Write2Ignite

In all the years I’ve been a freelance children’s book editor, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard how people want to write picture books because they’re short … and easy.

“HA!” I’d say. (And I had to keep myself from slapping them and saying, “Snap out of it!”)

Writing picture books is NOT easy. The age group is 4-8, which is a huge spread for kids. You don’t want to confuse or lose the 4-5-year-olds. You don’t want to bore and lose the 8-year-olds. And you have to keep in mind the adults who will be buying and reading them.

Oh, and you get 500-800 words.

Sound easy? Fun? Well, read on!

Where Do I Begin?

My first suggestion is to read lots and lots of picture books. See how other authors told their stories. Make notes of everything you loved and everything you didn’t. The public library is the best place to do this. I spent hours sitting on the floor in the picture book section, pulling out books at random and reading them and making notes.

I also got to know the librarians and they knew me. Your public librarian is your best friend. She knows all the most popular books.

Get to Know the Age Group

One way to get to know kids in the 4-8 age group is to volunteer for Storytime at the public library. I do that once a month. I bring books and a craft. I often ask the kids to find a book they want to read. We talk about the books we love, their toys, their favorite snacks, foods, games, etc. Just last week, I did Storytime, and we talked about backyard gardens.

Kids LOVE to tell you things! Listen to them.

Spend Quality Time with Them

Play board games with kids. No matter what age group you want to write for, spending time with kids that age is crucial. Board games are easiest because you can talk while you play. When my children were young, we had Game Night once a week. And we talked as we played.

Kids WANT to share things with you. Especially if you start when they’re young. Playing games can build trust. When kids trust you, they tell you things.

Everything is writing fodder.

Not that you want to write their secrets but listen to them. Listen to what they tell you. Listen to how they talk to each other. Observe how they play the game, how they handle winning, and how they handle losing. Besides having great fun, you learn how kids think and talk and what’s important to them.

Write, Write, Write!

Get writing. Write your story. Use lots of action and dialog. Choose fun words that kids will recognize and laugh over. Don’t put in too many characters. Keep the story to one focus. Remember—kids are literal. They’ll believe what you write.

Read it out loud to yourself, then have someone who is not familiar with your story read it out loud to you. Picture books are meant to be read out loud. You need to hear what your story sounds like.

And the final test; read it to a group of kids in the 4–8-year-old age group. Don’t tell them you’re the author. Then ask them what they think. Kids are HONEST. It can be humbling, but at least you’ll get a real response.

Most of all, have fun!

I’ll get into more of the craft of writing picture books next month.

Pam Halter is a former home-schooling mom, has been a children’s book author since 1995, a freelance children’s book editor since 2006, and was the children’s book editor for Fruitbearer Publishing until January 2023. She’s the author of Fairyeater, a YA fantasy, and the Willoughby and Friends picture book series (available on her website.) Pam has also published short stories in Ye Olde Dragon Books , the Whitstead Anthologies and Renewed Christmas Blessings. Her first short story won Readers Choice in Realmscapes.  

Pam lives in Southern New Jersey with her husband, Daryl, special needs adult daughter, Anna, and four cats. When she’s not writing, Pam enjoys spending time with her grands, reading, quilting, gardening, cooking, playing the piano, Bible study, and walking long country roads where she discovers fairy homes, emerging dragons, and trees eating wood gnomes.