Are your children passionate about writing? Have they ever told you that they want to become famous book writers when they grow up?
Provide support to your kids and help them achieve their dreams – offer them to write a nonfiction book and publish it online. Who knows, maybe your son or daughter will be the next Ernest Hemingway or Jane Austen!
Here are a few writing tips that will help your children to start a writing career at a young age.
9 Nonfiction Book Writing Tips for Children
1. Set a writing goal
Why have your kids decided to write a nonfiction book? What message do they want to deliver? Ask them these questions before they immerse themselves in writing.
Book writing is a big challenging project, and your kids should have a strong motivation to complete it. Can they imagine how much time, effort, patience, focus, and determination will take them to see their work through to publication? Your children must have a big, noble goal that will inspire them to keep moving forward.
Let’s say your son has dyslexia. He wants to write a book about his journey to reading. What is his noble goal? The goal is to inspire other kids with dyslexia to scale up their skills.
2. Identify the audience
Kids should have a clear understanding not only of why they are writing a book but also for whom they are writing a book. Do your children want to craft a good read for their peers, younger kids, parents, or teachers?
Depending on to whom the book is addressed, young writers will need to choose a suitable writing style and use relevant vocabulary. Books for little kids should be written in a fun, engaging manner. Books for adult readers should be written in a formal language.
3. Decide on nonfiction genre
At the next stage, kids should decide a nonfiction book of what type they want to create. Essential genres of nonfiction books include the following:
- Memoirs, biographies, and autobiographies
- History
- Travel guides and travelogues
- Self-help and instruction
- Guides and how-to manuals
4. Choose a topic
Probably one of the most challenging tasks for inexperienced book writers is to choose a topic to discuss. The topic must be relevant to the readers’ interests and must match the writers’ field of expertise.
For instance, if your daughter is a ballet dancer, she can write a book on a ballet-related topic – she is a little expert in this field. But she can’t write a book about baseball since she knows nothing or little about this bat-and-ball game.
5. Enroll in a writing course
If your son or daughter is serious about pursuing a writing career, they should learn from the best experts in the field. Find an online nonfiction book writing course and encourage your kids to complete it.
It will allow your kids to get a clear understanding of the fundamental principles of book writing. And it will be easier for them to start working on their first big project.
6. Leverage digital tools and apps
Modern writers use editing and proofreading tools and apps on a regular basis. So if your kids want to become book writers, they also should learn how to use services like GrabMyEssay and TopEssayWriting and apps like Grammarly and Hemingway app.
Some parents wrongly believe that these digital solutions hold kids back from mastering writing skills. However, it’s not true. AI-powered and other tools help kids catch their own mistakes and polish their writing.
7. Overcome the fear of a blank page/screen
Some kids have both: a hidden book writing talent and the fear of a blank page. They do really want to express themselves in writing, but they can’t overcome the fear that prevents them from making the first step.
Your task is to explain to your kids that this fear is a common thing – all young writers have to overcome it. Encourage your children to complete the following steps:
- Start with writing a title – turn a blank page into the page with the text.
- Outline intro and conclusion – think about how you can present your topic to the reader and what concluding message you want to deliver.
- Add random thoughts – discuss the key issue from different perspectives.
- Create a clear structure and finalize the connections of various points – shape your ideas into a book.
8. Keep it simple
Your children shouldn’t try to use sophisticated words and one-of-a-kind metaphors in order to impress the readers. They should keep their writing sweet and simple.
Why it’s so important? Even brilliant kids don’t know how to use some idiom and rarely-used words the right way. So it’s better to avoid these words rather than misuse them.
Besides, modern readers strive for simplicity and avoid complexity in writing. So if a nonfiction book will be written in a simple language, it will be more likely to win the audience’s attention.
9. Don’t feel ashamed to ask for help
No matter how old your kids are, and how talented they are, they might face problems working on their book writing project. You, as a parent, should explain to your kids that they shouldn’t feel ashamed to ask for help. Even professional nonfiction book writers get assistance from the experts in the field – there is nothing to be embarrassed about.
Make it clear to your kids that they can ask for help of any kind. Also, make it obvious that you are not the only person who can provide adequate assistance.
Kids can brainstorm new topics with their friends, proofread texts with their teachers, and discuss new chapters with research paper writing experts. Once your kids feel that they get enough support, they will fully reveal their writing talents.
In conclusion
Here is a quick reminder for you. Don’t put too high expectations on your children’s first nonfiction book. Your children will not become famous authors overnight.
Be there for your kids when they need you the most. Show them how much you appreciate their work – and that will be enough to make your kids happy.
If your kids keep practicing in book writing, sooner or later, they will achieve big success. And your family will be extremely proud of them.
Bio: Nicole D. Garrison is a content writer and strategist for a number of venues, including Supreme Dissertations and LiveInspiredMagazine, as well as numerous forums and blogs on a myriad of topics. She is a solid researcher with an interest in almost any topic that impacts people, the environment, and societal health.
