Review: You Can Write Children’s Books
You Can Write Children’s Books by Tracey E. Dils (Writer’s Digest Books, 1998)
You Can Write Children’s Books Workbook by Tracey E Dils (Writer’s Digest Boos, 2003)
You’ve read your zillionth children’s books while putting your little cherubs to sleep and it suddenly hits you: “Hey — I’ll bet I could write something like this!” You have some ideas, you jot them down, maybe you even come up with a picture book manuscripts that the little ones love. So then what? Could you get it published? Where do you start?
Where you start is with real information from real authors. You can find articles on our website, here: The Writing for Children Resource Site. But you’ll also want some resources on your bookshelf. Tracey E. Dils has one of the best for beginners.
You Can Write Children’s Books is a comprehensive introduction into writing and publishing for children. The first chapter starts straight off with some of the common misconceptions about writing for children: that it’s easier than writing for adults, that children’s stories should always have a moral, that kids are unsophisticated consumers, that publishers might steal your idea, that you need an illustrator, and more. After setting the reader straight on these (it’s actually harder to write for children; kids don’t want to read preachy stories; kids today are more selective than you think; publishers have no incentive to steal ideas; publishers choose the illustrator), Dils discusses the business end of the publishing industry. And don’t let the cute covers fool you: the children’s publishing industry is a business.
The next three chapters cover three broad categories of children’s literature: picture books, fiction (beginning readers, chapter books, and novels), and nonfiction. The final four chapter are about the business part of being a writer: coming across as a professional, finding the right publisher (and avoiding scams), writing query and cover letters, and living the writing life.
Want lots of practice but can’t afford a writing workshop? No classes offered in your area? Want to polish your writing before presenting it to a critique group? Try the You Can Write Children’s Books Workbook. Each chapter contains practical exercises to help the beginner learn the ropes and help the experienced writer find fresh new beginnings. Start with your own roadmap, as you identify what it is you want to write and why. Learn to develop effective writing habits and discover your preferences. Discover “prewriting,” the useful things you do before you begin writing. Sketch out your draft, and explore ways to revise it. Research publishers and prepare to send your precious words out. And finally, discover your sources of inspiration.
