How to Write Children’s
Book Projects
By Mary Kole
Mary Kole is a former literary agent, freelance editor, writing teacher, author of Writing Irresistible Kidlit, and IP developer for major publishers, with over a decade in the publishing industry.
This article provides tips for how to write children’s book projects, including how to determine the age group, word count, and page count. It will also explain how to craft a children’s book query letter, as well as what steps should be taken to identify literary agents and publishers.
How to Write Children’s Book Projects
Writers often ask the interwebs for advice on how to write children’s book projects or for ideas for such books. However, “children’s book” is an ambiguous description - it actually encompasses several different types of literature. Knowing this and avoiding generalizing the “children’s book” as one type of product is vital if you want to succeed in the kidlit publishing industry.
The earliest books for young readers are board books, then picture books, early readers for kids starting to read independently, then novel-like chapter books, middle grade novels, all the way up to young adult novels for teens (and, let’s face it, some adults, too).
Figuring out how to write children’s book projects doesn't have an easy answer. That said, there is a shared quality among children’s book writers: They all recognize the importance of engaging young readers. Kids get incredibly invested in the stories and characters they read, making the time they spend reading so transformative.
Those aspiring to write books for kids respect these little readers without ever preaching or condescending them. Drawing on their own childhood memories, these writers create stories that access their audiences emotionally and show how much they care about connecting with kid readers.
But to really succeed in the children’s book market, you need to figure out what you’re writing, how long it is, and which category you’re targeting. Read on to learn more, so that you don’t use this generic term again.
How to Write Children’s Book Projects: Age Group
The age range of children’s book readers contains various bands. Here are the different categories you can get into if you want to know how to write children’s book projects, starting with the youngest and ending with the oldest:
Board Book Age Group: 0 to 2
Young Picture Book Age Group: 2 to 4
Picture Book Age Group: 4 to 6
Nonfiction Picture Book Age Group: 5+
Early Reader Age Group: 5 to 7
Chapter Book Age Group: 6 to 8
Young Middle Grade Age Group: 8 to 10
Middle Grade Age Group: 9 to 12
Upper Middle Grade Age Group: 12+
Young Adult Age Group: 13+
Young Adult Fantasy Age Group: 13+
New Adult Age Group: 16+
You may see some similarities between the levels. This is because children reach different levels of reading skill at different ages. Therefore, some of these specs are more like suggestions than definite cut offs.
How to Write Children’s Book Projects: Word Count
The best children's books capture their readers' imaginations and inspire a lifelong love of reading. However, the number of words in a children's book depends on its intended audience: younger readers may have shorter attention spans, while older readers crave more complex stories.
If you're wondering how to write children's book projects with the right number of words, start by considering your target audience. Here is a breakdown of word counts for children's books, categorized by age group:
Board Book Word Count: Up to 100
Young Picture Book Word Count: 400
Picture Book Word Count: 600
Nonfiction Picture Book Word Count: 1,000 to 3,000
Early Reader Word Count: 300 to 1,200
Chapter Book Word Count: 1,500 to 10,000
Young Middle Grade Novel Word Count: 15,000 to 30,000
Middle Grade Novel Word Count: 30,000 to 55,000
Upper Middle Grade Novel Word Count: 55,000 to 75,000
Fantasy/Historical/Sci-fi Middle Grade Novel Word Count: 65,000 to 85,000
Young Adult Word Count: 60,000 to 90,000
Young Adult Fantasy Word Count: 75,000 to 95,000
New Adult Word Count: 80,000+
How to Write Children’s Book Projects: Page Count
In the publishing realm, manuscripts are usually talked about with respect to word count. Those interested in how to write children's book projects should take the following page counts into account:
Board Book Page Count: 16 to 24
Young Picture Book Page Count: 24 to 32
Picture Book Page Count: 32 to 48
Nonfiction Picture Book Page Count: 32 to 64
Early Reader Page Count: 32 to 48
Chapter Book Page Count: 48 to 80
Young Middle Grade Page Count: 64+
Middle Grade Page Count: 100+
Upper Middle Grade Page Count: 160+
Middle Grade Fantasy Page Count: 180+
Young Adult Page Count: 240+
Young Adult Fantasy Page Count: 300+
New Adult Page Count: 300+
It's important to remember that page count matters more in the context of published books. Younger readers' books usually have predetermined page counts, while novels typically have variable page counts due to font size and book layout.
Special Considerations of How to Write Children’s Book Projects
As you focus on what kind of children's book you plan to write, you'll need to consider how one of the main ingredients of getting it published will be illustrated. A child reader's eyes are often drawn to the illustrations in a book more than the words, so creating visually appealing artwork is essential when you’re wondering how to write children’s book projects.
But before you start learning about illustrating children’s books or hire a children’s book illustrator, keep in mind that only board books, picture books, and early readers are typically illustrated. Chapter books do tend to have some art, though it may be spot illustration (the occasional pages of art, or art accompanying the chapter headings).
Remember that children’s book illustrations have become highly specialized and vastly different from what hobby artists typically create. Your own art will likely not be competitive with the high-quality illustrations seen in today’s market, unless you’re a professional artist. You might not need to hire a professional illustrator before submitting your project to a publisher, either.
Publishers have their own policies when it comes to selecting illustrators, so most of the time, projects are pitched as text. If you are a talented children's book illustrator, you can submit your text and illustrations together as an author-illustrator. Otherwise, it would be wise to take the simpler route and just submit the text for consideration.
How to Write Children’s Book Projects for Publication
You may have arrived at this page looking for advice on how to publish a kids' book. But before you begin the process, it's important to understand the various types of children’s books and the age and category of child reader they’re intended for. Therefore, rather than asking how to write children’s book projects and get them published, focus first on learning more about the type of book you want to write. Here are some articles which can help you get started: How to Write a Children’s Picture Book, How to Write a Nonfiction Picture Book, How to Write a Children’s Early Reader, How to Write a Children’s Chapter Book, How to Write Middle Grade Fiction, and How to Write a Young Adult Novel.
Once you know how to write children’s book projects and what kind of project you’re working on, you can start researching children’s publishers or children’s book literary agents that represent your specific category. Sending a query letter for your kids’ book with your pitch is the way to go. When submitting work, make sure not to limit yourself by calling it a "children's book," because doing the necessary research will give you a much greater chance of success!
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Click here to purchase Writing Irresistible Kidlit, my book on fiction craft for MG and YA novels, out from Writer's Digest Books. This will show you my writing craft philosophy and give you lots of valuable advice, including tips for the novel revision process and self-editing. There are over 35 example novels cited and discussed throughout. It’s a valuable resource for any writer’s toolkit.
Click here to purchase Successful Query Letters, my book on query letters, including over forty examples with comprehensive notes on each one. There’s a ton of submission advice, best practices, and insider information in these pages, and you’ll really enjoy seeing what other writers are doing in the slush.