I've read a lot of first drafts from beginner picture book writers, and the same three mistakes show up over and over. Fix these and your manuscript instantly gets stronger:

1. Writing too many words

Most picture books run 300–600 words total. New writers often write 1,000+ because it feels like a "real" story needs that much. But picture books are told through words AND pictures together — if you're describing something the illustration will already show ("the sun was bright and yellow in the sky"), cut it. Trust the art to do half the work.

2. No page turns that create anticipation

A picture book isn't just a story cut into chunks — each page (or spread) should end with a reason to turn to the next one. A question, a surprise, a "and then..." moment. If you can read a spread and immediately guess exactly what's on the next page with zero curiosity, that's a sign to rework the pacing.

3. A moral that's too on-the-nose

Kids (and adults) can smell a lecture coming. "And Timmy learned that sharing is caring" kills a story dead. The best picture books let the theme emerge through what the character does and feels, not through a stated lesson at the end. Show the character struggling, choosing, and changing — let the reader arrive at the meaning themselves.

If you're working on a manuscript right now, try reading it out loud and counting your words per spread. You'll be surprised how much you can trim.

What's the trickiest part of writing your story so far?