How to Write a Childrens Book in 5 Simple Steps the Master Guide

How to Write a Childrens Book in 5 Simple Steps the Master Guide How to Write a Children's Book: an Author's Guide So you want to know how to write a children’s book? That’s great news. Children and teenagers are some of the most devoted readers out there - just don't  underestimate the size of the task in front of you. A children’s book is sometimes mistakenly seen as â€Å"easy† to write when, in fact, the opposite is true. You’ll need to nail all the essential elements like your voice, structure, plot, and characterization†¦ with fewer pages.In this post, we ask some of our top children’s book editors for their tips on how to create a book that publishers and readers will want to buy. And from their advice, we're going to show you how to write a children's book in five steps:Understand the children's book market (and your category)Create memorable charactersTell an engaging storyHone your voiceDetermine whether you need an illustratorLet's drill a little deeper into each step, starting with the first...For some awesome examples, check out the 1 20 best children's books of all time!Step 1. Understand the children’s book market  (and your category)"The children's publishing industry deems a book successful based upon sales data, but if you want to know which books work, just look for Scotch tape. Look for the books with the weird stains on the pages, with frayed covers, torn-and-taped pages - the books that have been read so many times that they are completely falling apart. These are the hallmarks of a successful children's book." - Brian Saliba, children's editorBefore you write a word of your book, you need to figure out your target audience. You can’t expect a five-year-old kid, for instance, to give a preteen’s book the time of day - and vice versa! Literary agents, in particular, will discard any book that’s not demographic-friendly, which is why children's editor Anna Bowles advises you to tailor every aspect of your book to your age band. This includes:TopicLengthStylePlot complexityL et’s take a closer look at each of the major categories in the children’s book market. How is the children's book market split up? Find out in this guide to children's books Picture books (Ages 5-7)It’s important to note that not all books with pictures are picture books. In industry terms, a picture book is a book that relies equally on illustrations and words to tell the story. Since picture books are meant to be a child’s first reading experience, the word count is going to be very low (500 words or fewer, 1,000 tops). To perfect your written work, consider sharing it with friends, family, and children’s writing communities (such as Children’s Book Authors on Facebook or a writing group in your area). You should also test your book on your target audience: children. Kids are brutally honest so their feedback will be very valuable.If you think that you need a specialist's touch, you might want to hire a professional editor. Their decades of experience will improve your storytelling and make sure that your book is ready for the market. You can find out the cost of hiring a professional children’s book editor here.Taking the next stepOnce you’re happy with your book, it’s time to take the last step and put it out there for children to read. You can dive deep into the process in this extensive guide to publishing a children’s book.If you’re planning to self-publish, you’ll want to start thinking about marketing. Here’s a free 10-day course that provides marketing strategies to help you promote your children’s book before, during, and after its launch.Most of all, never lose sight of your goal. The journey to writing a successful children’s book might be hard, but it’ll be worth it when you picture your book in the hands of young readers everywhere.Are you writing a children's book right now? Do you have any more questions for our professional editors? Leave them in the comment box below and we'll answer right away!