As a professional in the field of children’s literature, I have had the opportunity to assist a great number of authors in the process of creating and publishing their stories for young readers.

Creating a children’s book can be a fun and rewarding experience. With the right tips and advice, your book can reach the eyes and hearts of thousands of young readers.

Nothing can compare to the sensation of cradling your printed book in your hands and reading it aloud to a youngster for the first time. If you follow these twelve steps, you will be able to do just that in no time.

In this article you’ll learn:

• How to generate a concept that works
• How to create a main character that children love
• How to write the right length
• How to structure the plot
• How to work with an illustrator
• How to revise
• How to publish

• Publishing their children’s book (with Bookfox Press)
• Editing their children’s book (big picture feedback, not just correcting commas)

Finally, you can gain a good understanding of how to compose a children’s book by reading this post, but if you would like a more comprehensive, detailed experience with additional information, videos, PDFs, quizzes, and exercises, you can take my 30-video course on writing a children’s book.

Online Course: “Two Weeks To Your Best Children’s Book.”

Get set and go! Here is a list of 12 steps to create a children’s book.

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1. Find Your Best Idea

It is likely that you have a concept in mind, however it needs further development. Here is a suggestion on how to do that:

1. Google “children’s book” and a phrase that describes your book.
2. Once you’ve found books that are similar, look at the summary of those books.
3. Figure out how your book is different than the published ones.

It is wise to take a quick look at what other books are available before investing in creating a new one. Sadly, many writers are not following this common sense practice. A simple two-minute investigation can help you recognize any existing competing books.

Many writers that I have coached through this process discover that their concept has been addressed in literature before. This isn’t necessarily a negative result, in fact it is a sign that kids are keen to read about the subject!

In order to make your story unique, consider adding an unexpected twist to it. For example, if the topic is about bullying, the story might be told from the perspective of the bully. Or, if the story revolves around a dog, make it a stray or give it an impairment like blindness in one eye.

You could make your story unique by adding a twist to it. This could be anything from a surprise ending, to a protagonist that is guided by a magical creature such as a fairy or an elf. It could also be tailored to a certain age group. Just make one change that sets it apart from other stories.

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2. Build the Character

Every year I go through hundreds of children’s books and those that stand out contain characters that have something unique about them. They could have a peculiar trait, an amusing mannerism or an unusual physical appearance. Additionally, their speech might be distinct from that of others.

When I observe a book that has a protagonist that could be any child, I become concerned. It is essential to have a character that is genuine, instead of one that is meant to represent all children.

My advice would be to go through a Character Questionnaire

1. What does your main character desire?
2. What is their best/worst habit?
3. Are they an extrovert or introvert?
4. How do they speak differently than everyone else? (cute sayings, repeated phrase/word, dialect, high/low volume)
5. Do they doubt themselves or do they have too much bravery?
6. Do they have any pets? (or does your animal character have human owners)
7. What makes your main character feel happy?
8. Do they have any secrets?
9. What would this character do that would be very out of character?
10. What is one thing this character loves that most people dislike?

If you’d like more questions, I have an expanded version of this questionnaire in my course.

3. Find the Right Length

The most frequently asked question to me is usually how to write correctly, and unfortunately, many writers are mistaken about the answer.

It is essential to determine which age group you are writing for and then compose your text within the specified word count.

Many authors compose picture books intended for a reader age range of 3 to 7. This is the most widespread category. If this describes you, it is recommended to aim for 750 words. This is the ideal length.

If you write a picture book more than 1,000 words, you’re sunkThe industry has a single, unbending rule that must be adhered to: you must keep your writing under 1,000 words. To make sure this is done, you must be willing to cut away any unnecessary words and phrases. It might seem daunting but it is an essential part of the process.

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4. Start It Quickly

Unpublished children’s books often fail to draw in young readers (and their guardians!), likely because they lack excitement right away. If your narrative is centred around a child joining a circus, it is important to ensure they do so within the first couple of pages.

The biography of this young person should not include details about their past experiences. There is no need to provide context as to the time of year or the atmosphere.

