The Library Door Through Time
The characters in your story stumble upon a secret door in their school library that leads to historical moments. They find themselves hopping into important events in history. Narrate their adventure in one such event and how it changes their perspective on history class.
Suggested length: A picture book: 300 to 800 words
Start the clock
Pick a sprint, press start and keep going until it stops. Momentum beats polish on a first draft.
Make it yours
Three ways to take this prompt somewhere nobody else will.
- Let the child solve the problem, not a grown-up.
- Name the feeling the character has, simply and honestly.
- Read it out loud as you write. If it doesn't sound good, change it.
Writing children's
Ages 0 to 8: books made to be read aloud, again and again.
Children's books run from board books and picture books for the youngest to early readers and chapter books for kids reading on their own. Every word counts, and the adults reading aloud are an audience too.
What readers expect
- Simple, rhythmic language
- A child's point of view
- Room for the illustrations
- A satisfying, often gentle ending
A tip before you start
You don't need an illustrator. Publishers pair picture book writers with artists, so leave room in your text for the pictures to tell part of the story.
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- The School's Secret RoomWrite a story where a group of children discover an old map in their school library that leads to a secret room within the school walls. What do they…
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