Write a Children’s Book

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Q. I want to write my own children’s book. Where do I start?
A. Start by reading, reading, reading! The children’s books on the shelves will help you write your book, revise your book, and sell your book!

Q. How can reading children’s books help me write my own book?
A.
Reading recently published books like the ones that you want to write can help you see how other authors handled your topic or theme. These books can help you learn your craft.

Reading new books will also help you see what editors are buying. Editors look at other books on your topic or theme to help them decide if they will buy your book or not. If that’s what the agents and editors do, then you need to do it too!

The need to keep reading new books is the reason I post a new booktalk seven days a week. Some booktalks also include a guest post by the author of the book.

Q. How long should my children’s book manuscript be?
A.
The length of the book depends on the age of the child who will be reading it. The older the child is, the longer the book will be. Check the word count guides at:

Q. Do I need an agent to sell my book? Or do I send it to editors?
A.
If you send your book to editors first (and don’t sell it) most agents will NOT want to handle that book later because the book has already been shopped. If you think you might want to work with an agent, start that search first.

Q. What do agents charge?
A. Reputable agents do NOT charge a fee
to read your work or to send it out. The agent is paid on commission, so no money changes hands until the book sells–and it is the publisher who pays the agent, not the writer. Most agents take a 15% commission, so they earn 15% of all funds paid for the sales they make.

Q. Why should I pay an agent 15%?
A.
An agent can send your book to publishers that are “closed” to submissions.

FYI: When you send your book to an editor that you have never met at a “closed” publishing house, your work will not be read. Some send it back to you while others toss it in the trash. Delete!

Q. How can I find an agent?
A.
Follow the directions on my How to Find a Literary Agent page.

Of course, none of this will happen if you don’t write the book first! So begin at the beginning. Read, read, read–and then start writing.

The author of 300+ books for children, teens, and adults, I have also been working as a developmental editor with writers from all levels of the continuum (beginner to already published) since 1999. If you need help to write your first draft or to revise your book and bring it to the next level, check the schedule to see when we can work together.

I look forward to working with you!

Copyright © 2017 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.