Bringing the circus to town is an exciting prospect, and it could be the perfect opportunity for a young person to become a clown, tightrope walker, or lion tamer.

Creating a story with a limited amount of words requires a swift pace. Writers of children’s stories must keep the momentum going, instead of trudging along like a turtle.

For instance, look at the picture book “HippoSPOTamusWhat do you think was the moment when the hippo noticed the red spot on its rear?

5. Create A Problem

Every character in a story has something that they are facing, whether it be a mystery, a person, or a lack of self-assurance. This dilemma is something they will grapple with throughout the entirety of the book.

The majority of the book will be obstacles the main character has to hurdle

Beginning authors can often make a few common errors when crafting their character’s central dilemma. Some of these missteps include not exploring the problem deeply enough, overlooking the effects it has on their character, or not providing a clear solution.

1. The character solves the problem too easily. Make your character really struggle and fail. Ideally, the main character should fail at least three times before solving this problem, and perhaps fail as many times as five (if you’re writing for older children). 
2. There are not a series of obstacles. On the character’s way to solving the problem, the main character should run up against a whole bunch of obstacles. Don’t have him defeat a single obstacle and then voila, problem is solved. To build a rocket ship to fly to space, the main character should lose some parts, his mother should call him for dinner, his friend should tell him it won’t work, it should rain, etc. 
3. The character doesn’t care enough about solving the problem. This has to be a HUGE problem for the child — they have to feel like it’s a matter of life and death, even if the actual problem is only a missing button. As long as the child feels like it’s a huge problem, the reader will feel like it’s a huge problem. 

6. Use Repetition

Repeating the same thing is something that children, parents, and publishers all enjoy!

Everybody loves repetition! (check out my post on 17 fantastic examples of repetition in literature).

Creating something original is essential for a successful children’s book. Without a unique story, it will not be able to captivate a young audience.

Dr. Seuss is highly regarded as the father of children’s literature, and his works are renowned for the extensive use of repetition.

• Repetition of a word or phrase on a page
• Repetition of a word or phrase across the entire book
• Repetition of the story structure

Repeating similar words is a common technique in books that rhyme, however I would suggest that repetition of story elements is even more important.

Check out my children’s book course by clicking the image below for more information!

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7. Write for Illustrators

One of the main jobs of the writer is to set up the illustrator for success. (and you can hire an illustrator from the SCBWI illustrator gallery)

Many authors fail to consider the type of content they are providing to the illustrator.

If a novel has a setting that is limited to a single house and focuses on the interaction of only two characters, the illustrator may find it challenging to come up with intriguing visuals to accompany the text.

Having an exceptional illustrator can make a huge difference to your book, but they will also need good material to work with. Therefore, make sure to provide them with plenty of ideas and inspiration.

• Choose fun buildings for your setting (put it in a greenhouse rather than a school)
• Think of funny-looking main characters (a lemur is much more fun to draw than a dog)
• Get out in the open rather than being inside (wheat fields are more entertaining than a bedroom).

Illustrators have a great deal of freedom to be creative and explore fun options outside the norm.

When submitting a book to a publisher, it is important to consider the pairing of the text and any illustrations. Without a strong contribution from both the words and the images, the publisher may not accept it.

If you are choosing to publish independently, having attractive visuals for the child to enjoy will make the experience much more enjoyable!

Also, if you’re exhausted by trying to find an illustrator that you can trust, and is affordable, let Bookfox PressOur team can do all the research for you! We have a selection of skilled illustrators we have collaborated with in the past and are proud of their amazing work.

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8. End the Story Quickly

Once the central issue of the narrative has been addressed (the cat is located, the bully apologizes, the two girls reconcile), the story can be concluded in just a few pages.

Once the story has concluded, readers will no longer experience the same intensity, thus making it difficult to remain engaged. It is best to bring the story to a swift conclusion, in order to avoid this.

The goal is to bring a satisfactory end to all the storylines and tie up all the loose ends.

I really enjoy the trick that stand-up comedians use to end their sets, which is known as a ‘Call Back’. This is when they recall a joke they’ve already told earlier in their performance, as the final punchline.

