2. DEVELOP YOUR IDEA WITH THE HELP OF OTHERS

Here's the part where you actually buckle down and write. It seems easy: children's books don't have many pages, have easy words, and use a big font. And then there's all that space used up by pictures. A good hour or two, with a break in the middle to see how Buffy is fighting evil this week, and you should have all the material you need.

Fool. If it were that easy, Bill Clinton would be doing it. Think about it this way: you have far less space than authors of other types of books to weave a convincing story. And you have the toughest critics - kids are brutally decisive about what they do and do not like, and they're not known for their lengthy attention spans. You have to engage them and keep them engaged from page one, using language they'll understand without talking down to them. Here are some tips:

  • If your book is for young children (7 and under), you really should have pictures incorporated into the story. If you're a real artist, that helps immensely, but if not, you should not actually include pictures. Publishers can tell a good story when they read it, with or without pictures, and if the house wants to publish it, they'll hook you up with an artist that they think matches your work. Instead, you'll be able to describe the pictures in words if they really aid the content.

  • Once you've decided what age group you're working with, you should read up on some child psychology and find out how kids' minds work at that age. Six-year-olds are very different from 9-year-olds, who are different from 12-year-olds. Six-year-olds like silly fantasy stories with pictures, 9-year-olds like chapter books and scary stories that require the use of imagination, and 12-year-olds like stories that they can relate to (involving school, parents, and friends). To write for a child, you should think like a child.

  • Once you've worked and re-worked your manuscript into something you think is publishable, get it critiqued by a professional. You can do this by taking a class at a local college, joining a writer's group, hiring a freelance editor, or taking it to a conference like those sponsored by the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI).

    SCBWI is an excellent resource for aspiring and published authors alike. An Associate Membership, open to anyone who has an interest in children's literature (regardless of whether he/she has been published or not) is $50.00 per year, plus a one-time $10.00 initiation fee. You can request a membership application via e-mail to [email protected] or snail mail to:
    SCBWI
    8271 Beverly Blvd.
    Los Angeles, CA 90048
    Phone: 323-782-1010
    As a member, you'll receive their publications and invitations to their annual conference and regional events. They also give out grants based on work proposals, and offer advice and document exchanges so writers and illustrators can get feedback on their work.