Writing a picture book might appear straightforward and effortless, but they are deceptively complex and challenging to craft, demanding a lot of expertise.
A children’s picture book covers different age groups and the writer should understand the mindset of that particular age-range before starting the book.
It is a child’s first impression and exposure to the world of books and the characters or story will remain in their minds throughout their lives, building emotional bonds, developing cognitive skills, and improving their vocabulary.
Therefore, it is crucial to learn basic concepts and tips if you are interested in writing picture books for kids.
Identify your vision and select the theme
The primary and most critical step before writing a children’s picture book is to recognize your vision or idea and opt for the well-researched theme, famous among the kids of a particular age group.
Go through the most trending or famous books of the time to get an idea of what is more demanding in the market and do your research well on topics or themes you are interested in.
However, make sure to add unique and different style to the same genre, aiming to make a fansbase of your own fresh ideas.
Make characters inspiring and memorable
Creating the character in a children’s picture book is another imperative task, as it urges the readers to delve deep into the story and build a bond with the character.
Try to make the character relatable, inspiring, and memorable for the kids. You should introduce one or two most prominent traits of the main character and make it easy to identify for the young kids.
Use the benefit of illustrations to show the strengths, weaknesses, and struggles of the characters to grasp the reader's attention.
Embellish the story with captivating picture
One of the most fun things in children’s picture books is illustrations or pictures to describe the story more with visuals than words.
Colorful, bold, and artistic pictures in the books will bring extra spark and elevate the charm of your story, making it more interesting and captivating. Illustrate the scenes with pictures and let them play a part in storytelling.
Choose the narrative structure of the book
Choosing the narrative structure, such as repetition, rhythms, and vocabulary, will highlight your style and impact the overall format of your book.
For example, rhythms and repetition allow anticipation for the kids to guess what is coming next, involving them more into the story to remember events in the plot. However, using rhythms is more of a risk if you do not know how and where to insert them.
Moreover, it is vital to use the vocabulary that is accessible for the kids and offer the chances to improve their English language. Opt for the suitable POV for your book, depending on the genre, theme, and story structure.
Stay focused on one plot
Do not confuse the children by engaging multiple plots and events in the story, limiting the character to overcome a single challenge or conflict. Keep it simple and understandable for the kids.
The main character must beat the obstacles without any help from family members or outsiders to develop the sense of independence.
Involve an illustrator
You can collaborate with an illustrator for the picture or artwork in your book and explain the scene and story if you are a non-illustrator author and write the text only.
Read it loud to revise and edit it
Another key tip is to read aloud the book to overview the sentence structure, length, and scene or sequence of plot to make things clear for the readers.
Remember, the parents or adults will read it for kids and they can easily pinpoint the tangled words and rhythm disorder.
After revising the content thoroughly, make necessary edits to present the best version of your book that lingers in memory.
You can also test the sample books in the target market to get the feedback and amend the shortcomings before final publication.