Some beginning writers think writing for children will be easier than writing for adults. Children are pretty sharp – and their attention span is usually much shorter. If you are planning to write a children's book, here are some things you need to consider.

Women buy 82% of all children's books, and half of those books are bought as gifts. Nearly 40% of the books are bought by mothers. Hardcover children's books currently are priced between $14-15.00  (if your book has a dust jacket, you will need to charge more), while softcovers are priced between $7-8.00.

According to Publisher's Weekly, children's books fall into the following categories: 27% are picture books, 17% are books for babies and toddlers, 20% are for younger readers, 19% are for middle readers and 17% are for young-adult readers. It's important that you decide which category your work falls into.

Generally speaking, children's books are considered 50% text and 50% illustration, so any royalties received will likely be split between the writer and illustrator. For example, if the royalty is 10% , then the writer and illustrator would each get 5 percent.

Children's books tend to have a longer life than books written for adults. Sales of children's books tend to start off slow and build over time. According to USA Today, October marks the beginning of a steady climb in the sales of children's books toward the holidays.

And finally, in writing your children's book , be upbeat and send a positive message. So often, children's stories center around mistakes and punishment, which sends a subtle message to a child about not taking risks for fear of harm.

[This post was created from excerpts taken, with permission, from Successful Nonfiction, written by Dan Poynter.]