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Here are
some common questions and hopefully helpful answers for
people who are new to children's book publishing:
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I
have written a children's story (or several children's
stories) and want to know how to get published. |
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Before
you start sending your story to publishers, read it to other
writers and listen to their stories as well. Your regional
chapter of the SCBWI can help you join or form a critique
group. You can join the manuscript exchange listed in the
SCBWI Roster of Members or participate in the online
manuscript exchange in the SCBWI Members Only Discussion
Boards. Members can also obtain copies of the SCBWI
Publications, "Starting a Critique Group" and "The Give and
Take of Critique." Sign up for a regional and/or national
conference and get a professional critique from a published
author or editor. Read contemporary children's books.
Revise, edit, rewrite, and then revise some more. Polish
your work before submitting and make sure it is presented
professionally. Read the SCBWI publication"From
Keyboard to Printed Page" for
proper formatting information.
Most publishers have writer and illustrator guidelines on
their websites. SCBWI produces an updated Market Survey,
called "Publishers of Books for Young People," every August
and the Writer's Digest Children's Book Writers and
Illustrator's Market is published every year. Once you have
chosen the right markets for your project, you are free to
send it to publishers that are accepting unsolicited
manuscripts. Your manuscript is solicited if you queried a
publisher according to their guidelines and received the
okay to submit your manuscript to them. You might also get
the okay to send your work to editors you meet at SCBWI
conferences. This can be a great way to submit to otherwise
"closed" houses. Exclusive submission means that you will
not present your project to any other publisher while one
publisher has it. You can designate the length of time it
will remain exclusive. But most publishers who still accept
unsolicited manuscripts also allow multiple submissions,
which means you are sending it to multiple publishers. You
should make your submission status very clear in your cover
letter. Unless the publisher stipulates otherwise in the
guidelines, include a self addressed stamped envelope with
enough postage for your work to be returned to you, and
never send more than one story to a publisher unless
solicited. Keep copies/files of your correspondence and set
up a system to track your submissions.
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Should I copyright my work before sending it
out? What does "buy all rights" mean? |
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The law
is on your side: you own the work the moment you create it.
And legitimate editors do not steal manuscripts. It is not
necessary to copyright your work through the Library of
Congress. To note, you cannot copyright an idea, only your
version of that idea as your original expression.
An attorney might tell you that by additionally copyrighting
your work through the Library of Congress, you'd have
registered proof of ownership should there ever be a
question. You can then license the work to a publisher for
any particular use or even transfer all rights to the
publisher. Also, when the terms of the license are met, the
rights in the work are returned to you. You would not have
to record a transfer of those rights back to you as you
normally would, which can sometimes be difficult and
time-consuming.
Do what feels best for your circumstances. To note, when
your book is published it will be copyrighted in your name,
not the publisher's. They are only buying the rights to
publish.
Many publishers, especially children's magazines and
educational publishers, buy all rights to stories and
illustrations. You sell all of your interest in the work and
they can do with it as they please. In some cases, you can
negotiate a limit on those rights such as selling first
printing rights only or you can designate a timeline.
Publisher guidelines usually stipulate if they buy all
rights. Never sign a contract if you have any question about
what exactly you are selling. See the SCBWI Publication
"Copyright Facts for Writers" for more information about
rights.
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Should
I include a cover letter or a query letter with my
manuscript? |
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A query
letter is what you send to find out if there is interest in
your project. Most publishers require a query for a
non-fiction project or novel. Your query should present your
project succinctly, much like the preview you read on the
inside of a book jacket, along with brief information about
your publishing experience, if any. If they ask for a
synopsis, try to outline the story with the crucial points
and main characters only. Show them how the story is unique.
Make them want to see more! For more information and
examples, read the SCBWI publication, "Everything You Wanted
to Know About Queries...But Were Afraid to Query."
A cover letter is what you include with your manuscript and
should not be more than one page. If you have already
queried the editor, you can simply remind them that they
requested to read your manuscript and tell them you look
forward to their response (and let them know if it is
exclusive or multiple). If you did not query first, then
your cover letter should have brief information about the
project and yourself. For a cover or a query, you may
include a resume if it reflects your expertise in the
subject you are writing about and your publishing
experience.
As for email submissions, send those only if you are invited
to do so or if the publisher's guidelines allow them.
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Should
I get someone to illustrate my picture book before I submit
it? |
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Almost
always: no. The editor who purchases your picture book
manuscript or the art director at that publishing house will
ultimately choose the illustrator. Except in rare
circumstances, it is seldom a good idea to collaborate with
an illustrator. Illustrators are better off researching the
market and submitting their portfolios for assignments. You
don't want to illustrate it yourself unless you are a
professional. There is also no need to describe the
illustrations in your submission. If your manuscript doesn't
come to life visually without being explained, then it
probably needs work. If the story needs to be told by the
illustrations, then mention that briefly in your cover
letter. Perhaps include a separate page with annotations for
the illustrations (so titled), but you may not want to
clutter the main manuscript with explanations.
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What
happens to my manuscript submission? Why does it take so
long to hear anything? How long should I wait before
contacting the publisher? |
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If
unsolicited, most manuscripts are first reviewed by a
reader, usually a member of the staff. If he/she doesn't see
potential in your manuscript for their publishing needs,
she/he will return it with a form rejection letter. This
process usually takes two-three months. If your project
makes it past the "first read" then you will wait longer for
an answer. The editor reads it and perhaps shares it with
colleagues. The publisher might want the editor to provide a
P&L (profit and loss) statement projecting how well the book
will sell and what it will cost to produce. They have to
study the other books already scheduled or under
consideration as well as the backlist. Usually if a
manuscript gets this close to a contract, the editor will
notify the author by telephone or email. But not always!
