New writers often assume a few things about what it takes to draft a picture book ... only to find out they were wrong. I have taught dozens of picture book writers over the years and have taken many classes myself, and these are some of the most common misconceptions I've seen.
Misconception #1: They’re short, so they are easier to write. This may be true for some writers, but for most writers of picture books, this is not the case. Once they begin to read and study picture books and the craft of writing picture books, writers realize how unique these stories are and how much is involved in writing a well-crafted one. Fewer words mean each word counts for so much more and your story must be carefully written to engage the reader from the very first word.
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Denise Vega is an award-winning children's book author and a member of the Lighthouse faculty. Her most recent picture book, If Your Monster Won’t Go to Bed, illustrated by Zachariah OHora, was published in March by Knopf/Random House. Click here to see Denise's upcoming classes.
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