Writing Craft

The KidLit Creator’s Chronicle – Issue #57 Last week, I went over three forces reshaping the world of children’s books: screens, children’s mental health, and AI flooding the market with noise. This week, I want to talk about what it actually takes to write a book worth putting into the world in this difficult time….

The KidLit Creator’s Chronicle – Issue #55 Sometimes I’ll read a picture book, and it hits my heart in exactly the right place and in the right way. Feeling very inspired, I think I want to write something like this. I’m sure you’ve experienced that same feeling. I see this with authors I work with all…

The KidLit Creator’s Chronicle #51 Over the years, I’ve noticed that authors tend to fall into one of two camps when it comes to their picture book idea. The first is the author who isn’t sure their idea is good enough. They have something–a feeling or a moment they can’t shake–but they keep second-guessing it….

The KidLit Creator’s Chronicle #50 Here we are on edition 50 of the KidLit Creators Chronicle! 🎉 I’ve shared over 74,000 words of writing, publishing and marketing strategies with you. Thank you for reading them and all the lovely responses I get each week! Today we’ll look at idea mistakes. Sometimes, when I do feedback, I can…

The KidLit Creator’s Chronicle – Issue #49 “Karen, how do I write a query letter?” I hear this one from time to time, usually from authors who’ve just finished their manuscript. Usually it comes from authors who have decided to go the traditional route and want to make sure their query gives them the best…

The KidLit Creator’s Chronicle #48 I did a quick count today, and over the last four years, I have critiqued over 200 manuscripts and encountered many more from the authors I come into contact with along the way. While it’s been a pleasure to read many wonderful stories (some made me laugh out loud, and…

The KidLit Creator’s Chronicle #47 There’s an exercise I do with almost every group of authors I work with. I ask them one simple question: “Why do you want to write this book?” I give them a few quiet minutes to write their answer down. And when they share in the chat, the responses are…

The Kidlit Creator’s Chronicle Issue #46 Today, let’s go over something important, and yes, a little tricky. Writing picture books about topics like grief, anxiety, or divorce isn’t simple. But it’s so needed. Stories like these can make a real difference for children who are facing tough emotions, and for you as the author, they…

The KidLit Creator’s Chronicle – Issue #42 When my daughter was younger, I assumed she’d gravitate towards fiction. Stories with fantasies and adventures, things like that. She did enjoy those, but I was surprised when I started reading her nonfiction, especially biographies and books about science and space. She didn’t just enjoy them. She was…

The KidLit Creator’s Chronicle – Issue #41 This week, I’m sharing a special excerpt from my Picture Book Manuscript Master Plan. If you’ve ever felt stuck on what to write about, or worried that your idea isn’t strong enough, this edition is for you. Whether you’ve got an idea that won’t let go or you’re still…

The KidLit Creator’s Chronicle – Issue #39 We’ve all had this experience: you’re excited to write your story, you write your draft, you work on improving it, you read it over… and it doesn’t sound right. You work on it some more, but some sentences just don’t work. They’re bland, unclear, too flowery… and you…

The KidLit Creator’s Chronicle – Issue #38 Welcome to part four of our series on creating relatable picture book characters. If you missed the earlier parts, I’d recommend starting with Part One on the foundational elements of relatable characters, Part Two on character growth, and Part Three on developing voice, quirks, and personality. Each one builds on the last (but you…

The KidLit Creator’s Chronicle – Issue #37 Welcome to part three of our series on creating relatable picture book characters. (If you haven’t read the first two, you might want to check out Part One and Part Two first. They lay the groundwork for everything we cover in this edition. Though, you can read this edition on its own.)…

The KidLit Creator’s Chronicle – Issue #36 Hi! (This is Part 2 of a 4-part series on creating relatable picture book characters. You can catch up on Part 1 here.) If you joined me for last week’s article, you’ll remember we looked at the foundations of creating characters children truly relate to, including how flaws build connection, how…

The KidLit Creator’s Chronicle – Issue #35 Read any beloved children’s book, from The Very Hungry Caterpillar to Matilda, and you’ll notice that before the plot or theme captures a child, they fall in love with the character. At the heart of every great book is a character who makes us feel something. It might be laughter, curiosity,…

The KidLit Creator’s Chronicle – Issue #32 For this week’s TKCC, we’re looking at plotting. Having a strong plot is essential for a successful children’s book, and how to plot a children’s book is one of the first skills to learn if you want to write a book. Too many authors don’t realise that there…

