5 Take Aways from Writing a Middle Grade series ...

The Weird Stories Gone Wrong series, 2014-2019

YES, it's almost Halloween, so here is my re-post about Weird Stories Gone Wrong, and how to write a spooky series for kids:

"4. My advice for anyone writing a  children's middle-grade series?

Write it your way from the start, however weird, different or strange it may seem at first (hey, I wrote the first book about a giant’s hand buried in a farmer’s field, if that isn’t weird, what is?). Your series template is your personal calling card, your style, your vision. Make it memorable and unforgettably yours from the first word to the last."

The above is an excerpt from my post about Quinn and the Quiet, Quiet on the Dundurn Blog, October 31, 2019. Quinn is the sixth and final book in the award-winning Weird Stories Gone Wrong series.

What's my favourite memory from this 5-year journey? What's my favourite book? How do you end a series? Did I know I was going to write 6 books when I started out? (No, on that one!)

Full blog post here: Philippa Dowding on the Dundurn Blog

It's true, the sixth and final book in my award-winning, middle-grade horror series has just been published. It's Quinn and the Quiet, Quiet, an environmental dystopia which will introduce kids to the idea of resistance, imbalance of power, and self-determination. I'm pleased with this book, something I've wanted to write for a long time.

It's hard to say goodbye to a series, but it's been an incredible joy and pleasure to create the Weird Stories Gone Wrong series over the past 5 years. The books have been called "Goosebumps from north of the Border" by Kirkus Reviews, and they've garnered three national nominations, and won honour book at the 2017 Forest of Reading celebrations in Ontario. I couldn't be more proud of all the books, or more surprised at how fast the time has flown by while creating them!

I guess time really does fly when you're having fun.

Here's my favourite illustration from Quinn:

Clem looks into the Quiet, Quiet, Illustration by Shawna Daigle

I had a wonderful publisher, thank you Dundurn Press. And a terrific illustrator, many thanks to Shawna Daigle, we've had such fun together and have vowed to find something to work on again.

More to come on Quinn, but for now: 

CM Magazine Recommends Quinn and the Quiet, Quiet
All posts about Quinn and the Quiet, Quiet on this blog
Book Trailer

To torment or not to torment your characters in children's books?

 

As a children's author, I can honestly say I've tormented all of my characters at one time or another.

Can you tell a story worth reading without torment?

This week on the Cabin Tales writing podcast, host Catherine Austen asks me and four more writers: how do you feel about tormenting your characters?

Hear the episode here: Cabin Tales on Torment 

Join children's authors Cary Fagan, Ishta Mercurio, Raquel Rivera, Kari-Lynn Winters and me as we talk about leading our young readers through the murk, with just a little torment tempered often with a dash of hope, or humour.

We also talk about plotting, endings, and how to keep writing when you're stuck in the middle of a story. Listen now!

Here is an earlier blogpost and Cabin Tales episode, in which I talk about using phobias to fuel the creative fire, using a journal and more: Cabin Tales on Spooky Stories

Writing Tips and Middle Grade Series Secrets from an Author and Illustrator ...

The award-winning Weird Stories Gone Wrong series, 2014-2018

"If you could give ten-year-old Philippa advice about writing, what would it be?..."

My new book, Alex and The Other, is now out! It's book four in the award-winning Weird Stories Gone Wrong series, horror stories for ages 8-12.

To celebrate, publisher Dundurn Press has a two part blog-post on their website this week, featuring two Q&A posts between the series illustrator, Shawna Daigle, and me.




In PART ONE I ask Shawna questions about her work as an illustrator, like this one:

"Philippa Dowding: Which book of the four books so far in the series has been the most fun for you to illustrate, and why?

Fog Monster, by Shawna Daigle

Shawna Daigle: I’d have to say Myles and the Monster Outside was still one of my favourite books to work on. I really enjoyed getting to create the fog monster who could look like anything I wanted. I tried to make him look a bit different every time I drew him, because fog is always changing and moving. It was a really fun challenge!"

And in PART TWO, Shawna asks me some great questions,
like this one:

"Shawna Daigle: If you could give ten-year-old Philippa advice about writing, what would it be?

Philippa Dowding: I guess I’d say this to myself as a ten-year-old, writer-in-waiting: don’t stop writing, even when people tell you can’t do it, or you shouldn’t do it, or you’re wasting your time (sadly, you’re going to hear all of those things). And don’t stop reading and losing yourself in stories, either. One day it’ll make sense why you’ve read The Hobbit ten times: you’re a writer!"

