Writing a Children’s Book – The #1 Misconception of Writing!
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Many people who are considering writing a children’s book have the mistaken belief that you need a piece of paper or to have formal writing experience to write a book for children! This is the #1 misconception of writing a children’s book or any book for that matter. The truth is you don’t!
What publishers want to see in your writing is that you have an interest in and have passion for a good story. Formal qualifications can be expensive and time consuming and in the end they are not a guarantee for your success. Formal writing training can also be quite broad; covering all aspects of writing in general. This is not always a bad thing as you will need to develop a strong foundation for your writing career. But overall, formal training is not necessary. If you are interested in gaining formal qualifications the best thing to look for is a more in-depth focus on children’s writing not all other genres of writing.
Writers of children’s books will recommend attending short courses designed specifically for children’s writing. You can sometimes find free short courses through the community, library, internet or there could be a small fee. Either way, it is beneficial to you to attend one or two of these. This will improve your knowledge and skills when writing for children. The more knowledge you seek in this area of writing will help you beyond belief. While attending courses, you will have the opportunity to ask question, have discussions and get feedback from experienced writers or tutors which will provide you with priceless information you will have for a lifetime. Take the opportunity when it is presented, this is the best way to gain knowledge for your writing career. You can get started writing your children’s story straight away and seek help and support as you go along.
The best way to get the help and support you need is from successful authors who have been there and done that and made the mistakes. Many will be willing to share these with you. Generally, they would have produced well written and published books in more than one genre of children’s writing. These are the folks you want to learn from. They will give you all the elements for writing a children’s book and pointers for dealing with publishers. What publishers want to see and what they don’t! Again this is priceless feedback that only those who have been there can give you.
If you believe writing a children’s book is where your talents lye, that’s awesome! There is always a need for more well written children’s books filled with passion and interest. Remember this is the #1 misconception of writing a children’s book. You do not require formal qualifications, just the determination to learn how to write well for children, one way or another.
Watch the video related to books for children
What if Michael Bay directed the classic children’s book “The Very Hungry Caterpillar?” It’d be awesome, that’s what. … jacksfilms caterpillar eric carle very hungry trailer michael bay dramatic parody book children blood
Help answer the question about books for children
What are some of the worst children's books. I mean books that are for children around toddler ages?What are the worst childrens books regarding sexism, racism and others. What are the names of books you have noticed that show boys working or girls only playing with dolls. What are some good resources to find these books which children should be steered clear of. I want a list a NO books so that I do not include any of them in my classroom please help, I want to know what children books have the worst ideas regarding to sexism and racism, thanks
About Author
Looking for the best place to get information specifically on writing a children’s book? Go to http://www.learntowriteforchildren.com. You’ll get free writing tips, help and support from an author of over seventy successful published children’s books and the opportunity to pick up the best resources so you can gain all the appropriate knowledge you need to write for children!
Tags: bay, carle, caterpillar, dramatic, eric, hungry, jacksfilms, michael, trailer, very
December 17th, 2008 at 11:34 am
DAT FUCKING IDIOT GOD
December 17th, 2008 at 11:48 am
I’ll tell you the effects of letting children believe in fairytales and magic… it allows them to be children and have fun. For goodness sake Dawkins I agree with you on a lot of things but we’re talking about innocent children’s fun for crying out loud, kids have about 10 or so years of their life before they realise how fucked up the world is and what life is really like… they have every right to enjoy magic, myths, fairytales and a make believe world if it gives them fun and happiness.
December 17th, 2008 at 11:33 am
December 17th, 2008 at 12:10 pm
Sorry, no idea. Try reposting your question. You might get better luck next time.
December 18th, 2008 at 3:20 am
I know of a book that is about sort of 'kidnapped' kids who get adopted.
It's called Found by Margaret Haddix.
