ADVICE FOR PICTURE BOOK AUTHORS The form of the picture book looks deceptively simple—after all, how hard can it be to write a generally 32-page story of about 700 to 1000 words? In fact, though, this very economy places great demands on the writer. I'm including a checklist for the elements that I believe are essential to strong picture books. I hope this list will help you make your own manuscripts agent and editor-ready. Checklist for Picture books  Craft a story with a simple, clear plot. A plot or story structure is necessary even for books for younger children. Poetry books or quieter books like bedtime stories need to be based on a single situation or unifying concept that gets developed so there still is tension, story progression, and resolution.  Focus on a child's point-of-view or perspective. The protagonists of children's books are children about the age of the reader, and the exception actually proves the rule. If you have an adult central character in your picture-book, usually that adult actually has a kid's way of approaching the world.  Tell a good story that lends itself to a balance between text and illustration. The text needs to feel be suggestive enough to truly tell a story in a fun and interesting way, but you also don't want to overwrite. Leave room for the illustrator.  Get your story going right away. Begin in the middle of the action—there is no room for background information in such a short form, and the art provides an immediate context for what characters look like, etc.  Make every word count. Most picture books don't exceed 1200 words. Average is probably 600 - 1000 words.  Be honest in dealing with your subject matter, but keep the tone upbeat even if the subject is difficult or sad.  Think visually. Keep things moving and interesting.  Do your homework and know how and what agents want to see in picture book submissions.  If you are an illustrator, send color reproductions not original art. Up load art to the web, so you can just email the link if it is requested. Have jpegs or pdfs that you can send.  Browse in the picture book section. A lot! Know the competition, but also be aware that from the time the deal is made it can take anywhere from 2 years (if things move really fast) to 5 years for the book to be published, so sometimes looking at current books won't give you an idea of current trends.  Read your story out loud. Picture books need to work on the page AND out loud.  Create a story that invites and can hold up to repeat readings.  Make a dummy. This exercise will help you work on the story arc, pacing, the balance of text and illustration, and help you figure out how the story should unfold, visually.  Think about your page-turning points.  Be creative and playful in your use of language, and remember the passion, joy, and immediacy with which your audience experiences the world.