Learning Project: Update 2: Children’s Writing Foundations 101

Reflection: Returning to that Ol’ Written Word Magic

As I’ve been deep-diving into my learning project – writing and maybe (gulp!) publishing a children’s storybook – I’ve felt that old magic return. There’s just something about children’s stories, the simple yet beautiful turns of phrase; the vivid illustrations tapping into boundless imagination. Growing up as a child who struggled to learn how to read, picture books always felt like keys to a world I longed to enter.

Many years later, as a young mother – then undiagnosed with ADHD and its subsequent restlessness – those same books became my anchor. Reading out loud to my babies kept me still yet active, building our bond as we entered new worlds together. A love for the written word has stayed with my family. Today, my eldest (now 10) writes his own short stories, numbering twenty and ever-growing in three different series. Like his mother, he dreams of becoming a published author. He is the driving force behind me finally realizing my dreams. If I do publish a book, the dedication will be to my children.

As a teacher, I see the same enchantment picture books hold in my classroom. Whether I’m teaching supposedly challenging middle years students or almost grown high schoolers, a picture book never fails to capture them… transport them. A silence, an innocence, falls over their often maturing-too-fast faces as I read old favourites and new adventures. Timeless and universal, picture books remind us of beauty in simplicity and the power of our dreams.

WEEKS 1-2: Children’s Writing Foundations 101

FOCUS: Writing principles, genre specifics, introductory online tools

Dusting Off Old Stories

As indicated in my first learning project post, it seems best to begin at the very beginning. The first step was unearthing the picture book draft I wrote for a different online course; David’s Perfectly Imperfect Creations has long since been gathering digital dust on my computer. Bittersweet. It will act as the centre of my learning, allowing me to reframe and add to what I know as I learn new strategies.

Exploring Reedsy Online Course: How to Publish Your Children’s Book

This week, my primary focus has been the Reedsy three-month online (via email) course, taught by Kim Fleming. It’s been a trove of literary treasure, almost overwhelmingly so. For copyright purposes, I cannot share everything I’ve learned verbatim, but I will reflect on a few key concepts I want to document as I continue on this learning journey.

With the three-month course, I initially thought I would receive weekly lessons (should’ve read more closely). I quickly realized that the emailed lessons arrived daily – an unmanageable pace for me as a mother, teacher, and grad student. My already clogged email became further clogged, the lessons quickly lost in the sea of my digital life until I created an organized separate folder. For growth purposes, a lesson a day seems necessary, but realistically it’s more than I can currently handle. I’ve instead been pacing myself with three lessons per week.

Current Main Takeaways

• The lessons are not in a traditional lesson format (at least not in the same way I would design them as a teacher). Instead, the emails contain a list of recommendations and resources that align with the sequential steps of writing and publishing a book. Therefore, it is left to the learner to sift through what seems most valuable to their journey (I’m onboard with the free will style…so far anyway).
• Blog: How to Write a Children’s Book in 8 Steps (written by the Reedsy editorial team):
  • Do you have an idea? Yes, several.
  • Are its concepts simple but universal? Without giving too much away, David’s Imperfectly Perfect Creations is based on my son’s early perfectionism (especially in his art) and a conversation I had with him after a particularly difficult emotional breakdown. What if his drawings – imperfect though they may be – wanted to be drawn that way? What if those imperfections were what made them powerful in their land of imagination?
  • Do you have a reading category? Yes, picture books (ages 4-6) and, maybe in the future, early readers (ages 6-8).
  • Does your story have repetition and rhythm? Yes, David meets several of his creations in his dream journey – following a pattern that is comforting to the reader. It’s interesting that the blog mentions rhyming; the other online course I took stressed: “Do not rhyme unless you can do it well and avoid clichés!”
  • Does your story have engaging characters? I am biased – David is based on my son, of course I am attached. This is where objective feedback will become tantamount.
    • Worth noting: Reedsy provides a free downloadable template for character building, a guide for building characters, and a list of character development exercises. Pretty awesome! Honestly, this site has hyperlinks within hyperlinks within hyperlinks…
  • Does your story show, not tell? How many times have I stressed this to my students? I have entire ELA unit plans on this one concept alone! I will need to consider this, though. Much of the storyline in picture books is implied through illustrations. I have a clear vision for my story’s illustrations – as it is largely based on David’s art – but every resource I have found stresses the importance of allowing a publisher to find your illustrator.
  • Have you edited and sought feedback? I’m working on it – don’t push me!
  • Publish your picture book: Again, give me a second to catch my breath! By weeks 7-8, I will need to decide if I want to self-publish or find a literary agent, etc. Baby-steps!
• Totally irrelevant but neat feature: Reedsy has a music playlist quiz. You outline what you are writing and it provides a related music playlist! HA! I love it!

*Speaking of rhyming and rhythm, I am always in awe of Jordan Simons rapping Dr. Seuss books. My students love these videos.

Other Explorations This Week

• Children’s Writer’s Guild Website: Honestly? Not overly impressed. The site is definitely not cellphone compatible and much of their posts seem outdated (2022 and earlier). You are able to submit a small piece of your work, and if it is accepted, you get a small feature on their site. Looking through, though, I do not see any published work more recent than 2022. Another section has a list of current literary events and seminars… the page is blank! I know there’s a lot more going on than that!
• 2024 Top Children’s Books: I use a lot of mentor texts in my middle-years ELA classes, so I feel pretty up-to-date with this list. Still, every resource and expert has outlined the importance of being well researched on what is currently selling. Looking through the colourful front covers and reading all the synopses makes my heart happy. I love this world and the diversity found therein. There’s such a range of current popular work. Covering everything from humour to social justice issues, picture books run the gamut. All it takes is for an aspiring writer to find their niche.

And so concludes a summary of this week’s progress, reestablishing my footing, reigniting my passion, and gathering my courage.

Next blog, I will be diving into Weeks 3-4: Developing Writing Skills and Structure. I plan to shift my focus to storytelling techniques, understanding structure, and experimenting with drafting formats.

It’s been nice to centre my lessons in a tangible blog, a separate story worth telling. Stay tuned as I take these next shaky steps on my learning journey. As always, please provide feedback, insights, and resources if you are so inclined.

Thanks for reading! I look forward to hearing your own tales!