December 18th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
Try amazon they have some good ones:
http://www.amazon.com/tag/pagan%20childrens%20book
December 18th, 2008 at 8:11 pm
please richads do not take the imaginary state of mind of kids away they need it , even adult need it sometime there is planty of time to be down to earth ,we have to be balance psychologically speaking , i my self is a big fan of scientifique world and i consider myself as scientist but sometime i permit myself to let go and live in farytale into my mind like if a was an e.t. coming to the earth what will i do what i gonna say about their belive systeme would i tell some one who i amect,,,,
December 18th, 2008 at 9:27 pm
When did he say people believe harry potter is real?
December 19th, 2008 at 4:32 am
I think there are lots of them, but it's a little hard to identify them because they don't always state that they're "gifted."
Here are some I can think of that may apply:
Roxaboxen / Alice McLerran: A hill covered with rocks and wooden boxes becomes an imaginary town for Marian, her sisters, and their friends. Marian called it Roxaboxen. (She always knew the name of everything.) There across the road, it looked like any rocky hill — nothing but sand and rocks, some old wooden boxes, cactus and greasewood and thorny ocotillo — but it was a special place: a sparkling world of jeweled homes, streets edged with the whitest stones, and two ice cream shops….
Christina Katerina and the Box / Patricia Lee Gauch: Christina finds many uses for the large box that housed the new refrigerator.
The Big orange splot / Daniel Manus Pinkwater: When a seagull drops a can of orange paint on his neat house, Mr. Plumbean gets an idea that affects his entire neighborhood.
Meggie Moon / Elizabeth Baguley: Normally, no one dares to play in the yard where Digger and Tiger spend all their time, but when a girl invades, they soon realize that she has some brilliant ideas for playing with the junk found there.
The legend of the Indian paintbrush / Tomie De Paola: Little Gopher follows his destiny, as revealed in a Dream-Vision, of becoming an artist for his people and eventually is able to bring the colors of the sunset down to the earth.
The fossil girl : Mary Anning's dinosaur discovery / Catherine Brighton: In simple cartoon style, tells the story of a twelve-year-old English girl's discovery in 1811 of an ichthyosaurus skeleton.
Emma's rug / Allen Say: A young artist finds that her creativity comes from within when the rug that she had always relied upon for inspiration is destroyed.
Benny : an adventure story / Bob Graham: When Benny the dog steals the show from Brillo the magician, he is forced to look for a new home where his rare talents such as juggling and tap dancing will be appreciated.
My family plays music / Judy Cox: A musical family with talents for playing a variety of instruments enjoys getting together to celebrate.
Granite baby / Lynne Bertrand: Five talented New Hampshire sisters try to care for a baby that one of them has carved out of granite.
Looking for Daniela : a romantic adventure / Steven Kroll: Antonio, a street performer who admires a rich merchant's daughter, must use his talents in juggling, tightrope walking, and guitar playing when he rescues her from bandits and tries to get her home again.
The seven Chinese sisters / Kathy Tucker: When a dragon snatches the youngest of seven talented Chinese sisters, the other six come to her rescue. (And of course the Five Chinese Brothers by Clare Huchet Bishop, or the Seven Chinese Brothers by Margaret Mahy)
213 valentines / Barbara Cohen: Wade has trouble adjusting when he is transferred to a special fourth grade class for the gifted and talented, so he plans to send himself 213 valentines signed by celebrities.
Amanda Bean's amazing dream : a mathematical story / Cindy Neuschwander: Amanda loves to count everything, but not until she has an amazing dream does she finally realize that being able to multiply will help her count things faster.
Frosted glass / Denys Cazet: Gregory the dog's vivid imagination gets him in trouble at school, leading him to draw cities and spaceships when he should be doing something else, but his artistic ability does not go unrecognized.
Painted dreams / Karen Lynn Williams: Because her Haitian family is too poor to be able to buy paints for her, eight-year-old Ti Marie finds her own way to create pictures that make the heart sing. Ti Marie dreams of being an artist. Whenever she gets some time away from watching her little sisters and helping Mama in their market stall, she finds a cement wall or a scrap of waste paper and lets her imagination soar….