This can be used in children’s literature by alluding to something that appears in the beginning of the book. For example, if the main character is so entranced by a purple lollipop that they wander off, then the last page of the book might read: “And from that day onward, they only sucked on red lollipops!”

9. Choose Your Title

You may be wondering why we decide on the title after we have written the article. That is a great question!

Many authors do not understand the core of their narrative until they have finished writing the book. Therefore, it is possible to have a temporary title, but it is likely that it will need to be revised once the book is completed.

And revising is fine! Everybody revises. Don’t be afraid to change your title multiple times

Also, the title is the number one marketing toolChoosing a title for your book may be the most crucial decision you make, even matching the importance of selecting an illustrator. The majority of readers will make a judgment on whether to purchase your book simply by reading the title.

1. Use Similar First Letters (Alliteration). Say your book is about Amy’s adventure finding a whole meadow full of poppies, and how she befriended a mouse there.
   • Don’t Title: “Amy’s Adventure with Poppies.”
   • Do Title: “The Mouse in the Meadow.”
2. Don’t Use a Descriptive Title. Many people just describe the contents of their book in the title, but I would warn against this. For instance, there’s a book about a boy who is searching through a vast library to find a special book about eternal life. What would you title this book?
   • Don’t: “The Vast Library.” (Boring)
   • Don’t: “The Library Hunt.” (This is better. “Hunt” is a good word, and the combo with library is intriguing.)
   • Do: “How to Live Forever.” (This is the actual title, and it’s great. This is the name of the book the boy is searching for, and it lets the reader know there will be some deep topics discussed.)
3. Use an Action Title. You want energy in your title. A lackluster title will spoil your book’s chances for sure. That means you want fun active verbs inside your title rather than passive ones.
   • Don’t: “Johnny’s Wonderful Day.”
   • Do: “Captain Johnny Defeats Dr. Doom.” (Captain Johnny makes it more playful, we have the active verb of “defeat” and Dr. Doom uses alliteration.)
4. Use the Technique of Mystery. Does your title tell the reader everything they want to know about the topic or does it provoke their curiosity? Your goal is to give enough information that the parent says, “Huh, that sounds fun.” 
   • Don’t: “The Bird in the Window.”
   • Do: “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!” (What places?)
   • Do: “Olivia Saves the Circus.” (How? We want to know.)
   • Do: “How to Catch an Elephant.” (Tell me more!)
5. Google “Children’s Book [Your Title]”.You want to see if the title is already taken (or if there is a title that is too close). Now say your perfect title is already used. Can you still use that title? Well, yes. People can’t copyright titles. But you’ll have a hard time distinguishing your book from that book, so it’s not always the best idea.
6. Test Your Title with Children and Adults. It’s important to see how children react to your title. Are they excited? Do they seem bored? But remember that children aren’t the ones buying books — parents are. So make sure to bounce it off some adults as well and get their reaction. 

10. A Revision Strategy

Talking to publishers and agents will reveal that one of the major reasons they reject books is when children’s books are overly lengthy.

Here is a revision technique that will fix that problemParticipants in “Walk the Plank” will be tasked with navigating a course of obstacles. The challenge requires individuals to move from one end of a plank to the other without falling off. This activity is sure to provide a fun and exciting experience for all!

You must give yourself a moment of pause when highlighting the text and hovering over the delete button; this is your time to ask yourself “If I delete this, will the story still make sense?”.

If the narrative still makes sense, then eliminate that phrase/sentence and don’t include it.

If the narrative doesn’t make sense, then that particular word, phrase, or sentence is given a chance to stay (for the time being, at least during this editing session!).

Generally, when it comes to children’s books, the shorter the length, the more likely it is that publishers/agents will be interested, as well as being well-received by both children and parents. Moreover, shorter books tend to be less costly to illustrate, as illustrating books can be quite costly.

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11. Find an Editor

Once you have finished writing your book, it is a good idea to get a professional’s opinion to help you refine it. An editor can be an invaluable asset for your book. Keep in mind that you may be very proud of your writing, but there are lots of ways to enhance the reading experience for your audience.

