Practically since the first day I started working in publishing, I started getting questions about the whole process of getting published, the dos and don’ts and general advice on how it all works. And I kept meaning to write down everything I learned from my almost 4 years of reading the slush pile.
Well, a couple of days ago, Nikki linked me to this Ask MetaFilter question from a woman looking to get her children’s book published. Finally, a prod in the back!
So here is my response to the question - I hope it’s helpful to anyone else with the same queries.
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I worked for an independent children’s book publishing company as of 3 months ago, specifically reading the slush pile, so I have quite a bit of experience with this.
My first suggestion would be to do your research. How many books like yours are on the market? Is your idea unique? What age group is it intended for? Is there a demand for this kind of book in the market? If there are other books like yours out there, what is going to make a consumer buy your book over the others? These are the questions the submission editors will be asking themselves as they read your story. And I have to be honest – I read hundreds of anthropomorphic animal stories that taught a lesson. Obviously there is a place for this kind of book, since they sell very well, but you need to make sure that your story stands out and will be adding something new to the market. You also need to make sure you aren’t being didactic – there is nothing more boring than a story that is written first for the lesson. Focus on your characters and storyline first and what the child should learn second.
It’s very important to find a writer’s group, a place where you can get critiques and ideas. A great resource is the Society of Children’s Books Writers and Illustrators, a group of people interested in, obviously, writing and illustrating children’s books. You do not have to be published to be a member, though there are lots of published authors and illustrators in the group. They have conferences where you can meet editors and get critiques and lots of writing groups.
Even if you don’t join SCBWI, you need to join a critique group of some kind. Getting feedback from your peers, NOT your children, their class at school, parents, or close friends is key. You need people with experience in writing, who are also going to give you honest criticism and helpful feedback and suggestions. You need thick skin to be in this business and you need to be able to take criticism and edits and apply those to your writing. Find someone whose opinions you trust and take what they say to heart.
Once you feel your story is in good shape (and by good shape I mean has been professionally edited or at least edited by someone with some writing experience), you are ready to begin sending it out. DO NOT simply starting mailing it out. DO YOUR HOMEWORK. Nothing will get your story rejected or thrown into the slush pile more quickly than the following mistakes:
1. Sending it to the wrong type of publishing house.
Publishers specialize. They either do it by only publishing a specific genre of book, or have an imprint that serves the same purpose. Before you send a book to a publisher, do your research. Go to their website, check out their front list. Better yet, go to the bookstore and read several of their books. Look for the topics they publish, age groups they favor, the genres they focus on. Make sure this is a house that your story will fit in to.
2. Read the submission guidelines.
If a publishing company is accepting submissions, it should say so on their website. They will usually provide a list of guidelines on how they would like to receive submissions, like how many sample chapters, electronic or hard copies, biographical information. Follow these guidelines and do not deviate.
3. Do not add extraneous materials to your submission.
Adding a plush version of the character from your story or even a bag of jelly beans is not going to give you a leg up. It makes you look a bit desperate and would you eat something you received in the mail from a stranger? No. Also, do not send items you will want returned or originals (documents or artwork). Publishers receive thousands, THOUSANDS, of submissions a year. They do not have time or the bandwidth to keep track of that rare family photo you sent
4. Other things to avoid: organic materials - do not travel well and rotten potato will not give your story that extra something.
Living objects – they tend not to survive the journey. Not a nice surprise for the person who opens the package.
Anything that makes your package huge and hard to store – your submission will be going in a stack someplace, so make it easy on the pile and make it easy to store.
Make sure you are as professional and clear as you can be in your cover letter and bio. This is not the place to be cutesy, clever, or overly verbose. The cover letter should be no longer than a page and contain the following information: The title of your story, a 2-3 sentence synopsis, any previous writing experience or bio information that is pertinent to the story, a polite thank you. If the company asks for an SASE (self-addressed stamped envelope), enclose one. It’s good manners and makes it much easier for the company to communicate with you.
A great resource for getting more information on publishing companies and literary agents is The Writer’s Market. This is a listing of every publishing company and literary agent in the company and what they take/are looking for. This publication is issued every year, and they get their information from the publishers directly, so their information is usually very accurate (I filled out these for my company, so I know). Use this as a starting point for your search.
Another great resource for children’s publishers specifically is the Children’s Book Council - http://www.cbcbooks.org/. This is an organization of children’s book publishers and their member list is a fabulous way to find out info on specific publishers. They also do awards lists, which is a good way to see what types of books are getting attention and recognition.
My company was smaller, so we did take things directly from the slush pile, but it is getting harder and harder to find companies that operate in that way. An agent is a great way to get your foot in the door. However, there are pitfalls here as well. Be careful and again, DO YOUR RESEARCH. There are lots of companies that are looking to take advantage of inexperienced and uninformed writers. A good rule of thumb is to see if they provide a client list. Remember, you should NEVER pay money up front to an agent. They will be paid when you are: after you get a contract. I heard from several people over the years at my company telling me how they had paid a “literary agent” a fee to send their book out, then never heard from them again.
The same goes for publishing companies – if they are asking for money up front to publish your work, they are not a real publishing company. They are either a self-publisher or vanity publisher and will not provide any of the marketing or editorial services a real publisher will.
I hope this information helps and good luck in your publishing endeavors!
