![\"\"](\"https:\/\/allisontait.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/writing-for-kids-5-top-tips-for-creating-a-page-turning-story.png\")
<\/a>I get very excited every time I receive a new post for the Writing For Kids<\/a> series because I learn something new from every post.<\/p>\nThey might be writing tips aimed at kids, but they’re actually brilliant for writers of any age. After all, these are writing tips from some of Australia’s top children’s authors!<\/p>\n
This week, Sue Whiting<\/a> is taking time out from launching her brand-new book \u2013 The Book Of Chance<\/a> \u2013 to share her 5 best tips for creating a page-turning story. If you’ve ever read any of Sue’s work \u2013 from picture books, through middle-grade fiction, to YA stories \u2013 you’ll know that these are tips worth reading.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t you love a book that keeps you up late at night? Turning the pages quickly, heart pumping and eyes flying across the page? I certainly do.<\/p>\n When I write, this is what I\u2019m aiming for too \u2013 a thrilling, page-turning story, full of nail-biting suspense. One to keep my readers up late at night to find out what is going to happen next.<\/p>\n So here are my top tips for creating these page-turning stories.<\/p>\n In order for readers to keep turning the pages and go on a story journey with your characters, readers must firstly CARE about them. Deeply.<\/p>\n They must worry for them. They must empathise with them. And the best way to achieve this is to show how your characters are FEELING and what they are THINKING.<\/p>\n These insights into the hearts and minds of your characters are all-important, if you want your readers to care.<\/p>\n Writing stories is the one time in your life when you get to be a big bad meanie.<\/p>\n In fact, if you want your readers to turn the pages, you HAVE to be MEAN. It is your DUTY as the boss of your story.<\/p>\n After all, stories are all about characters getting into trouble (and getting out of trouble). So YOU are responsible. It is up to you to create that trouble \u2013 big trouble \u2013 trouble that will make your readers fret and frown and twist their hands with worry.<\/p>\n So be MEAN to your characters and make their lives as DIFFICULT as possible.<\/p>\n As the boss of your story, it is important that you know what your characters want \u2013 to find a lost friend, to catch the bad guy, to discover the miracle cure etc.<\/p>\n It is also important that the CONSEQUENCES if your characters are unsuccessful are HUGE: DIRE, DISASTROUS, DEVASTATING.<\/p>\n So as well as being mean, you must make the STAKES HIGH. This will ensure a thrilling story, where your readers\u2019 hearts will be pounding, and you will have them worrying all the more \u2013 and, yes, you guessed it, turning those pages quickly.<\/p>\n This might sound contradictory. I don\u2019t mean make your story slow; what I mean is that you should try to keep a few SECRETS and SURPRISES up your sleeve, a few unexpected TWISTS and TURNS that you REVEAL slowly throughout the story.<\/p>\n These unexpected twists and surprises slotted in at just the right moment, when your readers least expect them, will make them think, Uh-oh. I didn\u2019t see that coming. I need to read the next chapter now!<\/p>\n Telling stories is very similar to telling lies. And the best way to tell a lie is to make sure it is as close as possible to the truth.<\/p>\n The same goes for stories.<\/p>\n If you want your readers to keep turning those pages, then you need to make your story CONVINCING. And the way to achieve that is to pepper in as much TRUTH \u2013 specific details, authentic emotions \u2013 as you can in order to make your story, no matter how fantastical, CREDIBLE and BELIEVABLE.<\/p>\n This is a sure way to hook your readers and to keep them reading.<\/p>\n Happy writing everyone!<\/p>\n More writing tips for kids<\/em><\/p>\n How To Write Funny Stories<\/a><\/p>\n How To Create Remarkable Characters<\/a><\/p>\n Write What You Love<\/a><\/p>\n <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Are you new here? Welcome to my blog! I\u2019m Allison Tait, aka A.L. Tait, and I\u2019m the author of two epic middle-grade adventure series, The Mapmaker Chronicles and The Ateban Cipher. <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n You can find out <\/em><\/strong>more about me here<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, and <\/em><\/strong>more about my books here<\/em><\/strong><\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n If you’d love more writing advice for kids, check out my Online Creative Writing Quest For Kids<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I get very excited every time I receive a new post for the Writing For Kids series because I learn something new from every post. They might be writing tips aimed at kids, but they’re actually brilliant for writers of any age. After all, these are writing tips from some of Australia’s top children’s authors! […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":10037,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"5 top tips for creating a page-turning story<\/h5>\n
1.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 MAKE YOUR READERS CARE<\/h4>\n
2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 BE A MEANIE<\/h4>\n
3.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 UP THE STAKES<\/h4>\n
4.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 SLOWLY DOES IT<\/h4>\n
5.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 PUT THE TRUTH INTO YOUR LIE<\/h4>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/allisontait.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/BookOfChance_web-cover-600x931-193x300.jpg\")
