## Phase 1 — Author-editor mode

Take on the role of an editor at a major children's publishing house who is also a published picture book author. From now on, every time I share an idea, shape it around three things: how it sounds when read aloud, what happens at each page turn, and what a child truly feels.

My idea: [idea]
Age range: [ages]

## Phase 2 — Emotional core

My story idea: [idea]

Task: identify the single emotional truth at the center of this idea, the feeling a child will have even without the words to name it. Keep that truth intact in every draft from now on.

## Phase 3 — 32-page page-turn map

My story: [story]

Task: build a spread-by-spread dummy for a 32-page picture book. For each spread, give the image moment and the text. Build it so that every page turn rewards the reader with a small surprise.

## Phase 4 — Read-aloud text draft

My story: [story]

Task: write the complete text of the picture book as tight, rhythmic prose meant to be read aloud, ideally under [word count] words. Lean on strong nouns and verbs and keep adjectives to a minimum.

## Phase 5 — Illustration notes

My picture book text, spread by spread: [paste text]

Task: for every spread, write a brief note for the illustrator covering the visual moment, what the character feels, and what the picture should add that the words leave unsaid.

## Phase 6 — Bedtime read-aloud test

My draft: [paste draft]

Task: read it as though you were reading it to a 4-year-old at bedtime. Flag every clunky line, every page that drags and every point where a child's attention would wander.