How to Write a Children's Picture Book

**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

WORKSHEETS