Alistair and the alien invasion / Marilyn Sadler: When aliens invade from outer space, boy genius Alistair is the only person able to save the Earth.
This is the story of Archibald Frisby : who was as crazy for science as any kid could be / Michael Chesworth: Archibald Frisby, mad about science and wise beyond his years, is sent to camp to have fun and ends up broadening the horizons of his fellow campers.
Herbert Binns & the flying tricycle / Caroline Castle: Herbert Binns is such a clever mouse that some of the other animals are jealous of his talents and plot to sabotage his new invention, a flying tricycle.
Baby Brains superstar / Simon James: A musically gifted baby is invited to play the electric guitar at a star-studded rock concert.
Alphabet soup / Kate Banks: A boy's ability to spell words with his alphabet soup comes in handy during the magical journey he takes in his mind with a friendly bear.
Porkenstein / Kathryn Lasky: Lonely after his two brothers are eaten by the Big Bad Wolf, Dr. Smart Pig invents a wolf-proof friend to keep him company on Halloween.
M & M and the super child afternoon / Pat Ross: When best friends, Mimi and Mandy, turn out to be more talented at each other's special choice in a "Super Child" class, they decide to go their separate ways after school.
First graders from Mars. Episode 4, Tera, star student / Shana Corey: Although she is smart, Tera must learn the importance of working together on a group project. Tera is a star student. So when Pod 1 is assigned a group project to build the solar system, Tera is sure she has all the answers. But with her overzealous nature and her know-it-all ways, Tera ruffles a few tentacles. Why does being right sometimes feel so wrong?…
Regards to the man in the moon / Ezra Jack Keats: With the help of his imagination, his parents, and a few scraps of junk, Louie and his friends travel through space.
December 19th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
I agree. I thought it was totally absurd that he used the phrase “brought up to believe” concerning Harry Potter and mythical fantasy books. Religion is taught to children as being true. They are told this is how the world works. Harry Potter is taught as being entertainment. They are brought up to believe it is not true. No adverse effect. Kind of like how Dawkins advocates teaching the Bible in schools (as fiction) to understand allusions in Western literature.
December 19th, 2008 at 3:22 pm
If it means I don’t have to hear another word about Harry Fucking Potter or Lord of the Rings then I’m all for it.
December 19th, 2008 at 3:41 pm
Doctor Dan the Bandage Man- sexist and stereotypical. In my opinion he behaves in a condescending manner while interacting with his female playmate and treats her like she is inferior just because she is a girl.
December 20th, 2008 at 12:48 am
It doesn’t even make sense, and almost seems like a poorly edited moment, in hindsight. Why would he say “I don’t know what to think of magic.” It’s allegorical, it’s fantastical, it’s outside of rational thinking and in a realm of exploration. Does he not dream? Even if we knew exactly what dreams were, it wouldn’t change their effect. Reading a good fantasy novel is a way to stretch the brain, just like a good joint. It sounds like Dick just needs to let loose.
December 20th, 2008 at 6:24 am
(suite) i understand your point of view is but let it be taken slowly cause not all poeple are the same level of consciousness and killing their fary tale is the equivalent of killing their saoul,and by personal experience it is worst killing one in a what you call saoul than a physical killing
December 20th, 2008 at 6:51 pm
Once again the media is forcing this kind of controversial image of Dawkins. Not once in this interview did he “tackle Harry Potter”, he merely said he would like to write a children’s book promoting science and critical thinking. Nor did he say that fiction is wrong, which some posters here somehow seem to have heard..
Furthermore, he is neither a geneticist nor an “evangelical atheist”. I don´t want to seem like a fanboy, but the damn dude just always says things I happen to agree with.
