I
while ago I decided to write a series of middle-grade novels taking place
during the California gold rush, and I have just started sending them to
editors and agents. The series consists of a stand-alone story for each of the
three most common routes to California: around Cape Horn, across the Isthmus of
Panama, and over the plains. The first two books have female protagonists and
the third has a male protagonist.
Over
the Plains is the second book I have written with a
male protagonist, and it is the first that didn’t also include a female protagonist.
Obviously, I have never been a boy, and that makes me hesitant to write from a
male point-of-view. Still, many women write male POVs successfully, just as
many men write female POVs successfully. And the boys I used as beta readers
for Over the Plains didn’t question the accuracy of my male character’s
thoughts and actions.
As
I was searching for agents, one website said the agent is particularly
interested in books that would encourage boys to read. Statistics say boys do
not read as much as girls do, and they will rarely read a book with a female in
the leading role. So I assume the agent is interested in books with a boy as
the main character. I will certainly send him Over the Plains.
But
maybe it’s time to step out of my comfort zone and write more books for boys.
In fact, I think I can do it by splitting my completed series in two—or,
rather, by creating two parallel series, one for girls and one for boys. This
requires an additional three books, but I think they would be both challenging
and fun.
The
middle book in the series is about the trip across the Isthmus of Panama, and
writing a version for the boys’ series should be relatively simple. My twelve-year-old
female protagonist has a fifteen-year-old brother who plays a big part in the
story. I’m envisioning a parallel book told from his point-of-view.
The
other books will require more effort. I already have the first two books for
girls, but if I move Over the Plains to the boys’ series, I will need a
new book for the girls’ series to cover the overland trip to the gold fields. Except
for one adult, there are no significant female characters in Over the Plains,
so I will have to create an entirely new story line. I can, however, use the
same setting and place the new story in the same wagon train. Obviously, there
are some events that affect the entire train, and I will use them in both
books. It’s a large enough train that the significant characters in the two
books won’t have to interact, however, so I shouldn’t have to make any edits to
Over the Plains.
I
have a similar problem with the first book in the series when trying to adapt
it for boys. There are no boys in that book who would make a good protagonist
for the trip around Cape Horn. Again, however, I can create a new story about a
boy on board the same ship on the same voyage. If I put him in the crew, he won’t
have to associate with the passengers. I will use some of the events that
affect everyone on board, but I won’t have to change the book I have already
completed.
Sometimes
my head pops with ideas and I get excited about the challenge, and this is one
of those times. But there’s a problem. Although I have ideas for all three
books, I can only write one at a time. And I’m currently working on a different
book, so I’ll have to finish the current draft of that one first.
Still,
I can’t wait to get started.
__________
Beginning at the upper left, the images in the
photo are: “Clipper ship Sweepstakes,” lithographed by Fannier Palmer and
published by Nathaniel Currier in 1853; “Der Isthmus von Panama auf der Höhe
des Chargres River” (“The Isthmus of Panama at the Height of the Chargres River”),
1850 painting by Charles Christian Nahl; and 19th century
illustration of a westward wagon train, artist unattributed.
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