Writing a Picture Book

Writing a picture book for young children may seem like an easy option, but it is one of the hardest formats of all to choose. You may think that a few words and some simple drawings and/or photographs are all that is needed, but it is essential to know something about the market for picture books. 

        It is true that a picture book for the very young may consist of only twelve words, but those words need to be extremely carefully chosen. The subject needs to be right for the children in the age range you have in mind and also of interest to those who may be reading your picture book to them or with them. You need a good idea with text at the right level, but that’s not all.

        You really do need to understand the picture book market. For example, the simplest picture books with no text, alphabet books, other books with pictures and a single descriptive word or sentence are generally made up ‘in house’ by people employed within a publishing house or perhaps solely by an illustrator. Unless you are very original, you will have difficulty finding a publisher for these types of books. Pop-up books, lift-the-flap books with tags for the child to pull, books with turning card wheels, which reveal hidden aspects of the picture and similar books are expensive to produce. It is hard to convince a publisher that a large audience for these types of books exist

         Publishers will be looking at international markets and whether or not your book could be sold abroad. A co-edition with America means that a publisher might agree to a larger initial print run, which would be more economically viable. A publisher may ask if they can present your idea at a book fair, such as the International Book Fair for children’s books at Bologna. You will probably be offered some sort of contract and a development fee. If you are tempted to write a rhyming book, consider the problem that rhyming books don’t translate well into another language. Humour doesn’t always translate well either and remember that different cultures use different phrases to mean entirely different things. It is important to think about whether a child on the other side of the world could grasp what is going on in your story. The illustrations may not transfer well, for example, the uniforms of policemen and other workers vary from country to country. The Snowman by Raymond Briggs and The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle are examples of picture books that have had excellent worldwide sales and Hairy MacClary by Lynley Dodd, my favourite picture book for this age range, is an example of a rhyming book that has sold well. The Hairy MacClary books have sold over 5 million copies worldwide.

http://www.murphsplace.com/crowe/charlie/hairy-story.html

        Picture book layouts depend on the particular way that they are constructed in multiples of eight. Common sizes are 16 pages, 32 pages and 40 pages.  A 32-page book has two signatures of paper in it. Eight pages are printed at one time on one large sheet of paper called a ‘signature’ which is folded, trimmed and bound into book form. They are then bound together by being sewn in multiples of four and fitted together between thick card covers. The story text is juggled into the 32-page format taking account of page breaks and typefaces and 12 double-page spreads are used to tell the story. The other page spreads are the endsheets, the page with publisher’s information on it, the title page, the first and last pages and blank pages at the beginning and end of the book. The story would start on page 6 and end on page 28. Decide where the text could go – along the top or bottom of a spread or in two blocks. Some spreads may have no text.

        Is your picture book for reading aloud, for a child to read alone, to look at alone, or for several people to read together? What age range do you have in mind? Choose a 24-page format for younger children under two years, the 32-page format for three to five years and 40 pages plus, for older children.

       An example of a shorter picture book is ‘Rosie’s Walk’ by Pat Hutchins, the writer and illustrator. There are only 32 words, but it’s a brilliant idea. The illustrations tell a large part of the story. A simple plot with a simple text gives scope for the illustrations to depict a sub-plot. One disaster after another befalls the hungry fox while Rosie goes on her way, supremely unaware of the danger lurking behind her.

        For a picture book designed for three to five-year-olds, use a 32-page format with about 500 or so words designed to be read aloud with an adult or an older child. This will give 12 double-page spreads. The beginning will take the first two or three spreads, the middle will take six to eight spreads, and the end will use another two or three. Each spread will need about 40 words, but you may decide to have some blank pages with illustrations only and manipulate the text layout accordingly, but make sure your story has plenty of life – make each page exciting for the child, so that they want the storyteller to turn over the page to find out what happens next. When you think about your characters and your plot remember that fashions change. What you enjoyed as a child may not be popular today. Avoid stereotyping girls and boys; anthropomorphic stories aren’t so fashionable and dragons are definitely suffering from over-exposure.

        You need to think of a story’s plot in terms of an initial problem, a development of the problem, and a solution to the problem. Put simply, you need a beginning, middle and an end. The middle should be about twice as long as the beginning and the end put together. The plot should be balanced. The beginning should get the story going, the story text should be paced well in the middle section and the ending shouldn’t be rushed.

        Cut out lengthy, boring dialogue. The verb tenses should be simple and the sentences short and to the point. Try to include a storyline or a subtext which will appeal to the adult reader as much as the child. In Owl Babies, both adults and children can relate to the child’s fear of being abandoned. Keep the voice of narrator out of the story. ‘Can you guess where he is hiding?' 'Can you guess what happens next?’ The storyteller might include such comments at their discretion, when they are reading your story to children they know well, but don’t include them in the text. Children can find this this sort of question difficult to understand.    

        You need to consider not only the picture book text layout but how the illustrations will be used. Again, the illustrations should tell a large part of the story and there is room for the illustrations to depict a subplot of interest to both children and adults. Each page should be visually stimulating in a different way. You will probably have full page illustrations with a small block of large print text in this type of picture book, but remember that fashions in illustration change. Think about including details in the pictures so that you don’t need to waste words in the text. The scenes need to be interesting and the settings need to change; don’t have the whole story set in one character’s bedroom. A picture book for this age range will probably have larger illustrations for children to spend longer looking at. They are also more suitable for shop window displays.

        If you enjoy art it may be tempting to try to illustrate your picture book, but unless you are a professional, with experience of illustrating children’s books, it is better to stick to a few sample illustrations, showing an editor how you envisage things. Send a couple of finished illustrations and the rest as roughs to give an indication of your idea. Don’t send original artwork, you can photocopy enough to enable an agent or an editor to make a judgement. Be prepared for your editor/publisher to have other ideas, so don’t make the illustrations your life’s work.

        If you have no thoughts at all on how the illustrations will work with the text, there is no problem because many publishers use their own in-house illustrators anyway. Their job is to visualise your words, and their knowledge of colour processes, text overlays and other limitations helps them to do a professional job. You are still free to write down what your characters look like or how their surroundings should be depicted and send those details in with the manuscript. You can include suggestions for the layout and the type of pictures you would like, but be prepared for publishers to have their own ideas and a ‘house style’ to follow. Instructions can either be written on each page under the text in brackets, or you can draw a rough pictorial reference. You can write a covering letter naming the illustrator you have in mind, but say that you are happy to accept the publisher’s choice of illustrator. Most publishers have artists they already use and may well only be looking for stories to suit their existing illustrators. They also have a choice from numerous illustrators on agents’ books, or they may decide to choose an illustrator whose work is particularly popular.

        Before you start, have a look at some children’s picture books and read them aloud. Decide on the age range you want to write for and think up your idea. What will hold your audience spellbound? When you have finished your picture book, I should be happy to provide a sympathetic and friendly critique and editing service if you need it, which will include further marketing advice. Good luck with your picture book.