Be Current

On Tuesdays I bring tips for folks who are just getting their toes wet into the world of writing for kids. Warning: I'm pretty straight forward, and the advice given here is short and to the point. This isn't the Fuzzy Bunny Sunshine School of Kiddy Lit. This is the truth.

This morning I'd like to talk about picture books. It seems like everybody wants to write a picture book, especially since there is a misconception that they are so easy. They aren't. It's more like trying to paint on the head of a pin. Just because the books are short and small and cute, doesn't mean they're easy to do.

Today I want to focus on one problem I often see with beginning picture book writers, and that is the tendency to write the book of yesteryear. And for those of us who remember life before MTV, yesteryear is getting a little moldy and tarnished.

I often run into beginning writers who write very long picture books, over 1000 words. Sometimes these stories don't have a strong plot or storyline; they are quiet books. Often they aren't kid centric; a parent or other adult figure solves the problem. In addition, these stories tend to be description heavy. And when new writers ask for critique  and people point these things out to them, the first response is often, "Well, it's LIKE (insert name of old classic picture book here.)

Okay, I know styles in everything change and tend to be cyclical. But whether you are making stories or bicycles or dinner dishes, if you want to sell the things you make, it is wise to keep up with the fashion of the day.

New writers are bombarded with the advice to read, read, read, and I will add to that: especially concentrate on reading picture books which came out in the last five years. Look for bestsellers, ones with starred reviews, and ones which have received awards. 

The world of children's books is always changing, and over the decades picture books have become more clearly defined. The picture books of yesteryear wouldn't necessarily be picture books by today's standards. 

If you wanted to make dresses and sell them in today's marketplace, you probably wouldn't use fifty year old patterns. Sure, some people would love them and you'd have a niche market. But if you wanted to sell to a broader market, you'd need to keep up with what is selling in current times. The same thing holds true with picture books.

Tune in next Tuesday for more newbie tips.