Would you like to write your very own children’s picture book? Do you want to create appealing characters to enthral and delight? Do you want to know the latest children’s book trends? Do you want to share your story and grow young minds?
Art agent Lilla’s picture book writing course, My Kid Book Pitch, starts in less than two weeks, on Monday, October 18th, and there’s still time to sign up. If you’ve ever wanted to write a picture book but don’t know where to start, if you’re bursting with ideas or don’t have a single one, if you want to learn to write a unique, original story in a way that’s accessible and fun, this course is for you.
Why write a children’s picture book? Children’s books are quietly radical. As well as being a great bonding experience between children and carergivers, with a host of long term benefits for kids, they’re also where parents gently start to introduce ideas that will shape the good humans of the future.
As a top international art agent who sees what work her artists are getting day in and day out, Lilla gets to see exactly which children’s books are getting published – up to two years in advance. And as a certified kid book nerd, she has a huge library of gorgeous kids’ picture books to draw on.
This means that Lilla is ideally placed to see current children’s book trends, and to pass that industry insider knowledge on to you, her wonderful students, in the assignments that she writes for you, all of which are designed to get you real world work.
Do you want to write a story but have no idea where to start? Or you’re bursting with ideas and finding it hard to pick just one? We got you. Using Lilla’s unique approach, with her dreamy Magic Cards (all new cards for 2021!) and her Write a Story Recipe, you’ll find the process both enjoyable and accessible, even if you don’t think of yourself as a writer (yet). And don’t forget – if you can write and illustrate, that means you get paid double!
In My Kid Book Pitch, you’ll get a whopping 123-page downloadable workbook that will lead you through the process of writing your very own children’s book in a way that’s playful yet powerful. Book your place here.
The biggest children’s book trends for 2021 and beyond
One of the keys to writing a successful children’s picture book story is knowing what publishers are looking for, and that’s just one of the areas where Lilla can help! Each week of My Kid Book Pitch, she’ll show and tell some stunning children’s books and discuss what makes them work, and what you can learn from them.
Here are some of the books from Lilla’s collection together with some of the key children’s book trends she sees being commissioned by publishers. What will your children’s book be about?
Here are Lilla’s 7 children’s book trends you need to know about. Read on and see what resonates with you. That may tell you what story you have inside you – Lilla will help you get it out!
1. Diversity, in all its forms
Some books featuring diversity from Lilla’s collection. Clockwise from top left: A Splash of Red by Jen Bryant, Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty, Layla’s Happiness by Mariahadessa Ekere Tallie, Islandborn by Junot Díaz and Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña.
Diversity is – rightly – huge in children’s books right now. How beautiful to show all kinds of children in your work, so every child can see themselves and feel seen. You can be an important part of the shift towards more diverse children’s books.
It isn’t just about skin color: non-binary children, children living in non-traditional family structures, children living in multi-generational homes, children with disabilities, LGBTQ+ children and more deserve to see themselves in the books they read; and we all benefit from learning more about the world around us.
Do you have a story to tell? Sign up here now.
2. Strong girls and sensitive boys (and everything in between)
Lilla says: “Books have the power to make change! On the left, A Life Made by Hand, by Ruth Aswaa, is a biography about an Asian woman sculptor, mid-century. On the right, Sofia Valdez, Future Prez, by Andrea Beaty, about a Latina for president, is part of a popular series.”
As we continue to challenge traditional gender roles, carers are turning to books to teach their children that their feelings, thoughts and characters are valid, regardless of their assigned gender. You can write about and draw kids of all kinds. Think about how comforting this will be to children – and it’s something art directors and editors are actively looking for.
3. Big feelings
Lilla says: “Books help children deal with issues. On the left, Things That Go Away, by Beatrice Alemagna, is about loss; on the right, You Matter, by Christian Robinson, celebrates all kinds of kids.”
Anyone who has ever spent any time with children will know that they have a lot of big feelings, whether it’s because the duck they wanted to cuddle ran away or you won’t let them jump from a moving car (YES I’M THE WORST MOM EVER), or because they’re frustrated, angry or sad. Learning to handle our big emotions is part of the work of growing up, and books can help with that process.
Is this the story you want to share? Register here now.
4. Social issues
Lilla says: “I love this hugely popular best-selling series by Jory John and illustrator Pete Oswald about some of the issues kids face, such as being labeled as bad, having an over-developed sense of needing to please, or feeling uncool.”
Publishers are actively looking for books which deal with social and psychological issues in a child-appropriate way, especially in light of the ongoing pandemic which saw kids all over the world being withdrawn from school or childcare and isolated from their peers.
Do you have a story to tell? Can Lilla help you write it? Register here now.
5. The environment
Books about our planet: The Street Beneath My Feet by Charlotte Guillain (left) and Here We Are by Oliver Jeffers (right).
Books that talk about our planet and the importance of looking after it continue to be a popular subject for children’s books. (Here We Are has just been released as a short movie on Apple TV! Is your story next?)
6. Appealing characters are key
Vintage Golden Books from around the 1950s from Lilla’s collection. Lilla says: “Color Kittens was my favorite book as a child.”
Whatever the theme or subject of the book, creating winning characters that will seize a child’s imagination is key. That’s why Lilla spends so much time in My Kid Book Pitch focusing on creating your character, including how to make it appealing, how to make it stand out from the crowd, and tons more. It’s easier than you think, and Lilla has got loads of playful exercises to help you. Sign up here.
7. There will always be room for kookiness and whimsy
Lilla says: “Here are some kooky fabulous characters I love! From left to right, Ooko by Esmé Shapiro, In a Jar In a Jar by Deborah Marcero, and Petra by Marianna Coppo.”
Are you nutty, kooky, eccentric, fun? Books with oddball characters or humor sell extremely well.
Perhaps you don’t have a big important theme for your book. Perhaps you don’t want to change the world. Maybe you just want to write about a spotty horse called Dave who wants to be a champion roller-skater or an evil carrot who wears a bobble hat and dreams of world domination. That’s fine too: there will always be room for silliness and magic in children’s books. Whatever you’re brewing in that huge, wonderful, quirky imagination of yours, it’s time to tap into it and let it out.
Lilla says: “A little while ago, I became obsessed with the idea of teaching my students and my artists how to write top-notch stories for picture books. I wanted to teach it in a way that was playful and imaginative, but with lots of concrete tips and plenty of downloadables and examples. My Kid Book Pitch is that course! You’re going to have fun and surprise yourself at how well you’re able to write a pitchable story with some concrete direction.”
Ready to write your brilliant children’s picture book? Then HURRY! Class starts Monday, October 18th. Sign up here now.
Lots of love
The Make Art That Sells team xxx
P.S. Intrigued to know more about Lilla’s Magic Cards? From Monday to Friday next week we’ll be sharing three of the Magic Cards in a brilliant FREE warm up exercise on our blog and in our newsletter. Then join Lilla in a FREE live Zoom event on Friday, October 15th at 12 noon ET/5 pm BST to learn more. Don’t miss it!
