Writing a book might seem challenging, but writing a children’s book can be fun! You can rhyme your verses, tell a cute story, or teach a valuable lesson using silly, cartoonish, or artful illustrations. The best part is that all you need is one great idea and a way to tell it to the world. For example, you might want to write a book about a kindness butterfly who spreads joy to all the other critters in a forrest. Once you have a jumping off point, moving on is easy if you know what to focus on. That’s why there are some easy steps you can follow to ensure your success!
Getting Started
After you’ve discovered your winning idea, you can move on to the characters that will populate your story. First, think about your main character. What do they look like? What do they wear? What is the obstacle they will have to overcome? You can take as much time as you want to develop this character, because it will be the hook for your book. Readers will identify with universal struggles and feelings, so make sure the character is relatable and their goal is clear.
Next you’ll want to choose the length of your book. This is largely determined by the age group you’re targeting. The younger your crowd, the shorter the book should be so it holds their attention the entire time. As you think about length and age groups, also keep reading level in the back of your mind. A 200-word board book will be written very differently than a 500-word story for five-year-olds because of the difference in cognitive function and understanding. All three of these areas need to work together to create a successful book.
The Writing Process
As you begin to compose your story, be sure you get into the plot as quickly as possible. Kids won’t wait long for a story to start, so let the problem present itself at the very beginning. Repetition is a great tool to use throughout your narrative because it reminds children of what’s important and what to focus on. It can also help with teaching them valuable lessons. Finally, you want to make sure you end the story as quickly as you started, so there is a clear resolution to the problem and no other events to distract from the main character’s triumph.
