Where does the inspiration for an inspiring story come from? Karen Barrett talks about all things that inspire a storyteller.
You may have read an author’s blog, or listened to a podcast, or attended a reading by a children’s author, and thought, “Where do they get their inspiration from?” Well, the most common reply I have heard is, “Everywhere!” "But where exactly?" the little person inside you shouts, exasperatedly.
Inspiration can be drawn from objects, people, places, history, personal experiences, or everyday life. Certainly, be aware of external trends too, but do not be guided by them. You may be inspired to write a story which is light-hearted, has a subtle moral, or covers a serious topic. Children need them all! Children use books for all different reasons (education, support, fun), and sometimes escapism is underestimated.
A good children’s author will adhere to the basics of storytelling: characters, plot, conflict, theme, narrative, entertainment and educational value, and connection with the reader. These can easily be identified, but all these components must first develop from an idea, the author’s inspiration, and this can be unassuming or even completely unrelated! Books rarely end up exactly as they begin and often change before their final version.
Not a caterpillar but a hole punch! Huh?
You might assume that
Eric Carle’s
The Very Hungry Caterpillar was inspired by a curious child asking about the life cycle of a caterpillar or a butterfly. This isn’t an outrageous presumption – a children’s book being inspired by children. However, it was inspired by a hole punch, and the original character was in fact a worm! Also, the original title of the book was "A Week with Willi the Worm."
In comparison,
Emily Winfield Martin (author of
The Wonderful Things You Will Be) stated that the idea for this book came from “the children around me, who made me feel the words.”
My children’s board book,
The Adventurous Panda Bear Visits Asia, was inspired by homeschooling my children during the lockdown, and
David Attenborough documentaries - and I make this known when I publicise the book. However, the reason I used a panda bear is not so obvious. It was not because of the panda bear’s cute appearance (although this helped!), but because it symbolises peace and friendship, along with power and patience. Spiritually, the panda bear is wise. In addition, the black and white colour is associated with Yin and Yang—life’s equilibrium—and, like karma, teaches us how our actions determine our fate. The panda bear is also an integral part of the World Wildlife Fund's (WWF) logo, a charity close to David Attenborough’s heart.
Inspiration from an inspiration
Fairy tales and classic children’s stories are often used to inspire new stories and characters, but there is a stigma attached to reusing an idea. Isn’t that copying? Isn’t that cheating? But even fairy tales and classic stories were inspired by something once upon a time.
Walt Disney's film,
Sleeping Beauty, is based on a collection of fairy tales by
Charles Perrault's from 1697, specifically
La Belle au Bois Dormant, which is about a princess cursed to sleep for 100 years after pricking her finger on a spinning wheel. However, Perrault's story is not the original source, but rather an adaptation of earlier folk tales, including the Italian story
Sun, Moon, and Talia by
Giambattista Basile. Furthermore, Disney's 1959 adaptation also incorporates elements from the
Grimm Brothers' version of the Sleeping Beauty story. Even the film's
Once Upon a Dream piece of music is heavily influenced by
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's ballet
Sleeping Beauty.
Once, I used a classic story concept and turned the plot on its head. Imagine the hunters becoming the hunted, or the hunters helping the hunted back home! Being inspired by the stories that children are familiar with creates an expectation for the reader. When this expectation is broken or reversed, it not only creates intrigue but also gives a fresh perspective for the reader to enjoy all over again.
Julia Donaldson believes that traditional tales are a rich source of inspiration.
The Gruffalo was loosely based on a Chinese folk tale about a girl who tricks a tiger. She often challenges the status quo, too.
Tiddler is inspired by the fable
The Boy Who Cried Wolf, but with a reversed moral: instead of warning the reader against telling stories, it celebrates imagination and encourages children to create and share tales. The original title of this book was "The Fish Who Cried Wolf."
Julia Donaldson is also inspired by real life; the idea for her series of
Princess Mirror-Belle books came from her oldest son, Hamish, whose imaginary friend Sammy was his reflection in the mirror, and her middle son, Alastair, who played in a teenage rock band, like Ellen’s brother, Luke. Perhaps character-led stories are well-suited to dealing with difficult topics because the author can connect with the reader. The characters perform the actions and drive the story, allowing the reader to have the experiences alongside them, encouraging them to feel supported and understood.
I love the variation of children’s stories, and the myriad of ways they can be inspired, written, and presented. As a children’s author, I will continue to see the world through the eyes of the children I write for, supporting them as they need me to, and be as imaginative and open-minded as they are, because writing for children is a gift.
If ever you need inspiration, look around, listen, and daydream. The most important thing of all is to keep writing because children are waiting eagerly for us to welcome them into our magical worlds.
*Header image: Ell Rose and Tita Berredo
All other images provided by Karen Barrett
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Born in Cambridge,
Karen had administrative jobs for 13 years before realising that colour-coding email was just not creative enough!
Nowadays, when she is not out sharing her children’s book,
The Adventurous Panda Bear
Visits Asia, writing poetry, or expressing her artistic creativity, you will find her enjoying
time with her family, whom she considers to be the most precious thing in her life.
Find out more about her at
www.karenbarrett.co.uk , or Instagram
@mrsbusywritingmagic.
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Tita Berredo is the Illustrator Coordinator of SCBWI British Isles and the Art Director of Words & Pictures.
Contact her at: britishisles-ic@scbwi.org
Ell Rose is the Illustration Features Editor of Words & Pictures.
Contact them at illustrators@britishscbwi.org
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