Things you should know before making Kids Books

Are you a parent looking for a creative project to do with your kids? Are you an aspiring children’s author looking for tips on getting started with writing and illustrating? If so, this blog post is just what you need! We’ve compiled a list of things to consider before taking the plunge into creating kids books. Read on to find out more!

1. Determine Your Audience

It’s essential to determine your audience before creating a children’s book. Age range, page count, word count and themes are all important factors to consider when selecting an audience. Visualizing who they are and what they look like can be helpful as well. Additionally, researching your market and understanding the potential readers of your book is key. To do this, you could read reviews from other books in the same genre or ask current readers for feedback. This will help you gain insight into what appeals to them and inform your decisions about your book’s content. Once you know who you’re writing for, it’s easier to decide what topics to cover and how to structure the story.

2. Decide What You Want Your Young Readers to Learn

When writing a children’s book, you should determine what you want your young readers to learn from the story. Ask yourself what message you want to convey, and then ensure that this message is woven into the narrative. Additionally, consider the age of your reader and determine which skills are appropriate for that age group. For example, if you are writing a book for pre-schoolers, then you may focus on teaching basic concepts such as the alphabet and counting. If you are writing for elementary-school aged readers, then you may focus on more complex concepts such as problem-solving and self-expression. By taking the time to plan out what your young readers will learn from your story, you can ensure that your book is entertaining and educational.

3. Write and Draw Every Day

It is important to practice writing and drawing every day in order to become more comfortable with the process of creating a children’s book. If you can make a habit of drawing and writing daily, even just for a few minutes, you will be able to develop your skills and create a better story. Additionally, spending regular time on your project will help you stay motivated and focused on the task. It is also important to research the market; what type of stories are popular with young readers? This will give you an idea of what kind of characters and storylines have been successful in the past. Furthermore, brainstorming ideas and developing characters can add depth to your story. Lastly, having someone else read your manuscript can provide valuable feedback that can help you revise, edit and polish your book. All these steps together will help you create an engaging story that will captivate young readers.

4. Research Your Market

Once you have determined your target audience and chosen the story structure for your children’s book, it’s time to research your market. This means looking into the current trends and what other authors are doing in the kids’ book space. Knowing what is popular and what isn’t can help you tailor the content of your book to what appeals to young readers. It can also help you decide on a marketing approach that will reach your target audience. Additionally, it’s important to keep an eye on any new trends that may be emerging, as this could provide you with more marketing opportunities.

5. Brainstorm Ideas

Once the audience, theme and story structure have been determined, it’s time to start brainstorming ideas for the children’s book. There are a few tried-and-true methods for coming up with creative ideas. Brainstorming alone helps to get the creative juices flowing and can yield some great ideas. Another option is to collaborate with a friend or two, bounce ideas off of each other and see what comes up. Additionally, researching popular children’s books and topics can provide inspiration for unique stories. Finally, using a story generator can help to generate new plot elements and characters to explore. With all these options, it should be easy to come up with an exciting idea for the next children’s book!

6. Choose a Story Structure

Once you’ve determined your audience and decided what you want them to learn, it’s time to choose an appropriate story structure. A story structure is the sequence of events that form the plot of your children’s book. It’s important to consider what type of conflict you want to introduce and how you want to resolve it. Examples of conflict include a character’s struggle between right and wrong, a battle between good and evil, or a problem that needs to be solved. Once you’ve identified the conflict, you can decide how you want to build the story around it, from beginning to end. By looking at other books and reading reviews, you can get a better idea of what type of narrative structure works best for your particular story.

7. Choose the Right Characters

When writing children’s books, it is essential to create relatable characters. It helps young readers become engaged with the story and allows them to connect with the characters. To ensure this, it is important to carefully choose the right characters for your book. When choosing characters, consider their age, gender, interests, and quirks. Include a wide variety of characters to represent multiple walks of life. For example, include characters of different genders, ethnicities, disabilities or religions to help children learn about diversity and acceptance. Additionally, it is important to make sure that the character’s identity is clear from the beginning of the story so that readers can quickly connect with them. By following these steps when crafting your characters, you can ensure that your readers will be able to relate and learn from them in an entertaining and meaningful way.

8. Write the First Draft

Once you have a creative and engaging idea and the basic framework of your story laid out, it’s time to get to writing. Start by writing the first draft of your book. This can be a challenging task, as you need to ensure that you stay true to the vision of your story, while also keeping the language interesting and age-appropriate. To make the process easier, it’s helpful to break down each chapter into smaller scenes or plot points, and to focus on one scene at a time. Additionally, don’t be afraid to make mistakes or take risks in your writing – it’s all part of the creative process! You can always go back and make changes later. With practice and persistence, your children’s book will soon come to life on paper.

9. Have Someone Else Read It

Once you have a complete draft of your book, it is essential to have someone else read it. This could be a family member, friend, or professional editor. Having another reader can help you spot any mistakes or parts of the story that may need improvement. They can also provide valuable feedback on the characters, plot, and overall theme. It is important to remember to take any feedback you receive into account when revising your manuscript. Ultimately, having another person read your book will help you create an engaging and well-crafted story that young readers will enjoy.

10. Revise, Edit and Polish the Manuscript

Once you have written a draft of your kids book, it’s important to review and edit it. You should read it aloud to make sure the flow of words makes sense. Look for any spelling or grammar errors that need to be corrected. Make sure each sentence is concise and easy to understand. If there are any areas where you feel like the story needs more development, add more detail to make it more engaging for young readers. Additionally, when you’re editing your book, it’s important to make sure the illustrations match the text and the design is aesthetically pleasing. Once you are happy with your book, you can polish the manuscript and prepare it for publishing.

Conclusion

In conclusion, writing a great children’s book is an involved process. It requires careful consideration of the audience, the goal of the story, and the market research. But with a well-thought-out plan and a few drafts, anyone can create a book that will be enjoyed by young readers for years to come. Remember that repetition is key, and don’t forget to choose an ending that will leave readers wanting more. With these tips in mind, you’ll be on your way to writing a great children’s book!