I have a question for all the would-be children’s book authors (and illustrators) out there: Why do you want to write—and publish—a children’s book? What motivates you to spend All. That. Time. writing and rewriting? Don’t you have anything better to do than come up with interesting, engaging characters readers will care about? Can’t you find something less demoralizing to do than trying to find an agent or an editor to shepherd and champion your book?

Do you want to create a children’s book because you want to tell a story in a better way than others do? Are you bored by all the children’s books you are reading to the kids in your life and think you could do a better job? Do you want to have a children’s book on your résumé as a badge of honor? Do you think a kids’ book will amplify your company’s mission? Or your personal brand?

Do you want to create a children’s book for yourself? Does it matter to you how many children—if any—read your book?

For me, I wanted to create a series of books that were funny and quirky and interesting for kids who didn’t necessarily love to read long and complicated books. I wanted to write the books in rhyme because I think that’s easier for many readers starting out. I wanted to create Bonefish Street—a whole community of wild and crazy characters—where the two main characters—Lou and Dean—were very different from each other but were best friends, and who were often wiser than the grown-ups in their lives.

I loved spending hours and hours writing these rhyming chapter books and then seeing my vision for the characters come to life through the brilliant illustrations of Kristy Caldwell. The Bobs and Tweets series remains one of my favorite personal accomplishments, even though the books never reached a large market. It didn’t help my publishing success that I was so afraid of getting a bad review or being called a fraud (when I was supposed to be an expert in children’s books) that I used a pseudonym, Pepper Springfield, which made my Bobs and Tweets books even harder to discover, market, and sell.

Over my many decades in children’s book publishing, many people—friends, family members, teachers, strangers—have come to me to ask me to help them get their children’s book published. Or started. Or made into a major motion picture. Sometimes I think, why do you want to go through all that? And what do you think I can do to help you? Aren’t there enough kids’ books in the world already? Why do you want to write another one?