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Hiya, friends and writers! It’s Kidlitbot here. I’m brand-new to your world, recently created by my editor-friend Alli Brydon! As she’s been oiling my joints, polishing my chrome, and booting up my systems, I’ve had a chance to take a peek around your human world a little bit. And boy, is it full of awesome stuff! Dogs, amusement parks, beaches, outer space, school…Twitter. I want to learn about it all! And I’ve heard that you folks love telling stories.
So, Alli and I have decided to bring you #kidlitbot. Here: I’ll let her tell you more about it, since it was kinda her idea.
Since starting my new children’s book editorial business, Alli Brydon Creative, I’ve been thinking about ways I can give back to a community which has given so much to me over the span of my career. So, I dreamed up #kidlitbot with the hopes of bringing more children’s book stories into the world! There are quite a few great picture book writing challenges already out there (like Tara’s own Storystorm), which energize authors to conceptualize book ideas and execute them. But I wanted to offer a new kind of challenge to kidlit writers, one that supplies prompts to help inspire those who might be stuck for ideas.
Introducing…#kidlitbot, your weekly kidlit writing prompt!
At 9am each Monday, we will post to Twitter a little tidbit to inspire you to start a writing exercise which will then hopefully wind up as a story. #kidlitbot is an idea generator for authors, illustrators, and author-illustrators to use as a springboard to write a first draft. If the prompt inspires you, please feel free to “like” it, retweet it, or comment on it using the hashtag. You can even, if you’re comfortable doing so, post a line or two from your work-in-progress. Our hope—mine and Kidlitbot’s—is that our kernels of ideas will encourage and aid you in your writing process.
OK, back to you, Bot!
Thanks, Alli. 😊 (← I just learned about emojis while she was talking to you!) And big thanks to Tara for allowing us to spread the word here on her blog.
The best way to participate is to follow Alli on Twitter @allibrydon and look out for the hashtag #kidlitbot (named after me) every Monday morning! Write me some cool stories, OK guys?
Alli Brydon is an independent editorial professional located in the New York City area. With nearly 15 years of experience developing, editing, and selling children’s books with US publishing houses, she has spent a large part of her career nurturing writers and illustrators to reach their potential. Having worked both as an acquiring editor and as an agent for children’s book author/illustrators, Alli has a unique blend of skills and an insider’s view of the industry which she brings to all projects. Please drop in at allibrydon.com to learn more to say “hi!”
History Lessons
Juliet Dupree snuck into Mr. Forman’s classroom before the morning bell and wrote Mr. Snoreman on the blackboard. When Tristan sat next to her, she’d nudge his arm, nod toward the front of the room, and take credit.
Everyone knew that Mr. Forman’s monotone lectures came straight from the textbook, word for dreary word. He cradled the teacher’s guide with his left arm while he pointed to the ceiling with his right, appearing only slightly more animated than the Statue of Liberty.
The huddled masses of 1st period American History yearned to be free of boredom, so Tristan organized daily pranks. Yesterday the entire class dropped their textbooks on the floor at precisely 8:10am…and received empty detention threats at 8:11am.
When Juliet reached for her book, she had noticed it was published the year she was born. That was odd; she was pretty certain that something historically meaningful had happened in the past 13 years. After all, Tristan had kissed her. That might not make it into the next edition of An American Account Volume II, but it would launch an unpredictable new chapter in her own history, threatening full-out war as soon as Tristan’s girlfriend found out.
This flash fiction piece is in response to the Imagine Monday writing prompt posted last Friday. Join us every week for a new writing exercise.
When I came up with this week’s prompt, I immediately drifted back to my 9th grade American History class. The tale above isn’t far from what occurred in the classroom. My friend arranged pranks on a near-daily basis. One day a classmate discovered that he owned the same digital Casio watch as our teacher, so he set the alarm to go off in class. Our teacher fumbled at his wrist, wondering why he couldn’t get the beeping to stop. Such adolescent nonsense has a way of escalating into legend, and in the hyperbole of memory, I recall this little trick baffling our teacher for months.
