As a newbie, I have been getting my feet (and whole body) wet! I am trying to decide on the exact genre of children's literature which best fits my personality and style. In the last few months I have tried rhyming text, fiction and nonfiction picture book writing. Each has its appeal but I have not yet settled on the one which excites me the most. The rhyming text about my dog, Luna, was joyful and silly but I missed the exact meter on several lines. I uploaded it to 12 X 12 Challenge and received some wonderful comments. However, the upshot was that I need to really study meter before attempting to write rhymes.
I feel that my two fictional picture books sparkle with strong, likeable characters and solid story arcs. The 500 word limit was a bit of a challenge, but I managed to get in just under the bar. I lucked out and discovered an exciting woman in history who has not been the subject of a picture book. Researching her story, I was pushed to write a well-paced and full picture of her amazing accomplishments.
My current story is longer, possibly a chapter or early reader book. I am enjoying this, as well, which leaves me with the question. What type of kidlit do I want to focus on, or is it even important to pick one??