I became a book coach because helping people realize their writing dream lights me up inside. When I first started out, I accepted books across all genres, but over time, I limited my clients to children’s book authors, adult self-help authors, and non-fiction books about craft.

Authors of most genres have a general sense of what goes into their style of book. That is, most genres except for picture books. The reason is usually because the book ideas come from a place of wanting to tell a story from their own adult perspective rather than from a child’s experience.

After five years of working with first-time authors, I created a 20-point checklist for first-time picture book authors to ensure they are hitting all the right beats before they move forward with their manuscript. Part of creating the list was self-serving, as it’s so much easier to hand an author a checklist before they come to me with a manuscript. But the points also helped me narrow down what I was looking for in a manuscript and helped me hone the advice I give. I’ve presented the list to several audiences of aspiring picture book authors and compiled it into a book as well. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BY25RM57

Each year, the Los Angeles chapter of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators holds a contest. The prize is a six-month mentorship. In 2023, I was honored to be selected as the Mentor. The competition was tough; I received so many great submissions. In the end, one manuscript rose above the rest: Dr. Jeff Creely’s “If You Are a Crocodile”. Jeff and I worked together from March through August, connecting weekly and going through the structure of the picture book checklist on his crocodile story and others.

His words recapping the mentorship <https://scbwikitetales.com/2024/01/24/attention-illustrators-scbwi-l-a-s-mentorship-contest-opens-sunday/#more-10397> touched my heart: “Though I loved my manuscript, Cara urged me to scrutinize every sentence, every phrase, every word, to ensure each contributed meaningfully to the narrative. When I compare the draft I first sent to Cara with the finished manuscript after six months together, I’m amazed by the changes. It is now what I always wished it to be.”

I’ve received similar feedback <https://carajstevens.com/testimonials> from other authors I’ve mentored over the years. I hope this checklist can help guide you as you make your way from idea to final manuscript, whatever you’re working on.

·      You have a clear picture of your ideal reader
·      You can describe your story in one sentence
·      You know WHY you wrote this particular story
·      You’ve written a draft simply telling yourself the plot
·      The plot drives the story
·      Your characters’ world or world view changes in the end
·      You’ve empowered your main character to find their own solutions
·      You have read a LOT of picture books while writing
·      Your story isn’t preachy or moralistic
·      You understand and follow picture book standards for word count and length
·      Your story is unique and your personal voice shines through
·      Your story includes an element of surprise
·      Your storytelling evokes an emotional response in your reader
·      The story and language are clear and relatable to a young child
·      You use details to show what happens instead of telling the reader about it
·      You use words efficiently
·      It reads smoothly when read aloud
·      The time frame and sequence of events make sense
·      Your manuscript is clean and error-free

Once you’ve checked all these boxes, share your story with someone who can help you bring your vision to life, whether it’s an editor, agent, book coach, or designer. Good luck and happy writing!

Bio:  Cara J. Stevens has authored more than 80 books based on video games, pop-culture trends, and beloved children’s characters. Her background in early childhood education and media studies combines with her love of reading and a passion for literacy to fuel her work guiding aspiring authors of all ages. She has a weekly column in on Medium, where she offers writing craft advice and hosts the new podcast “Writegeist”. She offers editing services, writing mentorships and workshops for teens and adults via her website carajstevens.com.