So you have a brilliant idea for a children’s book. That’s amazing! But… now what? The thing is, a book isn’t going to write itself. An idea is only an idea until you act on it. So, it’s time to start putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard). How? By establishing a writing schedule and then sticking to it.
This may sound like a lot of work in and of itself. Is it really worth it to make a specific writing schedule? Trust me—it is When it comes to writing a children’s book, you need to have a mindset of making time rather than finding time.
Think about it this way: Without a writing schedule, it’s likely that procrastination will get the better of you. But with a schedule, you’ll have a formalized plan for writing your book. With each milestone you pass, you’ll become more and more motivated as you relish your continued success. Before you know it, you’ll have a manuscript in your hand, ready for submission.
If you don’t even know where to begin, don’t stress! Taking that first step is often the hardest part—but it’ll be a lot easier if you apply these tips for getting started and then keeping up your momentum until your manuscript is finished.
If you take the attitude of, “I’ll work on it whenever I have a chance,” you won’t ever get around to it.
It’s super important that you proactively block out periods in your schedule for writing. It doesn’t have to be a huge amount of time—even twenty minutes every weeknight after the kids have gone to sleep is enough to help you make progress.
When blocking out time for writing, consider not only what will fit with your everyday habits but also when your creative juices are flowing the most freely. Perhaps you have the best ideas when your brain is fresh from a good night’s rest. Or maybe you’re more of a night owl who has strokes of inspiration late in the evening. Whatever time you’re most productive and creative, try to make that the time when you’re writing.
You may have the best of intentions, but if you get sidetracked bingeing The Office, there’s every chance that you’ll forget you’re supposed to be writing from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m.
All of a sudden, it’s not too far from midnight, and you need to get to bed!
You can prevent this from happening by setting an alarm on your phone, watch, or whatever to remind you when it’s time to get writing. That will help you stay on track, no matter what distractions try to divert you from your writing schedule!
“Write a children’s book” sounds pretty daunting, right? But a smaller target, such as “decide on the setting,” seems a lot more doable. So, come up with a basic outline of each step you need to take to create your manuscript.
Then, set a deadline for each individual milestone. Ultimately, you’ll have a clear roadmap for putting your story on paper. All you have to do is follow it!
No one expects you to churn out an entire children’s book in one or even five sittings (although that is absolutely possible if you’re in the right headspace and the story just pours right out of you). If it were that fast and easy to write a high-quality book, everyone would be doing it! So, cut yourself some slack and work in small chunks. Sure, if you get really into it, take as much time as you want in one sitting. But don’t let yourself get so overwhelmed by the prospect of making progress that you freeze and fail to write anything at all.
Now you should have the tools you need to come up with a writing schedule that fits your lifestyle and daily routines, but what should that writing schedule look like? Of course, that’s completely up to you and contingent on the scope of your project, but here’s a tentative schedule you might follow to transform your book idea into a written manuscript:
Keep in mind, these days don’t need to be consecutive. If you’re super busy, you may not have time every single day to sit down and write! But this is a basic schedule you can follow to get into the groove of writing.
Final Advice? Go get started! “I’ll do it tomorrow” is never going to get you anywhere. Sit down right now and create a writing schedule that works for you. Then, take that first step today!
Still need some help working through your idea? Contact a Blue Balloon Books acquisitions editor to gain some insight on getting your story down on paper.