Picture book ideas can be hard to generate. Sometimes it seems like everything has been done! How can you come up with a good idea?

First of all, get rid of the pressure. Instead of looking for one perfect idea, make a list of as many sparks as you can think of. Pancakes. Foxes. Trucks. Food allergies. Amelia Bedelia-type mom. Living on the moon. Shy children. Funny rhymes. Knitting. First day of school. Princess who wants to quit. Remember, these are sparks, not developed ideas. Don’t censor it. Keep this list going. Sparks can come from many places—other picture books or novels, TV shows, memes, rhymes, and the world around us.

Take these sparks and try to kindle your favorites, perhaps by combining them. A shy little boy trying to teach his Amelia Bedelia-type mom how to make pancakes has to talk to his neighbors when she gets stuck to the kitchen floor with maple syrup, told in rhyme. Okay, maybe that’s not a winner, but I bet some combination from your list will catch your interest, and you can start to develop characters and a plot.

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What If?

If the sparks aren’t catching fire, try asking What if? What if toddlers drove trucks? What if a fox was allergic to all the food his family ate? What if the best-behaved children lived on the moon? What if a child learned to speak, and could only speak in rhymes? What if a princess knit a net to trap the dragon and freed herself?

Now, before you pour hours into a project, consider this. There are picture book ideas that many writers like to tackle. It makes sense—they are popular topics for a reason! However, that also means that it’s crucial to make sure yours stands out in a crowded market. Popular ideas include a parent’s love for their child, how it’s okay to be unique or different, the real story of Santa Claus, stories from a pet’s perspective, stories set on the farm, the arrival of a new sibling, and teaching concepts like colors and counting.

Popularity doesn’t mean you can’t write on the topic. It just means that you need to bring something fresh to the table. The first step is to do some comp research to find similar titles. Want to write about a mother’s love for her new baby? Great! Google your subject. You’ll find great lists about almost any subject you can imagine, but especially for these popular ones. Request ten or twenty titles from the library and start reading. Make sure you are familiar with what’s already been written. If you’re still interested in writing a picture book about your topic, think about how to make it fresh. There is sure to be an angle only you can offer.

Picture Book Ideas and ME

Can you offer a new setting? Think about using an urban apartment, a small town on the prairie, the rainforest, or outer space. Time is part of setting, too. Do you want a contemporary story, or one set in the past? Or does it skim through time, from prehistoric to a mod future, showing how love remains the same? Who are your characters? Are they human? Maybe it’s a Martian’s love for her baby alien or a grizzly bear’s care for her cubs. Is your tone going to be humorous or serious? Are you going to write it in poetry or prose? Who will be your point of view character? Mom is an easy answer, but maybe we’re in the baby’s point of view. Or maybe it’s a crusty old neighbor who is tired of everyone fawning over the baby—until the baby visits and smiles at him. What is your own background? Are there traditions from your upbringing or culture that could offer a new take on this familiar subject?

Another common source of ideas for writers is reality, perhaps something their toddler said or a habit their neighbor kid picked up. This can be a wonderful place to look for sparks of inspiration! Children can be so creative and amusing. However, the trap here is when authors become so attached to the way something really happened that they don’t tell a good story. The reader still has to believe that it happened, even if it’s true. And often a funny nugget—a kid’s punch line, or something silly they did—isn’t quite enough for a satisfying manuscript. It can be the spark, but it still needs to be developed into a full story.

So, to summarize: make a list, combine those ideas, and ask What if? Then add your own fresh perspective, setting, or style. And I bet you’ll have some killer picture book ideas.

Amy would love to work with you on your picture book ideas! You can book her for an edit here.