Picture Book Layout and Pacing—Book Dummys for the Win!
This was originally posted on my old website—sometime between 2018 and 2024. I’ve updated it for clarity and added a few free resources.
So, you’ve written a beautiful picture book manuscript. But how does it go from 1–2 pages in a Word Document to looking more like a 32-page picture book? Can you just split the text evenly across the pages?
Well … you could.
But you shouldn’t.
If you simply divided your word count by the number of pages, chances are you’d have a pretty boring book. And that’s no good for keeping your readers reading.
So how do you nail that layout? How do you pace your story across pages so that at the end of every page, your reader simply can’t help but turn the page and continue reading?
Create a Book Dummy, that’s how.
“A what now?” you ask.
A Book Dummy—a miniature (or full size, you choose) mock-up of your book. Start by placing the words where you think they should go. Maybe a sentence on page 1, two on page 3. Maybe a whole paragraph starts the first page. Then, you print it out, staple (or tape) it up and read it aloud to yourself.
Did you like it? Were you engaged? Or did something fall flat?
Analyze your Book Dummy.
Are there some pages with large chunks of text, but not a lot of action? Maybe instead there are blocks of text where too much happens! Can all that action really be illustrated on a single page or spread?
Often, you’ll need to create and revise your Book Dummy several times before you get it just right. Try out my free Book Dummy Exercise if you feel like you need a little more guidance.
Don’t believe me? Take a look at some of your favorite picture books to see how it’s done. What do your favorite author/illustrator teams do to keep you turning pages? Do you notice that every page is like a mini-cliff hanger?
Page turns work best if they happen when:
the scene or setting changes (example: one scene is on the playground and the next is in the classroom)
a character enters or exits (example: your MC hides on the playground while the rest of the class goes inside)
there is a change of emotional tone or expression—often this is shown in the illustrations (example: your MC begins to cry)
something related is happening somewhere else (example: meanwhile…)
a sentence is left unfinished (example: your MC dreams they are flying, until…)
a question is asked (example: your MC asks how babies are born)
something surprising happens (example: your MC discovers it’s not a chicken egg, but a platypus egg!)
So, ok. You’re convinced. You need to create a Book Dummy. But you’re a writer … not a crafter. To help you out, I’ve made one for you that you can simply print out. If you’re computer savvy, you can even fill it with text before printing. If not, just grab your favourite pen or pencil and fill it in after you print. Here ya go:
If you feel like you need more help, don’t hesitate to reach out. I offer several Picture Book editing packages and I’m happy to tailor a package to your specific needs if you don’t see what you need.
Happy pacing!
