Where Do Picture Book Ideas Really Come From?
Writers often get asked this question: Where do you get your ideas?
But it’s a tricky one to answer. Why?
Because ideas usually don’t arrive fully formed.
They come in fragments.
The Myth of the Lightning Bolt
We love the story of the sudden, perfect idea—the one that lands with a thud and announces itself as the one.
In reality, most strong picture book ideas:
- Begin as whispers
- Arrive disguised as curiosities
- Take shape slowly, through attention
Maybe it’s an intriguing image.
A line of dialogue.
A feeling you can’t quite name.
The problem isn’t a lack of ideas.
It’s that we often dismiss the early ones for being too small.
Ideas Come from Paying Attention
Picture books are rooted in observation:
- Of children – how they move through the world and what matters to them.
- Of language and its rhythms.
- Of emotional moments that feel simple on the surface—and complex underneath.
From Spark to Story
A spark becomes a story when you start asking better questions:
- Who is this moment about?
- What’s at stake emotionally? Why does it matter to children?
- What might change by the end?
You don’t need the plot yet. You just need curiosity and patience.
A Gentle Reframe
Instead of asking:
Is this idea good (or original) enough?
Try:
What is this idea asking of me?
If it keeps returning—there’s probably more there.
