When I first started writing I was swept up the joy of creating. Imagining fantastical worlds and characters, wondering who they were and what they wanted. Inventing obstacles they would dread facing along the way! You know, the exciting bits that make your mind whirr with possibility. Ideas pinged into my brain in the middle of night and made me grin with anticipation and kept me awake wondering how to weave them into my plot for maximum impact.
I didn’t really consider the practical elements like how to set up a my Word document properly. The line spacing, the font, how to format a new chapter. I just dived in without acknowledging the rules of creating a middle grade novel or how to pace a picture book across twelve double page spreads. Those things I learned by accident along the way when other writers pointed out my haphazard typing between my wonky plot and clunky rhymes. I learned the hard way though trial and error and the kindness of other writers who guided me back to right path.
Make The Right Impression
I cringe when I think back to the dodgy submissions I sent out that screamed amateur without even realising. The chances blown as I showed agents that I wasn’t ready with basic errors that could have been avoided. But at the time I was oblivious. I waited, eagerly refreshing my inbox, feeling deflated by the inevitable rejections or worse, no response at all.
Agents are swamped with submissions. It’s natural to filter out manuscripts that don’t follow the expected standard. You only have one chance to make a good impression. Agents want to find good stories, so make yours stand out for the right reasons.
Writing is a constant learning curve, but without the basics in place you may find yourself revising and editing a lot or submitting too early with rookie errors that should be avoided. I can help you lay the foundations to get you on the right track, teaching you the basics expected by the industry.
Picture Books Formats
Picture books have a number of set rules that can only be broken if you know them already! Generally, your story has to fit twenty four pages otherwise known at twelve double page spreads. Ideally the story will unfold with conflict at key stages to keep pace and page turns flowing.
Illustration notes should be kept to a minimum and not interfere with the story text. Rhyme needs to follow the same beats in every stanza so your reader can learn the rhythm and read it easily. But don’t worry, it’s easier once you know how!
Chapter Book And Middle Grade Texts
There aren’t as many obvious rules with longer books, but there are still expected ways to set out chapter breaks, paragraphs, font etc.
Ultimately, the plot beats are similar to those of picture books, just with many more words and no illustrations to carry your page turns. You have to set up the images inside the reader’s mind instead and hook them through the transition from one chapter to keep them reading onto the next.
A Helping Hand
If you would like to learn the basics of setting out your texts I can help you for £15. Get in touch and I will lay out your picture book or opening two chapters. Available from 6th September 2023. If you would like a more in depth review of the story itself then take a look at the critique services I offer. There is a 10% discount when you refer a friend who signs up too! (Just let me know who recommended me on the contact form)
Thank you for reading, all the images on this site were created by my thirteen-year-old daughter. This project was painted onto a bowl as a gift for a family member, sorry for the shine in the photos.
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Kate Walker Children's Author 