The publisher's guidelines will spell out the average
waiting time but it is usually longer. If it is an exclusive
submission, then you should contact them if you haven't
heard within a few weeks past the estimated time. Or, just
send it elsewhere if you designated how long it would remain
exclusive. If it is a solicited submission, you have more
clout to follow up on the status. Email (keep it short!) or
a phone call is perfectly acceptable. Enclosing a stamped
postcard that asks the publisher to let you know the
manuscript was received doesn't work in most cases. Make
sure your phone number and email address are on your cover
letter and hang in there! Some publishers now tell us to
wait X number of months, then move on. They no longer return
rejected material. Keep up with current guidelines.
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An
editor wrote that she saw promise in my manuscript but wants
me to revise it. What should I do? |
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"Revision
is like wrestling with a demon, for almost anyone can write;
but only writers know how to rewrite. It is this ability
alone that turns the amateur into a professional." --
William Knott.
Keep in mind that a request for a revision not a promise of
a contract. You might revise an entire novel and it is
ultimately rejected. It's your call. Do you think the
comments will make a better story? Then consider taking the
suggestions to heart and revising. When you've received
approval from your critique group, send it back to the
editor who requested the revision and remind her that she
asked to see a revision. If she still turns it down, you
might have a better chance with it elsewhere.
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My manuscript has been making the rounds for a year, and
still no sale. What now? |
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It is
frustrating when you see books like yours being published
and receiving critical acclaim while your 9x12 envelopes
keep coming back. There are multitudes of possible factors
that are in play. Maybe the idea has been done too often too
recently, or it's too trendy or outdated, or the current
market is "soft." Perhaps you haven't clicked with the right
editor, yet.
However you don't want to make the mistake of spending more
energy trying to get published than trying to become a
better writer. Perhaps it is time to look at your manuscript
again and consider revision, especially if the rejections
are all form letters. Maybe it's been a long time since
you've even read it and meanwhile, you've read lots of
contemporary books of the same type and you've been writing
lots of new stories and shared them with your critique
group. Look at this returned manuscript with fresh eyes. If
you don't know what to do with it, put it away for now and
move on. Chances are your newer projects are better than the
first. That is what usually happens with time and
dedication. You might find that your tenth book will be the
first to sell, then you can go back and revise the previous
nine and sell them as well.
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Would it help if I got an agent? |
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Though
you don't need an agent to submit to many publishers, many
other publishers only accept agented material. However
finding a good agent can be as difficult as finding a
publisher. Many will not be interested in you until you have
a contract offer, but others are actively seeking
unpublished clients. Agencies accepting new clients can be
found in the SCBWI "Agents Directory" for members.
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What about self-publishing, print-on-demand books and
eBooks? |
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For some
writers, self-publishing is a good way to go. But, you don't
want to spend your life savings on a book that isn't ready
to be published. For more information on self-publishing,
read the SCBWI Publication, "The Self-Publishing Option:
Creating Books to Suit Your Needs." It covers many of the
ins and outs of self-publishing, and can help you determine
if it's the right course for you.
Some publishers offer to publish your book but want you to
either pay some or all of the expenses or find a sponsor to
pay for many of the costs. They might offer to publish your
book "for free" but their basic package is usually not the
best representation of your work so you wind up paying for
"extras." These publishers are called subsidy or vanity
publishers. If you are willing to pay to publish your own
writing, then consider self-publishing and educate yourself
on all the options.
Print-On-Demand (POD) books and eBooks are fairly new to the
market and for some authors and illustrators, can be a
viable option IF they are non-subsidy publishers that pay a
royalty. Information about them will be covered in the
upcoming SCBWI Publication, "EBooks and PODs, the World of
Electronic Publishing." As for posting your writing on an
online message board in hopes an editor might wander by and
discover you, this is not recommended. Though your work is
protected by copyright, it is much easier to pirate a story
that is displayed free on the Internet. Editors don't have
time to search for stories, and these boards are known to
attract unscrupulous vanity publishers and dishonest
agencies.
Whatever method of publishing you choose, remember, when you
put your work out there for the world to see, it is your
name that is on the line.
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How much money will I make on my first book? |
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Writing
for the children's book market is seldom lucrative
especially with a first book. Though there are always
exceptions, for a 32 page picture book, you might expect to
split an $8,000-$12,000 advance with the illustrator (the
illustrator usually receives a larger advance than the
author), then each of you will get 3.5%-6% royalties against
your advance (your advance must be earned back before you
receive any royalties). Most picture books sell from
5,000-10,000 copies in hardcover and go out of print within
two years. Few picture books go into paperback. Easy readers
are about the same. The royalties are not split on a novel,
so you could receive approximately a $5,000-$8,000 advance
against 7-10% royalties. Royalties are usually based on the
retail price of the book, however some publishers use a
percentage of "net price" which is the price of the book
after their discounts and/or expenses are figured in. Read
your contract very carefully and get advice on the things
you don't understand. Compensation for magazine articles
varies widely depending on the publication, its circulation
and the type of piece being submitted, but payment usually
ranges between $25 - $500. Though not as lucrative,
magazines are a great way to build your writing/illustrating
credentials and gain publishing experience. Authors and
illustrators also supplement their income by doing workshops
and school visits.
Ultimately, children's book writers, illustrators and
editors work together to create a very special world for
children. Though it is the adult who writes, illustrates,
chooses, edits, markets, sells and buys the stories, it is
all about the child who reads them. Respect your readers,
make them want to turn the pages, and you'll be on your way!
©2006 Society
of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators
all rights reserved
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