If you love to write, writing and publishing a children's book may be a lifelong dream. Children’s book authors are often inspired to revisit their youth and consider the world from a child’s perspective, many times after watching their own children and grandchildren. The market for children’s books has become a popular genre for publishers, and with proper planning and effective execution, you can fulfill your own dream of writing a captivating tale for children of all ages.
Creating Your Concept
Before writing and illustrating the story for a children’s book, it is essential to develop an overall concept for the project. By defining the book’s concept, you can determine how the theme, plot, characters, setting, tone, and illustrations will all work together to present your overall vision for the book.
Choosing the narration style for your story is another defining aspect of your writing. Third-person narration tends to be more effective with elementary-age children in picture books, while middle school and young adult readers tend to identify with first-person narration. Either way, a good children’s story has an even mix of narration and dialogue.
Writing for Children
Writing for a young audience requires all the elements of a good story—well-developed characters, conflict and plot resolution, and an underlying theme—and these elements must be condensed into less text than one average chapter. “Less is more” is a good rule of thumb when catering to young readers, who prefer short words, short sentences, and short paragraphs. As the word count in your story decreases, each word becomes more significant and meaningful. The illustrations in your book can complement your narration and replace detailed descriptions of character and setting.
In most children’s books, illustrations play an integral role in the storytelling and plot development, because children spend years learning about the world visually before they can read. Picture books help young children to learn to read by presenting text and images that work together.
If you want to learn more about writing, illustrating, and publishing children's books with AuthorHouse, complete this form to receive our complimentary Publishing Guide Book. This in-depth, "how-to" guide explains our process and invites you to take your publishing journey with us. You may also call free-phone 0800 1974150 to speak with one of our Publishing Advisors.
