Jump, Froggies! Writing Children’s Books: 89+ Beginners’ Tips 

I wish Edith Hope Fine’s book had been available when I started writing for children.  With her typical uplifting and informative style she covers everything from learning the craft to publication.  My favorite tips from her book are:

Keep a writing journal and track your goals, progress, discoveries, daily notes, ideas, etc.

Don’t be overwhelmed.  Take it one step at a time.

Join the Society of Children’s Writers and Illustrators and find your local chapter

Take writing classes and attend conferences.

Send out only your best work.

Fine’s book is filled with quotes from prominent writers.  My favorite is from Gary Paulsen, the author of Hatchet. “Read all the time, and turn of the television off.”

 Anatomy of Nonfiction:  Writing True Stories for Children

Thanks to the Common Core directive, nonfiction is HOT!  In their book, Margery Facklam and Peggy Thomas (a mother and daughter team), provide a road map for writing nonfiction for children.   They cover hands on research, interviewing essentials, finding a marketable idea, designing a compelling plot, query letters, etc.

Their motto is “write what you are curious and passionate about.”  They also advise that in writing children’s nonfiction you need to:  1) Find your focus.  2)  Know your audience.  3) Think like a child.

My favorite chapter in the book is about writing biographies. They point out that a biography does not have to be written about famous people.  Some of the best stories are “about ordinary folks who did extraordinary things.”

Writing Picture Books:  A Hand On Guide From Story Creation to Publication

If you want to focus on picture books, this book needs to be sitting on your desk.  Ann Whitford Paul covers everything a writer should know about the genre from building the framework of your story, creating compelling characters, writing the fabulous first line, basic plotting with the three-act structure, and much more.

My favorite chapters are about writing rhyme and making music with prose.   Ann points out that “writing your picture book in prose does not mean you can abandon poetry entirely.  A picture book does not need to be a poem, but is must be written poetically…”