How to write a children's book #1 Research

I received lots of lovely advice on my idea to write a children's book, thank you, this morning I am acting on it.

1.  I read this account by one of the Children's Laureates, Michael Rosen How to write books for children. What he says about negotiating the space between the child and adult world is fascinating, the line between the child you once were and the children you know now.  His tips are helpful.  Research the market, work to specific genres and standard lengths.  Find ways to write both for the child you once were and the children who will be your audience.

Spend time with children, that's the easy bit, I spend lots of time reading with my own children and often get asked to read at playgroup/nursery.  Michael Rosen suggests reading in libraries, schools etc is a big part of his job, as a drama teacher I love that stuff too.

2. The Penguin website has a top three tips for Children's writers, including obtaining the Children's Writers Yearbook, as the really supportive and wonderful waterbirthplease already suggested, but also catalogues from publishers so you can see exactly what kinds of books they publish.  Here's the Puffin picture books one.  I had a look at my children's favourite books and made a quick list, there are lots of publishers out there, and definitely subtle differences in the genres of book.

3. A couple of people helpfully let me know that publishers match authors with illustrators. My research confirms this too, in fact illustrations, unless you are a professional illustrator, are the last thing publishers want.  Silly, all those years I have though 'there's no point writing a children's book I can't draw and I don't know any illustrators'.  After two minutes on Google it's quite clear that is not an issue.  It's really quite ridiculous the ludicrous blocks you can conjure up to obscure your own path as a writer.  That's a whole other blog post.

4. It's competitive, and it's not well paid,  but in the words of Louise Jordan, of The Writer's Advice Centre for Children's Books, 'if you believe in your story you will, eventually, find success'.  Hold that thought.  Very tight.


5.  Honest mum who is also a filmmaker, screenwriter and all round lovely in real life person, left me a very encouraging letter in the comments on my last post.  So I am going now, as she suggests, off to write, write, rewrite, write, edit, and write some more.  Hone that voice!