10 Reasons Why I Enjoy Writing For Children By Dawn-Maria France

1 June 2017

Dawn-Maria France is an accomplished, award-winning journalist and travel writer who is passionate about children's and women's rights, equality and diversity. She is Editor-in-Chief of a successful news magazine: Yorkshire Women's Life and a broadcasting veteran with experience on BBC and Sky TV and radio. Prior to journalism, Dawn-Maria was a youth worker in Yorkshire.

Dawn-Maria France

I’ve written my first children's picture-book for 4 - 7 year olds, about a strong, independent little girl called Jenny – the naughtiest girl in Yorkshire – and Philip – a talking cat.

Perfect for adults to read to pre-school children, or for youngsters to read for themselves, this is the first in a series of books about Jenny’s life-learning journey with wise Philip, the cat.

How did the book develop?

Creative life. As a former youth worker, I ran writing workshops for young children. Now a journalist and children’s author, I’d like to inspire young readers to love reading and live their lives well.

Female lead. Jenny is loveable and headstrong. I wanted the main character to be a strong little girl, with faults like everyone, but with an ability to listen and learn.

She keeps her sparky personality, though!

Sense of place. The book is set in the North of England. As a Northern woman, a sense of place and home is important to me, and I’d like children to recognise that books can be set anywhere.

Modern morality tale. I wanted to write an original, uplifting children’s story that follows Jenny’s journey of life-learning. Interwoven with humour, the book guides children through basic ethics and morality, to understand their place in the world.

Developing character and plot. I wanted engaging characters and a storyline that instils happiness. I played around with characters and tried out several until I found ones that work. I looked at their relationships and interaction, finding balance and contrast.

Bonding with the character. I developed a real love for Jenny's character over the process of writing, liking her mischievousness whilst developing her ability to listen and learn. I enjoyed building the relationship between Jenny and Philip, and thought carefully about how the story should flow to engage the young reader.

Before even putting pen to paper, I researched a lot. If you write for children, it’s important to know your genre, and read different books. I talked to young children and read my work to them. They are my market and their response is key. I made sure that I captured their pattern of speech and used vocabulary suitable for 4 -7 year olds’ reading ages.

Time and care. I’m not afraid to re-draft. I take guidance from editors and accept suggestions and advice – even from toddlers! I made note upon note, and even sketched out the characters. I was lucky enough to find a brilliant children's book illustrator and we worked closely to marry the images with my words and bring the story to life.

Advice for children's writers. Never give up! It takes time, writing for a young readership, but it’s rewarding when you see children's reactions! Hard work, but worth it!

Where Next? Later this year, I will produce a follow-up book continuing Jenny's and Philip’s adventures. I'm excited to introduce new characters and different themes. There are so many issues affecting young children in today's society and I want to explore them in a fun and uplifting way, engendering a joy of reading in children who read my books.