An eclectic list of 99 things that children like was given to me by a writing friend last year after she attended a conference. The list was courtesy of children’s sports author Andy Gutelle…and here I’ve added 400+ more (and more)! I hope this list gives a spark to your writing for children, but I wonder what it will do to my search engine hits?!
If you like this page, follow its visual companion on Pinterest:
http://pinterest.com/taralazar/things-kids-like/
Note: this list is more targeted toward picture-book-age children (8 and under) than tweens (9-12) or teens.
(And also check out the list of things kids don’t like.)
- 3D Movies
- Acrobats
- Air Hockey
- Airplanes
- Aliens (See I THOUGHT THIS WAS A BEAR BOOK)
- Allowance
- Amusement Parks
- Aquariums
- Arts & Crafts
- Astronauts
- Autumn Leaves
- Awards
- Babies
- Backpacks
- Bacon
- Badminton
- Baggy Clothes
- Balloon Animals
- Balloons
- Band-Aids
- Basketball
- Bathroom Humor
- BB Guns
- Beaches
- Beanbag Chairs
- Bears (See I THOUGHT THIS WAS A BEAR BOOK)
- Being Independent
- Being Older Than Another Kid
- Being Loved
- Being Right
- Bicycles
- Binoculars
- Birthdays
- Blanket Forts
- Blimps
- Bling
- Blocks
- BMX Bikes
- Board Books
- Board Games
- Boas
- Bobble-heads
- Booby Traps
- Boogie Boards
- Books! (of course)
- Bubble Baths
- Bubble Gum
- Bubblers (Water Fountains)
- Bubbles
- Bubble Wrap
- Bugs
- Building Things
- Buried Treasure
- Burping
- Butter
- Butterflies
- Buttons
- Cabooses
- Cake
- Campfires
- Candy
- Caps
- Capes and Cloaks
- Car Washes
- Caramel
- Carnivals
- Carousels
- Cars
- Cartoons
- Cartwheels
- Car Washes
- Castanets
- Castles
- Cats
- Cell Phones
- Cheeseburgers
- Chicken Nuggets
- Chimpanzees
- Chinchillas
- Chocolate
- Christmas & Hanukkah
- Churros
- The Circus
- Clay
- Coins
- Collecting Cards
- Collections
- Coloring
- Comets
- Comic Books
- Comic Strips
- Compasses
- Computers
- Contests
- Constellations
- Construction Toys
- Construction Trucks
- Convertibles
- Cookies
- Corn Mazes
- Costumes
- Cotton Candy
- Crafts
- Crayons
- Creepy Things
- Cuddly Toys
- Cupcakes
- Cymbals
- Dancing
- Dandelions
- Dares
- Daydreaming
- Dessert (see WAY PAST BEDTIME)
- Dinosaurs
- Disco Balls
- Disney
- Dogs
- Dollhouses
- Dolphins
- Donkeys
- Doughnuts
- Doughnut Holes
- Dragons
- Drawing
- Dreams
- Dress Up
- Drums
- Easter Egg Hunts
- Eclipses
- Egg Creams
- Elephants
- Endangered Species
- Engines
- Exploring
- Extreme Sports
- Face Painting
- Fairies
- Fairy Tales
- Farm Animals
- Fast Food
- Feathers
- Fencing
- Field Trips
- Figure Skating (See LITTLE RED GLIDING HOOD)
- Finger Paints
- Finger Puppets
- Firetrucks
- Fireworks
- Fishing Poles
- Fitting In
- Flannel Pajamas
- Flashlights
- Flutes
- Flying
- Follow the Leader
- Football
- Forts
- Fortune Cookies
- Fractured Fairy Tales (see I THOUGHT THIS WAS A BEAR BOOK and LITTLE RED GLIDING HOOD)
- French Fries
- French Toast
- Fried Food
- Friends
- Frogs
- Fun Houses
- Funnel Cakes
- Funny Words
- The Future
- Gadgets & Gizmos
- Games
- Geocaching
- Ghost Stories
- Giants
- Gifts
- Giggling
- Gingerbread Houses (and Men)
- Glitter
- Glow in the Dark Things
- Go-Carts
- Going Somewhere Without Parents
- Going to a Ballgame
- Goldfish
- Goofing Off
- Gorillas
- Graham Crackers
- Grandparents
- Graphic Novels
- Gross, Slimy Things
- Guinea Pigs (Cavies)
- Guitars
- Gummi Bears, Worms, etc.
