A well-meaning friend once commented, “Writing a book for classroom reading must be easy – they’re so short.”
I had to stop myself from laughing hysterically.
I first experienced writing such a book a few years ago, and quickly learned that writing in short format is unforgiving. There’s nowhere to hide: no accommodating paragraphs to stash less-than-stellar sentences in; no room for wriggle words or gloriously and overly descriptive sentences like this one. Every word has to pull its weight.
It’s changed me as a writer.
In just a few words, I have to connect to a student who may be reading for the first time, as well as an adult reader who has read thousands of these books before. My story must hold up to being read over and over again. My story must be worth reading. (No pressure then!)
You see, new readers need a strong story told in few words. Each Ready to Read book created might be just one step towards fluency, or it might be the story that gives a student a break-through moment – the one where they realise why reading is worth the effort. It’s about trying to give them that thing we all already know: that reading is a special kind of magic.
Luckily for my stress levels, my role is only part of the process. Each story is reshaped, smoothed and improved by the editorial and literacy team, before being brought to life by the illustrator and transformed by a designer.
It’s a team effort, but it’s one that has shown me that I can tell a whole story in a tighter way. The editors at Lift make sure I don’t get too fluffy, but they leave room for my voice.
As a result, I’ve become more confident in my ability to tell a story, and I am stronger in my own voice as a writer. I no longer panic (much) when I get editing notes, I know that it’s just part of the job. Together, we’re working to get the best outcome we can for young readers.
If you’re thinking about writing one yourself, do it. It’s made me better at what I love.
It’s still very humbling to see my stories used in schools, and it is my hope that my stories become tattered with use. I hope that they need mending more than once. Only the best stories get mended.
Check out the Ready to Read series on TKI.
Kylie Parry is a New Zealand children’s author and a terrible knitter. She’s written four Ready to Read titles: Lost, Three Princesses, The Little Red Hen, and Jack and the Beanstalk (ok, those last two are revisions of classic stories). Kylie has also contributed to the School Journal and the Junior Journal.