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The Untold Secrets of Writing Best Selling Children's Books

Ever wondered how the most successful children's book writers get their ideas? The answer may surprise you.

Most children's books are based on the same exact story - good versus evil.

Ex. Harry Potter vs Voldomort. Cinderella vs her wicked stepmother. Pinnochio's conscience vs. outside influences.

Next we add a protagonist and an antagonist.

Ex. Don't we love it when Harry Potter and Malfoy get into it? Or when Hansel and Gretel turn the tables on the witch?

Finally a best selling story needs conflict and a big problem that the main character needs to overcome.

Ex. If Harry lets Lord Voldemort come back without a fight, the fate of the magic world could be at risk.

Ex. If Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire don't outsmart Count Olaf then their fortunes and their lives might be at risk.

Most inexperienced writers spend so much time thinking about the setting, the scenery and the color of their characters hair that they forget that the plot is what editors and their audience is looking for.

Hogwarts is a wonderful school. But who would care about it without Harry Potter and his friends.

The castle in Sleeping Beauty would just be another castle in the middle of nowhere without the princess and her prince.

And the three little pigs houses could have been made of snow, cotton or peanuts for all we would care without three clever little pigs and a wolf.

Kids love it when good triumphs over evil. Give them a story they can cheer over.

Also spend time really getting to know your characters. Create a history for each character, even if most of their histories will never see the inside of your book.

Your characters must seem real. Your audience must be able to relate to them and really care about what happens to them.

That in a nutshell is how you write a best selling children's book. The editing, minor scenic details and hand wringing anxiety can come after you finish the book.

About The Author Caterina Christakos is a published author and children's book writer. Learn how to write a children's book in 30 days or less at: http://www.howtowriteachildrensbook.com. Featured book shelf Items Howard the Duck Howard the Duck If you concentrate on the fact that Howard the Duck was a notorious box office dud (still brought up today) and considered one of the worst films of the '80s, it's entirely possible to enjoy this special effects piffle. Howard, played by a special effect puppet, lives on a planet where ducks evolved instead of apes, but one day he's sucked into a vortex and deposited on Earth. There he befriends Beverly Switzler (Lea Thompson), lead singer for the Cherry Bombs, becomes their manager, and, oh yeah, saves the Earth from the Dark Overlords. Jeffrey Jones is the villain and Tim Robbins (!) is there for comic relief. And who can resist the culmination of synthesizer pop, the Howard the Duck theme song, as realized by the Cherry Bombs? A midnight movie that your kids might watch more than you. --Keith Simanton Customer Review: Apparently, there are no Buckaroo Banzai fans out there... I enjoyed the movie. Sort of a "Buckaroo Banzai" type movie in that the main character is an all-around McGyver-ish kind of guy who can do everything. It's a fun movie, one that I enjoyed watching with my then-grade-school aged son. Plus, the theme song is very exciting and up-beat (sung by the beautiful and multi-talented Holly Robinson of 21 Jump Street fame). Customer Review: Worst film of the eighties? I can think of much worse Why does everyone have a major problem with Howard The Duck? After watching it, and reading some of the reviews, I have to seriously disagree with all the negative reviews on here. Sure, it's in no way a classic, and Lea Thompson has really big hair (the hairstylist should have been shot for crimping her hair!!!), but it's fun, it's slightly out there, and there is no other movie that can compare to this. 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