Write a Children's Book

Visit Large Bookstores.

For some good initial research when writing children’s books, you should start by visiting some large bookstores. Take your notebook and a pen. Copy the Tables of Contents of books that treat similar subject matters that your book does. You will want to make your book significantly different from other books which cover similar things as yours. If the book is exactly the same as other books on the topic no publisher will be interested in buying it. However, you shouldn’t be discouraged if there are many books covering the area in which you intend to cover. Lots of books mean that this area is popular – this can be handy when writing children’s books. For example, publishers bring out dozens of diet books for adults each year, so there is plenty of room for other authors too.

Aim for at least three to five points of difference. This doesn’t mean that you have to come up with all new information. In fact, presenting completely new information can be impossible if you are writing non-fiction. It’s about how you present the material when writing children’s books that counts. If you can show readers a new way to understand a subject, you’re in with a hot-seller on your hands.

Amazon.com

Amazon should be your next port of call. Type the subject of your book into the search query box and you’ll get a list of all the books which touch on this subject area. Printing out this list will be useful as having it handy help you when the time comes to pick a title. Read descriptions and all the reviews of any books which sound as if they might be similar to yours. This is quick and relatively easy research for writing children’s books.

What have you discovered about the market for writing children’s books?

If you have finished surveying the market place as it stands for your idea, you may find it mighty helpful to write a brief report on what you have discovered about the children’s book market. This report is purely for your own use. Do this right away while everything is still as fresh as a daisy in your mind. It’s important to do this, because when you talk to your editor or agent you will want to have all the information on the market situation handy. Your report doesn’t have to be long. Just a page will do.

So, when writing children’s books, be sure to know what is out there and how you may be able to slot in alongside what exists.