I know there have been an awful lot of “Ask the…” threads lately, but I thought I’d join the bandwagon. People’s ears always seem to perk up when they hear I work in children’s books, and with so many talented writers on this board, I thought someone might be interested. So: anything anyone wants to know about children’s book publishing?
What’s your mailing address?
But seriously, folks…
I am writing a children’s book as we speak and would love to know… well, everything… about the children’s book publishing industry.
Okay, here’s an actual question: How much of an obstacle is it to live somewhere other than New York, Chicago, etc. when you’re trying to break in to writing? (I’m in Dallas.) Can it be done from here, or is there simply no substitute for coming to (e.g.) NYC?
This is totally OT, but I remember awhile back you said that a relative of yours, perhaps your father, is a prominent medievalist. I had been meaning to ask you who this relative is. If you don’t mind answering privately, my email is in my profile.
Cool! This is a really wild coincidence, as I’ve been thinking about writing and illustrating a children’s book. Here are some questions I’ve got.
How much of the artwork should I do in advance? Since I’ve never done a children’s book before, and thus don’t have a relationship with any editors (wink, wink!), I’m thinking I’ll probably have to paint up the finished product, make color copies and send them with the proposed text to all the appropriate publishers in here (I know you guys just love those unsolicited submissions). Or, do you think it a better idea to just send a sketched rough draft and maybe a color-key, just in case the editor proposes changes?
Also, since I want to do the layout horizontal, are there any preferred standard sizes for horizontal pages, ie: 9"x13", etc?
Thanks!
One last thing! Does the editor determine what stuff is age-appropriate? Content-wise I mean.
Any jobs open at your place?
As an active medievalist myself, I would like to second Maeglin’s request.
On topic, do children’s books publishers prefer stories that include artwork, or do they prefer to match stories with illustrators they have already worked with?
Just what does a book editor do?
Do you give the OK to publish something?
Do you tell writers to change plot points or character traits or do you just correct grammer and spelling?
How does a book get submitted to the publisher? From an agent or striaght from the writer?
What are the catagories of children books?
I know there are picture books for non-reading childre and pre-school and then there is young adult books like Potter. What are other catagories and what do these and those catagories mean?
Which of those area easiest to be published in?
I do freelance proof reading for the company that publishes the Dummies series (Computers For Dummies, that sort of thing). How is the job market in the children’s book arena for my line of work? Any suggestions on where to begin?
Thanks! Interesting thread!
Best,
karol
I’m a composer, and I have about five songs that I want to use for a children’s/family musical (I mean obviously I will write more, but this is what I have so far). I’m kind of looking for something along the lines of You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown or Once Upon a Mattress or something. Are there any websites or connection methods you can recommend for me to find a lyricist/librettist? Or are there any interested Dopers?
I have two children’s books written ( naturally, they are both superb.) however, my artwork is zero.
Is it the writer that finds the illustrator or the editor. ( Please let it be the latter.)
Where would be the best place to send them off too?
( One is for children who are about to have a new sibling arrive into their lives. The other is for a sibling that is dealing with a perfect life with her parents until the *twins * arrive and ruin everything. )
My hubby has some books from when he was younger. The book I have a question on is Freddy the Cowboy. This series of childrens books are about Freddy the pig and his adventures. I have not read them, but I was looking through it and on the inside about 2 pages in is an illustration of Freddy the pig pointing a gun at a man (it is just a squirt gun) and the caption under it says “He squirted the entire contents of the pistol into the mans face”. I believe the book was written in the 50’s and is illustrated by Kurt Wiese. I thought that even though this was a toy gun, it is in poor taste to show this in a kids books. Why would they do that? Or am I overeacting?
What should I include in a cover letter? I have a manuscript ready. It could be a 32 page children’s book. I have a breif summery, what else?
Do you get asked these questions over and over and over at cocktail parties?
(Because God knows I’d be asking them if I met you at a cocktail party and heard what you do for a living. All the kids’ books I’ve written thus far have been work-for hire, and I have no idea how to make the jump into the trades.)
Did you ever see that “Kids In The Hall” sketch with Kevin McDonald as the writer who desperately wants to write hard-boiled detective fiction, but eventually has to give into the reality that his true talent lies in children’s stories? I thought it was a really funny sketch.
Jesus, you are one brave man Alto. Very brave.
Ashkicker, don’t hold today’s editors responsible for what got published decades ago.
I’ve got a question for all you lot – what is the fascination with children’s writing? Why are you interested? Do you see it as an easy way into writing or is it an interesting field in itself?
I like children’s books because they tend to have illustrations, and are much simpler and more direct in their storytelling. They are almost always vibrantly entertaining, and don’t get bogged down in issues or attemtping to emulate a realism that can be kind of off-putting.
They just zing.
Wow, a lot of questions! This may take me a little while, because I can only come on line during my lunch break…but I’ll be back at noon to start answering.
I don’t think I want to do business on the board…but any one who wants can email my privately. My address is in my profile.
Living outside NY is really no problem at all. Considerably less than half our authors live hear. Virtually all submissions are done by mail–if someone just showed up at the office with a manuscript, we’d ask them to leave it off and look at it later. Most editing can be done by mail, email, or phone. Of course it’s nice if you can come in (and we’d usually give you lunch) but it’s not necessary.
It’s a little more useful for an artist to live nearby or be able to visit the city, because most presses have a day when you can leave off your portfolio and the art director will look at it. That way we get to see your actual artwork. If you submit by mail, we would only see a color xerox, because you NEVER SUBMIT ORIGINAL ARTWORK BY MAIL. (Too dangerous for the artwork, and we don’t want the responsibility.)
The written manuscript comes before the artwork, and manuscripts and art are usually considered separately. You should type up your manuscript separately and include the text-only version in your submission. If you hope to illustrate it yourself, you can send in copies of a few finished pieces. If the manuscript is accepted, it will probably change somewhat during the editing process. The art director and your editor will want to go over the sketches with you to help shape the final book. Artwork you’ve made previously will probably no longer work.
You also want to consider how determined you are to write AND illustrate your book. Sometimes we’ll be interested in a manuscript but not the art that goes with it, and you might receive an offer for the manuscript to be published with art by someone else. Or are you primarily interested in illustrating books? In that case you might want to send your work to art directors rather than editors, and they will consider you as an illustrator for other authors’s books.
By the way, the decision about who will illustrate a book is made by the art director and editor, not by the author. You do not need to find an illustrator in order to submit a manuscript–in fact it’s a bad idea. If you’re absolutely convinced you know the perfect illustrator, you can enclose a few samples and mention that you were thinking about this person as an illustrator. But probably if your manuscript is accepted, you’ll end up with a different illustrator anyway.
A book can be done in any trim size, but there are standard trims that are cheaper, e.g. 10 x 8. But it’s far too soon to be considering final trim sizes before something is accepted.
You should certainly keep in mind while working that you are writing for children, not adults–one of the things an editor considers when looking at a submission is whether there is an audience for it. But you don’t need to worry overmuch whether a specific scene or phrase is appropriate. Questions like that will be considered during the editorial process.