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*Satisfying ending
One aspect of a satisfying ending calls for a change in your main character. He must learn something, accept something or experience emotional growth. Your ending doesn't always have to be 'happily ever after' but it must be tight. The loose ends must be tied up and all characters accounted for and placed in reasonable situations. It is best to avoid lingering questions at
end of a children's book.
You don't want to hear: "So what happened to
guy with
yellow belt?" or "But that kid was in Africa, so how did he get there?"
You do want to hear: "Aaaaaaah. I get it."
Pick up any children's storybook or middle-grade novel in your library or bookstore. You will find that most of them contain
four basic ingredients. From a picturebook about a child's fear of
basement to a fifteen-year-old's struggle with drinking,
essentials will be included. Exercise your imagination. Create a character you care about and give him a problem. Use a fascinating setting as a backdrop and allow your character to use his own ingenuity and skills to achieve his goal or get out of his predicament. With these essentials in mind, your children's story can become a success.

Ann Harth is a freelance ghostwriter, manuscript assessor, copyeditor, and published author. Ann writes a regular column on running a home business for the Writing4SuccessClub website. Her columns can be viewed at http://www.writing4successclub.com Additional information on Ann Harth's published work and freelance services can be found on her website at http://www.annharth.com