Indeed, you are not alone if yes, at one given time, you have ever felt like writing a book for children. Many of us long to create stories to spark the imagination, stories that impart vital lessons, or only stories to entertain and engage young minds. But where do you even begin? You could be a parent wanting to write your own book for children, a teacher seeking to help children make sense of the world and life, or simply a person with an interesting story to tell.

This blog will take you through writing your book. We promise simplicity, real experiences sharing, and a step-by-step guide. So, grab your favorite notebook or open a blank document in your computer, and let’s dive in!

Why Write a Book for Kids by Yourself?

It obviously involves a lot more than just putting words on paper. Writing a children’s book is your chance to engage with a child, send the reader to new worlds, or explain something new about a child. Your desires are either to pass an excellent bedtime piece, fun adventures, or major life skills knowledge, and children writing will always satisfy your wants.
But one of the most wonderful things you can find in doing a book for children is the creative licence you take: you can make up characters, put up imaginary worlds, and explore themes you are concerned with, that your little reader is too. It is an amazing way to share your own voice and ideas with the next generation.

Step 1: Identify Your Idea

Step one of developing your own kids’ books is finding the idea. This might maybe turn out the hardest part, but don’t worry; inspiration is around you. Remember all those great stories from your own childhood. What captured your imagination? Was it special characters, an adventure like no other, or maybe a message that was delivered in a unique way?
Or you can strain some of your inspiration from real-life experiences. One day, I remember that I wrote a children’s story from spending a day at the beach with my nephew. We built the best sandcastles, and of course they were looked at as kingdoms. That very ordinary day became a source of amusement for a little boy who becomes some king of sandcastle land. That’s something I would want others to look at too, through a book.

Remember, a storyline idea does not have to be very complicated; in fact, simple ideas at times work best with children. What it just needs to be is something fired up within you. Then, believe me, your readers will be too.

Step 2: Creating Memorable Characters for Children

Once you have your idea, they say, you’ve got to make characters. Kids love characters—characters they can identify with, rally around, or even laugh at.

When creating characters, think deeply about their personality, goals, and how they interact with others. Are they brave, curious, or are they full of mischief? What problems do they run into and how do they solve them?

From what I have seen, there is a big attraction for most children toward a character that seems real, even in the most fantastic setting or situation. When I was writing about this boy in my sandcastle story he wasn’t just a boy playing on the beach. He was a small king with big dreams—just like a lot of kids, with the dreams of heroes in their very own stories. I guess that is why this story made him relatable and a whole lot of fun to write about.

Step 3: Create a Story That Captures the Interest of Young Minds

Now that you have your characters, it’s time to craft your story. Writing your own children’s book simply involves a process of creating a plot that will continue to be of interest to young readers, and you’ll need a clear beginning, middle, and end. Well-renowned kids need structure in stories, and this classic three-part structure works for them.
Start by introducing your characters and what the world is like that they live in. Then give the idea of the problem or challenge that the young people are all involved with. Take your cast on an adventure or journey in which they try to resolve that problem. Bring the story to a satisfying conclusion, based on how it plays out.

While writing for kids, language should be kept simple and the action moving. Children have shorter attention spans, consequently one should avoid long descriptions or complicated plots. Instead, focus on making every scene count.

I still vividly remember the first time I read the sandcastle story to a bunch of little children.
I realized that scenes where the boy struggled with the building were keeping them on the edge of their seats, which in turn was to find out how he manages to re-do his work and what he learns. This taught me something: children love a story with characters who are in obstacles and they find creative ways to get out of them.

Step 4: Add in a Message or a Moral (Without Becoming Too Preachy).

While many children’s books have a message or moral, just fit this into the story. Kids are smart as hell; they can smell a “lesson” a mile away. Instead of preaching, let the message of your story be told through actions and choices made by your characters.
For example, in my sandcastle story, the theme of the story would be on resilience and creativity. The boy did not give in when his sandcastle was destroyed but found a new way of how to build it much better. The message was passed across through the development of this story, but the reader does not really have those words cueing that out for them.

As you learn to finally write your own book for children, think of what you would like your story to leave your young reader with. Would it be a lesson about kindness, working together, or believing in oneself? Whatever it is, let it flow as a natural sequence in the story and not be the focus of every other scene.

Step 5: Visualization of Your Story (or Hiring an Illustrator)

At the same time, children’s books are very picture-oriented, and very often it is as if the pictures in the book said as much as the words, or maybe even outweighed the words. You might be an artist, so you might want to illustrate your own book. Though are you not too confident with the end outcome of your drawing? Don’t worry! The best illustrators will do the job of making your story come to life.

When working with an illustrator, what you express is your vision. You will share your ideas with the illustrator concerning characters and style. This collaboration can turn your story into a beautiful book that kids will want to pick up and read.

The time I did put a story together for my sandcastle book, I collaborated with this illustrator from our place who was reputedly talented for very whimsical, colorful images. It was thrilling to see the characters and the scene take full life in a different way—one which transcended the medium of text and into its very essence. I also thought that it would hold true for children’s books, where stories are about how the book captures a child’s imagination.

Step 6: Proofreading and Bringing Your Book to Life

Now that writing and illustrating your story is completed, it is time to edit and finalize your work. Read your story aloud—either to yourself, a friend, or perhaps even better still, a child. Reading your story aloud will expose any strange wording or sentences that do not flow well. Editing children’s books can present its own challenge—every word really matters. You want to give assurance that your story is clear, engaging, and right for the group you’re aiming at. Don’t be afraid to change something that doesn’t work. Occasionally, a little sponging can make the world of difference.

I recall reading my sandcastle story to my niece before it was finished. The fact of the matter is that she loved it, but she said one element was slightly confusing. I revised the part as recommended, and the whole story seemed to work better. Kids are honest critics, to whom their input can be most invaluable.

Step 7: Sending Your Book into the World

Now it’s time to share your book with the world. Whether you self-publish it, make a proposal to a publisher, or just have it in printed copies so that you can share it with friends and family, nothing would be a greater reward than to get that story in the hands of kids. You can self-publish your children’s book quite easily with Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing or IngramSpark. You can send your kids’ book to the limited number of traditional publishers who are receiving book solicitations from their authors. Do take this out in the manner you choose, but remember that you have now created something exceptional—a book that shall inspire and entertain many young hearts. And finally, when my sand castle story came into my hands as a printed copy, I was totally elated. The knowledge that my story could bring a smile upon a child’s face made all of the hard work worthwhile.

Conclusion:

Begin Writing Your Very Own Children’s Book Today Writing your book for children: this is an enterprise full of creative ideas, a bit challenging, and rewards; it is a chance to open new opportunities for sharing one’s ideas with the littlest readers of all as well as possibly changing the way they look at life. Then why wait? Grab your pen or keyboard and start creating! But again, your story mustn’t be worthy from the start. Just take that first step, and the rest will follow. With a bit of imagination and a lot of determination, you can write your own book for kids that will be an inspiration.