Boundaries to your universe of ideas

Looking at the wide range of picture books on the shelf whilst at the bookstore earlier today, I got thinking. The ideas behind the books, for the most part, were really very basic. In fact, a lot of the books didn't have any storyline at all. From front to back, there was absolutely no point, no real idea, no nothing. You finished the book knowing nothing more than before you started. But, they're entertaining. In some ways, if you can write a whole book about nothing and still entertain people, you're a much better author than one who can express an excellent idea in a way that not many people can actually relate to.

As my wonderful girlfriend Ali was telling me the other day, a good author can take any idea and make it interesting and entertaining. If you can't do that, she said bluntly, then you can't be a very good writer. (Paraphrasing slightly.)

It comes down to style. Craftsmanship.

Ask yourself this: Are you telling the story, or is the story telling you? If you can master any idea, no matter how dull or exciting, into an entertaining and enjoyable read then you are the storyteller. But if the range of ideas you can possibly write about is restricted by your ability to turn them into good stories, then in reality your stories are telling a great, though depressing, truth about you and your writing skills.

With adult novels, in general, you can't get away with no storyline. But with children's books you can get away with everything. The sky is the limit.

As long as you can make the story great.

I've never actually written any children's books before, so I'm very new to all this. I'm going to get stuff wrong. But I do love kids books and these are the things I've noticed around me. This in particular I can guarantee you is true:

A good author has few boundaries to their universe of ideas; a great author has none.

Which are you?