For Beginners Archives : Made Live

Creating Children’s Picture Books: A Beginner’s Guide

April 4, 2025

The journey from initial concept to published children’s picture book involves multiple creative stages, important decisions, and practical considerations. This comprehensive guide walks you through each step of the children’s picture book creation process, breaking it down into manageable pieces while highlighting key decision points and strategies for success. Whether you’re exploring publishing pathways or wondering if creating a children’s book is right for you, this roadmap provides the foundation to begin your creative journey with confidence.

A light teal watercolor style octopus sits beside a young girl child with curly reddish hair and reading a book. They are surrounded by bubbles and flowers.

How to Self-Publish a Children’s Book: A Complete Guide

June 14, 2024

Embark on the journey of self-publishing your children’s book with our end-to-end guide. From initial manuscript to reaching young readers, unlock the secrets to successfully navigate the self-publishing landscape and bring your imaginative stories to life.

A light pinkish red octopus illustration. The octopus uses a magnifying glass to look closer at a book laying open on the desk in front of it. It is surrounded by pens, pencils, books, and other office supplies.

A Guide to Finding the Best Self-Publishing Company

May 17, 2024

Navigate the self-publishing landscape with confidence using our insider’s guide. Learn how to compare self-publishing companies, understand the importance of services offered, costs, royalties, and read through success stories to find the perfect partner for your book’s journey.

A watercolor style illustration of a red-headed woman with her wild hair pulled into a messy top knot. She wears dark glasses and smiles as she works on her laptop, surrounded by books.

Creating Children’s Books: From Concept to Creation

April 9, 2024

Discover the essential elements of creating a children’s book with Made Live, from conceptualizing your story and choosing the right POV, to designing the cover and navigating the publishing process.

Watercolor style illustration of a colorful bookshelf filled with books. Stuffed animals and toys sit on the top of the shelf

Avoiding Cliches: Innovative Storytelling in Children’s Picture Books

March 18, 2024

Explore the world of children’s picture books beyond the typical clichés. This comprehensive guide offers insight into how authors can subvert common tropes and breathe new life into their stories, ensuring a unique and memorable reading experience for children.

A watercolor style illustration featuring a young child with brown hair standing behind an open book. To the right, illustrations of houses and trees emerge. From the left, images of fantastical creatures.

Mastering Point-of-View in Children’s Storytelling

March 8, 2024

Uncover the secrets of selecting the ideal POV for children’s stories. Learn how first-person, third-person limited, and omniscient perspectives can uniquely influence young readers’ experiences.

An illustration of a red octopus holding a pencil and standing in front of a board covered in papers. He looks like he's planning a story.

The Five Essential Narrative Elements in Children’s Books

March 6, 2024

Uncover the secrets of successful children’s picture books by exploring the five fundamental elements of plot – from the establishing exposition to the satisfying resolution. Learn how these components work together to create stories that captivate and educate young minds.

Watercolor style illustration of a tan and teal octopus, smiling with a bright lightbulb sitting off to the left side of its head.

Creating a Children’s Book: From Inspiration to Beta Reading

March 4, 2024

Uncover the essentials of creating a captivating children’s book with Made Live. From the initial story idea to engaging beta readers, discover how each step contributes to crafting a memorable narrative for young readers.

Watercolor style illustration of a colorful group of octopuses clustered together, all smiling with tentacles raised like they're cheering

Choosing the Right Self-Publishing Company

March 1, 2024

Discover how to choose the best self-publishing company for your book with our comprehensive guide. Learn about the benefits of self-publishing, compare traditional and self-publishing, and uncover key factors like experience, genre specialization, and distribution channels. Perfect for aspiring authors ready to navigate the self-publishing landscape.

An AI generated image of a cozy and warm bedroom. Bookshelves and hanging lights sit near an open book. Fantastical and magical creatures float out from the pages of the book.

The Magic of Theme in Children’s Books: Inspiring Young Minds

February 17, 2024

Explore the significance of themes in children’s books, and how they cultivate curiosity, learning, perseverance, friendship, imagination, and courage in young readers.

A cute children's book style illustratin of a bunny family, gathered around a basket full of carrots, in the forest.

Children’s Book Illustration Guide – Themes in Children’s Books

February 9, 2024

Embark on a journey through the intertwining worlds of narrative themes and visual artistry in children’s literature. This guide unveils how to harmonize themes with illustrations, creating books that not only tell a story but visually enchant and educate. Explore the synergy between words and images for unforgettable children’s stories.

A watercolor style illustration of a teacher reading a book to a group of children

Children’s Book Illustration Guide – Understanding Your Audience

February 6, 2024

Navigating the world of children’s literature requires a keen understanding of your audience. Our guide dives into how to research and comprehend the preferences, interests, and reading levels of your target demographic, ensuring your children’s book resonates and delights.

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