December 20th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
There are two types of publishing, traditional and self-publishing. If you choose to go with self-pubbing, I would recommend http://www.lulu.com as a great site. They don't pretend to be anything they are not, and have excellent service. All the decisions will be in your hands. However, going with a company like this is a difficult road and it is not considered a publishing credential if you look to go traditional down the road. Here is some other information about the downside of self-publishers (also known as vanity presses):
http://www.sfwa.org/beware/vanitypublishers.html
As far as novels go, different publishers specialize in different things, and fiction is a broad world. You have to try and sell your material to companies that produce similar works (ie, don't try and sell a fantasy novel to a romance publisher). So do your homework. Take a look at the most recent "Writer's Market"… or even better, try the "Guide to Literary Agents".
I absolutely suggest getting an agent instead of approaching publishers directly. I'm assuming you are not a contract attorney, so you will need someone to look over any offers and to guide you through the publishing world.
No publisher or agent should charge you any money up front! That is the sign of a scam! They make money by selling your book. Agents work on a commission (generally 15% of the amount of money the publishers pay you).
Make sure that you follow their exact submission specifications. You can't send them your book, but you should be sending them a query letter (Nicholas Sparks has a good example on his website). Don't copyright your book first, it looks amatuer and would cause them trouble down the line when you do the revisions they ask for.
Publishers will choose their own illustrators, so don't bother trying to find someone yourself. The artwork, cover, and title are things that the author has very little control over (unless he or she is very famous, of course).
New writers will never have all the publicity taken care of. Publishers will do some, but you will have to have a web presence and do book signings, among other things. No one is going to push your book if you don't push it yourself!
Here are some websites that can help. Read them thoroughly and research, research, research! Pay special attention to Miss Snark, because her archives can answer any question you ever have about publishing:
http://www.nicholassparks.com/WritersCorner/Index.html
http://www.publishersmarketplace.com
http://www.anotherealm.com/prededitors/
http://www.agentquery.com
http://www.misssnark.blogspot.com
And be warned of the people on this list:
http://www.sfwa.org/beware/twentyworst.html
Good luck!
December 20th, 2008 at 5:43 pm
The Curious George collection is good, Dr Suess of course, Where the Wild Things Are is classic, and don't be afraid to challenge them. Our eight year old read Harry Potter to our five year old. It was a wonderful experience for both.
December 20th, 2008 at 10:07 pm
- A math or science book (not a workbook) geared for young preschool / Kindergarten aged girls or girls and boys. I'm looking for practical and simple, non-technical writing that my daughter could understand. She enjoys learning about volcanoes, plants and animals, the human body, physical science, basic math, word problems, etc. The books I find are usually too technical or geared for gradeschool or they seem geared for boys (i.e. getting dirty and gross with slime). I'm interested in finding something that is not so gender-specific either. For example, not looking for princess stuff. Just something that a preschooler/Kindergartener can grasp and remember. I think kids around this age ask a lot of "why" questions. My daughter can get pretty technical and can grasp things if I use simple language. Typical questions might be: "Why do hot things make steam?" and "Why are owls awake at night?" Today she told her grandma what nocturnal meant: Nocturnal means when animals are awake at night because that's when they hunt for their food and they sleep in the morning. Sorry if I'm going on and on, just trying to give you some ideas here.
I'd also like to see more Learn-To-Read series of books, something like the Biscuit dog series. I'd like to see basic sight words worked into an engaging story, more modern pictures. I don't mean abstract, I just mean something newer and more updated. The illustrations and basic story line play a big role in how much my daughter wants to read the series. The story line can be kept pretty simple with the holidays, basic play, manners, etc.
-Illustrations should have a simple, colorful but entertaining style. I see a lot of stuff that's either too stylized, too CG or animated looking, dated, or cluttered.
-Really enjoy books that have lift-up flaps and things to pull but they often get stuck or torn. Wish there was a way to make this work better and also that there were more books with these features that were not just meant for toddlers. One set of books that were terrific that were age appropriate were In The Country and At School by Francesco Pittau and Bernadette Gervais
You can actually see inside this book if you click on the picture of the cover here:
http://www.amazon.com/Country-Lift-Flap-Learning-Book/dp/2020694182/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1241033751&sr=1-1#
Just some suggestions, hope this helps.