So, You Want to Be a Children’s Author–How to Begin
- 7 days ago
- 4 min read
By Diann Floyd Boehm
You have a head full of ideas and a heart full of stories for kids, but when you sit down to write, the page stays stubbornly blank.
You are not alone; you just must believe in yourself. This is your gentle push to get started, quiet the doubt, and finish your very first children’s story.
Before You Write: Do You Love Your Idea for a Story?
Many people say, “I could write a children’s book,” but the writers who finish are the ones who love their idea enough to stay with it. I am asking you to stay with it even when it seems impossible. Ask yourself,
Do I genuinely care about this story?
Is this a story I would want to read to a child again and again?
If your answer is “yes,” you have something worth exploring. Now you need momentum. I am asking you to push through it. I know you can do it.
Build Confidence With Small, Daily Steps
Instead of demanding a perfect book from yourself, start by building a simple writing habit. You want short sentences to unlock your creativity and your voice.
Try this three-part starter plan:
1. Keep a story notebook.
Write one sentence a day. It can be about anything: something you ate, the colors of the sky, the bird’s singing, or how about the way your dog’s tail thumps when you say their name. The goal is consistency, not brilliance.
2. Choose a feeling and a character.
Pick an emotion, excited, furious, happy, and then imagine a child or a character that feels that way. Give them a name and one specific detail. For example: “Kathy, who always wears mismatched socks”. Now you are ready to write a tiny story. One that takes only five to ten minutes.
3. Write a five-minute story.
Use simple structure.
Beginning: Someone wants something.
Middle: Something gets in their way.
End: What does the reader learn or understand by the end?
Set a timer for five to ten minutes and write without stopping. Then read it aloud. If you smile, laugh, or feel a tug at your heart, the story is doing its job.
These are small wins to train your brain to see you as a writer without stopping.
Taming the Noise
The moment you take your writing seriously; the inner critic usually gets loud:
“People will laugh at me.”
“Who do you think you are–a writer?”
I call this the negative noise; every author hears it, especially at the beginning. One simple way to push back is to claim the title, I am an author. When I first decided I would become a published author, I printed business cards that said:
Your Name
Educator-Presenter-Author.
At first, it felt bold, even uncomfortable to hand them out. People would ask, “You’re an author? What do you write? Are you published?” I answered, “I write children’s books, and I am looking for a publisher.” Their responses were encouraging, and over time the title felt natural.
You can do the same in your own way: write “author” in your bio, put it on your website, or simply say it out loud to yourself each morning. The more you own it, the quieter the noise becomes.
Remember: once you’ve written a paragraph, and then another, and then a page, you are already doing the work an author does.
Shaping Your First Children’s Story
Before you begin your first draft, ask:
Who is my audience? Early readers, picture book listeners, chapter books for kids?
What age am I writing for? Different ages expect different lengths, complexities, and themes.
What is the purpose of the message? Is it simply to delight, to inspire, to comfort, or gently teach something?
What is the setting and time? A modern classroom, a magical forest, or a grandparent’s kitchen?
Who is the main character? Who supports or challenges them?
What style fits this story? Playful rhyme, rhythmic repetition, or a straightforward prose?
Once you’ve thought about these, give yourself permission to write an imperfect first draft. Don’t stop every sentence to ask, “Is this good enough?” Hooks and polish come later. A first draft’s only job is to exist!
Editing: Where the Story Truly Comes Alive
The real magic happens in the story's revision. Here’s a simple, repeatable process:
Finish the draft, then pause
Type “The End,” even if you’re not sure it is really the end. Then step away for a day.
Read it aloud without editing
Just listen. Notice where you feel bored, confused, or moved. Reading aloud is especially powerful for children’s writing because that’s how many kids will experience your story.
Print and mark up a second pass
On paper, move paragraphs, cross out extra words, circle sentences that fell flat, and jot down stronger verbs or more vivid details. This becomes your second draft.
Refine for your reader
Ask yourself:
Does the story match the age group chosen?
Is the vocabulary appropriate but not talking down to the children?
Am I showing instead of telling, letting readers see, hear, and feel the story?
Test With Real Listeners
When you feel ready, share the story with children and with a few trusted adults.
Notice where kids lean in and where they fidget. Use their reactions to guide final edits.
Your trusted friends will give you their honest reaction and possible some tips.
You will repeat this cycle until the story feels ready to step out into the world.
Claiming Your New Title
When you reach this point where your story is complete and you are preparing to submit or self-publish your story, pause and recognize what you’ve accomplished. You moved from “someday I’ll write a children’s book to a finished manuscript.”
That is the work of an author.
So go-ahead, say it: I am a children’s author.
And then? Start the next story.
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