What Working Around Kids Taught Me About Telling a Good Story
After more than 13 years working in the school system, I've learned something interesting: If you want to understand what makes a good story, spend some time around children.
I've spent a good portion of my life around elementary school children. And if there's one thing I've learned, it's that children are some of the most interesting people you'll ever meet.
They are funny, unpredictable, curious, honest, and sometimes ask questions that leave you wondering how to respond.
Working in a school cafeteria (Lunch duty) has given me a front-row seat to all of it.
Over the years, I've told countless stories, shared riddles, made jokes, and tried to get a cafeteria full of children to laugh. Sometimes it works beautifully. Other times, well, let's just say my audience isn't always impressed.
But somewhere along the way, I discovered that working with children was teaching me something I never expected.
It was teaching me how to become a better storyteller.
1. If You Don't Get Their Attention, You've Already Lost Them!
Children are not particularly interested in listening to someone talk just because that person wants to talk.
You have to give them a reason to listen.
I've learned that the first few seconds of a story can make all the difference. Start with something interesting, something funny, or something that makes them wonder what's coming next.
For example, imagine walking into a room and announcing:
"I have a story to tell you about a cow."
You might get a few interested faces.
But what if you said:
"Have you ever heard about a cow that disappeared, a bunch of wild chickens, and a mystery that could change an entire town?"
Now you have their attention!
That's the beauty of a good opening. It makes people curious enough to want to hear what happens next.
I've carried that lesson into my writing. I want readers to open a book and immediately have a reason to turn the next page.
2. Humor Is More Powerful Than You Think
If there's one thing children have taught me, it's that laughter is important.
A good laugh can turn an ordinary day into a memorable one. It can bring people together, break the ice, and make even the longest school day a little more enjoyable.
But here's something else I've discovered.
Children don't always laugh at the things you expect them to.
Sometimes you spend several minutes setting up what you believe is the funniest joke in the world, only to be greeted with complete silence.
Then, without warning, you say something completely ridiculous, and suddenly the entire table is laughing.
I've learned not to take myself too seriously.
That lesson has found its way into my books, too. I enjoy adding funny moments, unexpected situations, and characters who don't always behave the way you'd expect.
After all, a mystery doesn't have to be serious every minute. Sometimes a little laughter makes the suspense even better.
3. Children Love a Good Mystery
Have you ever noticed how children react when they think something is being kept secret?
Tell them you know something they don't, and suddenly everyone wants to know what it is.
"What happened?"
"Who did it?"
"How do you know?"
"Are you going to tell us?"
Curiosity is a wonderful thing.
Children naturally want to investigate, ask questions, and figure things out. They enjoy finding clues and making connections.
And sometimes, they come up with explanations that are far more creative than anything an adult would imagine!
That's one of the reasons I enjoy writing mysteries.
I want readers to become detectives. I want them to notice little details, question what characters say, and try to figure out what's really happening.
And if they guess the mystery before the characters do?
Well, I suppose I'll just have to make the next one a little harder!
4. The Best Stories Make You Feel Something
Here's something I've learned over the years: Getting someone to laugh is wonderful, but making someone feel something is even more powerful.
A story becomes memorable when readers care about the characters.
They want to see the shy character find courage. They want to see the underdog succeed. They want to know whether two friends will work things out after an argument.
They might even find themselves rooting for a character who reminds them of someone they know.
That's what I try to accomplish when I write.
I don't just want readers to follow a mystery. I want them to care about the people involved.
I want them to laugh, worry, wonder, and occasionally say, "I knew something wasn't right about that person!"
And perhaps most importantly, I want them to close the book feeling as though they've been on an adventure themselves.
5. Never Underestimate the Imagination of a Child
Adults sometimes forget how wonderful imagination can be.
Children haven't.
Give them an ordinary object, and they can turn it into something extraordinary. A cardboard box becomes a spaceship. A backyard becomes a jungle. A simple question can turn into an adventure that lasts an entire afternoon.
I've always enjoyed that about children.
In fact, I think we adults could use a little more of it.
Somewhere between paying bills, going to work, and worrying about tomorrow, we sometimes forget how much fun it is to imagine something completely different.
That's one of the things I love about writing.
I can create a town, introduce a collection of interesting characters, and send them into situations that might never happen in real life.
And the best part?
I get to invite readers along for the ride.
What the Kids Taught Me About Being an Author
When I look back at all the years I've spent working around children, I realize they've taught me far more than I could have imagined.
They've taught me to keep things interesting, never underestimate the power of laughter, and remember that curiosity is one of the greatest gifts we can encourage.
They've also reminded me that a good story doesn't have to be complicated.
It needs interesting characters, a reason to keep reading, a little humor, and something that makes you care about what happens next.
That's what I try to bring to my books.
My Secrets of Whisper Pine series began with a simple mystery involving a missing prize-winning cow. But as readers discover, there's much more happening in Whisper Pine than meets the eye.
There are secrets, unexpected friendships, suspicious characters, twists, and plenty of questions waiting to be answered.
And hopefully, a few moments that make readers smile along the way.
One Last Thing...
After all these years, I still enjoy telling stories to a cafeteria full of elementary school children.
And I still believe there's something special about watching someone become completely absorbed in a story.
Whether that person is eight years old or eighty, the feeling is the same.
You forget about everything else for a little while and become part of another world.
That's the magic of storytelling.
So, to all the parents, teachers, grandparents, and anyone who encourages a child to read: Keep telling stories. Keep asking questions. Keep laughing.
You never know what kind of imagination you might inspire.
And who knows? You might even inspire the next great storyteller.
Until next time, keep reading, keep laughing, and never stop asking questions!
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