You want to write a children’s book, but you have too many ideas to choose from. You feel both blessed and plagued at the same time. What kind of writer has too many ideas, right? Actually, it’s a lot more common than you think. To help you overcome it, here’s how to pick the best book idea for your children’s book.
How to Pick the Best Book Idea as a Children’s Writer
Give Each One a Test Drive
A great way to pick the best book idea is to try out each one. Take some time to write about each idea. You can create an outline, hand pick a particular scene and dive into it, or describe the setting.
No matter which strategy you choose (or if you mix and match), make sure you fully immerse yourself in each idea. Then, notice which one feels the most natural to you. The more natural your idea feels, the easier it will be to write about.
But never ditch your other ideas. You never know when you’ll come back to the archives for a second story.
Write About What You Know
You might have lots of ideas, but if you want to pick the best book idea, choose the one that most relates to your own life.
Lately I’ve been working on a new children’s book, and when I told my staff I was struggling to come up with a good idea, the MLP Team’s Junior Editor gave me this advice. She told me to write about a topic or lesson that was already on my mind.
She said, “Miriam, remember how you told us about your oldest daughter leaving for university and how that’s been impacting you? Channel that into your story. All your other books are based on things you were going through or thinking about around the time you wrote them. Just do the same thing for this book.”
I started thinking, What do I wish I’d taught my daughter before she left home? Then, I found the topic for my current work-in-progress.
Good writing often comes from a writer’s own life. Some of the best books out there started because the author noticed an injustice, problem, or situation in their own life that they needed to address through creative writing.
Besides, the more you understand what you’re writing about, the less research you’ll have to do beforehand.
Who can help you get started, navigate your biggest questions, and celebrate your success?
The Best Book Idea is the One You’re Passionate About
But the most effective way to pick the best book idea for your children’s book is to pick the idea you’re most passionate about.
The process of writing, publishing and marketing a children’s book can be difficult. There will be good days and bad days, and on the bad days, you’ll need the motivation to keep going. That motivation is much easier to find if you’re very passionate about your subject matter.
The less passionate you are, the more likely you’ll be to give up.
It also helps to have a supportive community backing you up. You can find that in online programs, Facebook groups, or even in-person organizations. If you can, find accountability partners to spur you on when your pen feels a bit too heavy to write.