Is the children’s book market better than light novels now? According to a publisher, his company once published light novels but shut that line down as sales declined year after year, switching to children’s books and partnering with YouTube, podcasts and influencers—a single title can sell very well. Children’s books are read by kids from kindergarten to around third grade, but parents buy them, so the books must move parents, often focusing on upbringing or character. For novelists, the vocabulary and logic are easier, but creativity and inspiration need to be relearned.

Translated from Utsudo’s original Chinese column.

Talking publishing with a publisher

Last time I went to Kaohsiung for a meeting, I chatted with the owner of a publishing house about the industry.

We talked about the current state of publishing and its difficulties. I also heard that several publishers have joined forces with the Ministry of Culture on a NT$500 million initiative to promote a system where each time a library lends a book, the author and publisher get a share.

Otherwise, once a library buys a book, all later loans have nothing to do with the creator, which is actually quite unfair. We need to improve creators’ situations so they can support themselves through their work and create even better works.

I think this idea is wonderful, and the plan is already underway. I’m looking forward to the results. Whatever the outcome, it’s a good start—it shows someone is finally paying attention to creators’ struggles. I believe more policies and support measures will follow to improve the creative environment.

Light novel sales declined, so they switched to children’s books

He also mentioned that his publishing house used to publish light novels, but as light novel sales declined year after year, they shut that line down early—neatly avoiding the shrinking domestic light novel market. Their light novel division had produced some impressive works, yet they decided to close it before the storm hit. That shows their foresight.

Now his publishing house focuses on “children’s books.”

As the name suggests, children’s books are aimed at kids.

Don’t underestimate children’s books. His publisher combines them with new media like YouTube and podcasts and partners with influencers, and a single book can earn millions. That’s an amount most other kinds of fiction can only dream of, especially with local books so hard to sell now.

Children’s books must move parents

The main audience for children’s books is kids from kindergarten to about third grade, because once they’re older they find books to read themselves instead of reading what their parents buy.

So although kids read them, parents buy them. What we need to think about is “what kind of work” moves these parents, or makes them think, “I have to buy this book.” To find the answer, visit the children’s section yourself and you’ll get a sense. But children’s literature is written differently from ordinary fiction, so you’ll need to study it.

As for what parents like to buy, it’s either books about upbringing or building moral values, using cute little animals or friendly characters to explain these ideas so kids can absorb them quickly, and parents can read along to strengthen their bond.

Novelists switching to children’s books

For people used to writing ordinary fiction, switching to children’s books makes vocabulary and logic much easier, but creativity and inspirational points become more important. So I think writing children’s books or collaborating on picture books still requires some research.

If you succeed in working with them, the publisher may arrange storytime events for kids. Authors who love children would probably enjoy that.

Those sparkling eyes gazing at you are completely different from university students forced to attend a lecture with dead eyes. Isn’t that something to look forward to (X

Then I tentatively asked whether they were short on children’s book writers. He said, “Very short.”

But when I went to their official website, I couldn’t find any way to submit children’s books. So whether that was just politeness or they hid the submission info too well, I don’t know.

I don’t know how children’s book writers are paid, but where there’s money to be made, publishers are probably more generous. So, everyone, you don’t have to fight tooth and nail in popular fiction. You could also explore lesser-known areas—you might unexpectedly find a whole new world.

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Further reading

• Previous: Hey! I Heard You’re a Writer on Ghost Island #212: Thoughts on Murakami’s Novelist as a Vocation
• Start from the beginning: Hey! I Heard You’re a Writer on Ghost Island #01: Utsudo’s Debut — A Road to the Dream Covered in Frost
• Utsudo’s books

About the author

Utsudo is a Taiwanese light novelist and novelist VTuber with more than ten years in the industry and 40 commercially published print books. Her novel 《遺失的情書》 received a 2022 Ministry of Culture youth creative award. The 《嘿！聽說妳在鬼島當作家》 series records her experiences as a novelist in Taiwan.