Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Boys need more stories! Can I interest you?

We need more writers willing to write for boys. Boys love a good story with a male protagonist. And boy type topics. Action/adventure, pirates, science fiction, anything that makes reading fun and not a boring chore. The writers that target writing stories that specifically appeal to boys, Bruce Coville, Jon Scieszka, Max Elliot Anderson and Chris Crutcher to name a few, use the GROSS OUT factor which goes hand in hand with their excellent storytelling.

Their books are WORTH the effort it takes to sit down and have quiet time for these kids. I have an interest in this and plan to write one in 2011. A lot of these boys are also reluctant readers. Which makes this all the more important. Motivating these kids is vital. 

Now I am a female. So I have absolutely NO idea what a boy feels inside, how he thinks, and what is important to him.

But I do have an 'in'. I have six boys. And I can remember how they reacted and if I'm not sure, I will ask.

So can I interest you? :)

27 comments:

  1. I do write boy books. My first novel, DANIEL AT THE SIEGE OF BOSTON, 1776, has gotten great responses from boys who are willing to leap over the historical fiction hurdle. The second in the series, WILL AT THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG, 1863, comes out in February.

    I really enjoy writing action/adventure for boys, but I've always been a little sad about the fact that girls will read "boy" books, but boys won't read "girl" books. Other media, like TV and movies, cater much more to boys than to girls for that reason.

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  2. Ha...I wish I knew how the mind of a boy worked, lol.

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  3. The two main characters my manuscript are boys. Also, our bookshop is filled with a good number of books for boys.

    Happy Writing :-) Happy Reading :-)

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  4. what age boys are you talking about? I have four boys, only one of which is a reader and I remember him having so much trouble finding interesting stories to read.

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  5. I hope you get a good response to this Robyn, having an eleven year old son myself I'm always on the look out for good books that will interest him.
    I'll definitely check out the writers you mention in your post.

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  6. Laurie, I've always been bewildered about the fact that boys do NOT want to read, even an adventure story with a girl MC. I'll check out your books. Glad to see a new writing face for boys. :)

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  7. Candy, you and me both, girlfriend. :)

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  8. Ivy, glad to hear you have male main characters. That's what I'm talking about. But there needs to be more. Especially for reluctant readers. Happy writing and happy reading, back atcha. :) (Happy snow day, too.)

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  9. Diana, I'm talking about mg-ya. And chapter books too. Most are geared to girls. And boys simply will NOT read books with girls as the main characters. Like my novel, it's an adventure. But it has girl MC'S. I am going to write one for boys though. It's festering about in my head right now. :)

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  10. Paul, definitely check those writers out. And, Laurie the first commenter has a book for boys he might like. I'm going to check it out. This is so important. Especially for reluctant readers. :)

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  11. You are just the woman to write a jam up book for boys! A boy hooked on the techno world visits his cousin on the farm, learns the thrill of riding horses, the adrenaline rush of cutting a calf from the herd, and out smarts a neighbor sabotaging his Uncles cattle.

    Write on!

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  12. Thanks on the happy snow day wishes. Finishing draft 6 feels great. Now I get to do whatever I want today. But just for today. Tomorrow it's back to draft 7.

    Happy Writing to all.

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  13. Great idea Robyn! I've never written from the perspective of a male before, but it's something I hope to do in the future... I wonder how agents and editors feel about books for boys. I always hear it's a problem, that there's just not enough, but I don't know what publishing houses are doing about it. Are they actively looking for books for boys or worries about selling them? Don't know if there's an answer to that question but I'm throwing it out there!

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  14. Some books have alternating male/female MCs, such as Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld. Do the boys do okay with those?

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  15. I'm doing my best to write a MG for boys. Glad to hear I'm not alone! Happy to have found your blog. I have 4 boys of my own and am also praying for the McCrae's. :)

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  16. Hey, bff! You know how I feel about boy books--so I'm with you all the way. Here's to Scott and the Naughty Boy Factory being added to the boy book shelf!! :-)

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  17. LOVE Boy Books. Can't say I've ever written one--though I try to include stuff I think boys would like. But I keep hoping a "boy" story will come to me. If one does you can bet I'll jump on it.

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  18. One of the many ideas swirling around in my head is a middle grade with a male protagonist. I've kept it on the back burner because I'm afraid I can't get inside of a boy's head. But some day I will write it!

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  19. Robyn, you may have opened up a possibility for me. Thank you my dear friend. Having 3 boys around the house should give me some good writing material for a boy audience. My fifth grader especially is resistant to reading. I think I'm going to play around with this idea seriously.

    Hope you and your family is doing well. Hope Christopher is feeling great too.

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  20. It's hard to write for boys. Women often try it and miss the mark. I'm not criticising here, I'm just speaking as a mom of 8 boys who read a lot. One mistake and you've lost them. It's a tough task. As I write this, I'm trying to think of who has done it successfully besides of course JKR. Beverly Cleary is one. Others??? Thinking thinking.... Personally I'm not sure I could do it. Great topic!

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  21. Great idea, Robyn. Boys have a different taste than girls. Writing for boys I feel is slightly more difficult than writing for girls.

    How is your family? Hugs to Ivy and Christopher.

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  22. I'd love to write a boy book one day. I'd just need to feel more comfortable getting into the mind of a boy.

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  23. I've thought about writing a boy book before and even outlined it, but then I got so caught up in romance and decided that's where my heart truly lies. I couldn't agree with you more, though - it's tough to find books for my thirteen-year-old son.

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  24. Hey Robyn, I TOTALLY agree that boys need more books!!! But NOT anymore vampire stories ;) Coan has read ALL the good boy books in our library system and is now moving into the adult fiction, but it is HARD to find something that is clean for males! Sam is very picky and loses interest quickly in a story, so it is difficult to find something to keep him engaged. I hope y'all can write FAST and get published faster!!! :)

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  25. I was once a boy and I'm now an old man. And I still can't figure out my grandsons :-)

    God bless you Robyn and have a wonderful Christmas

    ~Ron
    ********

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  26. The two current wip's on my 'puter are definitely not for children (violence and one has some serious content), so I don't know if I could ever write one.

    My nephew loved books when he was younger. I could only help by recommending lots of books that boys would like that are already out there....

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  27. You know, you just might. I remember how hard it was to find good books for my sons (now 27 and 28:) so I can relate. We always liked The Sugar Creek Gang, Peretti's Cooper Kids' stories, and Lee Roddy's books, to name a few.
    Blessings and hugs, friend:)
    Karen

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