Writing for Children

A Complete Guide from Picture Books to Middle Grade

By: Steve Alcorn

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

Write the Children's Book You've Always Dreamed Of

From picture books to middle grade novels, this comprehensive guide covers every age category of children's literature and gives you the tools to plan, write, and publish your story.

What You'll Learn:

• The age categories of children's literature: board books, picture books, emergent readers, first chapter books, and middle grade
• How text and illustration work together in picture books
• The five story patterns that power all children's fiction
• The four Dramatic Elements: passion, theme, flaw, and premise
• Character creation for young readers, from simple animal protagonists to complex middle grade heroes
• Plot versus story, three-act structure, and scene-and-sequel pacing
• Craft techniques: show don't tell, voice, dialogue, vocabulary level, and revision
• The business side: markets, query letters, manuscript formatting, agents, contracts, and self-publishing

Packed with Real Examples:

Over 40 classic and contemporary children's books are discussed in detail, including Charlotte's Web, Where the Wild Things Are, Holes, Goodnight Moon, The Giver, Junie B. Jones, and many more. Each example illustrates a specific craft principle you can apply to your own work.

For Every Level of Writer:

Whether you're writing your first picture book for a grandchild or plotting a middle grade novel, this book provides a clear, structured approach. Seven project steps guide you from choosing your age category through completing a full story blueprint.

Steve Alcorn is a USA Today bestselling author of 29 books and has taught writing to more than 100,000 students over 25 years, both through his own courses and through the online programs of more than 1,500 colleges and universities. He is the founder of Writing Academy and narrates many of his own audiobooks.

Start building your children's story today.