3 Mistakes to Avoid When Writing a Kids’ Book

Have you ever thought about unleashing your inner author? Writing a kids’ book could be the perfect way to do exactly that. Not only will it give you a creative outlet, but it will give your kids a fun new bedtime story to fall asleep to. If you’re a beginner, you may be wondering where to start when writing a children’s book. While it’s important to know what to do when writing a kids’ book, it’s equally important to know what not to do. Let’s take a look at three mistakes you should absolutely avoid when writing your first kids’ book.

1. Being Too Preachy

One of the biggest misconceptions that first-time kids’ book writers have about creating children’s stories is that they need to teach young readers a lesson. While writing a book can be a great way to teach children about the difference between right and wrong, these messages can sometimes come as across as preachy. Young readers are often more sophisticated than people give them credit for; they don’t need to have basic moral lessons spelled out plainly for them. Instead, try incorporating some nuance and subtle messages into your writing. 

2. Focusing On Illustration

There’s no doubt that illustration is important in kids’ books. Illustrations give young readers a clear vision of the characters, setting and mood of the story you’re telling. Oftentimes, the image is the first thing that draws children into a story and it tends to stick with them even after they’ve finished reading it.

With that being said, you can’t let the illustrations do all the work for you when writing a children’s book. Many first-time kids’ book writers rely too heavily on illustration, so much so that it compromises the quality of the writing (which is where the bulk of the storytelling comes from). When writing your own children’s story, be sure to strike a balance between the importance of the illustrations as well as the written content.

3. Not Reading Enough Children’s Books

Believe it or not, conducting research is just as important when writing a kids’ book as it is when writing a book for adults. However, this step gets overlooked by many first-time children’s authors. Many people assume that, because they read kids’ books when they were young, that they understand the structure these stories should follow. In reality, you need to be consistently researching and learning from the materials you hope to emulate. If you want to write a children’s book, you’ve got to read them. This will help you get a grasp on the language and style of storytelling that resonates with young readers.

Writing a children’s book can be an incredibly fulfilling experience for both you and your kids. You get to realize a dream you’ve probably had for a long time, while your kids will see the value in storytelling and likely enjoy reading more than they ever have before. However, it’s a challenging process. By avoiding these common mistakes, you’ll ensure that you write an engaging kids’ book that stays with your young readers long after they’ve turned the last page.