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  • #1

    A question for the writers...

    WHY!?!?

    Seriously, though...

    Today at lunch I was thinking about writing an educational/introductory (STEM) book for children. I'm wondering if anyone has any thoughts. I want to make it fun, so it'll probably be colorful. I'm wondering about things like length, font to use, "clip art" and so forth. I kind of like the style of things like "Calculus for Infants" and "The Cartoon Guide..." series, as far as art and stuff, but I don't necessarily know if I'll go with that style.

    I know what topic about which I want to write (is that correct??). I'd rather not go into specifics right now, but suffice it to say it will be under the STEM umbrella.

    I'm not thinking this is going to be a 300-400 page behemoth. I want to try to find a way to max it out at 150 or so pages, not counting the index and ToC, though just based on the nature of the topic, it may get closer to 200 pages. I want to try to find a good balance between "informative/educational" and "not too wordy".

    Also, I'm wondering if I should try to self-publish, or if I should just make this a downloadable PDF "eBook".

    Any thoughts or comments here greatly appreciated.

    I'm not saying this is going to happen, just that it was an idea I have.
    Skilled programmers aren't cheap. Cheap programmers aren't skilled.
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  • #2
    Not familiar with STEM.

    At what age group/grades will the book be targeted?

    If you use clip art or any other images you did not create yourself, be sure to either get them licensed, or make 100% sure that they are available for free under whatever Creative Commons (or similar) license might apply ('Commercial' subtype) -- either way, get it in writing.
    I know what topic about which I want to write (is that correct??)
    Since you asked: Yes, it is.
    WHY!?!?
    Because elephants don't wear pajamas.
    "For a musician, the SNES sound engine is like using Crayola Crayons. Nobuo Uematsu used Crayola Crayons to paint the Sistine Chapel." - Jeremy Jahns (re: "Dancing Mad")
    "The difference between an amateur and a master is that the master has failed way more times." - JoCat
    "Thinking is difficult, therefore let the herd pronounce judgment!" ~ Carl Jung
    "There's burning bridges, and then there's the lake just to fill it with gasoline." - Wiccy, reddit
    "Retail is a cruel master, and could very well be the most educational time of many people's lives, in its own twisted way." - me
    "Love keeps her in the air when she oughta fall down...tell you she's hurtin' 'fore she keens...makes her a home." - Capt. Malcolm Reynolds, "Serenity" (2005)
    Acts of Gord – Read it, Learn it, Love it!
    "Our psychic powers only work if the customer has a mind to read." - me

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    • #3
      Quoth EricKei View Post
      Not familiar with STEM.
      Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math

      At what age group/grades will the book be targeted?
      I'm not sure, yet. I'm trying to determine what age group I should start with, but I want to be able to get it to go up to at least 12 years old, so let's say 7-12, or so.
      Skilled programmers aren't cheap. Cheap programmers aren't skilled.

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      • #4
        As someone who's worked with children across the age group you're aiming for, I can provide a few helpful hints:

        -Sans serif fonts (like the default font on here) are much more legible for people with dyslexia. Make sure that the font is very clear between each letter (otherwise cl might look more like a "d" from a certain point) and don't be afraid to go up a size or two (so like this.)

        -Check the state curriculum guidelines for what kids would likely to know or be learning about by that age and have some fun with it. If you don't have a state curriculum or even a federal one, let me know and I'll PM you the Australian one as it has a nice easy one for those areas.

        -For that age group, keep the language simple. Scientific words you might need to spell out phonetically as well to help the kids pronounce it. Put the concepts into context too-for example, "a plant makes its own food from sunlight. If you tried to make your lunch using sunlight, you'd wind up with either a charred mess or a gooey slimy mess. ANd this is why we don't make our own food using sunlight."

        -Make it interactive. A kid who learns better by seeing it or experiencing it might benefit from trying to decode braille messages and learning about how braille was invented. You could also set up experiments for them to try at home...with maths, you might get them to make geometrical shapes. (I can PM you a good website for some nets)

        -Do some research. Go to your local library, go to the kids section and find the books on science, on maths, on technology. Sit down with them and have a look at what they have and what makes them so entertaining. Typically Science books are in the 500s and 600s. You might wind up finding some science experiment stuff in the 700s though.

        -most importantly, HAVE FUN WRITING IT. Don't get bogged down in the concepts. If you think like a kid while you're writing it, you'll enjoy it too.

        also I do believe that unless you're planning on it being a reference book, try writing it in bite-sized chunks first and seeing what people think. It's no good making a giant behemoth of a book and the kids are only touching the Science section because it has pictures of naked boobies or a way to make an origami penis. (it'll also make the book/s more accessible for kids with needs who can't focus or if you're transcribing it into Braille, those things are MASSIVE once done. I once saw the Tales of Beedle the Bard translated into braille. The first few stories were bigger than the book itself)
        The best professors are mad scientists! -Zoom

        Now queen of USSR-Land...

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        • #5
          Actually, sans serif fonts are more readable in general They would definitely be better for that age group.

          To some, at least, serif fonts seem more "professional" -- but they also slow down your reading a tiny bit because sans-serif is easier to read -- which is why newspapers use them for text (with sans serif for the headlines, which you are meant to glance at and them move on). More time spent staring at a page means more time exposed to ads.
          "For a musician, the SNES sound engine is like using Crayola Crayons. Nobuo Uematsu used Crayola Crayons to paint the Sistine Chapel." - Jeremy Jahns (re: "Dancing Mad")
          "The difference between an amateur and a master is that the master has failed way more times." - JoCat
          "Thinking is difficult, therefore let the herd pronounce judgment!" ~ Carl Jung
          "There's burning bridges, and then there's the lake just to fill it with gasoline." - Wiccy, reddit
          "Retail is a cruel master, and could very well be the most educational time of many people's lives, in its own twisted way." - me
          "Love keeps her in the air when she oughta fall down...tell you she's hurtin' 'fore she keens...makes her a home." - Capt. Malcolm Reynolds, "Serenity" (2005)
          Acts of Gord – Read it, Learn it, Love it!
          "Our psychic powers only work if the customer has a mind to read." - me

          Comment

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