<\/a>Sue Whiting<\/a> has written many books in a variety of genres: fiction and nonfiction, picture books through to YA. Her latest book is The Book Of Chance<\/a>, for middle-grade readers, out now through Walker Books Australia.<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/allisontait.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/writing-for-kids-5-top-tips-for-creating-a-page-turning-story-300x300.png\")
<\/a>I get very excited every time I receive a new post for the Writing For Kids<\/a> series because I learn something new from every post.\r\n\r\nThey might be writing tips aimed at kids, but they're actually brilliant for writers of any age. After all, these are writing tips from some of Australia's top children's authors!\r\n\r\nThis week, Sue Whiting<\/a> is taking time out from launching her brand-new book \u2013 The Book Of Chance<\/a> \u2013 to share her 5 best tips for creating a page-turning story. If you've ever read any of Sue's work \u2013 from picture books, through middle-grade fiction, to YA stories \u2013 you'll know that these are tips worth reading.\r\n5 top tips for creating a page-turning story<\/h5>\r\nDon\u2019t you love a book that keeps you up late at night? Turning the pages quickly, heart pumping and eyes flying across the page? I certainly do.\r\n\r\nWhen I write, this is what I\u2019m aiming for too \u2013 a thrilling, page-turning story, full of nail-biting suspense. One to keep my readers up late at night to find out what is going to happen next.\r\n\r\nSo here are my top tips for creating these page-turning stories.\r\n
1.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 MAKE YOUR READERS CARE<\/h4>\r\nIn order for readers to keep turning the pages and go on a story journey with your characters, readers must firstly CARE about them. Deeply.\r\n\r\nThey must worry for them. They must empathise with them. And the best way to achieve this is to show how your characters are FEELING and what they are THINKING.\r\n\r\nThese insights into the hearts and minds of your characters are all-important, if you want your readers to care.\r\n
2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 BE A MEANIE<\/h4>\r\nWriting stories is the one time in your life when you get to be a big bad meanie.\r\n\r\nIn fact, if you want your readers to turn the pages, you HAVE to be MEAN. It is your DUTY as the boss of your story.\r\n\r\nAfter all, stories are all about characters getting into trouble (and getting out of trouble). So YOU are responsible. It is up to you to create that trouble \u2013 big trouble \u2013 trouble that will make your readers fret and frown and twist their hands with worry.\r\n\r\nSo be MEAN to your characters and make their lives as DIFFICULT as possible.\r\n
3.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 UP THE STAKES<\/h4>\r\nAs the boss of your story, it is important that you know what your characters want \u2013 to find a lost friend, to catch the bad guy, to discover the miracle cure etc.\r\n\r\nIt is also important that the CONSEQUENCES if your characters are unsuccessful are HUGE: DIRE, DISASTROUS, DEVASTATING.\r\n\r\nSo as well as being mean, you must make the STAKES HIGH. This will ensure a thrilling story, where your readers\u2019 hearts will be pounding, and you will have them worrying all the more \u2013 and, yes, you guessed it, turning those pages quickly.\r\n
4.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 SLOWLY DOES IT<\/h4>\r\nThis might sound contradictory. I don\u2019t mean make your story slow; what I mean is that you should try to keep a few SECRETS and SURPRISES up your sleeve, a few unexpected TWISTS and TURNS that you REVEAL slowly throughout the story.\r\n\r\nThese unexpected twists and surprises slotted in at just the right moment, when your readers least expect them, will make them think, Uh-oh. I didn\u2019t see that coming. I need to read the next chapter now!\r\n
5.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 PUT THE TRUTH INTO YOUR LIE<\/h4>\r\nTelling stories is very similar to telling lies. And the best way to tell a lie is to make sure it is as close as possible to the truth.\r\n\r\nThe same goes for stories.\r\n\r\nIf you want your readers to keep turning those pages, then you need to make your story CONVINCING. And the way to achieve that is to pepper in as much TRUTH \u2013 specific details, authentic emotions \u2013 as you can in order to make your story, no matter how fantastical, CREDIBLE and BELIEVABLE.\r\n\r\nThis is a sure way to hook your readers and to keep them reading.\r\n\r\nHappy writing everyone!\r\n\r\n
<\/a>Sue Whiting<\/a> has written many books in a variety of genres: fiction and nonfiction, picture books through to YA. Her latest book is The Book Of Chance<\/a>, for middle-grade readers, out now through Walker Books Australia.<\/strong>\r\n\r\nMore writing tips for kids<\/em>\r\n\r\nHow To Write Funny Stories<\/a>\r\n\r\nHow To Create Remarkable Characters<\/a>\r\n\r\nWrite What You Love<\/a>\r\n\r\nAre you new here? Welcome to my blog! I\u2019m Allison Tait, aka A.L. Tait, and I\u2019m the author of two epic middle-grade adventure series, The Mapmaker Chronicles and The Ateban Cipher. <\/em><\/strong>\r\n\r\nYou can find out <\/em><\/strong>more about me here<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, and <\/em><\/strong>more about my books here<\/em><\/strong><\/a>.<\/em><\/strong>\r\n\r\nIf you'd love more writing advice for kids, check out my Online Creative Writing Quest For Kids<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>","_et_gb_content_width":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14,5,735,758,734],"tags":[721,708,709,711,742,736,720],"class_list":["post-10034","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-reading","category-writing","category-writing-for-kids","category-writing-tips-for-kids","category-your-kids-next-read","tag-australian-author","tag-books-for-boys","tag-books-for-girls","tag-childrens-author-tips","tag-reading","tag-writing-tips-for-kids","tag-your-kids-next-read"],"yoast_head":"\n