How to Write a Book As a Kid: 14 Steps

Writing a book as a kid is basically like building a giant LEGO set… except the pieces are words, the instructions are
optional, and sometimes the cat sits on Chapter 7. The good news? You don’t need a fancy office, a typewriter from 1923,
or a dramatic scarf. You need an idea, a little time, and a plan that doesn’t fall apart the moment you remember snacks exist.

This guide walks you through 14 kid-friendly steps to write a bookfrom your first “What if…?” to a finished story you can
share. Along the way, you’ll get specific examples, quick mini-templates, and realistic tips for when motivation disappears
faster than a cookie at recess.

Step 1: Pick a “You-Couldn’t-Not-Write-It” Idea

Start with an idea that makes you curious. The best kid authors don’t wait for a perfect ideathey grab a fun one and start.
Try one of these sparks:

• What if… your school had a secret basement zoo?
• Imagine… your dog could text you, but only in riddles.
• Suppose… the new kid in class is from a family of time travelers.

Quick test

If you’d tell a friend about your idea without being asked, it’s probably a keeper.

Step 2: Choose Your Book Type (So You’re Not Writing “Everything”)

“A book” can mean lots of things. Pick a type that fits your energy level and your schedule.

• Chapter book: Short chapters, one main adventure (great for first-time authors).
• Middle-grade novel: Bigger plot, deeper characters (still totally doable).
• Graphic novel: Story + drawings (awesome if you think in pictures).
• Short story collection: Several smaller stories (helpful if you get new ideas every 10 minutes).

Step 3: Write a One-Sentence “Book Promise”

A book promise is a sentence that tells what your story is about. It keeps you focused when your brain tries to add
laser sharks, a candy kingdom, and a random detective… all in Chapter 2.

Example

“A shy kid discovers their drawings come to lifeand must stop a doodle monster from erasing the town.”

Step 4: Create a Main Character With a Want (Not Just a Vibe)

Characters feel real when they want something and have a reason for it. Give your main character:

• A big want: win a contest, find a missing sibling, save a pet, prove themselves
• A fear: failing, being laughed at, losing a friend, being alone
• A strength: brave, funny, loyal, clever, creative
• A flaw: impatient, stubborn, overly trusting, scared to speak up

Mini example

Maya wants to join the school robotics team, but she’s terrified of messing up in front of everyone.

Step 5: Give Your Character a Problem That Won’t Let Go

A good plot is a problem that keeps causing new problems. Make it tough enough that the character can’t solve it in one
easy move. (If they can fix it instantly, that’s a short story… or a very boring Tuesday.)

Try this formula

Problem: The town’s library books are disappearing overnight.
Complication: The only clue is a bookmark that whispers secrets.
Pressure: The library will close forever in seven days.

Step 6: Build a Setting That Feels Like a Place You Can Step Into

Setting isn’t just “a school” or “a forest.” It’s the details that make readers feel like they’re there. Use the five-senses trick:

• Sight: flickering hallway lights, chalk dust clouds
• Sound: squeaky gym shoes, buzzing lockers
• Smell: cafeteria pizza, rainy sidewalks
• Touch: itchy uniform collar, cold metal doorknob
• Taste: mint gum, hot cocoa, lemon candy

Step 7: Decide How It Ends (Yes, Even If You Change It Later)

You don’t need every detail, but you should know the general destination. Otherwise, you might end up writing 63 chapters
and still not know why the dragon is in a shopping mall.

Pick one ending style

• Win: the hero succeeds, but learns something important
• Almost-win: they lose the big goal but gain something better
• Twist: the “villain” was trying to help in a weird way

Step 8: Outline Your Story With a Simple Beginning–Middle–End Map

Outlines aren’t “cheating.” They’re like a treasure map: you still have to do the adventure, but you won’t accidentally sail
into a swamp of confusion.

A kid-friendly outline template

• Beginning: Meet the character + the big problem appears
• Middle: Attempts to solve it fail, stakes get bigger, new clues appear
• End: Final challenge, big choice, problem solved (or not) and life changes

Step 9: Break It Into Chapters (So It Doesn’t Feel Like a Mountain)

A chapter is one “mini mission.” Give most chapters a small goal, a complication, and a reason to keep reading.

Example chapter plan (10 chapters)

1. Strange clue appears
2. Hero investigates
3. First failure
4. New friend or rival shows up
5. Secret revealed
6. Problem gets worse
7. Plan created
8. Plan goes wrong
9. Final attempt
10. Ending + what changed

Step 10: Set a Tiny Writing Schedule You Can Actually Keep

You don’t have to write for hours. Consistency beats “one giant weekend and then never again.”

Pick a schedule

• 10 minutes a day: perfect for busy school weeks
• 3 days a week: 20–30 minutes per session
• Weekend sprint: 1 hour with breaks (and snacks that don’t crumble on the keyboard)

Pro tip: Stop writing in the middle of a scene. It makes it easier to start again next time because you already know what
happens next.

