Jackie French's writing tips for kids

Jackie French has written more books than we could ever list here and you've probably heard of more than one or two.  The Diary of a Wombat, Hitler's Daughter and How the Aliens from Alpha Centauri Invaded my maths class and turned me into a writer: and how you can be one too are three from her long, long list. 

Some of Jackie's tips from her website are included below. For all of Jackie French's writing tips, as well as a complete list of her books and lots of other resources, visit her website: www.jackiefrench.com  Your teacher might find it useful as well.

WRITING TIPS by JACKIE FRENCH

- THINK about your story before you write it: no matter how good your writing is.

- Don't over write.
It took me years to realise that being good with words can actually be a handicap if you want to be a good writer!

I'm very good with words. I can make words stand on their heads and wiggle their toes. But beautiful writing doesn't make a good story.  IDEAS make a good story- and if the story itself isn't good, no amount of good writing will make it interesting.

Sometimes, too, people who are good with words over write- they use more words than they need to tell the story. Use AS FEW WORDS AS YOU CAN, even if every one of them is beautiful. Words can really get in the way of the story.  (On the other hand someone who is brilliant with words can weave a story out of almost nothing..but that's ALMOST nothing... the story must be there, and the words will just be doing a perfect job of telling it)

p.s. If the reader ever stops to say, hey, wow, isn't that expression wonderful, you have failed as a writer. A writer's job is to get the reader so involved in the world they are creating that they are aware of nothing else- even the words used to create the story.

Stunning writing should only be obvious when the reader has already read the story at least three times, and can now concentrate on how the book was made.