How to Write a Children's Picture Book

Tips and Tricks for Writing Illustrated Picture Books for Kids

**UPDATED New Chapter: How to write a metafiction picture book**

Kids and books—they just go together. Children’s picture books are an addictive passion! You love reading to kids and wish that you could read one of your own. Now, you can make that dream a reality.

Writing illustrated picture books for children can seem deceptively simple. You must tell a complete story in less than 1000 words, and less than 350 words is best. Characters grow and change and keep the reader emotionally invested, while also giving the illustrator great possibilities for the art. It’s a balancing act all the way around.

Writing teacher and author of over a dozen children’s books Darcy Pattison explains the craft of writing children’s picture books. You’ll learn why format matters, how to appeal to kids and parents, how to write a read-aloud friendly book, and much more. Pattison provides tips on writing, editing, and marketing your manuscript to publishers.

If you like detailed writing guides, plenty of contemporary examples, and practical worksheets, then you’ll love Darcy Pattison’s guidance on creating your own masterpiece that will fascinate generations of young readers. 

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, Part 1
• How to Write a Rhyming Picture Book, Part 2
• 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?
• Let’s Make a Dummy or a Mock-up 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
APPENDIX: BONUS WORKSHEETS

OTHER KOBO BOOKS BY DARCY PATTISON

START YOUR NOVEL: Six Winning Steps Toward a Compelling Opening Line, Scene and Chapter (adult how to write)

WISDOM, THE MIDWAY ALBATROSS: Surviving the Japanese Tsunami and other Disasterf for over 60 Years (Juvenile nonfiction)

THE JOURNEY OF OLIVER K. WOODMAN (picture book)

DESERT BATHS (picture book)

PRAIRIE STORMS (picture book)