How to Write Books for Children - and Get Published

Anyone can write for kids--it's easy. Wrong! The first thing author Louise Jordan does in her book How to Write for Children and Get Published is to dispel this notion. As Jordan says, "...writing a children's book is not easier than writing an adult book, merely different ... What is needed is a clarity of vision, and this is harder than you might think."

Jordan runs The Writers Advice Centre for Children's Books in London and is also a reader for Penguin Children's Books. She gives information from the point of view of both writer and editor, which results in a sympathetic but pragmatic perspective on the world of children's publishing.

Knowing the market is a crucial element of writing that is often overlooked. Jordan explores different kinds of books for children of different ages, and provides examples of each category. This section is specifically geared towards the UK market, but the basic information is universal. Jordan then discusses different subject areas and analyses the components of a good story, including plotting, characterisation, point of view and style. The final section tells how to submit work to publishers, and outlines the author's relationship with a publisher once a book is accepted. She is optimistic but realistic, and advises writers to learn from rejection.

Jordan doesn't just tell the prospective children's writer what to do--she provides insightful exercises after each chapter so that her readers can learn for themselves. This is a practical, accessible guide to writing children's books. --Caryn Jenner