Writing for Kids: The Rule of 3 + 1

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One of the things I love best about being a writer is the endless learning curve. There is always ALWAYS something new to learn.

So perhaps you've heard of the Rule of 3 in writing. Plots should include three major events, with the 3rd being the climax. Speeches should include 3 major points. When in doubt, go with 3.

Well, here's a twist: this past October it was my good fortune to learn from acclaimed author really-nice-guy Bruce Coville. Among many other things, he shared with the group the Rule of 3 + 1, which is....

3 little pigs + the big bad wolf

or

3 examples + 1 over-the-top example, i.e. "he'd been poked, punched, called names, and hit in the face with a cupcake."

I challenge you today to find a way to use this in your writing!
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Irene Latham's first bits of writing were love poems – for her mother. An award winning author of two novels for children LEAVING GEE'S BEND and DON'T FEED THE BOY and three poetry picture books, she was named the winner of the 2016 International Literary Association-Lee Bennett Hopkins Promising Poet Award. Her latest book (co-written with Charles Waters) is CAN I TOUCH YOUR HAIR? Poems of Race, Mistakes and Friendship (Lerner, 2017). irenelatham.com