I’m shifting gears with my Substack, and I could use your help.
Do you recall the joy you felt when you first started reading? Books opened up new worlds with amazing characters and crazy adventures.
My favorite memories from elementary school were the times we got to order books from an order form, anxiously awaiting their arrival, and then celebrating when they arrived. I devoured those books and cherished every one of them. I remember getting “Chocolate Fever” and reading it over and over. Books have always been a source of joy for me, as well as for many other children. My son, Bash, is just like me. He can’t get enough books.
It is with that in mind that I’ve decided to write children’s books. I’m a child at heart and a creator by nature. It’s a natural fit! I’ve had people tell me I should write children’s books in the past, and I didn’t give it much thought… until I had a kid of my own. Now I get it.
What Kind of Children’s Books?
I have a general idea of what I want to do and a stockpile of ideas and sketches already on paper. The trick will be to narrow it down.
Ideally, I’d have a series, but I’m not getting ahead of myself. Regardless, I’d like to try my hand at:
Picture books (4-8 y/o)
Chapter books (6-10 y/o)
Middle grade books (8-12 y/o)
I plan to write three books in each category, getting feedback along the way, and see what sticks. I’ll start with picture books and work my way up, one book at a time.
How You Can Help
I’d love to get your feedback on what you think kids might like or dislike about my work. I also plan to reach out to teachers for their thoughts, as well as possibly having their students participate in some way. I’m not sure how that all would work, but I’ll figure it out. If you have any suggestions, let me know in the comments or email me.
I realize that authors have traditionally written their books in the shadows, releasing them to the public only after publication (hence the “public” in “publication”). Yet, that’s not the only way to go about it. The rise of the internet and crowdsourcing has changed how creators produce their work, especially for self-published books.
Would you like to embark on this journey with me?
Next week, I’ll lay out the details of my vision. For now, know that I value your perspective and feedback. And while I’ll consider every suggestion, it would be impossible and unsustainable to incorporate all of them. I’d go crazy, and the work would suffer. That said, I’m always open to hearing your thoughts.
Thank you for reading. Please share this post with friends on social media.
Until next time, stay oddly beautiful!
Jason