- Gymnastics
- Gyroscopes
- Half Days
- Halloween
- Hammerhead Sharks
- Hamsters
- Hand Buzzers
- Harmonicas
- Harps
- Harry Potter
- Hats
- Haunted Houses
- Having Their Voice Heard
- Headbands (Hairbands)
- Hedgehogs
- Hermit Crabs
- Hidden Pictures
- Hiding Places (Hide-n-Seek)
- Highlights Magazine
- Hobby Horses
- Holidays
- Honey
- Hopscotch
- Horses
- Hot Air Balloons
- Hot Cocoa (Chocolate)
- Hot Dogs
- Hula Hoops
- Humming
- Hummingbirds
- Ice Cream
- Ice Pops
- Ice Skating (See LITTLE RED GLIDING HOOD)
- Icicles
- Icing
- Igloos
- Ignoring Adults
- Imaginary Friends
- Independence
- Insects
- Instant Messaging
- The Internet
- Inventing Things
- Invisibility
- iPods, iPhones, iPads
- Italian Ices
- Jack-in-the-Box
- Jack-0-Lanterns
- Jacks
- Japanese Erasers
- Jawbreakers
- Jelly Beans
- Jelly Donuts
- Jokes
- Jugglers
- Jumping
- Jump Ropes
- Kaleidoscopes
- Karate
- Keychains
- Kickball
- Kid Celebrities
- Kids Just Like Them
- Kings and Queens
- Kites
- Knights
- Knock-Knock Jokes
- Knocking Things Down
- Knowing More than Everyone Else
- Ladybugs
- Legos
- Licorice
- Lighthouses
- Lizards
- Locked Boxes
- Lockets
- Log Flumes
- Lollipops
- Lightning Bugs (Fireflies)
- Macaroni
- Magic Tricks
- Magic Spells
- Magnets
- Mail Addressed to Them
- Making Fun of Others
- Making Noise
- Malteds/Malted Milk Balls
- Manga
- Maracas
- Marbles
- Marching
- Markers
- Marshmallows
- Martial Arts
- Marzipan
- Mascots
- Mazes
- Meatballs
- Medals
- Megaphones
- Mermaids
- Merry-Go-Rounds
- Meteor Showers
- Mice
- Microphones
- Milkshakes
- Minecraft
- Mini Golf
- Miniatures
- Money
- Monsters (and THE MONSTORE!)
- The Moon
- Moon Boots
- Moon Bounces
- Morphing Objects
- Movies
- Mud (and mudpies)
- Mummies
- Museums
- Music
- Mysteries
- Nachos
- Nannies (sometimes)
- Naps (sometimes)
- Narwhals
- Nature
- Necklaces
- Neon Lights
- Nicknames
- Ninjas
- Novelty Books
- Nutella
- The Ocean
- Ogres
- Orangutans (see NORMAL NORMAN)
- Origami
- Outer Space
- Packing Peanuts
- Pancakes (Flapjacks)
- Paper Airplanes
- Paper Football
- Parachutes
- Parrots
- Parties (see WAY PAST BEDTIME)
- Peace Signs
- Pebbles
- Penguins
- Pennies
- Peppermint
- Petit Fours
- Picture Books
- Pie Eating Contests
- Pies in the Face (not theirs!)
