How complicated should your story be? This is a great question, and it does, of course, depend on your target audience.
A simple beginning, middle and end is enough for young readers. A cat goes missing, your characters look for it, they search for it it in every room in the house and finally find it asleep in an unusual (and cute!) place. Perhaps it has even has kittens!
As your readers get older, and are more capable of following stories, you are free to make the plot more complicated. A cat goes missing – or perhaps lots of valuable pets are going missing. The search is more complicated, there are false leads, danger and, of course, your characters will win through in the end… but only after it seemed impossible.
The key is knowing your target audience really well.
How do you know if your story hits the sweet spot?
1. Get feedback from children you know
2. Read successful books your target audience enjoy. Does yours follow this pattern?
3. Ask a teacher! Professional advice is always welcome. 🙂
Trust that helps!
See you again soon,
Janet
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