If you’re anything like me, some of the greatest lessons you’ve learned in life are the ones you learned the hard way. While I wasn’t particularly thrilled about them at the time, I recognize now that learning from past mistakes is one of the most powerful ways of setting yourself up for future success! Knowing what not to do can be just as helpful as knowing what to do, perhaps even more so. That's why I'd like to share with you the three most memorable mistakes I made when writing my first children's book—so you can avoid the same ones.
Mistake #1: The Child Didn’t Save the Day
In my first children's book, I made a critical storytelling error. The main problem was solved by a secondary character—a teacher who provided a solution in the end. At the time, this made perfect sense to me. After all, teachers are natural problem-solvers! But this is one of the biggest mistakes to avoid when writing a children’s book. It’s vital that the main character—the child—be the hero of his or her own story. This means that he or she must be the one to resolve the conflict.
Solution: Make Your Main Character (The Child) the Hero
Allowing the main character (the child) to solve the problem empowers your target audience (young readers) by reminding them that they too are capable of overcoming any obstacle that comes their way. A narrative where the main character resolves the challenge also makes for a more engaging story and a more fulfilling conclusion. This approach naturally leads to a greater emotional connection between the reader and the book, and strengthens the impact of any lessons taught.
Mistake #2: The Illustrator Owned the Artwork
When I was first starting out as an author, I knew very little about the publishing side of things. All I knew was that I wanted to write a quality book for children to empower them to believe in themselves. The illustration part? That was a whole other ballgame. The concept of “work-for-hire” for book illustrators was nowhere on my radar…which led me to my second mistake: I didn’t own the illustrations of my first book. Because I didn’t secure the rights, I wasn't legally permitted to use the illustrations of my book anywhere else. This limited my ability to market my book and expand its reach.
Solution: Establish a Work-For-Hire Agreement With Your Illustrator
What I now know is that “work-for-hire” illustrators make sense for so many authors, particularly those of us in the children’s book world where illustrations play such an important role. Sure, other types of illustration agreements might work well for other authors, depending on their specific needs and goals. But let me tell you why I think work-for-hire in the children’s book market is often the way to go and how it could be beneficial for you too.
- Ownership: You retain full ownership of the artwork, allowing you to use it any time, any place, and for any reason without needing additional permission.
- Brand Consistency: All visuals in your brand remain true to your story. This is particularly important if you plan on writing a children’s book series or expanding your story into non-book content such as toys, stuffed animals, or apparel.
- Cost: Illustrators may expect or request royalties, which are payments based on a percentage of each book sold. This can make financial planning difficult. A flat fee system will enable you to budget more accurately and help you manage your finances better from the start.
Mistake #3: I Printed Too Many Copies
Excited about my first book and with the best intentions, I placed an order for 6,000 copies. I believed in my story and wanted to be prepared for sales, but I soon learned that bulk printing poses its own set of challenges for new authors.
- Additional Investment: Printing costs can vary widely depending on the quantity of books ordered, whether you choose local or overseas printing, and if you're opting for softcover or hardcover editions. New authors often find themselves spending thousands of dollars on printing, especially since printers typically require minimum order quantities. This upfront investment can be risky, as the timing of your return on investment is often uncertain.
- Storage: Until the books were purchased, those 6,000 copies had to be stored somewhere! I didn't consider this when boxes upon boxes were delivered straight to my door. Bulk ordering can require significant space which is something to keep in mind if accommodations are limited.
- Shipping Fulfillment: I was also responsible for fulfilling all orders. Managing and shipping each book can be time-consuming and logistically challenging for new authors.
Solution: Opt for Print-On-Demand
Print-on-demand is a flexible and efficient publishing method that allows authors to produce books as they are ordered, rather than in large print runs. This approach also enables you to make updates to your story or illustrations—such as revising the content, adjusting the formatting, changing the size, or altering the finish of your book—without incurring significant costs. This is a great method for first-time authors. However, there are several printing options for children's books.
Writing Advice for New Children’s Book Authors
If you’re a first-time author, give yourself grace. You don’t know what you don’t know. Yes, the “not knowing” may lead to mistakes. That’s okay. You are learning to solve your new problems…just like the main character in your children’s book! (wink, wink)
It’s natural to feel frustrated or even blame yourself when things don’t go as planned. But those are the moments where you can instead choose to give yourself grace, learn from what went wrong, and take the next best step forward.
Steer clear from these mistakes and I'm certain that one day, soon, you'll have a success story to share about writing and publishing your first children's book. Just imagine the wisdom you’ll have to share!
3 Takeaways for Writing for Your First Children’s Book
I’d like to think that at this point in my career, I’ve gained some insights about what works and what doesn’t when it comes to being a children’s book author. The three highlighted here are just a few of the many common mistakes made in children’s book writing. In the end, every mistake I made worked out one way or another, and I learned something valuable each time. The same will hold true for you.
These three takeaways are crucial because they address foundational elements central to every story you write.
- Your main character should drive the main plot points.
- Your creative vision and control should extend to the illustrations in your book.
- Your print process should be practical and manageable for you.
Conclusion
Writing children’s books is a beautiful journey, one filled with highs and lows, steps forward and steps back. Mistakes are inevitable, no matter how hard we try to avoid them. Learn to embrace the whole journey, even the missteps, and know that you’ve got an empathetic friend in me, here to encourage you every step of the way.
Interested in hearing more insights? The ones shared here are just a starting point. There are countless more strategies and lessons about how to write a children’s book that I would love to share with you. To dive deeper, join me for my next free training, How to Write a Picture Book Children Will Love (and Parents Will Buy!).
FAQs
How do you start writing a children’s book for beginners?
Start by reading children’s books to familiarize yourself with the genre. Then ask yourself, “What story do I want to tell?” Outline your story’s beginning, middle, and end to create a complete and flowing narrative, and you’re off to a great start!
What do you write in a child’s first picture book?
A child’s first picture book should introduce the concept of narrative while focusing on developing literacy skills. Including age-appropriate themes like colours, shapes, and animals are important, but the text should also tell a simple story or follow a clear sequence of events. Engaging illustrations will complement the narrative to support the storytelling.
What should you look for in an illustrator?
Find an illustrator whose work aligns with the imagery you’ve imagined. Look for someone whose style matches the characters, places, and actions you’ve envisioned while writing. Consider their experience with children’s books and their ability to portray emotions and themes that connect with young readers.