Shawna (left) and Philippa on stage at Forest of Reading
award-ceremony, May 2017, Toronto (we won honour book!)
Photo Courtesy Riley Murray

We pick our favourite scenes, illustrations and book in the series (they aren't the same). Plus, I talk about my favourite character (who is based on Mr. Atoz from original Star Trek), the theme of the evil twin as inspiration for Alex and The Other, and much more.

Read On! Both full Q&A posts are here: 

Secrets from an Author & Illustrator, 
PART ONE (Shawna's answers to Philippa's questions)

Secrets from an Author and Illustrator, 
PART TWO
(Philippa's answers to Shawna's Questions) 

Order ALEX AND THE OTHER online
CM Magazine REVIEW
Goodreads Reviews
Alex and The Other Book trailer featuring Shawna's illustrations
More about the Weird Stories Gone Wrong series on this blog

A few tips on writing horror for middle grade readers ...

The ghastly truth about a giant hand...

A rainy night, a haunted highway, a mysterious monster...

Are you brave enough to enter the curious maze? (Not everyone comes out)...

An evil twin, a haunted mirror, and strangers who whisper BEWARE THE OTHER...

Screaming mermaids, zombie pirates ... and do you hear the distant drums?

By September 2018, there will be FIVE books in the Weird Stories Gone Wrong Series! 

In creating this award-winning middle-grade horror series over the past few years, I've learned a thing or two about writing horror for younger kids, ages 8-12. It's fun, but there are also some considerations that I learned along the way. So here, for your amusement (and elucidation!) are some thoughts on writing horror for kids. These aren't "rules", just the template we built for this series as we went...

1. No weapons (or sharp objects) on the cover. Apparently, you can scare them silly inside (there is an illustration of a cannon and a War of 1812 soldier holding a bayonet in Carter and the Curious Maze), but no weapons or sharp objects on the front cover! Parents and grandparents buy the books, generally, and weapons might turn them off.

2. No bloodied children. Sure, you can have a soldier running through the maze dripping blood (yep, Carter and the Curious Maze again), but not kids. You can, however, have slightly singed kids smolder from the massive Grand Magazine Explosion, for some reason. But we decided that bloodied children are just too gory for this age group.

3. Adults can be creepy, but not parents. These readers are young, 8, 9, 10. They may be reading scary stuff for the first time. Giant, dismembered hands, monsters whispering outside the car, time-travel mazes, evil twins are all pretty scary, so I just couldn't make the parents in their world scary, too. I think that might be a story for a slightly older reader. There are ghost adults though (Myles and the Monster Outside), a green-goo wielding doctor (Alex and The Other), and even freak show adults. But the parents and grandparents in my series are rock solid.

4. To swear or not to swear. 
You know, I have NO problem swearing in real life (probably, I swear a little too much when it's needed), and I allowed my now-grown kids the occasional swear when the situation demanded it. But I just can't bring myself to swear in a middle-grade book. I get about as harsh as "stupid" or "shut up." Parents, librarians and teachers have told me they appreciate the restraint.

5. WHEN IN DOUBT, WEIRD OUT. 
The name of the series is Weird Stories Gone Wrong. Weird has gotten me through a lot of sticky plot holes in this series. Weird is totally okay in a horror story, in fact, I think weird makes a horror story better. If there are no weapons on the cover, no children dripping blood or cursing like sailors (or zombie pirates), and despite whatever else is going on, they can rely on their parents or caregivers ... I think you can make all the other aspects of the story as weird and scary as you like.

Whispering strangers, creepy aliens, a town gone crazy with green, shimmering eyes, screaming mermaids, a ghost walking a lonely highway looking for his lost dog, a giant, dismembered hand ... the sky's the limit. Just no bloodied children, or sharp implements on the cover! (The Mermaid Queen is rocking that bone sword in Blackwells and the Briny Deep, chapter twelve, though.)

For more Blog Posts on Weird Stories Gone Wrong
PRE-ORDER Book 4, Alex and The Other, Coming MARCH 31/2018
PRE-ORDER Book 5, Blackwells and the Briny Deep, Coming SEPT 23/2018

The Secret to Being a Writer and 3 tips for the Seepe Walters Writing Contest ...

Watch the video to find out the SECRET TO BEING A WRITER ... (and 3 writing tips)

Kids in grades 3-12 in Innifil, Ontario, ENTER the SEEPE WALTERS WRITING CONTEST!
Contest closes October 30, so don't wait! You could win $100, and all finalists will be published in the annual Seepe Walters Anthology, plus I'll be a judge and I want to read your stories.

You're the next generation of Canadian storytellers, we need you... here's how to enter online now

More on the Seepe Walter Writing Contest on this blog.