So You Want to Write a Book?
Over the next few weeks I wanted to share some of the process I used in self publishing a book in Northern Alberta. My first book set a huge learning curve and I learned a ton working with various other people in crafting it. From editors to illustrators, formatters to publishers, getting your book out into the world can seem like a daunting task. In actuality however it is easier than ever to share your story with the world.
The first thing that anyone needs to start is an excellent idea. You can develop your idea in many different ways but in the case of children's books, nothing beats sharing it with kids. Share the story with as many people as you can to get a feel for what they love about it and what lacks engagement. A vision board can be a helpful tool.
Once I had the idea for a story in my head, I started doing some research. Many different sources suggest reading a ton of children's books. This is your market research step! By reading other people's books you get an idea not only of what is working in the industry but also what has already been done. While children love repetition, parents tend to look for new ideas; something they haven’t read a million times.
Another key piece of advice I received is to avoid preaching to children. If your book contains a moral or lesson of sorts, it better be contained with a highly engaging story.
And lastly if you are inspired to write a rhyming story then invest in a thesaurus! Using basic rhyming words (cat, hat, bat, ect) will likely not win you any points with your audience. Rhyming books can be super tough to write well as you are required to tell an excellent story in a limited way. I am half way through mine and it is super slow going.
Hope this helps to inspire you on your self publishing journey. You are most welcome to contact me with any questions. Stay tuned next time for what to do once you have your solid idea ready to write!