Step 11: Write the First Draft Without Trying to Make It “Perfect”

First drafts are for getting the story downnot for winning awards, impressing your English teacher, or becoming a legendary
author overnight. Think of it like sketching before painting.

Anti-perfection rules

• Use placeholders: “(cooler name later)” or “(research this)”
• Skip scenes you’re stuck on and come back later
• Keep going even if a chapter feels messy

Step 12: Revise Like a Builder: Big Fixes First, Small Fixes Later

Revision means making the story betternot punishing yourself for being human. Start with the big stuff:

Big revision questions

• Does the character want something clearly?
• Is the problem exciting and hard enough?
• Does each chapter move the story forward?
• Is the ending earned (not random)?

After that, you can fix grammar and spelling. (Yes, commas matter. No, commas are not the boss of you.)

Step 13: Get Feedback From Safe, Helpful Readers

Choose one or two people who will be kind and honestlike a parent/guardian, a teacher, a librarian, or a trusted friend.
Ask for feedback that helps you improve.

Questions to ask your reader

• What part made you want to keep reading?
• Where did you feel confused?
• Which character felt most real?
• What scene should be bigger or clearer?

If you share online, do it with a parent/guardian’s help and protect your privacy (no full name, address, school name, or
personal details).

Step 14: Finish Strong: Title, Format, and Share Your Book

You did ityou wrote a book! Now make it readable and shareable.

Simple “publishing” options for kids

• Print at home: staple or bind it (instant author vibes)
• Class or library sharing: read an excerpt or donate a copy
• Family book night: present your “author talk” and answer questions
• Digital PDF: easy to share with relatives (with adult help)

If you want a cover, keep it simple: a clear title, readable font, and one strong image or drawing that matches your story.

Common Problems (And How Kid Authors Beat Them)

“I don’t know what to write next.”

Ask: What’s the worst thing that could happen right now? Then make it happen (gentlyno need to explode the moon unless
your genre demands it).

“My story is boring.”

Add a decision. Characters get interesting when they must choose: tell the truth or hide it, help a friend or
protect themselves, take the risk or stay safe.

“I keep starting over.”

That’s your brain looking for comfort. Try this: promise yourself you can rewrite the beginning laterbut only after the
first draft is finished.

of Real-World “Kid Author” Experience (What It Feels Like)

Most kid writers discover a funny secret pretty quickly: writing a book feels amazing… and also a little weird. One day you’re
full of excitement because your hero just found a hidden doorway behind the gym bleachers. The next day, you stare at the page
like it personally insulted you. That emotional roller coaster is normal. It doesn’t mean you “aren’t a real writer.” It means
you’re doing the exact thing writers do.

In the beginning, writing often feels like playing. You’re inventing names, imagining scenes, and cracking yourself up with
dialogue. Then you hit the “middle slump,” where the story stops feeling like fireworks and starts feeling like work. This is
where many kid authors think, “Maybe I’m not good at this.” But here’s what experienced writers learn: the middle is supposed
to be hard. It’s where the puzzle pieces have to connect. When you push through that parteven with small stepsyou unlock a
new kind of confidence that doesn’t disappear when things get tricky.

Another common experience: your book starts changing you. Not in a spooky science-fiction way (unless you’re writing that kind
of bookthen carry on). You begin noticing details in real life because your brain is collecting “story fuel.” You pay attention
to how people talk, how places smell after rain, and how a friend’s joke can hide nervousness. You start thinking, “That would
be a great scene,” or “That’s exactly how my character would react.” Writing turns your everyday life into a library of ideas.

Kid writers also learn to handle opinionsbecause the first time someone reads your story, you might feel nervous enough to
teleport. Feedback can sting, even when it’s kind. The trick is remembering that comments aren’t a scoreboard; they’re tools.
If a reader says, “I got confused here,” that’s not a failure. That’s a flashlight showing you where to improve. And when a
reader says, “I couldn’t stop reading,” that’s proof your imagination can grab someone else’s attention and pull them into a
world that used to exist only in your head.

Finally, the best moment is often the quiet one: when you hold your finished pages (printed, stapled, or saved as a file) and
realize you made something that didn’t exist before. Lots of kids have ideas. Fewer kids finish a whole book. When you do, you
don’t just have a storyyou have evidence that you can start big things and complete them. That’s a superpower you can use for
school, hobbies, sports, art, and basically any dream you decide to chase next.

Conclusion

If you’re a kid who wants to write a book, you’re already in the most important club: the “I have a story to tell” club.
Follow these 14 steps, keep your goals small and steady, and treat your first draft like a brave experiment. Your job isn’t to
write perfectlyit’s to write, revise, and finish. And once you finish one book, the next one gets easier (and also comes with
better snacks).