Write a Children's Book

It may seem like a long lost dream, but writing a children's story is not as hard as you may think! In this lens, I'll talk about the process that took me from aspiring book writer to published author. It was so exciting to see "Willy the Silly-Haired Snowman" in print -- something that I wrote is actually a published book that others can enjoy!

Be persistent -- if you have an idea that you think will make a great book, hang in there! The story idea is a large chunk of the book writing process. If you have a creative idea or two, that's enough to get you started. Another thing that helps is putting your idea down on paper to organize your thoughts. Then you can start making that writing dream a reality and perhaps become a famous children's book author in the meantime. You never know - it could happen!

Sit back, relax and enjoy the creative process. Now get that laptop going and get to it!

It's time to put pen to paper or fingers to the keyboard and put your idea into print. The best way to begin is just start writing. Get the rough draft down -- even if it's really rough. As I have heard in countless writing classes - just write. Don't worry if it's perfect. You're not going to get perfect the first time. You may not get perfect the second time, but you're a step closer to writing your book.

Creativity is the key. Get crazy, write like there's no tomorrow and let your imagination go free. It fosters creativity. Just start writing and get the story down. You will go back and edit later. First you want to get it down on paper and then read it again and again -- write and rewrite.

Before you know it, you will have your story down. It will come together and you'll be surprised and delighted. You can become an author if that's your goal!

Set aside time to write each day. Even if it's just 30 minutes, stay on target and soon you will see your story shaping up. If you don't have time in the evening, try getting up a little earlier in the morning -- this will give you time when you're fresh to churn out those ideas that were dancing around in your head all night.

My friends and I have written some great children's books that make the perfect companion during a long, lazy afternoon! The stories are diverse and timeless. I know you and your little ones will enjoy reading them all - available now on Amazon.

If you want to become a children's fiction author, there are plenty of books to help you get started and hone your craft!

Writer's Conferences are a very worthwhile use of your time. If you have to save up the money to go -- and you really want to become a published author ... go! It's like a treasure chest of writing resources, mentors, teachers, notes, classes, knowledge and skill sharing. It's a great creative environment where you can hang out and soak up all the wonderful information that's being imparted by the instructors.

A Writer's Conference is also a wonderful opportunity to connect with like-minded people. There are dozen's of other aspiring writers all in the same boat. It's definitely a nurturing environment where people encourage each other and bounce ideas for candid feedback. You will probably make a few lasting friendships along the way too!

One conference that's well worth the money and time spent is the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference. It's held each spring in Black Mountain, North Carolina. Not only is it one of the best, it's very affordable and located at the beautiful Ridgecrest Conference Center set in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

It's an easy way to connect with publishers and published authors who know a bit about the business. As a conference attendee, you have an advantage that you wouldn't have if you tried to contact people through cold calls. Publishers and agents recognize you as a conference attendee and welcome you into their circle more readily.

You've written your book, reached the end, edited and all that. Now what? It's time to find a professional editor to help you add the finesse you need before going on to the next step. It's fairly easy to find an editor. If you attended a conference, it's a good chance that there were several there -- just look back through all those business cards you collected. If there's not one there, simply do an internet search -- you may find one in your area to work with. Be sure to ask for references before teaming up with any editor.

After the editing process is finalized you can start pitching your book to some publishers. I found a local publisher where I live and it turned out to be a wonderful experience. This was a smaller publisher, but the book turned out well!

You will want to write your pitch letter/email first and then search for children's book publishers. A pitch letter is simply a letter you write outlining your book and why you believe it would be a good fit for that publishing house -- and how it can be a success in the book market.

There are many resources out there to help with your book writing journey. You can find some good books and magazines with loads of information. Don't forget searching the web. Just about every published author has a web site these days and they're usually happy to help answer your questions.