Children's fiction has the same elements as adult fiction: strong characters and a good story line, well executed. The genres are similar to those for adult fiction. Although the style and structure of the stories are less complex, you can't take your readership for granted. Children require your best writing and storytelling skills.

Problem or Character Stories

The difference between a “problem” story and a “character” story is mainly one of emphasis. “Problem” stories may highlight a particular issue such as divorce, moving to a new town, bullies on the playground, and so on; when the emphasis is on the problem, character development often gets shortchanged.

“Character” stories focus on the protagonist and his or her thoughts and feelings in dealing with problems. Both types involve contemporary, realistic settings and characters that reflect people the reader might encounter in real life. Both the protagonist and the reader should grow in some way by the end of the story.

Mysteries

Children of all ages like mysteries. These stories require fast action and suspense; characterization, though still important, often takes a back seat to plot. For younger children, the mystery usually is more of a puzzle to be solved, and the “crime” usually falls short of murder. Theft, missing persons, pranks and other puzzles are more common plot lines for younger readers. Murder mysteries can be appropriate for young teenagers or young adults, but the violence is emphasized much less than in adult murder mysteries.

Adventures

The adventure story pits the protagonist against incredible odds and usually involves both people and nature as adversaries. In this genre, the central character has some goal to achieve, either through her own desire or to meet some critical need. Surprises and obstacles are integral to an adventure story, and often the various twists will raise the stakes for the protagonist.

Believability is key in this type of story. The reader must believe that the adventures he's reading about really could happen, even if the location is exotic or the story is set in a different time. The protagonist has to reveal her character through her own words and actions, and she has to achieve her goal through her own efforts.

Sports and Careers

Old-fashioned sports stories almost always featured a superhuman hero — a two-dimensional character, typically male, who always wins in the end. Today, the trend is toward more realistic characterizations of both boys and girls, who have flaws and weaknesses and who may not always end up on the winner's dais. As with the problem or character story, the central character learns and grows from what he experiences on and off the field.

Likewise, today's career stories shy away from idealistic notions of various professions and instead offer more balanced views of occupations. The concepts of choosing and pursuing a career are more often dealt with in nonfiction, but good career fiction can find a home. Again, the approach should be realistic, with characters learning both the good things and not-so-good things about their career options.

Myth and Fantasy

Myth and fantasy stories provide the ultimate escape for children, taking place in different times and different worlds among creatures of endless diversity. The central plot in a myth or fantasy story usually involves a quest of some sort. The central character typically is young and innocent and has to prove herself by completing the tasks set for her. Magic and the struggle between good and evil are stock elements of these stories.

Science Fiction

Science fiction has long enjoyed popularity with children, but today's sci-fi themes go well beyond the traditional lines of space travel, aliens, and beyond-the-pale technology. Contemporary authors use the genre to examine social issues and human characteristics through a different prism. Like myth and fantasy stories, science fiction requires a well-developed alternate universe. Even when the characters are of different species, the reader must be able to identify with them.

Historical Fiction

Historical fiction is a blend of fact and fantasy. You can make your story anything you like, set in any era you like, but your research must be impeccable. Children, like adults, expect that the historical details you present in your story will be accurate; they have little patience for basic errors in things like clothing, technology, popular culture, foods, and social mores. That said, a compelling story and well-drawn, interesting characters still are essential to this genre.

YA Romance

Romances seem to be just as popular with young girls as they are with adult women. There are several imprints of romance books aimed at twelve-to-seventeen-year-old girls, and the “rules” of YA romance are similar to those for adult romances — the main difference is that, in traditional YA romances, the relationship is rarely consummated. Plot lines focus on the trials facing teenage girls; issues such as popularity and self-image are prevalent. The cast of characters usually is small, and the reader knows the story will end happily, with the girl getting the right boy.