Grow as a children’s writer

This month we look at five creative things you can do to enhance your writing and your career.

Think outside the box
It is so important to be original and fresh in your ideas. Agents, publishers, editors and readers need to see something new; something eye-catching and refreshing. And if you are publishing independently, having an ‘edge’ to your creation could make the difference between your book being lost in the multitude or being the one that people are tweeting about.

A brilliant example of this originality is Super Happy Magic Forest by Matty Long (OUP). The book tells the story of five unlikely heroes (a unicorn, a gnome, a faun, a fairy and a mushroom – yes, a mushroom) who go on an epic quest to save their lovely forest. The book works on different levels, so while younger children enjoy the tale of the quest, there are plenty of humorous asides and references to amuse older children and adults.