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When I was researching Categories for our second book series, Sandy the Cat, I noticed there are only a few degrees of separation for each category of Children’s Books. Depending on where you look and who you ask, you will soon discover that all of these categories overlap, and it is important to focus on word count, not necessarily context when you are selecting your category.
STORY PICTURE BOOKS
This group is for 4-8 year old’s, kindergarten to grade 3 or higher. While doing months of research, I found that text layouts that consist of six pages and up (at 200 words per page) are for older children and adults. Total word count can be 1200-2000 words. Most books I have seen in this category run five to nine pages (at 250 words per), or 1250-2250 words. So if your story is 1000-1200 words, I guess it could maybe fit in either category? (See what I mean about a few degrees of separation.) And actually since the word count has gone down for early picture book’s, it probably has for this group, too. Closer to 700-1500.
Story picture books or picture storybooks, do typically have more words, so the text to picture ratio is heavier on the text. In these longer story picture books, the illustrations are meant to help hold the listener’s attention and aren’t really an integral part of the story, at least not in the same way. These books often have text that might even take up the entire page, as they have more of a storyline and plot development. Typically, text and art are separated on the page, and the text could stand alone. Champ and Nessie is a Story Picture Book.
What we refer to as a Picture Book covers everything from pop-ups to e-books, graphic novels to non-fiction, baby books to sophisticated. A true picture book combines pictures and words to tell the story. One cannot function without the other. To understand the story fully the reader has to read both the illustrations together with the text, words alone would not be sufficient without the images. This is why it is important to have a great illustrator, Artwork is 50% if not more, of the story. In true picture books the text is pared down to just the narrative, illustrations fill in the description, and may include wordless sub-plots.
EARLY PICTURE BOOKS
This category is often simply called a picture book. When publishers talk of picture books, they are probably talking about this group. Especially when the word count is considered to be no more than 500. I don’t now any child under 2 that can make it past 500 words, if they even make it that long. But 2-5 year old’s can sit still for longer periods of time. A picture book for this age child should be about 2-5 manuscript pages, or 400-1000 words. General rule of thumb, a typical manuscript page is 250 words and the number of manuscript pages for this age picture book is two to four, or 500-1000 words.
Below you can check out my Children’s Book Length Cheat Sheet along with our other FREE pintable’s and start writing your story. For more writing inspiration and FREE worksheets to help you plan your Children’s Book, click here.
Storybook, Picture Book, Early Picture Books? What category should my book be classified under?
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NOTE: This is an updated version of a post I made a while back. For those illustrate as well as write, you’re welcome to download and print my free picture book thumbnail templates.
So many people think that short = easy, especially when it comes to picture books.
And while yes, it’s easy to crank out a picture book manuscript in terms of wordcount, writing a picture book story that a publisher will want to acquire is an entirely different animal.
At this point, I can imagine a number of you leaping up and saying, “You shouldn’t worry about the market! Just write the story that you were meant to write!” I partly agree.
However, if your goal is to have people other than your family and friends want to buy your book, then I strongly advise you to go to local children’s bookstore and library; I guarantee you will save yourself much heartache and wasted effort. Familiarise yourself with what’s being published. Let yourself fall in love with some of these picture books and then ask yourself why you enjoy them so much.
Also, to those considering using AI-generated text to write children’s books: DON’T. Your unique voice is your most valuable asset as a creator — don’t dismiss it. Plus even if your book ends up being published, the truth WILL eventually come out, damaging your reputation and the trust of the industry in you and your work. The topic of AI-generated writing came up at a recent SCBWI conference I attended, and Arthur Levine (head of Levine Querido) made a good point: AI models tend to take the average, and editors like Arthur aren’t looking for average – they are seeking unique and diverse voices that stand out.
Also, be aware that most editors are already being inundated with poorly written submissions from people who think it’s easy to write a children’s book, one of the reasons that more publishing houses are closed to unagented submissions. Don’t add to the deluge!
Science fiction and fantasy magazine Clarkesworld recently had to stop accepting new submissions from writers after being bombarded with AI-generated stories. “So what we basically have is a room of screaming toddlers, and we can’t hear the people we’re trying to listen to,” said editor and publisher Neil Clarke in an interview with TechCrunch.
A few common mistakes that new picture book writers make:
(Also see advice for aspiring picture book authors from my Simon & Schuster Children’s editor, Justin Chanda)
– Not reading many, many picture books before they try writing their own.
– Talking down to kids, using a style and language that comes across as awkward and lecture-y.
– Writing what is basically a short story rather than a picture book text. If you don’t know the difference, you need to read more picture books.
– Assuming that the illustrator’s job is just to draw what is in the text, and therefore including lots of detailed art notes (“Sandy’s hair is blonde and her eyes are green, and she is sitting half-crouched with her hand reaching out for the rabid squirrel” etc.).
– Including lots of physical details in the text that could be shown in the illustrations, or left up to the illustrator.
– Assuming that a picture book story HAS to rhyme. Writing a good rhyming picture book is very difficult. Don’t use rhyme as a crutch.
– Not reading their story out loud to make sure it IS fun to read out loud.
– Having a story that is overtly message-y, pushing a lesson the author want young readers to learn. This is a very very VERY common mistake.
– Assuming that because their grandchildren / niece / neighbor’s child / students loved their story, that it’s ready to send out to publishers.
– Their story won’t easily fit into a standard picture book format (eg 14 pages instead of 32 or 40 pages, etc.). While it’s possible to sell a non-standard format picture book, it usually costs the publisher more money….making them less likely to want to take a chance on a first-time author.
– Adding their own illustrations. If you’re a professional illustrator and you’re sure your style suits the story, then go for it…but be aware that publishers usually prefer choosing their own illustrators.
– Not having a unique twist or concept. It’s ok to write another “Don’t give in to peer pressure. Be yourself!” story as long as you do something different and fun to show editors how your story will stand out in the marketplace. Again, READ MORE PICTURE BOOKS and you’ll see some great examples.
– Writing in the style of picture books that they remember reading as a child. This usually happens because they’re not familiar with picture books being published today. Again, I recommend going to your library or local children’s bookstore and READ MORE PICTURE BOOKS.
As you might have guessed from the above, my main piece of advice for aspiring picture book authors is to READ LOTS AND LOTS OF PICTURE BOOKS. If you don’t like a picture book, ask yourself why. If you love one, figure out why. Make notes about wordcount and format. Analyze pacing and page turns. Enjoy the illustrations, look at how they complement and enhance the text.
And if you do read lots and lots of picture books and still find you don’t really enjoy them, ask yourself if you should be writing one.
Looking for pointers on how to break into the children’s book industry as a creator? I encourage you to check out my FAQ.
Good luck!
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