by Annette Hinkle
Sag Harbor’s Emma Walton Hamilton knows a thing or two about writing for children. With her mother, Julie Andrews, she has co-authored 16 books for young readers — the latest, “The Very Fairy Princess” is soon to be released. She also teaches writing at Stony Brook Southampton and works as a freelance children’s book editor.
Last weekend, Walton Hamilton took her passion for children’s literature digital by launching “Just Write For Kids!” a new on-line workshop for aspiring children’s book authors. The course, explains Walton, is delivered in eight lessons, one a week, which writers work through at their own pace. Now, with just a computer and Internet access, anyone anywhere in the world can tap into Walton Hamilton’s expertise as a children’s book author and editor. At the end of the course, they can even contract with her for personal editorial services if desired.
“This week I received a sign up from a gal on Kauai,” says Walton Hamilton. “With kids, family and limited resources, the ability to get somewhere to learn is difficult.”
Online courses have gained momentum in recent years, but Walton Hamilton has found very little out there for children’s book writers. The idea for the course came from seeing writers make the same mistakes over and over in her editing practice.
“A basic misconception is that as long as it’s charming and cute, you can write a series of events, but don’t have to have a plot,” says Walton Hamilton. “That’s not true.”
Because picture books are short, Walton Hamilton adds, people think they are easy to write. But in a limited space (34 to 48 pages with no more than 1,000 words), picture books must meet the same criteria as chapter books with a beginning, middle and end, characters that kids can relate to, and a central dramatic problem to resolve.
“Another mistake is that writers think they have to do the pictures or find an illustrator before they market it,” adds Walton Hamilton. “It’s a huge misconception. I can’t say how many times I’ve seen a book rejected because of the illustrations.”
Helping writers work through the kinks of writing a picture book is only part of what the course is designed to do. Getting a story into print is another matter, and in the final installment, Walton Hamilton offers a writer’s resource with key organizations and publications for children’s book authors, as well as editors, agents and book fairs. She is also planning to offer tele-seminars and group coaching when writers are ready to take their work to the next level.
“People really need that help — how to make submissions, who to submit to,” says Walton Hamilton. “But it’s got to start with the material. If the writing’s not good enough, it’ll get tossed. The goal is to get the manuscript in the best possible shape.”
There is, of course, an irony here. As the world moves toward online content, questions naturally arise about the future of book publishing. But even in this uncertain time, Walton Hamilton feels there will always be a place for picture books. After all, can we really imagine parents and children cuddling up with a Kindle during story time?
“I have a feeling the tactile experience of reading with kids is important for families,” she says. “Whether they are given as gifts, in libraries or at schools, hand-held books have a value.”
“Picture books are a huge market and getting bigger all the time,” she adds. “It’s competitive. You have to be good, and it’s hard to break into, but there’s a huge need.”
Visit justwriteforkids.com to check out the course.
