Mindset Shifts That Will Fuel Your Dream of Writing a Children’s Book 

One of the toughest things for me when I started writing my first children’s book was shifting my mindset so I could claim the title “children’s author” for myself.

I think that’s a difficult thing for many new writers, because they think they have to wait until someone else gives them that title. Or they think they have to wait until their book is published, or it reaches bestseller status.

You don’t have to wait. The moment you write a story, you’re an author. Claim it!

Your mindset plays a huge role in your success – and I don’t just mean financially. Success means different things to different people. One person may measure success by the number of books they sell, another might measure it by their level of contentment in their life.

In both instances, you need a positive mindset to achieve your goals.

If you’ve been struggling with shifting your mindset to focus on the positive, I have a few quotes to share with you – plus some actionable steps you can take to keep working toward your dreams.

Quotes to Inspire and Motivate You

"A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new." – Albert Einstein

Failure and setbacks are a part of life, which means they’re part of the writing process. It’s how you respond to those challenges that determines where you’ll end up. Successful people see failure as feedback. It’s an opportunity to improve.

You rarely hear about the many times successful people failed before reaching their goal, but most of them have. And they took those experiences and used them to fuel their future success.

Here’s what you can do: Tell yourself that making a mistake or failing at something isn’t bad – it’s an opportunity to learn and grow. On the days when you’re feeling discouraged or that you aren’t getting things “right,” keep going anyway. Ask yourself: “How can I look at this from a different, more positive perspective?” For example, feedback from your editor is a good thing. They aren’t giving it to you to insult your writing skills. They’re giving it to you because they want to help make your book better.

"Believe you can and you're halfway there." – Theodore Roosevelt

Believing in yourself comes before anything else, because the first obstacle for most people when starting something new is self-doubt.

It’s easy to give up (or not even try in the first place) when you don’t believe in yourself. The fear of failing can overwhelm you and keep you stuck.

You CAN reach your goals. It doesn’t mean it will come easy, or that you’ll do it perfectly on the first try. In fact, you probably won’t. But if you believe in yourself, it makes it easier to try again, knowing that you will be successful in the end.

Here’s what you can do: Break your goal down into small, manageable steps that feel less intimidating. Instead of saying, “I’m going to write a children’s book,” start with just one piece of it: “Today, I’m going to come up with the names of three characters for my children’s book.” Tomorrow you might write one page of your story.

As you move forward and see how far you’ve come, you’ll soon realize that you made it this far because you believed in yourself each small step of the way.

"If you’re the smartest person in the room, you’re in the wrong room." – Jack Welch

You won’t learn anything about writing a children’s book from someone who’s never done it. Surround yourself with people at least one step ahead of you in the process so they can share what they know.

I know it can feel intimidating to be the person “in the room” (in the conversation, in the Facebook group, etc.) who knows less. But for someone else in the room, you might be the person who knows more about something else. So find people who inspire, challenge, and support you.

Here’s what you can do: Find a mentor, join a group of like-minded people, or find an online community filled with positive people where you feel supported. Your mindset has everything to do with your environment. Being among positive people who encourage you will keep you motivated. Negative people will drain your energy and slow down your progress.

"It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.” – Aristotle

I love trying new things, and I must admit, when I get an idea for a new project or a mission, it’s difficult to stop me. I get so excited to start. I want to see it all come together.

I’m sure you felt the same excitement when you finally decided to go after your dream of writing a children’s picture book.

There will be times while writing your book that you lose sight of your dream, though. Many of the authors who’ve worked with ML Publishing hit a point where they felt stuck, whether it was during the writing process or somewhere else along the way to publishing their book.

There is always a deeper purpose behind a goal. What motivated you to start writing your book?

Remembering your “why” will always help you through the difficult parts, because you’re reminded of what made you start in the first place and why it matters.

Here’s what you can do: Write down your “why” and place it somewhere you will see it often, like on your desk or a vision board. Keep reminders of your “why” throughout your house – something like a photo or an object that reminds you of your goal. Even during challenging times, these things will bring you back to the reason you started and help you keep going.

Your mindset doesn’t only affect the choices you make and the actions you take. It shapes your belief in yourself. When you believe you can reach your dream of writing a children’s book, you’re more likely to stay motivated and work hard to achieve that dream.

A positive mindset will also help you to focus on possibilities and opportunities. This is especially helpful in times when things don’t go as expected and you have to change your plan.

FAQs:

Q: What is the key difference between a successful person and an unsuccessful person?

A: A person who’s willing to say “yes” to new things and opportunities will always be more successful than someone who isn’t. Being successful means achieving a level of contentment and fulfillment that you’ve set for yourself. It’s all internal.

Q: What if I’m not good enough to be a children’s author?

A: What if you are? Too often people look at the worst that could happen, instead of focusing on the best that could happen. You CAN be a children’s author. 

Q: What is my first step to becoming a successful children’s author?

A: Sign up for my free training on how to write a picture book that children will love (and parents will buy). It’s a 90-minute training where I give you the secrets to writing the type of story children will want to read again and again. I also share the three most common mistakes that first-time authors make, so you can avoid them.

TL;DR

• You don’t need external validation to be an author; the moment you write a story, you’re an author. Claim the title for yourself!
• A positive mindset is crucial for achieving your personal goals. Confidence is key. Break down big goals into management steps to stay motivated and overcome self-doubt.
• Embrace mistakes as learning opportunities to grow and improve your writing. Learn from those ahead of you, find a mentor, and be part of a positive community.
• Remind yourself of your ‘why’ - use that as motivation to push through challenges and stay on track.