Reach for the Unique! Unusual places and situations for children’s story characters. An important part of writing for children is brainstorming. This is when your writer’s notebook comes in handy. You could have one page that lists nothing but strange places for your character to be at. For example, on a deserted island, at the […]

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Learn the difference between themes in children’s fiction, and thematic categories, when to decide on a theme, and what types of themes work well in children’s literature. Originally published in Kid Magazine Writers, March 2005 Portrait of Jean and Genevieve Caillebotte, 1895 – Pierre-Auguste Renoir   I was awake late at night, fascinated by what […]

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A Scott O’Dell tribute honoring the author of Island of the Blue Dolphins, Sing Down the Moon, The Black Pearl, and many other outstanding novels for children. I don’t remember how old I was when I got my first Scott O’Dell book, but I remember who I got it from – my mother. She knew […]

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Spanish painter, Diego Rodriguez de Silva y Velázquez, had a black slave, Juan de Pareja. This fictionalized account of the slave’s life follows him from birth into adulthood.

Juan de Pareja, by Velasquez

I, Juan de Pareja is historical fiction

The novel is based on the real life story of Juan de Pareja, a slave who served a famous painter, Diego Rodriguez de Silva y Velázquez, in 17th century Spain. The main character is compelling and likable.

We meet him as a child living in Seville. Since the book is written as first-person historical fiction, from Juan de Pareja’s point of view, we get to know him well; he confides his deepest secrets and feelings as he passes through a difficult childhood.

Juan de Paraja – an adult in YA literature

After the first few chapters, Juan de Pareja is no longer a child. To me it seemed strange to read a children’s book that violated a primary rule of writing for children – that the main character should be a child – and that’s one reason I decided the book was more suitable for teenagers than for middle grade aged children (8 to 12).

Another reason is that there are many tragic deaths of people around him, including his mother and a young girl. Through most of the book, we read about Juan de Pareja as an adult, living in Madrid, a slave to the painter. He is portrayed as a devoted servant who is happy with his slavery except for one detail: he wants to paint, which is forbidden by law to slaves.

Writing quality and readability

The writing in this book flowed flawlessly so it was pleasant to read, and it took me only a few days to get through it. That’s fast, as I’m normally a slow reader who gets through one chapter per night if I’m lucky. But I, Juan de Pareja fascinated me and at times I couldn’t put it down despite being tired (I read right before sleeping, most nights).

What makes I, Juan de Pareja memorable

One thing I liked about the book was the philosophy Velasquez expressed about painting. In one scene he compared the drawings of two apprentice artists, defacing the excellent work of one of the boys because he had embellished the truth in order to make a still-life of moldy cheese and dry bread look better.

Velasquez said, “I would rather paint exactly what I see, even if it is ugly, perfectly, than indifferently paint something superficially lovely. . . . Art is Truth, and to serve Art, I will never deceive.”

You can find photos of paintings by Velazquez on the internet. The painting included with this review is one Velasquez did in 1650 of his slave and friend, Juan de Pareja.

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Spanish painter, Diego Rodriguez de Silva y Velázquez, had a black slave, Juan de Pareja. This fictionalized account of the slave’s life follows him from birth into adulthood. I loved reading I, Juan de Pareja by Elizabeth Borton de Trevino. This book, written in the first-person point of view, won the Newbery Medal in 1966. […]

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How to get better at writing children’s literature by practicing writing skills daily.

Practice Writing Children’s Literature

By Linda Jo Martin

If you want to write well, write often.

Writers talk about writing every day. Some do and some don’t, however, the more often you write, the easier it will be.

Writing is like any other talent – it must be developed. With enough practice, those who aren’t initially naturally skilled at writing can improve their stories, articles, and poems. Those who are ‘naturals’ will of course get better.

What does it mean to practice writing?

If you were leaning to play trombone or piano, you’d spend time every day with your instrument, becoming more familiar with it, learning to play easily and fluently. You would become one with your instrument. You’d eventually be able to immediately know what it means to play in the key of A minor or B. You wouldn’t have to ask someone for help, look the notes up in a book, or in any other way remind yourself of how to do it, because you would have practiced so much it would be part of you. Just as you know how to recite the alphabet, you’d be able to play anything you desired on your instrument.

Writers can do the same. We can become so at ease with the skills involved in writing that it takes no particular effort to craft literary masterpieces. With enough writing practice we can comfortably create a story on almost any topic, or an article that expresses everything we’ve learned on a given issue.

How to practice writing

Most writers enjoy writing to a prompt. One writer’s club I participated in assigned a word at the end of every monthly meeting. At the next meeting, anyone who wrote something with that word in mind could stand up and read it.

Writing a story once a month is a wonderful thing, but wouldn’t it be better to write a new story every day? Daily writing practice could also include prompts. There are lists of words or phrases that could be used for prompts, like this one: 365 Writing Prompts for Creative Writing Inspiration.

If you use a daily writing prompt, try writing everything in a notebook and by hand so later you’ll be able to see your improvement over a period of time. There is magic in the mind/hand/pen/notebook connection so experiment with that, and compare your handwritten compositions with those you write using keyboard and computer. You may find that writing a first draft by hand benefits your descriptive abilities or some other aspect of your prose.

When I do daily practice writing I usually take no more than about fifteen minutes to set down my story – usually flash fiction – or a poem or article. Sometimes what I write simply doesn’t work as a complete story. At other times I write something I feel has merit. Later it can be typed and developed, revised, and perfected. Good stories, poems, and articles often start as practice writing to a prompt.

It can be fun to share practice writing with a friend. If you have a friend who likes to write, invite him or her to meet you at a local café or coffee shop for a writing session. Bring notebooks to write by hand, or if you’re in a coffeehouse environment where it is acceptable, bring your laptops or other electronic writing devices. I like to use an Alphasmart Neo. Choose a word, set a timer for fifteen minutes, and write to your chosen prompt. When you’re done, share with your friend (don’t be shy about what you wrote) and then do it again for as long as the two of you are still having fun.

How to know if your practice writing is worth publication

It helps to wait six months before re-reading your practice stories, poems, and articles. By that time you will have forgotten your initial pleasure or displeasure with a piece. As a more impartial observer you’re better able to judge the worth of what you wrote. When you re-read you’ll immediately see how some stories don’t work, but some do. Earmark the pieces you like and type them when you can. You’ll have plenty to choose from.

The more you practice writing, the better you’ll get at it. This is inevitable. Even if right now you feel empty, talentless, and hopeless about writing for children, it is certain that if you practice every day for months, you’re going to become a better writer, craft some outstanding stories, and have a good time doing it.

Meet the Author

Linda Jo Martin has been writing for a long time. She loves her office, which at times is called a ‘sanctuary’ meaning a safe cozy place where she feels happy and productive. When she’s not writing she’s sometimes looking for Bigfoot or writing articles for her web magazine for women, Bennachti.Com. Yes, just like many others, she has some strange hobbies.

How to get better at writing children’s literature via practice writing. Practice Writing Children’s Literature If you want to write well, write often. Writers talk about writing every day. Some do and some don’t, however, the more often you practice writing, the easier it will be. Writing is like any other talent – it must […]

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