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Children's Author

First things first and in case you didn't know...

 

A children's author writes stories, poems, or educational content specifically tailored for young readers, often with age-appropriate language and themes. An illustrator creates visual artwork to complement and enhance the text, bringing characters and settings to life. Some professionals combine both roles, creating complete works of written and illustrated storytelling.

Key skills/talents

The following are a some key skills you should have if you’re looking to become a Children's Author...

  • Imagination & Creativity: The ability to invent unique stories, characters, and worlds that resonate with young readers. For illustrators, this extends to visualising and depicting these elements in ways that are engaging and age-appropriate, sparking curiosity and wonder.

  • Strong Storytelling: The talent to craft compelling, memorable narratives with relatable characters and exciting plots that keep children engaged. This includes an understanding of pacing, themes, and how to build emotional connections.

  • Artistic Ability: Essential for illustrators, this includes skills in drawing, painting, or digital art, along with a solid grasp of colour theory, composition, and visual storytelling techniques. These bring the text to life, making books visually appealing and immersive.

  • Writing Proficiency: A strong command of grammar, vocabulary, and style, combined with the ability to write in a way that is accessible, entertaining, and educational for children of different age groups.

  • Research Skills: The ability to delve into various topics—be it historical events, cultural nuances, or scientific concepts—to ensure that stories are accurate and enriching, while still being captivating for young readers.

  • Adaptability: The flexibility to adjust writing or illustrating styles to suit diverse age groups, genres, and cultural contexts. This skill also helps in responding to editorial feedback and evolving industry trends.

  • Patience and Persistence: Success in the competitive publishing world often requires enduring rejections, refining ideas, and continuously honing one’s craft. Persistence is key to achieving long-term goals and building a reputation.

  • Communication Skills: Essential for working effectively with editors, publishers, agents, and other collaborators. Clear communication helps in translating creative ideas into marketable works while maintaining strong professional relationships.

  • Marketing and Self-Promotion: A good understanding of how to market one’s work through social media, book signings, author websites, and other promotional activities. This skill helps build an audience and ensures visibility in a crowded market.

  • Business Acumen: Knowledge of contracts, royalties, copyright, and licensing. Understanding these principles allows authors and illustrators to protect their work, negotiate fair deals, and manage their careers as small businesses.

Qualifications required

For illustrators, artistic skills are fundamental, including drawing, painting, digital art, and an understanding of colour theory and composition. These are the tools used to bring stories to life visually. While formal education is not always mandatory, many successful illustrators and authors in the UK have degrees in fields such as Creative Writing, Fine Arts, Children's Literature, or Education.

 

Relevant experience is also highly valuable and can help build a strong portfolio. Examples include:

  • Writing for school, university, or local publications.

  • Creating artwork for personal projects, local exhibitions, or small businesses.

  • Volunteering with children’s literacy programs or workshops to understand young readers' preferences and needs.

  • This combination of artistic ability and experience helps create a unique style and authentic connection with the target audience.

 

Below are some degree courses in the UK:

 

MA Children's Literature at Goldsmiths: https://www.gold.ac.uk/pg/ma-childrens-literature

 

MA Children's Book Illustration at Anglia Ruskin University (where Lucy attended): https://www.aru.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/childrens-book-illustration

 

MA Children's Publishing course at Bath Spa University: https://www.bathspa.ac.uk/courses/pg-childrens-publishing


When looking for courses, your best place to start is normally always the UCAS website, as it details courses all over the UK: https://digital.ucas.com/coursedisplay/results/courses

Rules and regs

As a children's author and illustrator, adhering to legal and ethical standards is essential. Key considerations include:

  • Copyright Law: Understanding UK copyright laws is crucial for protecting intellectual property, ensuring that your work is not used without permission, and avoiding infringement of others' copyrights; https://www.gov.uk/copyright 

  • Child Protection: Special care must be taken when depicting children in illustrations. Avoid anything that could be seen as exploitative, harmful, or inappropriate. Ensure all content aligns with child protection principles...

https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/obscene-publications

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1978/37 

https://www.publishers.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Publishers-Association-Code-of-Practice-on-Author-Contracts-2010.pdf 

https://www.wipo.int/edocs/pubdocs/en/wipo-pub-2001-en-contracts-in-publishing.pdf 

 

As a children’s author and illustrator, having the right insurance is essential to protect your career and work. Public Liability Insurance is important for workshops or events, while Professional Indemnity Insurance covers legal claims related to the content of your work. If you run a studio or self-publish, Business Insurance can provide additional protection for your equipment and operations.

 

Here are a couple of examples…

https://www.hiscox.co.uk/business-insurance/writers-and-authors

https://jensteninsurance.co.uk/business-insurance/professional-risks-insurance/freelance-authors-insurance/society-of-authors-writers-policy

Remuneration framework

A children's author can earn a wide range of income, with most making a relatively modest amount. However, top-selling authors, with popular series, can make hundreds of thousands or even millions of pounds per year.

 

The average falling somewhere in the low to mid-range depending on factors like book sales, publishing deals, and whether they self-publish; for new or less established authors, it might only be a few thousand pounds per book, i.e. £2-4k.

