Author Guest Post with Helene Boudreau

We are thrilled to share a guest post we have from Real Mermaids Don't Wear Toe Rings author Helene Boudreau!

Writing for different age groups: From “Wah!” to “Whatever!”

Real Mermaids Don’t Wear Toe Rings is an upper middle grade novel, though I’ve also written a middle grade novel, early chapter books and have a picture book being released in a few years. My work-in-progress is young adult.

Writing for so many different age groups can be challenging but no matter who your audience might be, your main character always has a unique point of view. A neat exercise is to write the same scene from different characters’ perspectives. Imagine a Dugger-like family with a baby, a two year-old, a five year-old, a ten-year old, a thirteen year-old and a sixteen year-old.

They’re all sitting around the breakfast table and Mom comes in the kitchen and says:

“So, guys, what would you like for breakfast? Pancakes or bagels?”

Each kid will have a different reaction to this question, depending on his/her perspective.

The baby is sitting in his highchair and has just filled his diaper. He was up all night, teething, plus why doesn’t anyone notice the Cheerio he just stuck up his nose??

Answer: “Wahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh…….”

The two year-old is lost in the shuffle. The baby is getting all the attention; her five year-old brother won’t share his Legos and she wants grilled cheese for breakfast. Doesn’t her mommy know that? She ALWAYS wants grilled cheese for breakfast. Only her dolly listens to her. Ugh. Her dolly just fell to the ground.

Answer: “No. No. Nononononono. No.”

The five year-old has been waiting forever for his tooth to fall out. *wiggle* He has to lose his tooth before his friend, Kyle, loses his. *wiggle* *wiggle* What will the tooth fairy bring him, he wonders? Two dollars? TEN dollars, maybe? *wiggle* *wiggle* *wiggle* One more bite into something hard and this tooth is coming out!

Answer: “Bagels!”

The ten year-old is doodling in her notebook. She wants to be an artist when she grows up. Or a writer. Or a chef. Or maybe she can do all three. Maybe she can write and illustrate cookbooks. After she travels the world and swims with dolphins. She wants to do it all. She CAN do it all.

Answer: “Both!”

The thirteen year-old just mastered this awesome aerial on his skate board. He might try that slide at the skate park later if he can get there before the tenth-grade jerks show up and take over the whole park. Will they try to sell him drugs again? What will he tell them this time? Oh. What? Did someone just ask him something?

Answer: “Whu…?”

The sixteen year-old doesn’t even eat breakfast and, just great, her dad just finished off the coffee. Why didn’t that guy text her back last night? She shouldn’t have sent him that picture; it’s probably all over Facebook by now. Ugh, if her brothers burp one more time she’s going to freak on them. OMG, can her sister chew with her mouth shut for once? And for god’s sakes, what’s that smell?

Everyone in this house is stupid, stupid, stupid.

Answer: “Whatever!”

So, whether you’re writing from a diaper-wearing baby, doodling middle-grader or disillusioned teen’s point of view, you always have a unique story to tell.

Like the mom in this story, however, I just wish someone would make ME breakfast. J

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Thank you so much Helene for being with us today!

Additional information:

*Audiobook Contest: Dreamscape Media produced the audiobook of Real Mermaids Don’t Wear Toe Rings and is offering three chances to win one HERE. (Contest closes December 20th, 2010)

*Signed Bookplates: Also, in a fun promotion for the holidays Helene's publisher, Sourcebooks/Jabberwocky, is offering signed Real Mermaids Don’t Wear Toe Rings bookplates with proof of purchase. More info HERE.

*You can find Hélène on Twitter, Facebook and on her Website.