1. First, there are developmental editors (also called content editors). These editors help you improve the story concept, the plot, the characters, the pacing, the dialogue, and whatever else needs to be improved. They look at the big picture and help you revise your book (this is what I do!).
2. After you use a developmental editor, then you would need a copy editor. This is the editor who fixes all the formatting, grammar, spelling, verb tenses, style, and all the other small details. They make your book look professional.

Sometimes an editor may have the ability to do both, but it is not possible to work on both big and small changes at the same time. It is important to make any major revisions before attempting to make any minor tweaks.

1. Your editor should be someone who has been in the industry for a while.
2. Your editor should have examples of published children’s books that they’ve edited.
3. Your editor should have testimonials from satisfied writers.
4. Your editor should be a member of SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators).

The expenses of editors can differ significantly, however if you’re not spending at least between $400 and $600, it is likely that you’re dealing with someone inexperienced in the field. It is not advisable to let a novice have free reign with your book.

If you’d like to hire me as an editor, check out my children’s book editing page.

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12. Find an Illustrator

An illustrator will be the most expensive step of publishing a children’s book, but also the most essential for a successful book. The more you spend on this step, the better your book will look. I mentioned the SCBWI illustrator gallery above, but I also wanted to recommend Fiverr as an inexpensive place

If neither of those work out, check out the website Children’s Illustrators or for another option, Illustration X.

It is important to ask an illustrator the following questions when considering them for a project:

• To see examples of previous work (do you like their style?)
• To see a copy of the contract (do they keep the rights or do you?)
• How long it will take (look at the graphic below for average times)
• Whether they also do layout, type, and book design (otherwise you need to hire a book designer afterwards)

Ensure that you are truly captivated by the illustrator’s technique, and that it coincides with your ideal for the book’s aesthetic.

It is not enough to simply add text onto an image and expect it to be visually pleasing. It is essential to create a harmonious relationship between the words and the picture. When designing, one should consider:

• The font. This is incredibly important. I see a lot of self-published children’s books that selected the wrong font, and it’s glaringly obvious. You need an illustrator to help you choose exactly the right font to match the illustrations.
• The size of the font. This is important as well. It should be consistent across the whole book and should pair well with the size of objects in the illustration.
• The placement of the words. If you put the words in the wrong place on the image, you basically ruin the entire illustration. It needs to be carefully balanced and follow good composition guidelines like the rule of thirds. Ideally, the words should enhance the illustration rather than detract from it.
• Page breaks. What words should go on which pages? This is something you need to discuss with your illustrator before they begin. They need to have a say in this — don’t just tell them how you want the pages to be broken up. For instance, they might have the idea to have a two-page spread without any words at all, or to separate a single sentence across several pages, or to have one page with a few sentences on it and the next page with just a short phrase for emphasis. This is the number one mistake I see beginning writers/illustrators make: they have the same amount of text on every single page (usually a single sentence). 

It is advisable to employ an illustrator or a book designer to assist with book design, instead of attempting to make decisions regarding font, placement and font size on your own.

Common Questions

Q: Should I copyright my book?

In general, the opinion on this matter is divided; however, I would typically say no. One does not have to worry about someone taking their book without permission. If one chooses to go the traditional publishing route, the publisher will secure a copyright for them. If someone opts for the self-publishing route, they will already be the rightful owner of the material as soon as it is written, so obtaining a copyright merely provides extra assurance.

Now if you’re going to chew your nails down to the nub worrying about this, then set your mind at ease. If you live in America, go to the U.S. Copyright Office website and you can register for under a hundred bucks. I walk you through the steps on how to do this in my children’s book course.

Q: Do I need illustrations before sending my book to editors, publishers, and agents?

Editors prefer to work with the text independently, so unless the illustrations are necessary to understand the book, it is best not to include them. If the illustrations are necessary, you can add a description in brackets to explain them [for example].

Publishing houses usually employ their own illustrators, so it is generally advised that you submit only the text. This is because the selection of an illustrator is a marketing decision that needs to be made by the publisher, and it can be an expensive endeavor, costing up to $20,000. Unless you have that kind of money readily available, it’s best to submit only the text.

