If you love writing books for children, it is a rewarding career. Especially for those with a love of learning and a vivid imagination.
Finally seeing your book published can be incredibly fulfilling.
It takes some authors years to have their first book published. But if you continue to write engaging stories in a genre you love, anyone can become a children’s book author.
Here are a few necessary steps for how to become a children’s book author.
1. Decide Who Your Target Age Group Is
Different aged children read at all different levels and comprehend information differently.
You will first need to decide what your target age range is for your books. Make sure to keep this in mind throughout the writing process. Writing for children will require research to understand what your target age group can and cannot comprehend.
2. Read Other Books in the Genre
Reading books in the same genre that you want to get published shows you what gets published in that genre. Furthermore, it will help you identify areas for improvement and make your books more publishable.
3. Constantly Generate Ideas
Continue to write down as many ideas and stories as you can. Having many different story ideas will keep your writing chops fresh. Don’t only bank on one idea working out. You will probably write many different stories until one catches on and is published.
4. Revise, Revise, Revise
As a children’s book author, you will need to continually revise your work. This revision will force you to look at your work in new ways each time you edit. Constant revisions will also let you critically look at and change your stories to make them better.
5. Attend Kidlit Conferences, Book Fairs, and Other Literary Events
Attending children’s literature conferences, book fairs, and other literary events will give you a feel for the industry. There will be the newest books for the year, agents looking to buy books, and events featuring authors or classes to attend while there.
You can gain incredibly valuable information from these events to help you get your book published. You will also meet people in the industry that can help you get published.
6. Join A Critique Group
A critique group is a great way to get feedback on your work. Join a group that focuses on your chosen genre so you can see what other people are writing too. These people understand your genre and will give valuable feedback for your next round of revisions.
7. Send Out Your Manuscript
Send out your manuscript to as many agents and publishers that you find in your genre. Do some research to avoid unnecessarily sending out your manuscript to agents and publishers who do not publish books similar to the one you wrote. Be prepared for a number of rejections before one of the agents or publishers finally accepts your book.
8. Keep Writing New Stories
The most important part of writing books for children is to continue writing new stories.
Your first idea is not always your best idea. Don’t get discouraged if your work is not published. Revise past work and continue writing new stories so that eventually, you will land on an idea that gets published. Then, write some more stories and begin the process all over again.
Interested in Learning More About Becoming a Children’s Book Author?
Take a look at Stratford Career Institute’s course for writing children’s books to learn more about how to become a children’s book author and improve your writing skills.
You will learn everything it takes to become a children’s book author, including:
- Plot and Subplot
- Cast of Characters
- Structural Design
- Points of View that Work Best for Picture Books
- Writing Scenes and a Strong Ending
- Selling Your Manuscript
- Character Design and Emotion
- Board Books for Babies and Toddlers
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