These are notes from Get Published Summit by Brooke Van sickle

Q: What is the first thing they should do when they write a children’s book?

• Attend conferences such as these.
• Learn what is going on in the industry.
• Read current books in recent years. 5 years ago is old.
• Make sure you understand the business of what is selling and what is not.

Q:  When can authors do to make sure their books are impactful?

• You need to please two humans. The grown-up who buys the book and the child. So you want to read best sellers and award books and books that are similar to our idea.
• Study story structure of a successful book.

Q: What three things in your book do you need to have for readers to connect with?

1. Know who you are trying to write to. Writing to a 5 yr old is different from a 12 yr old. Our books are products and we have to see a publisher.
2. Give that audience what they are looking for. Make sure it fits the category its been put in on amazon.
3. Incorporate your voice to be authentic to you. This is where your passion and storytelling come from.

Q: How to share vulnerabilities in your writing?

• Emotion has to be in your story. That is the biggest key to making readers connect.
• You need to put yourself into your protagonist’s mindset.
• The reader is on a journey with the character to share those emotions.

Q: How does someone know if they have a good story idea?

• You need to be reading what is published now. Do your research. Then you can see what themes you can write that others have.
• You want to make your idea unique not a repeat of others.

Q: how to engage the reader to keep their attention?

• Picture book: 32 pages. And be 500 words.
• Need actins to let illustrations do all the showing and telling.
• Have little text on the page.

Q: what are your thoughts on adding a message added to your story?

• The theme will not be the main part of the story. You need to have action. You need a character arch and a character arch. You need to have a completely developed story.
• Work on not having your story to be too much talking. You need to have the external first.
• How to address self-publishing?
• The problem with publishing and self-publishing is that people rush the process and lower the quality.
• You need to have something to hold the reader.
• It’s faster than traditional publishing.

Q: What advice to give your audience?

• Be patient and enjoy the process. Avoid rushing and trying to reach your goal too soon.
• For five-year-olds you can put on the fun hat.
• Enjoy the process and trust the process.