What are your favorite children’s picture books? Are they books you remember from your childhood? Are they books you read to your kids? Picture books, maybe more than any other literary genre, call up fond memories. Sharing a picture book with your parents or with your kids–it’s more than just a book. It’s an experience, something that is part of your family.
Mem Fox says that one of the most important things to remember when writing is that “child in the lap” moment. Book should enhance the parent-child/adult-child relationship in some way. It should make the child turn around and give you a hug. Or maybe it evokes a shared sense of wonder at a true story. it’s the sharing that matters.
Writing a picture book with the “child in the lap” is just one of the many things I’ve included in my book, How to Write a Children’s Picture Book. It’s now updated with a new chapter on metafiction! And this popular ebook is now available as a paperback book. The workbook section at the end encourages you to actually work on those drafts!
Read the SLATE Editor’s attempts at writing a Children’s picture book. I think they would have benefitted from a quick read of this book!
Here’s the TABLE OF CONTENTS
PICTURE BOOK BASICS
- Picture Book Structure: Why 32 Pages?
- Does EPUB Change the 32-page Illustrated Picture Book?
- Dual Audience for Children’s Picture Books
- Picture Book Settings: Exotic v. Familiar
- Children’s Picture Book Characters: Folk Tale or Modern Story
PICTURE BOOK GENRES
- How to Write a Children’s ABC Book
- How to Write a Read Aloud Friendly Book
- How to Write a Rhyming Picture Book
- Rhyming Picture Book Bibliography
- How to Write a Poetry Collection Picture Book
- How to Write a Picture Book Mystery
- How to Write a Humorous Picture Book
- How to Write a Children’s Picture Book Biography
- How to Write a Creative Non-Fiction Picture Book
- How to Write a Metafiction Picture Book
WRITE A PICTURE BOOK
- Good Writing: The Basics
- Plotting a Picture Book
- Plan Your First Draft
- 17 Picture Book Topics to Avoid
- 10 Suggested Directions for Titles
- Did You Write a Picture Book or Magazine Article?
- Make a Dummy of Your Picture Book
- From Shakespeare: 2 Ways to Look at Picture Book Structure
- Revising Your Picture Book Text
- 5 Ways to Make the Reader Turn the Page
- Phonics for Picture Book Writers
- Create a Compelling Voice for a Picture Book
- Page 32: The Last Page of a Picture Book
SUBMIT YOUR PICTURE BOOK
- The Self-Publishing Question
- The Biggest Mistake You Can Make in Submitting a Picture Book
- The Illustrator Doesn’t Tell YOU What to Do
- Titles and Subtitles Sell Your Work
- How Do I Find an Editor’s Name for Submission?
RESOURCES
WORKBOOK
How to Order: How to Write a Children’s Picture Book
Now Available as a Paperback or Ebook
 Paperback |
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KINDLE |
 ePUB |