Now what if you’reIf you have an illustrator, you should definitely send the illustrations. However, if the story gets rejected, it could be due to either the story or the illustrations, and you may not know what the issue was.

Generally, agents are more likely to represent illustrator/writers than writers by themselves. This is because illustrators of children’s books make much more money than writers of children’s books (unfortunately, that’s how it is).

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Q: Should I ask for a non-disclosure agreement? (NDA)

If you choose to do so, you stand a greater chance of being eaten by a bear than having your book stolen.

If someone were to attempt to steal your book, you would have the right to take legal action against them. This would not only reclaim any profits made, but also have the potential to gain further compensation. Consequently, there is not much incentive to take such a risk.

The truth is that writers worry about this far more often than it actually happens. My advice would be to put all your energy toward creating the best children’s book you can create, and if you have a great book, the agent/publisher/editor will want to work with

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Q: Will you be my literary agent?

I’m an editor, and an editor’s role is very distinct from that of a literary agent. As an editor, it’s my responsibility to help you to make your children’s book the best it can be. On the other hand, a literary agent’s job is to find a publisher who is interested in your book.

However, if you sign up for my children’s book email list (via a pop-up on this page) I will send you a list of children’s book agents. Also, here’s another list of agents.

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Q: Will you help me find a publisher?

That’s mainly the role of a literary agent, but I do have a list on Bookfox of 30 publishers

And if you hire me for editingI may be able to make some suggestions as to which publishers might be interested in your book, however, it is no guarantee. Publishers receive a great deal of submissions and must choose the ones that they believe will be successful.

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Q: How many submissions will an agent or publisher get in a year?

An entry-level agent may receive between two thousand and three thousand submissions in a twelve-month period, whereas a seasoned agent may receive between three thousand and eight thousand submissions.

Publishers who accept manuscripts receive a number of submissions ranging from 2,000 to 15,000, however when the number of submissions become too high, most publishers stop accepting them due to the cost of hiring people to evaluate each one.

It is important for you to make an informed choice regarding whether you should opt for self-publishing or look for a traditional publisher. I would not want to discourage you in any way, however, it is not easy to acquire an agent or a publisher and the process can be long and require a lot of effort.

The great thing about self-publishing is that you can have your book in your hands within just a few days.

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Q: Should I self publish or seek a traditional publisher?

So for self-publishing, there’s lots of upsidesNo need to wait, you will have full control over the project (e.g. cover art and illustrations) and the cost of doing it all by yourself is fairly low.

But …Doing your own promotion and marketing can be a daunting task if you don’t have any guidance or don’t have the backing of a traditional publisher. If you are a determined individual who is confident in their ability to spread the word about their work then self-publishing may be the best choice.

For traditional publishing, there are also many advantages: you would receive an advance payment, the publisher would take care of proofreading, ISBN, illustrations, cover art, and provide advice on marketing and promotion.

But …It can be incredibly difficult to secure an agent or publisher’s acceptance. It may take multiple submissions of your story over the course of a year or two, and sending it to hundreds of outlets, to get the desired result. If you have the patience and ambition to share your book with a larger audience, this is the route to take.

ALERT:

It is often said that children’s literature is the initial step for individuals who aspire to become writers. This is a statement that I personally believe in.

If you want advice on novel writing, read my post, “12 Steps to Writing a Bestselling Novel in 6 Months.

Did you want more advice on how to write a children’s book?

1. Find Your Best Idea
2. Develop Your Main Character
3. Write the Right Length
4. Start the Story Quickly
5. Figure out the Main Problem
6. Use Repetition
7. Write for Illustrations
8. End the Story Quickly
9. Choose Your Title
10. A Revision Strategy: Walk the Plank
11. How to Find an Editor
12. How to Find an Illustrator

Please leave a comment below

• Children’s book course — “Two Weeks To Your Best Children’s Book”
• Children’s book editing — let me help you with your book.
• Children’s book Publishing: Bookfox Press