15 Essential Rules for Children’s Book Writers

   1. Delete sentences that don’t add to character development or story development.
   2. Characters should not be predictable - nor should the story be predictable.
 

    3. Dialogue should not ramble on and on and .... It should only help further the story.
   4. Story should flow and not be confusing. Have a friend read it and tell you what the story is about.
   5. Use bold letters and punctuation for emphasis but don’t overuse it or it will lose it’s effect.
   6. Keep your tenses consistant. If you start telling the story in past tense, stick with past tense.
   7. Be sure characters have character. They should be consistant until a life changing event occurs.
   8. Instead of using thought bubbles, consider creating a new character to dialogue with.
   9. The main character must not be boring, otherwise, the reader will be bored.
  10. Stories should have a beginning, middle and ending in which there is conflict and resolution.
        this is what draws the reader in.
  11. Good guys should win and bad guys should lose.
  12. Fully rounded characters will have both strengths and weaknesses.
  13. The book should not be preachy - don’t treat the reader like a child.
  14. The story should make sense chronologically. If it goes back and forth in time,
        make sure a child can understand.
  15. Correct all grammar, punctuation and spelling errors before submitting to an agent or publisher.
        Let a friend who is good with English check for errors or pay an editor.
        It can mean the difference between being published and unpublished.

article by Rich Olson
https://braintofu.com