability, honesty, and thought-provoking stories.
To ensure your writing meets this mark, make sure that everything you craft comes from a place of genuine emotion. And with that, I'll wrap up this pep talk in true Brené Brown fashion: Embrace authentic writing, especially when it comes to your kid characters.
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