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Start Writing that Children's Book

© Roxianne Moore

Review: You Can Write Children's Books by Tracey Dils

Another title in the "You Can" series from Writer's Digest Books, You Can Write Children's Books, will help you take your first steps as a children's writer. I wish I'd had this book about eight months ago when I was planning my continuing education class on writing for children. I used Lee Wyndham's classic Writing for Children and Teenagers, which is a great in-depth book. However, for an introductory course, it was a bit much.

Unlike Wyndham's book, Dils' doesn't cover magazine writing, which can be an excellent medium for writers new to the field. You will pick up tips that would help you write articles and short stories, but the main focus is books.

The format of the book lends itself well to a short course like mine. In eight to ten weeks, I could cover all the material in the book and still have plenty of room for personalizing the course. I especially liked the exercises at the end of the chapters, many of them designed for hesitant or uncertain writers. If you want to break into children's writing, or if you've written children's books and aren't sure how to get them published, this is a must-read book.

Topics include:

1. What You Need to Know to Get Started
   • Is Writing for Children for You?
   • Misconceptions About Writing for Children
   • The Business of Children's Book Publishing
2. Picture Books
   • The Market and the Audience
   • Form and Length
   • Subject Matter
   • What Editors are Not Looking For

3. Beginning Readers, Chapter Books and Novels
   • Easy Readers, Chapter Books, Middle Grade Novels
   • Series Books
   • Plotting
   • The Role of Humor and Dialogue

4. Nonfiction
   • The Creative Nature of Nonfiction
   • Biographies, How-To/ Activity Books, Science Books, Holiday Books, and more
   • How Do I Know my Topic Will Sell?

5. Look Like a Pro
   • Viewpoint
   • Character Description & Development
   • Dialogue
   • Being Confident

6. Find the Right Publisher for Your Book
   • Writer's Guidelines
   • Newsletters and Magazines
   • Literary Marketplace
   • Matching Your Manuscript to the Right Publisher

7. Give Your Manuscript a Fighting Chance
   • Query Letters and Proposals
   • How to Prepare Your Manuscript

8. Breaking into Print
   • Finding Your Writing Rhythm
   • Considering All Publishing Options
   • Treating Yourself as a Professional

While this book won't take you deep into the world of children's books, it will get you started on your journey. More importantly, it will point you to the maps you'll need for the rest of the