If you are interested in submitting fiction to Kid's Imagination Train,
you should ask yourself three questions. Is
your story engaging? Is it
original? Does it fit the feel of the
magazine?
Engaging
You can make your story engaging by creating a main character that children will care about. To do that, the main character must have a problem kids can relate to and she must be able to solve that problem herself. Children want to get behind the main character and root for her as she handles conflict. In addition to having a main character children will care for, the language of the story must resonate with kids. Therefore, age-appropriate words are necessary as well as rhythm and flow.
You can make your story engaging by creating a main character that children will care about. To do that, the main character must have a problem kids can relate to and she must be able to solve that problem herself. Children want to get behind the main character and root for her as she handles conflict. In addition to having a main character children will care for, the language of the story must resonate with kids. Therefore, age-appropriate words are necessary as well as rhythm and flow.
Original
I love original stories, and so do kids! Let’s take this example. Say you want to write about an ant that wants to fly. This ant tries several different ways to fly, but fails. Eventually, it finds some feathers, waves them in the air, and soars away. Okay, not bad, but not great. How about this example? Again we have an ant that wants to fly. But in this story, the ant builds a flying machine with twigs and feathers and calls it his Birdplane. Now this story is fascinating and original. To be original it takes thinking outside the box, dreaming, and wondering...what if?
I love original stories, and so do kids! Let’s take this example. Say you want to write about an ant that wants to fly. This ant tries several different ways to fly, but fails. Eventually, it finds some feathers, waves them in the air, and soars away. Okay, not bad, but not great. How about this example? Again we have an ant that wants to fly. But in this story, the ant builds a flying machine with twigs and feathers and calls it his Birdplane. Now this story is fascinating and original. To be original it takes thinking outside the box, dreaming, and wondering...what if?
Fit the Feel
Lastly, you should get a feel of the magazine by reading a few back issues. That way, you are familiar with the kinds of stories KIT likes to publish. That said, here are more clues to what we like: KIT publishes pieces that are lively and entertaining and have illustration potential. We love magical and whimsical stories. Overall, the mood must be uplifting and positive, not negative or scary.
Lastly, you should get a feel of the magazine by reading a few back issues. That way, you are familiar with the kinds of stories KIT likes to publish. That said, here are more clues to what we like: KIT publishes pieces that are lively and entertaining and have illustration potential. We love magical and whimsical stories. Overall, the mood must be uplifting and positive, not negative or scary.
Editors have different tastes and it can be challenging to figure out what they are looking for. But now you know what Kid's Imagination Train likes for when it comes to fiction. So, it's up to you. Can you develop an engaging, original story that
would be a good fit for KIT?