{"id":558,"date":"2011-03-26T16:18:00","date_gmt":"2011-03-26T16:18:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thatelusiveline.wordpress.com\/2011\/03\/26\/how-to-write-a-rhyming-picture-book-and-get-it-published-part-3-a-readers-perspective"},"modified":"2022-01-17T12:35:56","modified_gmt":"2022-01-17T12:35:56","slug":"how-to-write-a-rhyming-picture-book-and-get-it-published-part-3-a-readers-perspective","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.paulkirkdesign.co.uk\/devblock\/ttaylor111\/how-to-write-a-rhyming-picture-book-and-get-it-published-part-3-a-readers-perspective\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Write a Rhyming Picture Book and Get It Published &#8212; Part 3: A Reader\u2019s Perspective."},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><\/div>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2051 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/www.paulkirkdesign.co.uk\/devblock\/ttaylor111\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/P1000325.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"320\" height=\"240\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.paulkirkdesign.co.uk\/devblock\/ttaylor111\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/P1000325.jpg 320w, http:\/\/www.paulkirkdesign.co.uk\/devblock\/ttaylor111\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/P1000325-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 320px) 100vw, 320px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>In parts <a href=\"http:\/\/www.paulkirkdesign.co.uk\/devblock\/ttaylor111\/how-to-write-a-rhyming-picture-book-and-get-it-published-part-1-a-writers-perspective\/\">one<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.paulkirkdesign.co.uk\/devblock\/ttaylor111\/how-to-write-a-rhyming-picture-book-and-get-it-published-part-2-a-publishers-perspective\/\">two<\/a> of this mini-guide, I gave some technical tips to help with the writing of your rhyming picture book, and some facts to bear in mind when trying to sell it to agents\/publishers. This last instalment is to help you envisage the culminating event that all your efforts lead towards: the moment the book encounters its readership. But let\u2019s start with a fact that cannot be emphasised strongly enough:<\/p>\n<p>PICTURE BOOKS ARE PRIMARILY READ BY <strong>ADULTS<\/strong>!<\/p>\n<p>Adults are not only the readers, they are also the gatekeepers and purchasers of picture books. In fact, it\u2019s crucial to keep in mind that every step of your book\u2019s journey from your keyboard to a child\u2019s bookcase has to be made with the approval of a succession of grown-ups, starting with you as author, going through agents, editors, marketers and booksellers, and ending with Mummy or Daddy at Bedtime. Like it or not, if you are writing for small children you are doing so at one very big remove.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As I mentioned in part one, the average parent would rather be half-submerged in the bath with a gin and tonic than reading bedtime stories (and that includes me some nights). Anything that makes your verse difficult to read or confusing will only compound the problem. Instead, aim to make your book the family\u2019s favourite \u2013 the one that\u2019s not only adored by Timmy and little Desdemelda, but which also brings a sigh of relief to their tired parents when it\u2019s dragged out of the bedroom clutter and shoved under their noses.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">For this, your text must be <strong>short<\/strong> and <strong>sweet<\/strong>:<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">SHORT: 300 to 600 words is pretty much the optimum length for a picture book. However, a text written in rhyme might have to be longer because of the need to complete rhymes and stick to metre. Anything over 800 words though is getting too long, and texts over a thousand probably wouldn\u2019t even get beyond most agents and editors these days. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thebookbag.co.uk\/reviews\/index.php?title=Jack%27s_Tractor_by_Thomas_Taylor\">Jack\u2019s Tractor<\/a> is less than 600 words.<\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">SWEET: Your writing must trip off the tongue. Stick to familiar metrical feet, such as iambs (o-O) and anapaests (o-o-O), trochees (O-o) and dactyls (O-o-o), but NEVER assume knowledge of such things in your reader. Crafting and technique is <em>your<\/em>job, and you are paid to get it right. Ideally, you will have shepherded the natural stress pattern of the language in such a way that the reader has no choice but to deliver the story in the singsong rhythm you have chosen. No, it\u2019s not very easy to do, but it\u2019s pleasing, and challenging too! And your verse will run sweeter with crystalline metre and rhymes that are honest and true.<\/p>\n<p>But perhaps you\u2019ve a differing view?<br \/>\nOr a technical question or two?<br \/>\nWell, the \u2018comments\u2019 below<br \/>\nIs the place you should go.<br \/>\nIn the meantime\u2026<\/p>\n<p>\u2026.good writing to you!<\/p>\n<div class=\"blogger-post-footer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/tracker\/8981609828734332286-3806650520214457688?l=thatelusiveline.blogspot.com\" alt=\"\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" \/><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In parts one and two of this mini-guide, I gave some technical tips to help with the writing of your rhyming picture book, and some facts to bear in mind&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2051,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-558","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-rhyme-picture-books-metre-meter-technique-word-count-length"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v17.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How To Write a Rhyming Picture Book and Get It Published - Part 3: A Reader\u2019s Perspective. - Thomas Taylor - Author<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"This last instalment is to help you envisage the culminating event that all your efforts lead towards: the moment the rhyming picture book encounters its readership\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How To Write a Rhyming Picture Book and Get It Published - Part 3: A Reader\u2019s Perspective. - Thomas Taylor - Author\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"This last instalment is to help you envisage the culminating event that all your efforts lead towards: the moment the rhyming picture book encounters its readership\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"http:\/\/www.paulkirkdesign.co.uk\/devblock\/ttaylor111\/how-to-write-a-rhyming-picture-book-and-get-it-published-part-3-a-readers-perspective\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Thomas Taylor - Author\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2011-03-26T16:18:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2022-01-17T12:35:56+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/www.paulkirkdesign.co.uk\/devblock\/ttaylor111\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/P1000325.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"320\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"240\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Thomas\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"2 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.paulkirkdesign.co.uk\/devblock\/ttaylor111\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.paulkirkdesign.co.uk\/devblock\/ttaylor111\/\",\"name\":\"Thomas Taylor - Author\",\"description\":\"Eerie-on-Sea &amp; 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