It is easier to think that writing a picture book is more effortless than writing a full-length novel. But the reality is that a picture book actually demands all the same major storytelling elements that a novel does. The characters should be well-drawn and there should be a fascinating plot that will trigger the interest of the readers. If you can achieve writing your piece with engaging illustrations, you stimulate the imaginations of the young readers who look forward to welcoming your next awesome picture book into their library.
To all the aspiring authors who want to be the next big star in writing a picture book, I've put together tips which will surely help you in writing your first picture book and I also included tips for editing, illustrating, and publishing it. Read on.
Organize your idea - enticing picture books are those that attack and appeal to two different audiences: the young ones and the adults who happen to be their parents. While it's true that a picture book is mostly for children, it’s ultimately the parents who have the power and get to decide whether or not to buy it so be sure to organize your thoughts to come up with the best picture book piece. To ensure you have that brightest idea in writing your first picture book, present the theme in a way that is relevant to young and old alike. It should appeal not only to children but also to their parents so the elements should be fresh and unique.
Categorize your market - the way you narrate your story should depend on the intended reading age of your picture book. This includes everything from illustrations and marketing to almost every other feature of your book. A picture book should have at least 400 to 600 words with colorful illustrations for a 4 to 6 years old to understand. Otherwise, they will lose interest if it is too long and the drawings are wild to imagine.
Choose a fresh topic - research on topics or stories that would trigger the interest of young readers as they are your main target. Avoid writing picture books that have the same successful topic as yours. Make a new twist on stories that's been around for decades are already out in the market selling well.
4. Practice narrating - all books that have heavy illustrations should be read aloud for kids to understand. Though many of them know how to read by themselves, loud reading helps them to have a better grasp of what the story is all about. It is essential and actually common for picture books to have rhyming because it creates a fun and engaging vocal storytelling experience. Pretend that you are the reader and practice reading aloud, gauge yourself if you are effective and if the answer is yes it is more likely that your first picture book will be a hit in the market.
5. Choose your vocabulary - tailor fit the vocabulary of your picture book to the age range of your readers. You wouldn't want your picture book to flop so the vocabulary you have to use should be accessible to children. Given the illustrations as aids, you also want to offer young readers the chance to expand their understanding of language and art. If you are uncertain whether the language you use hits the right note, try to compare your masterpiece to any other picture books to get feedback from parents and children themselves.
6. Mind your Point of View (POV) - this refers to the frame of reference of the narrator. If a story is told in the first person, use the words "me" or "I". Second person uses words like “you” or “your" while the third person uses words such as “he” or “she.” Depending on the story you are telling, determining the POV to be used is critical and will free your readers from confusion if applied in the right manner.
7. Create engaging characters - your picture book tells a story with fewer words than a novel, your main advantage to connect to readers and to convey meaning are your illustrations. Be sure to create characters that should feel like real humans. The ticket to designing unforgettable characters is cooking up unique ones that will connect with children in their own special way. They are likely to hold the memories of their childhood if at one point in their life, they were able to read a picture book that touched their hearts. Always consider the importance of providing children with access to characters that represent them.
8. Showing rather than telling - picture book writers should show, not tell. Your first picture book should absolutely rely on your illustrations to impart things to readers which allows you to save your limited word count for other things. One concrete tip to make sure your picture book shows instead of tells is by using words like “is,” “are,” “was,” or “were. The sentences associated with these words should show the reader something rather than telling them.
9. Edit your work and seek feedback - the first step of your editing process should be to read through your book line by line and understand the importance and connection of each line in your illustration. Once you're done, you can go back through your manuscript to look for any spelling or grammatical errors. After polishing your masterpiece, go out and seek feedback from your most honest and credible readers: children! Ask your friends and family to read your book to their little ones or watch someone reading your book to a child so you’ll also get a chance to hear what your picture book sounds like if read aloud by another person. Nonetheless, if you want to be really sure that your picture book is ready to capture the imaginations of young readers, you can hire a professional editor or enroll in any picture book course.
10. Establish your budget - in most cases, you might need to hire an illustrator to complete and enhance your picture book. Establish your budget and know how much you can afford to spend on illustrations, how much work you need to be done such as the number of pages and type of illustrations you prefer and the timeline you need the work completed by. This information is vital in searching for illustrators that are right for your first picture book. However, you may need to lower your expectations as you start talking to designers and just get an idea of how much they typically charge and the average turnaround time.
11. Publish and sell your picture book - you can choose between self publishing or traditional publishing your artwork. With self- publishing, you can dictate the amount of time it takes to bring your book to market, have the final say on all creative decisions, and keep a much larger percentage of royalties. You are also responsible for all the marketing and distribution work and most importantly, the costs associated with publishing your book up to the last cent will have to come out of your own pocket. Meanwhile, traditional publishing saves you from all the headaches and pitfalls of self publishing. Some of the advantages include wider distribution and more sales, a production team who will work on the book and at least a degree of book promotion with minimal marketing cost. Choose among the two that will make you comfortable in publishing your first picture book.
So there you have it! 11 basic tips in writing your first picture book and publishing it. Always remember to keep the goal of reaching young and old readers in every step of the way. Bonus points if you can hail this very challenging career with a sense of childlike curiosity, fun and excitement.
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