 

Key points about children's author income...

  • Unlike a salaried job, an author's income is based on book sales, meaning earnings can fluctuate significantly depending on the book's popularity. 

  • Authors often receive an advance payment from publishers upon signing a contract, with additional income coming from royalties based on book sales. 

  • Authors with successful series, like Jeff Kinney with "Diary of a Wimpy Kid," can earn significantly more due to consistent sales across multiple books. 

  • Self-published authors may retain a higher percentage of book sales but often require more marketing effort to reach readers.

 

Potential income brackets for children's authors…

  • New or emerging authors may earn a few thousand pounds per book in advances, with potential for additional income through royalties if the book sells well. 

  • Mid-career authors can earn tens of thousands of dollars per book, particularly if they have a growing readership. 

  • Top-selling children's authors can make hundreds of thousands or even millions of pounds annually. 

 

Factors impacting income…

  • Picture books, which is what Lucy produces, may have lower royalty rates compared to chapter books or middle-grade novels. 

  • Different publishers may offer varying advance and royalty structures. 

  • Authors who actively promote their books can potentially increase sales.

  • Books targeted towards a wider audience may sell more copies.

How to get started

To embark on a career as a children’s author and illustrator, it’s vital to focus on skill development and building a strong foundation. Whether this is by undertaking one of the courses we’ve stated above, or simply practicing your craft regularly in your free time, or both.

 

Successful authoring is all about creating and writing captivating stories or creating engaging illustrations. 

 

Assemble a portfolio that showcases your best work, as this will be your calling card for potential publishers, literary agents, or clients. 

 

Networking is equally important, so attend industry events, connect with other professionals, and foster relationships within the publishing world to open doors to opportunities. 

 

Submit your work to publishers, literary agents, and competitions, ensuring that you tailor each submission to the specific requirements. 

 

For those seeking greater creative control or an alternative path, self-publishing offers an exciting option to bring your work directly to readers through platforms like Amazon KDP: https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US or IngramSpark: https://www.ingramspark.com


In the UK there are several companies like Silverwood Books, based in Bristol: https://www.silverwoodbooks.co.uk/book-marketing, and/or a PR Specialist for Authors and Publishers is: https://prforbooks.co.uk

Job site links

Finding work as a children’s author and illustrator involves exploring multiple avenues, and isn’t anywhere near as easy or simple as seeing a job ad and applying. 

 

Submitting manuscripts and portfolios directly to children’s book publishers is a traditional route, and seeking representation from literary agents who specialise in children’s literature will significantly improve your chances of success. But this is a long road full of lots of rejection, as JK Rowling famously shared with us all (Harry Potter was sent to over 40 agents before one of them picked her up).

 

Freelancing provides flexibility and variety, enabling you to work on projects for clients such as educational institutions, magazines, websites, or even TV and film.

 

Additionally, teaching creative writing or illustration classes is a fulfilling way to share your passion and expertise while supplementing your income (providing you undertake the necessary teaching qualifications to do this). 

 

Networking through industry events and maintaining a professional online presence on platforms like LinkedIn and Behance can also help you discover opportunities and grow your career.


Some publishing houses may offer roles, such as the one below, where you can work as an editor & as a writer: https://usborne.com/gb/about-us/careers-at-usborne/jobs/editor-writer-children-s-non-fiction-english-language-entry-level-role-wolverhampton_80

Associations or official bodies to register with

  • The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI): A global organisation that provides resources, education, and networking opportunities for children's book creators: https://www.scbwi.org

  • The Association of Illustrators (AOI): Promotes and protects the rights of illustrators, offers resources and support, and champions the illustration industry: https://theaoi.com

  • The Publishers Association (PA): Represents the interests of book publishers in the UK, advocating for their needs and providing a forum for industry collaboration: https://www.publishers.org.uk

  • Writers' Guild of Great Britain (WGGB): A trade union for professional writers, offering support, advice, and representation on issues like contracts and pay: https://writersguild.org.uk

  • The Children's Book Council (CBC): A non-profit organisation that promotes children's literature and literacy: https://www.cbcbooks.org

Progression pathway

This is a tricky one to answer, because some authors have landed an agent and a book deal, and then gone from strength to strength, producing successful book after successful book. Others, like Lucy, start well and then falter later. Others have one big massive ‘hit’ and then can’t seem to get traction with any of their next books. It is such a tumultuous path and not for the weak of constitution, as Lucy says in the chat.

 

Progression in this field really, and simply comes down to your objective creativity. And we say that, because just because you think your work is great and you really want to do it… do others? Creativity in all its forms is so massively subjective, and in an industry like this, being honest with yourself is key… It will save you a lot of time, and potentially a lot of money.

 

The way to progress, therefore, is to create a really good idea and story, which can have ‘legs’ beyond its first iteration. This means that like JK Rowling, you are able to produce many stories about it, and many incarnations from it.

 

Great stories also get turned into films and TV shows, which is even more lucrative for the author.

 

The key take-outs are: Be as uniquely creative as you can. Seek feedback constantly. And then dig deep and buckle-in… If you’ve got the stomach for it, there can be one hell of a career here for you.

Additional Information/links

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