We noticed The Beatles's Paperback Writer is actually a submissions letter! So we changed the words... Picturebooks are an art in themselves. So are submissions letters. See next tweets for actual tips
#pbchat #familyband

Picturebook writing - some common misconceptions... a thread:

Yes, you can write one in a couple of hours.
Getting one right might take a couple of weeks, months or even years.
#kidlit
1/8

Your kids love you, which makes them biased critics. Do test your work on them, but they're not ideal references, professionally speaking.
2/8

Are you sure you're writing for children? Writing for the child you remember being, makes sense. Writing for the grown-up who misses being a child, might not so much.
3/8

Illustrators are professionals, usually with degrees in illustration, who are paired with authors by publishers. If your neighbour Claire isn't any of these, best not trouble her.
4/8

Between 200 and 700 words is a good target. With exceptions, if it's over 1000 words then chances are it's not really a picturebook text you've written.
5/8

We all love The Gruffalo, but please don't write in verse unless you really can. Verse is like a language of its own: unless you're fluent in it, best stick to prose, and concentrate on writing captions for the images your story conjures.
6/8

See if you can get your foot in the door with one good story, before pitching the series.

And if you're in it for the money, better write some  MG instead!
7/8

NB sorry to say we're still closed for submissions. And if you've sent us something before, then we promise the song isn't about you! We just love The Beatles and couldn't resist...
8/8