- Piggy Banks
- Pillow Fights
- Piñatas
- Pinecones
- Pinwheels
- Pipecleaners
- Pirates
- Pixar Movies
- Pizza
- Planetariums
- Playdates
- Playgrounds
- Pogo Sticks
- Pony Rides
- Pools
- Pop-up Books
- Popcorn
- Popsicles (and Popsicle Sticks)
- Poptropica
- Pop Stars
- Porch Swings
- Posters
- Pretending
- Princesses
- Prizes
- Puddles
- Pumpkin Picking
- Puns (see 7 ATE 9: THE UNTOLD STORY)
- Puppets
- Puzzles
- Rabbits
- Race Cars
- Rainbows
- Rainforests
- Recess
- Red Light, Green Light
- Relay Races
- Repeating What You Say
- Reptiles
- Rhymes
- Ribbons
- Robots
- Rock Stars
- Rockets
- Roller Coasters
- Roller Skates
- Routines
- Rubber Bands (and Rubber Band Balls)
- Sailboats
- Sand Castles
- Sandboxes
- Seashells
- Scary Stories
- School Dances
- School Lunchtime
- Science Experiments (see NORMAL NORMAN)
- Scooters
- Sea Horses
- Sea Turtles
- Secrets
- Secret Codes
- Secret Passageways
- See-saws
- Series Fiction
- Sequins
- Shadow Puppets
- Sharing Music
- Sharks
- Shiny Things
- Shoe Boxes
- Shooting Stars
- Sibling Rivalry
- Sidewalk Chalk
- Silly Bandz
- Silly Words
- Singing
- Skateboards
- Skeeball
- Skeletons
- Skim Boards
- Skipping
- Skyscrapers
- Skywriting
- Sleeping Bags
- Sleeping Late
- Sleepovers
- Slides
- Slingshots
- Slime
- Slugs
- Slurpees
- Slush
- Smiley Faces
- S’mores
- Snow Days
- Snowball Fights
- Snowboards
- Snowmen
- Soapbox Derbys
- Soccer
- Sock Monkeys
- Soda (Pop)
- Somersaults
- Spaghetti
- Sparkles
- Sparklers
- Spider Webs
- Spitballs
- Sprinklers
- Sprinkles
- Squirt Guns
- Squirting Flowers
- Squishies
- Staying Up Late (see WAY PAST BEDTIME)
- Stickers
- Stilts
- Stopwatches
- Straws
- Stuffed Animals
- Summer Camp
- Sundaes
- Sunshowers
- Super Heroes
- Super Powers
- Superstitions
- Surfing
- Surprises
- Swimming
- Swings
- Swords
- Syrup
- Tae Kwon Do
- Tadpoles
- Tag
- Tall Tales
- Teasing
- Telescopes
- Television
- Telling Lies
- Temporary Tattoos
- Tents
- Texting
- Tickling
- Tide Pools
- Tie-Dyes
- Time Capsules
- Time Travel
- Tire Swings
- Tongue Twisters
- The Tooth Fairy
- Their Own Space
- Toys
- Toy Guns
- Trains
- Trampolines
- Trap Doors
- Trapeze Artists
- Treasure Hunts
- Treehouses
- Trophies
- Turtles
- Twisting the Truth
- Unicorns
- Unicycles
- Unwrapping a Gift
- Vacation
- Vampires
- Velcro
- Video Games
- Villains
- Volcanoes
- Waffles
- Wagons
- Walkie-Talkies
- Water Fountains
- Water Slides (and Water Parks)
- Watermelon
- Waves
- Weekends
- Weird Stuff
- Wellies (Rainboots)
- Whales
- Whirlygigs
- Whistles
- Wind Chimes
- Winning Contests
- Winning Games
- Wishing Wells
- Wizards
- Word Searches
- X-ray Vision
- Xylophones
- YouTube
- Yo-Yos
- Zebras
- Zig-Zags
- Zombies
- Zoos
Writing for Kids (While Raising Them) 