Another reprint (of sorts) – though this one hasn’t been published elsewhere. This are actually my notes for a talk I presented at the Boyup Brook Book Bonanza last year.
1. First – writing for children is NOT easier than writing for adults and writing picture books is definitely NOT easier than writing children’s novels – the shorter, the more perfect every word has to be.
2. READ – new release books by Australian (presuming you want to be published in Australia, of course) publishers – Scholastic, Walker, Lothian (Hachette), Penguin, UQP, Fremantle Press, Macmillan, New Frontier, Little Hare, Omnibus and Working Title are all quality Australian publishers of books for young people.Talk to bookshop owners, children’s librarians etc and find out what books kids are reading – then read them for yourself. You should spend as much time reading as you do writing.
3. Learn the market. Before you consider sending a book to a publisher find their submission guidelines and do what they say. Also know the kinds of books they publish and determine whether yours is a good fit for their list. Most of the above-mentioned publishers have submission guidelines on their websites.
4. Write – every day – and be prepared to rewrite. No book is finished after one draft and rewriting is not the same as proofreading – just changing a word here or there, or fixing a misplaced apostrophes. Try a new point of viewpoint, new twists, new dialogue. Mem Fox takes up two years to write one 500 word picture book. If yours is finished in a day or a week it is probably not finished.
5. Write for the Children of today – not for adults or parents. Use child’s perspective and DON’T PREACH. Yes, books can teach lessons but kids don’t necessarily want to know they are learning. Just as adults read for enjoyment, so too kids should be reading for enjoyment. The best lessons in life aren’t necessarily taught to us, they are things we learn from experience.
Don’t write the book you loved when you were a child. Too many writers think they can be the next Enid Blyton or Doctor Seuss. Their books have already been written and are still in print. To be published you need to find your own style, your own voice.
6. Only write in rhyme if you have studied rhythm and metre. The rhyming market is a hard one to crack and your rhyme has to be perfect – you need to master the art of using rhyme to enhance the story rather than allowing the rhyme to dictate the course the story takes.
7. Learn from others. Read books on writing – again recently published ones, if possible. There are lots of articles and advice online. Some authors have advice on their websites, and their websites devoted just to the craft of writing, or specifically for writing for children. Newsletters like Pass It On (www.jackiehosking.com ) and Buzzwords are invaluable. Attend workshops or take courses if you’re really serious. Join a critique group of serious critiquers – preferably who are children’s writers and who are really constructive.
8. Finally, be prepared for highs and lows. Writing for children is fun and rewarding, but along the way be prepared for rejection. It is unlikely your first children’s story will be accepted and published. In can take years to write THE Story and place it with THE publisher. But if writing for children is your dream or you passion, do it.