It’s “Ask Laura” Week: What About Activity Books?
Dear Laura,
My dream has always been to one day become a best-selling author. I’m considering writing children’s books and I think I have a pretty unique story idea for a children’s book series that will have a wide appeal for children of all ages. I’m considering ideas on how to make my book more fun and interactive for kids, and I was wondering if you have any opinions on sticker books or books with reuseable stickers?
There are several things to consider when creating a book with some sort of activity or toy attached. First of all, the majority of children’s book sales go to schools and libraries. These markets are less likely to buy a book that includes something like stickers (even reusable stickers), because they’ll get lost or damaged easily. Also, any kind of novelty book is more expensive to produce, so a publisher may be reluctant to invest that kind of money in an unknown author.
But that doesn’t mean it can’t be done. If your idea is very unique, and the merchandise portion of the book isn’t too expensive (stickers are cheaper to produce than a toy), you have a better chance. You should focus on publishers who do novelty books. Go to a large bookstore and look at the racks of novelty books in the nonfiction section. Find publishers who have books that fit the format you’re envisioning, or who have titles that would appeal to the same market as your book. You want your book to easily fit in with a publisher’s existing list. If you target publishers who already do novelty books, the production details won’t be a hindrance to getting your manuscript accepted.
After finding several potential publishers, either go to their web sites, or look in Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market for submission guidelines. In most cases, the publisher will want a query letter describing your project, the target market, the existing competition for your book (do some research on Amazon.com to see if anything like your book already exists), and how your book is different from other similar titles.
Laura Backes, Publisher
Children’s Book Insider, the Newsletter for Children’s Writers
October 20th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
Lordie, I relate to having a specific project-dream, and I relate to the desire to see it through… And, I really gotta believe we must FIRST write from the heart, and THEN review for the eyes of the market… If we don’t write what we love, it will show.