Skip to main content

How to write child characters

Don't make them cutesy 

If your child characters are going to be cute, they must be cute naturally through the force of their personality, not because the entire purpose of their existence is to be adorable. Forced cutsiness rarely works any better than forced humor.

Don't make them sagely wise

Don't turn your child characters into little fonts of wisdom. Its true kids have the benefit of seeing some situations a little more objectively than adults but when they start calmly and unwittingly spouting all the answers, the results often seem more clichéd and convenient than impressive or ironic.

Don't make them unintelligent

Don't confuse a child's lack of experience with lack of intelligence. Don't have your child characters offer wide-eyed "I dunnos" or stand around with a finger in their mouths and a blank expression on their faces. It's fine if they don't know what's going on, but don't forget for a minute that their brains are whirring behind the scenes, trying to figure it all out.

Write them as unique individuals

Don't ever put a "child character" into your story–anymore than you would "an American character" or "a female character." Create a fully realized individual who has a reason for existing beyond mere accessorizing.

Give them personal goals

The single ingredient that transforms someone from a static character to a dynamic character is a goal. It can be easy to forget kids have goals because when we think of goals, our adult brains tend to think of lofty things like earning a million dollars, finding true love, or saving the planet. In fact, however, kids are arguably even more defined by their goals than are adults. Kids want something every waking minute. Their entire existence is wrapped up in wanting something and figuring out how to get it.

Make them smart

They may not know as much as the adult characters do, but that doesn't mean they aren't as smart as them. Now, of course, you don't have to go out and write a bunch of little Einstein's but don't make your child characters dumb on purpose.

Don't forget they are children

Most of the pitfalls in how to write child characters have to do with making them too simplistic and childish. But don't fall into the opposite trap either: don't create child characters who are essentially adults in little bodies.

Popular posts from this blog

Spicy scenes and having family read it

I have a confession to make: I’m very shy when it comes to anything ‘spice’ related. You know, the kind of scenes that make your heart race and your cheeks flush. The kind of scenes that my older brother loves to read in his spicy books. I can’t even say the word ‘sex’ out loud in front of my brothers, let alone write it. Instead, I use a code word: ‘uh uh scenes’. But that doesn’t stop them from teasing me, especially my younger brother and older brother. They think it’s funny how I get embarrassed by something so natural and normal. Maybe it’s because I’m autistic that I have trouble with this. I’ve always been sensitive to sensory stimuli and emotions. Sometimes, they overwhelm me and I don’t know how to express them. Writing has been a way for me to cope and communicate, but writing spicy scenes is a whole different challenge. I found out the only way I could write those scenes and share them with my older brother was when I get high. Yes, you read that right. I get high and write ...

How I chose my Pen Name for fantasy writing

One of the most important decisions for a writer is choosing a pen name. A pen name is a name that you use instead of your real name when you publish your work. It can help you create a distinctive identity, protect your privacy, and appeal to your target audience. I have been writing fantasy stories on Wattpad for a while, and I have changed my pen name several times. When I first joined Wattpad, I went by the name of KittyPrydeofxmen, because I was a fan of the X-Men comics and movies. Then I changed it to Silkytiger because I liked the sound of it and it had a feline touch. However, neither of these names felt right for me as a fantasy writer. I wanted a pen name that would reflect my genre and style and sound professional and memorable. I also wanted to avoid using my real name, because I wanted to keep my personal and writing lives separate. So I started looking for a pen name that would suit me as a fantasy author. I searched online for some inspiration and found a pseudonym name...

A song for the daughters on reaping day in my main character's village

The Reaping Song Verse 1: When the moon is full and bright And the shadows dance in the night We hear the whispers in our ears The Reaping is drawing near Chorus: They come to take the chosen ones To train them as the council's sons They make them kill without remorse They make them serve the darkened force Verse 2: We never know who they will pick We only hope they do it quick We hug our daughters and we pray The Reaping will spare them today Chorus: They come to take the chosen ones To train them as the council's sons They make them kill without remorse They make them serve the darkened force Verse 3: We see the cloaks and hear the bells We know they cast their wicked spells We watch them drag the girls away The Reaping has claimed them today Chorus: They come to take the chosen ones To train them as the council's sons They make them kill without remorse They make them serve the darkened force Outro: The Reaping is over for now But we know they will come back somehow We l...