Since becoming a children’s book author, I’ve found myself in conversation with many people who have stories to tell but aren’t sure where to begin. My advice is always the same, and it mirrors the guidance I give to the graduate students I teach in Georgetown University’s Public Relations and Corporate Communications program: Start by clarifying your purpose.

Intrinsic to that purpose is the audience. For whom are you writing and what do you hope to inspire in them? This is the starting point for every form of writing, no matter the genre, no matter the audience. In a public relations context, we always have an agenda, some specific thing we want the audience to think, do, or feel. We may be shaping a brand’s reputation, encouraging a behavior, or rallying support for a cause.

Writing for children is no different. Maybe you want a child to feel understood, to develop a love of reading, to laugh, to dream, to understand something they hadn’t before. Maybe you want to help a grown-up find the right words for a hard conversation at bedtime. Every picture book has its purpose, even if it’s wrapped in whimsy and wonder.

When you understand your purpose and your audience, everything else begins to fall into place. So if you're wondering where to start, consider these questions:

• What (or who) is your inspiration for writing a picture book?
• What are your goals for the book you're writing?
• Imagine you've written and published the story. Now what? Who is reading it? What does "success" look like to you?
• What is the core idea or message of your story?
• Why might this story matter to children or capture their imagination?

Clarity at the beginning shapes everything that follows. When you know your why and your who, the rest will follow.

Photo by Nappy on Unsplash