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Create the next very hungry caterpillar, big red dog, or cat in the hat with a hand from this trusted guideIn Writing Children's Books For Dummies, you'll learn what to write between "Once upon a time . . ." and "The End" as you dive into chapters about getting started writing, how to build great characters, and how to design a dramatic plot. On top of the technical writing advice, you'll discover how talented illustrators work and how to find an agent. The newest edition of this popular For Dummies title even shows you how to choose a publisher-or self-publish-and how to use social media and other marketing and PR to get the word out about your new masterpiece.In the book, you'll learn about: The fundamentals of writing for children, including common book formats and genres, and the structure of the children's book market Creating a spellbinding story with scene description, engaging dialogue, and a child-friendly tone Polishing your story to a radiant shine with careful editing and rewriting Making the choice between a traditional publisher, a hybrid publisher, or self-publishing Using the most-effective marketing and publicity techniques to get your book noticed Perfect for anyone who's ever dreamed of creating the next Ferdinand the Bull or Grinch, Writing Children's Books For Dummies is an essential, easy-to-read guide for budding children's authors everywhere.
List of contents
Introduction 1
About This Book 1
Foolish Assumptions 2
Icons Used in This Book 3
Beyond the Book 3
Where to Go from Here 4
Part 1: the Abcs of Writing for Children 5
Chapter 1: Exploring the Basics of Writing Children's Books 7
Knowing Your Format, Genre, and Audience 8
Getting into a Good Writing Zone 8
Transforming Yourself into a Storyteller 9
Polishing Your Gem and Getting It Ready to Send 10
Selling Your Story 11
Promoting Your Book 11
Improving Your Chances of Getting Published 12
Chapter 2: Delving into Children's Book Formats 15
Dissecting the Anatomy of a Book 16
Grouping Types of Children's Books 17
Illustrated Books for All Ages 18
Baby-friendly board books 19
Picture books for toddlers 20
Other books that have pictures 24
Working through Wordy Books 30
Early readers 30
First chapter books 32
Middle-grade books 34
Young adult books 36
Chapter 3: Exploring the Genres 39
Going Out of This World 40
Science fiction 40
Fantasy 40
Graphic novels and manga 42
Horror and ghost stories 42
Getting in on the Action (and History) 43
Action/adventure 43
True stories 44
Historical fiction 45
Mysteries 46
Writing About Real People 48
Biography/memoir 48
Lgbtqia 49
Gender-oriented series books 51
Friendship 53
School issues 54
Developmental milestones and first experiences 55
Prose poetry 56
Romance 57
Giving Stories a Message 57
Learning/educational 57
Religion 60
Aspirational and inspirational 60
Diversity 61
Family issues 62
Pets and animals 63
Cultural issues 64
Addiction, abuse, and mental illness 65
Keeping Them Laughing with Humor 67
Quirky characters 67
Parody, satire, and jokes 67
Slapstick and gross 68
Dark humor 68
Wordplay 68
Chapter 4: Understanding the Children's Book Market 71
Getting Insight into Book Buyers' Needs 74
For chain and big-box bookstores 74
For independent bookstores 76
Recognizing What Reviewers Offer 78
Discovering What Librarians Add to the Mix 79
Taking a Look at How Teachers Use Books in Their Classrooms 84
Considering Parents' Perspectives 86
Thinking Like a Kid 86
Going after what kids like -- regardless of Mom and Dad 87
Knowing what kids don't like 88
Part 2: Immersing Yourself in The Writing Process 89
Chapter 5: Setting Up for Success: Finding the Time and Space to Write 91
Finding Time to Write 92
Figuring out when you're most productive 92
Sticking to a writing schedule 93
Evaluating your commitment 93
Optimizing Your Writing Environment 94
Locating your special writing spot 94
Keeping helpful references handy 95
Cutting down on clutter and getting organized 96
Preventing and dealing with interruptions 98
Chapter 6: Starting with a Great Idea 101
Once Upon a Time: Coming Up with an Idea 101
Relying on specific ideas rather than big ones 102
Tapping into your own experiences 103
Digging through childhood mementos 105
Drawing from other children's experience
