Tips from Chautauqua

As someone who loves funny poems and stories, I wanted to learn why humor is so important and what kind of humor appeals to children. Joy Cowley led one of my most memorable workshops at Chautauqua 2007. With a most endearing smile and disposition, Joy, so aptly named, gently taught us about humor in children’s books.

Humor comes in many forms – as lightness of language, by making the words dance, or in the structure of the language. We seek humor for relief of tension, relaxation, and to feed our ego. Remember the first time you ‘got’ a joke? You felt satisfied, didn’t you? It’s wonderful to write humor that gives that same sense of accomplishment to a child. Laughter is a basic need, and has a balancing effect on us, restoring our objectivity.

Many times, humor will encourage a reluctant reader. Stay within the understanding level of the child, and keep in touch with your inner child. Good humor satisfies both the author and the reader.

Children find many kinds of humor appealing. Many preschool children like slapstick humor. Developing awareness of their bodies makes body humor funny to preschool children.

As children get older, word games, puns, and other types of wordplay become more popular. In grades one and two, they begin to learn to decipher double meanings, coincidences, and jokes.

Dr. Seuss used rich language. Stories Joy liked included the “Horton” books and Yertle the Turtle.

Step into a child’s world. Universal humor appeals to all ages.

Sometimes it helps to make our characters animals. It’s easier to laugh at animals than people.

Funny stories can be tricky. They require proper pacing. Think of how you tell a joke. It’s in the timing, isn’t it?

At the end of the class, Joy led us in a creativity exercise you can do at home. Close your eyes. Recall the smells, sounds, touches, sights, and tastes from childhood. Why did you laugh? What did you want more than anything? What was your greatest fear?

Now write! For more inspiration, visit Joy's website: Joy Cowley

I Can't Be Inspired in Dirty Clothes

"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.” – Matthew 5:14-15 niv

I attended the Chautauqua 2007 Writers’ Workshops in July. I had always heard if you ever went to anything the Highlights Foundation sponsored, you would never be the same. And it’s true.

At the opening banquet, I spotted Kim Griswell. Kim edits poetry for Highlights Magazine, and is one of my dream editors. We talked about life and kids and got to know each other. Before the week was over, she critiqued some of my poetry and commented that, while I have a good sense of humor and it comes through in my writing, I’m not letting go and having fun with it. She advised me to re-write several poems, and submit.

During the last morning session, Kim shared a piece she wrote highlighting the events of the prior week. Writers, and according to the good folks at Highlights, that’s what we ‘officially’ became that week, all over the auditorium brought out tissues to wipe away tears.

As she summarized her comments on that final day, she said, “If you go home, and on Monday, do laundry, you’ve missed the point.”

I understood what she meant. If we cannot be inspired by an entire week of focusing on nothing but writing, and hearing some of the best in children’s literature share their journey, we have chosen the wrong endeavor.

But then again, as I talked to those around me, I discovered that very few enjoyed the luxury of full-time writing. One very talented writer I met, Ruth, is a psychologist, another - Artie, a professor at Ohio State. I met teachers, a real estate developer, a newspaper photographer, and a ranch owner.

So while it would have been nice to sit at the computer all day on Monday, you can guess what I found myself doing – laundry. As I worked around the house, catching up on chores (hadn’t anyone done dishes while I was gone??), something interesting occurred. After such a hectic, jam-packed week, it felt good to let my mind rest. But not for long. As any writer knows, it worked its way back to writing. I carried my recorder around, making notes and figuring out ways to make my children’s poetry sparkle.

Most of you reading this write, too. Most of you have another job, or two or three. Yet, we still manage to get words down on paper or into files on our computers. While we wipe noses or sort whites from colors, our minds work the same as those blessed few privileged to be full-time writers. If you’re like me, you take a recorder with you in the car, blurting out phrases and ideas at red lights. Or you scribble notes and hope you can read your own writing when you get home.

I thank God for my time at Chautauqua. The entire week seems rather like a dream now. For seven full days, I was a full-time writer, and it was heavenly. Kim’s closing prose was so beautiful that I now realize how much more I need to improve. Kim, you inspired me. Perhaps one day, I’ll be blessed to give up my other jobs to write full-time. But for now, I’m writing and writing – but in my nice, clean clothes.

Next Week – Tips on Writing for Children from my Chautauqua notes.

Visit Donna on the web at: http://www.donnajshepherd.com

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