The KidLit Creator’s Chronicle – Issue #30 You’ve probably heard the advice: “Write high-concept books. That’s what sells.” It’s true! High-concept picture books are attention-grabbing, easy to pitch, and can stand out in a crowded market. But, and it’s a big but… … you don’t have to write high-concept picture books to succeed. Some authors…

The KidLit Creator’s Chronicle – Issue #29 I recently saw a study, and it made such an impact on me, I wanted to share it with you. Image credit: The Brain Maze Imagine trying to run a marathon after spending a year using crutches, not because you were injured, but because they made walking easier. At…

The KidLit Creator’s Chronicle – Issue #24 Hi, When my daughter was younger, we read The Mill Valley, a stunning picture book by Noelia Blanco, illustrated by Valeria Docampo. I know this book isn’t so well-known, so here is the book description: “One day, the Perfect Machines appeared in the Mill Valley. The machines do everything…

The KidLit Creator’s Chronicle – Issue #21 Four years. That’s how long one of my coaching clients spent almost finishing her manuscript. (And we’re talking about a 500-word picture book manuscript!) She had the idea, she’d done her research, and she even had a roughly drafted story she’d revisit every few months. But she couldn’t quite bring…

The KidLit Creator’s Chronicle – Issue #20 Welcome to the 20th edition of The KidLit Creator’s Chronicle! Today, we’ll explore humour in children’s books. Humour can be one of the most powerful tools in a children’s book, but also one of the trickiest to get right. What makes a toddler giggle might leave a eight-year-old…

The KidLit Creator’s Chronicle – Issue #16 Hi, I hope you’re enjoying these KidLit Creator’s Chronicles! I can’t believe we’re already 4 months into these! Without any further ado… I’ve seen it happen many times in training sessions and emails: a writer has a great idea, but when they try to turn it into a…

The KidLit Creator’s Chronicle – Issue #10 For many aspiring authors, writing for children’s magazines has been a valuable stepping stone toward building a successful publishing career. I’ve met several authors who found that contributing short stories, nonfiction articles, or poetry to magazines allowed them to hone their craft, gain publication credits, and build relationships…

The KidLit Creator’s Chronicle – Issue #09 Picture book word count! This is a hot topic among many authors. Whether you love writing your story in just a few words, or hate it, it’s essential to writing a good picture book. I’ve worked with many authors who started with picture book manuscripts that were 2,000 words…

The KidLit Creator’s Chronicle – Issue #02 Hi, Here is your second edition of The KidLit Creator’s Chronicle. This past week has been a bittersweet one for me. A few days ago, in the early hours of the morning, I woke to find that my dog—who has shared so many seasons of life with me—had…

If you love the idea of writing books that continue to grow with your audience over time, consider writing a book series for young readers! It’s a win-win for you and your child audience: you can have a continuous stream of revenue and at the same time, kids can discover new ideas, follow fantastic adventures, and…

Writing rhyming books for kids is both an art and a science. More than just pairing words that sound alike, it requires blending good storytelling, consistent rhythm, and creative rhyme schemes that feel natural and effortless. Authors who’d like to try their hand in rhyming need to have a toolkit that contains all the essentials…

Children’s books offer a colourful array of stories, characters, and themes and play a pivotal role in helping children make sense of the world. However, as writers, parents, or educators, no matter how many books you’ve read, writing your own seem quite daunting, starting with coming up with great children’s book ideas that will appeal…

There’s a lot to know about how to write a picture book. Whether you’re self-publishing or will work with a traditional publisher, there are some picture book rules to know and follow. Your book must be well written, professionally illustrated, and entertaining for kids, but there are other non-negotiables in picture book writing too. To…

Having a strong plot is essential for a successful children’s book, and how to plot a children’s book is one of the first skills to learn if you want to write a book. Too many authors don’t realise that there is an art to this and exact guidelines to follow. Once you realise this, plotting…

Writing children’s books can be a hugely rewarding experience. Not only does it give you the chance to share your creativity and love of writing with a younger audience, but it also allows you to explore the wonderful world of children’s literature and take part in a vibrant and ever-evolving community. In this blog post,…

In the world of children’s literature, characters hold a remarkable power to captivate young minds and take them on a journey. Characters are the heartbeats of stories. Any story where you didn’t care about at least one of the characters, couldn’t identify with them, or didn’t care what happened to them, meant the rest of…

It can be daunting to figure out how to write a children’s book, but it doesn’t have to be! If you know how to come up with ideas for writing a children’s book, the right structure to use, how to develop characters, and other steps, you can craft a captivating story that children will love. …