How to Write, Illustrate and Publish Paperback Children's Books

I was reluctant to give this part of me away perhaps even afraid it was not good enough, after all my children's book helped forge a special bond between my girls and I. Together we sang the contents of the book anytime we needed, it became our anthem in good times and bad.  My book it translates into a lovely melody with catchy rhymes easy for kids to remember and make reading fun.  Just as we adults like to read for our own benefit so do kids, they need self motivation from time to time. 

Let me make one thing perfectly clear, the most vital part of a children's book is a good story.  The contents should aim to teach valuable lessons with enriching experiences all while providing a child with useful skills. 

The formative years span from birth to 8 years of age.  This period is critical for optimal cognitive, emotional, social and physical development.   Any and everything introduced to a child during this period in their life affects the success of these four crucial building blocks. 

The 10 Elements Needed to Write a Good Children's Books 

1. The best stories come from real life experiences, straight from the heart. 
2. Human beings are never more attentive to storytelling than during the formative years, so tell a good story. 
3. Kids are hungry for interesting tidbits of life and the great big world they call home. 
4. Do not rush, let the story come to you in its own time, allow for a natural flow of ideas, do not force it, take it bit by bit.
5. Use appropriate language, grammar and content relevant to books target age. 
6. Be all inclusive, our children live and grow in a diverse world, allow a realistic view.
7. Stay in the genre and or age range for which your ideas are most appropriate and beneficial don't force yourself into something that doesn't inspire you.
8. Teach what you know by writing about the particular thing(s) that matter to you and the children in your life.
9. Ask the best critic for the job to review your content, share it with an age appropriate child, read the story and observe how they respond.  Ask for input, ideas and opinions.
10. Remember any and every children's book is for the kids, write it from a kids point of view, refer to your inner child.

Bonus - Draft your book however you find most comfortable.  Personally, I write mine by hand, I get stifled by a computer.  The computer is the finishing touch but not necessarily the starting point for a good book. 

Illustrations are the biggest hurdle most would be writers face and often the reason many don't follow through on the dream of becoming a children's author. 

Let's get down to the real truth about the easiest and most affordable way for you to illustrate a successful children's book. 

What You Will Need to Illustrate Your Own Book

• A large clean surface dedicated for drawing.
• Copier paper without lines or other, it scans best and is sized correctly for submission. 
• Good No. 2 pencils, these are more forgiving and can easily be erased others cannot.
• Good Erasers ( you will be erasing any mistakes or dislikes, I did in all my illustrations you see here today, can't tell right? that is because I use good quality pencils and erasers.) Good erasers make it easy to erase flawlessly leaving no evidence.
• Good quality colored pencils.
• Scanner to scan the drawings onto your computer, save in pictures as jpg. for later uploads.
• A Good computer or laptop with Microsoft word.
• PATIENCE! 

There is no need to rush, in fact you shouldn't in order to do your best most creative work according to your natural rhythm. 

Vital Step - Once I had a good drawing I knew would go in my book, or another for that matter, I scanned it and put it in a designated art keeper for safe keeping.  One day these babies will be worth a fortune to my kids.  Below is the case I use for storing all of my drawn illustrations. I also have a large art suitcase to house all of my tools when done with a project.  Keep everything together, there is nothing worse than losing your work or materials. 

Once you have a completed copy of your written story, think about how you want to break it down into a book.  The flow of the book must correlate with pictures to tell the story accurately.  I thought about my books content and imagined what pictures would tell the same story if there were no words and that is how it worked for me.

I created my cover last, I was unsure as to what the cover should look like until done with all of my illustrations and after absorbing the book layout. I knew the title but wanted it to sum up the entire book.  Sit down and draw the cover once you have an idea of what you want.  Don't wait until the end as I did, do it when the idea comes to you.  The drawing may find its way into the book instead of the cover, it is a process, let it flow.

You won't need to type of add the title to the cover, that is typed in later at the cover creation section of kindle direct publishing.  All you need is a great cover drawing.

Kindle is the means by which you will deliver your children's book to the world.  Kindle has now added hard copy books to their online services and so you can do both. 

Sign up at Kindle Direct Publishing.  Between writing and illustrating your book, head over to KDP, sign up and learn how to use the services.  It takes a little time to get over the fear of messing up but it is very easy and with patience, no rushing, you will learn. 

It is vital that you take your time during this process. You do not have to finish your book once you start the kindle process, you can save each step along the way and pick up where you left off when time allows. You can also edit the details before publishing while saved as a draft.

Like my grandfather always said, "If it is worth doing at all it is worth doing right."

As I mentioned earlier it is important to get your hands on good quality tools to illustrate your book. It is also important to scan your original art uploading it onto your computer.  You will incorporate the images into the word document eventually becoming your book.  If you don't have a scanner I'm including the type I use below.

Note: Any standard white printing paper works for drawing the artwork, you can buy that anywhere or no doubt have some at home. 

Below is a shopping list for the things you will need to create your very own masterpiece.