How to write a children’s picture book (and get published, and get shortlisted for a CBCA award)

Writing the story

• Read hundreds of picture books before writing your own.
  The best way to understand rhythm, pacing and page turns is to drown yourself in kids books. For me this started at a young age, and never really stopped. The library is your best friend. Book shops too (But that can get expensive).
  
• Write for children, not for adults.
  Kids connect to honesty, emotion, humour, rhythm and wonder – not complicated messages. But that being said, adults are in fact the people buying these books, so if the adult thinks the story is lovely and they think their child will love it, then they will be more inclined to buy it.
  
• Keep the story centred on one clear emotional experience.
  The strongest picture books usually focus on one feeling, relationship or idea rather than trying to do everything. Boil your story down to its essence. If someone asked you to describe your story in one short sentence, what would you say? Write about that. And only that.
  
• Let the child actively experience the story.
  Children connect more deeply when the character is doing, noticing, touching, discovering and feeling – not just observing.
  
• Trust the illustrator.
  You don’t need to describe every visual detail in the text. Leave space for the illustrations to tell half the story. When writing the first few drafts of My nonno Loves, I did a lot of over describing. With the help of my editor, there was A LOT of “Claud can draw this, no need to say it.” When writing, keep asking yourself this question, “Could the illustrator draw this clearly?” If that answer is yes, write something else.
  
• Read your manuscript out loud constantly.
  Picture books are performance pieces. If it’s awkward to say aloud, it will feel awkward to read aloud.
  
• Cut anything that feels repetitive or overly explanatory.
  Young children understand far more through emotion and imagery than long explanations. If you’re writing on your computer, do a “search” for a particular word and see how many times it shows up. Go back and change words that pop up multiple times.
  
• Focus on specific, sensory details.
  Children remember muddy boots, fuzzy leaves, crunchy gravel and warm soup – not abstract ideas. Instead of “The garden is full of wonder and charming”, say “My boots sink into soft, wet soil, the sun shines as tiny ants hurry past my toes.”
  
• Don’t rush to submit too early.
  Great picture books often go through dozens of revisions. The difference between “good” and “publishable” is usually rewriting.
  
• Write the kind of book children will ask to hear again.
  The goal isn’t just a clever concept – It’s creating a reading experience that feels comforting, joyful, emotional or fun enough to revisit over and over. We want kids to say, “Read it again!” And the ultimate goal is for parents to actually WANT to read it again too.
  
  

Getting your story published

• You don’t always need a perfect draft.
  Lots of story submission advice says you need to work on your draft for years before submitting. I would argue that publishers are looking for a solid story idea, more than a polished story. If the idea is there, a good editor will help you polish it. That’s not the author’s job at the beginning.
  
• Keep reading current picture books.
  You need to understand what publishers are actually buying now – not what picture books looked like 20 years ago. Stories have changed a lot over the years, trends have come and gone. Keep your eyes and ears open to what themes are trending. As much as we don’t want to compromise our ideas to trends, they are important in publishing and could make all the difference in your story being picked up from one year to the next.

• Find trusted industry people to give feedback.
  A good critique group, mentor or agent can completely transform a manuscript or idea before it reaches publishers. Getting your best friends or partner to read your story, isn’t usually the best way to get feedback, for obvious reasons.

• Be open to major edits.
  Getting published often means reshaping your story many times. The strongest creators are usually the most flexible. Yes, you may think your idea is perfect the way it is, but publishers know how to tinker with ideas and make them even better. Allow them to work their magic and trust their professional judgement.

• Write stories that only you could write.
  Publishers are looking for authentic voices and emotionally honest ideas – not copies of what’s already trending. I did say previously, to keep abreast on trends and yes, that’s important, but you still need to be original in your take on the trend. That makes all the difference.

• Build relationships, not just submissions.
  Publishing is a surprisingly small industry. Be kind, professional and collaborative with everyone you meet. Join communities. You never know who will mention your name and sing your praises.

• An agent can open important doors.
  Having an agent helped us enormously – not only with submissions, but with guidance, contracts, positioning and long-term career advice.

• Don’t panic if the process feels slow.
  Publishing moves incredibly slowly. A manuscript can take years from idea to bookshelf. It also takes months for publishers to acknowledge the receipt of ideas and more months before the ideas get to an acquisitions meeting. Be patient.

• Learn how to talk about your work clearly.
  Being able to explain your story, audience and vision confidently really helps when speaking with publishers, festivals and schools.

• Remember that getting published is only the beginning.
  Once the book deal happens, there’s still editing, marketing, school visits, events, revisions and promotion. As the author, a lot of this will be done by you. Getting a publishing deal is not a golden ticket.
  

Getting your story shortlisted (and winning) awards

Disclaimer: I have had two picture books published and one of them has been shortlisted for the 2026 CBCA Early Childhood book of the year. That’s it. I am no “Winning awards” expert.. but here’s what I do know.

• Don’t write for awards – write the best book you can
  Awards are never the starting point. Judges can always tell when a book feels “positioned” rather than emotionally true. Focus on story, voice, and connection first. Never in a billion years did I think My nonno Loves would ever be nominated for anything.

• Aim for emotional clarity, not complexity
  Shortlisted picture books are often deceptively simple. They usually have one strong emotional thread that lands clearly and deeply.
  
• Work with professionals who understand the market
  An experienced agent, editor, and publisher matter a lot! Many shortlisted books come through strong publishing houses with editorial support.
  
• Trust illustration as half the storytelling
  For picture books, awards often recognise the whole book, not just text. You must leave space for illustration to elevate meaning and emotion. I was lucky to have my sister as my illustrator, so communication between us was easy and natural. This isn’t usually the case, so trust your illustrator to tell half (if not more!) of your story.
  
• Be distinctive – but still accessible
  Judges are drawn to books that feel fresh, but still emotionally readable for children. “Different for the sake of different” is obvious and pointless. Again – children books are for children. Keep that in mind – always!
  
• Strong endings matter more than clever openings
  Many notable books are remembered for how they finish: emotionally satisfying, circular, or resonant endings often stay with readers and judges.
  
• Publishers play a big role in award visibility
  Even excellent books can be overlooked if they aren’t actively submitted or promoted for awards. Being with a publisher who understands award strategy helps. Some publishing houses are more awards driven than others. Do your research when pitching to publishers and see how often they pop up in award nominations.
  
• Awards are completely unpredictable! Even for great books
  This is the most important truth: many brilliant books are never shortlisted, and some surprising ones are. Awards reflect taste, timing, and competition- not just quality.

The best advice is never to write for awards at all! Write the book you believe in, refine it until it sings, and let everything else be a bonus. There’s a hell of a lot of luck involved too.

Good luck! Get in touch if you have any specific questions – I’m always here 🙂