Writing Children's Book

So, you think you are a very good bedtime storyteller and want to take it to another level by a writing a children's book? You think its that easy? Well, think again.



If you thought that it was easy to write children's books because they are short and written in large fonts with lots of pictures in it, you thought wrong. Writing for these young audiences is not as easy as you would think because you are writing for an age you have already passed and may have already forgotten. To write for a child, you have to think like a child. And most adults have forgotten what it is like to be a child. Otherwise, there wouldn't be generation gaps, would there?



Another reason why it is hard is that children's books have a lot of restrictions. The vocabulary you can use is limited. So you are faced with the problem of creating a fascinating story that is told in simple language. Yes, pictures would help in that department but still you have to have a great story delivery. Also, children aged from 6 to 12 have varying preferences in reading materials. So as an author, you should target only one level per book or story to ensure effective message delivery and readership. For example, beginners ages 5 to 6 can only be interested in easy reading and more of picture materials; ages 7 to 8 are inclined to be hooked on scary but simply told stories; and 9 to 12 would be more interested in fantasy series like Harry Potter, Series of Unfortunate Events and so on. It would be wise to take note of this fact before writing your book. Consider the age of your target audience before you decide. Always remember that kids do not have the attention span of an adult. They get bored easily and they won't be meek in showing it.



To help you decide on what to write and how to write it, read all kinds of children's books out there. You can spend hours in a bookstore reading and absorbing different styles and approach of other authors of children's book. Read everything from the good, to the not so good, to the bad. This way, you will learn what to do and what not to do. You can also ask the opinions of experts. You can have a sample or your work reviewed by a writers group, or your college literature professor. Or better yet, have it reviewed by some grade school children and ask them what they think about it. After all, they are your target audience and what they think is what matters most.