Home
>
Writing
>
Writing HI-LO Material (High Interest, Low Ability) for Slow Readers

Writing HI-LO Material (High Interest, Low Ability) for Slow Readers

To write books for readers at an elementary reading level (for either adults or children) you start off exactly the same way as you do any other book: you work out a strong plot and people it with interesting characters.

Your primary concerns:

To write a story that will seize the interest of the reader immediately (reluctant or emergent readers aren't going to waste time on a story that doesn't look interesting)
To try to stick to one idea per sentence. If the reader is plodding along trying to decode text, the overall sense of a sentence will be lost if it contains embedded clauses, lots of commas, and so on. Keep sentences short.
To choose popular topics. This will increase your chance of a sale and increase the likelihood of a reluctant reader picking it up in the first place.
To choose an appealing title.

Popular Topics For Adults and Children

Children between 9-12 years who are just learning to read or who need to be encouraged to read like to read about:

Social issues between families and friends
Humorous situation stories
Teenagers and conflict
Street kids and gangs
Adventure and mystery stories
Science fiction
Disasters
Biographies
Skateboards
Spy stories
Sports stories
Naughty child becomes a hero

Adults have many similar interests:

Social issues between families and friends
Humorous situation stories
Families and conflict
Workplace conflict
Adventures
Mysteries
Science Fiction
Fantasy
Disasters
Biographies
Spy stories
Sports stories
Romances
Thrillers
The shy or quiet adult who rises to the occasion when challenged

Research has shown that approximately 70% of children who experience reading difficulties are boys, hence the subject matter chosen should reflect the interests of boys. The inclusion of girls in the plot is essential.

Before You Start

Before you start to write this sort of book yourself, get hold of some published books for your targeted publisher and study them. Make sure you read them aloud, too. That will help you get an idea of the rhythm and length of the sentences.

You'll probably find it helpful to type out several pages to get the 'feel' of the simpler writing style. It wouldn't even hurt to type out a whole book. Then you can start applying what you've learned to your own material.

How To Proceed

Write the story without worrying about the vocabulary or sentence length. If you fret too much at this stage about whether your story is 'easy' enough, it'll never get written. Or you'll finish it, but it will seem stilted and slow. So just write. Let the story come to life.

Then edit and polish your story until you're happy with it.

The Final Step

Finally, go through and start adapting the text to a simpler format. (Even when you've written and published quite a few hi/lo texts, and you naturally start to write shorter sentences and easier words, you'll find that this second run through pays off.) Shorten the sentences. Where there are two ideas in a sentence, make it two sentences. Every so often make a sentence a little longer or very short. If all your sentences are the same length and structure, the book will seem stilted.

Check The Words You Have Used

Study the words you have used. Where possible, substitute simpler words for those with difficult sounds. Note: you will not always be able to do this. For example, 'thought' is quite a difficult word to read. (The sound ough can say different things, as Pedantic Pat pointed out in her column!) But the word 'thought' might appear in your story several times, because it's hard to think of another way of saying 'he thought'. In this case, use it. And use it several times, so the reader will get to recognize it. But you must then avoid using other words with the ough sound in them, if it is pronounced differently in those words.

Difficult Sounds

Other difficult sounds are 'augh' as in laugh and caught; 'igh' as in night and thigh. Also beware of words that contain silent letters such as know, knife and psychic. The letter 'y' can also cause problems in the middle or on the ends of words: for example, 'funny' and 'spy'.

Try to remember: not too many new sounds; avoid using sounds that are spelt the same but pronounced differently in different words.

Sending Your Story To A Publisher

Publishers may ask you to divide your story into chapters. They then decide, in collaboration with the artist (if illustrations are to be used) where the page breaks will occur. Some editors prefer that you divide your story into 'chunks' for each page as you go, telling you approximately how many words they want on each page.

If you do write your story in sections divided ready for each page, don't start each section on a new page when you send your story to the publisher. Just insert several line spaces to indicate page breaks.

When you have finished adapting your story to the hi/lo format, you should leave it a while before the final edit. (This is good advice for any story, of any length, for any level of reading ability!) When you come back to it, read it through again, silently and out loud. Ask yourself:

Does this story sound natural, even though the text has been simplified?
Can I picture the story clearly? Is there plenty going on?
Will the reader be engrossed in my story and want to read on to find out what happens in the end?

Finally, type your story in the standard format-double spaced on one side of A4 paper, with 3cm margins all around.

Marg McAlister has written many books for reluctant readers, as well as being the foundation editor of Lit-Bits, a newsletter for adult literacy providers. She has also published magazine articles, short stories, ezines, promotional material, sales letters and web content. She has written 5 distance education courses on writing, and her online help for writers is popular all over the world. Sign up for her regular writers' tipsheet at http://www.writing4success.com/

In The News:

Fitness centers and workout studios are starting to establish policies that prohibit shooting phone videos to protect people's privacy.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents

Apple recently notified a small number of iPhone customers in 92 countries that their phones may be under attack by mercenary spyware.

An artificial intelligence-powered home security system can fire paintballs and tear gas at trespassers. The camera identifies human faces and animals.

Technology expert Kim Komando gives her tips and tricks on enhancing your user experience a smartphone and other devices you use everyday.

A new camera called NUCA uses artificial intelligence to create deepfake photos of subjects by stripping away clothing in close to real time.

The Kimberley Kube trail-ready camper has a compact but spacious design and combines luxury, functionality and ruggedness for a weekend getaway.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Emails instructing you to reset your password for an account may be legitimate, or they may be scams. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains.

Northrop Grumman's Manta Ray uncrewed underwater vehicle aims to revolutionize undersea missions — it glides through the ocean without human assistance.

Learn how to work Google's calendar application to streamline and organize your daily tasks from technology expert Kim Komando.

If you do not want Facebook to have automatic access to your private photos, follow our tips to protect yourself. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson shows you how.

Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson goes into detail about Apple’s recent iOS update that allows iPhone users to instantly translate spoken language simply by using the Action Button.

Safeguarding your digital life with a reliable physical backup isn't just a precaution, it's a necessity. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson provides the essential backup checklist.

Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals how a Redditor exposed false recycling claims at their apartment, highlighting a report that only 21% of U.S. recyclables are processed.

Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson offers a travel toolkit featuring five technology tools to help you with booking flights and hotels for your summer vacation.

The bubble behind the clock on your iPhone can appear in different colors. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains what each of those colors mean.

Scammers are using the power of artificial intelligence to mimic voices of people and are using the fake voices to commit crimes, like kidnappings.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Tech guru Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains the science behind the Invisibility Shield, a 6-foot shield that makes people become invisible.

The International Olympic Committee on Friday announced plans to use AI in various Olympic aspects, including athlete identification, training and judging.

Tech guru Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains an easy trick to avoid squinting while working or surfing the web by zooming in on your personal computer.

Streaming giant Roku has recently been targeted by a pair of cyberattacks, and the company confirmed over a half million Roku accounts were compromised.

The Land Aircraft Carrier combines an all-terrain, six-wheeled vehicle with a two-seat aircraft, which features electric vertical takeoff and landing.

The European Union has sent TikTok a "request for information" on the video sharing platform's newest app, TikTok Lite, under the Digital Services Act, with the aim to clean up social media.