Children’s Writing Web Journal

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Interested in learning how to write a book and send it to children’s book publishers? Come on over to The CBI Clubhouse for audios, videos, insider writing tips and much, much more!

Sure, it’s aggravating. You work tirelessly on your manuscript, revise, re-write and revise again. You send it off to publishers and get a mailbox full of rejections. Meanwhile, some pop star or ballplayer gets a big money deal to write a children’s book without lifting a finger.

Well, that’s the way the world works. No need to get down about it. Just get to work. Non-celebrities get book deals every day. Here’s how you can do the same.

Step 1: Master the Rules.

If you’re not famous, your manuscript or query letter takes the same route as the rest of the non-celebrities. It gets dropped, as part of a huge pile, on the desk of an overorked, underpaid, editorial assistant (or a freelance reader). Her job is to dig through the pile of dross and find a few nuggets of gold, and then pass them on to an equally overworked and underpaid editor. The editor then reads through the smaller pile, pulls out the submissions that catch her eye, and brings them to an editorial meeting. If the general consensus is “yes, this is a book we want to publish”, you’re on your way to partying it up with Madonna in the special “Children’s Writers’ VIP Lounge” at the Viper Room.

Buried in that timeline is a bit of bad news and a bit of good news. First the bad news: The editorial assistant weeds out up to 95% of the submissions that arrive. In other words, the vast majority of submissions to a publishing house never even make it in front of a person in a position to publish it. Why not? They may, of course, simply be awful submissions, laden with poor grammar, misspellings and hackneyed writing. They may be the obvious work of amateurs, handwritten on lined paper with childish drawings. Or, and this is where there’s some hope, they may simply get turned down because they’re the less obvious work of amateurs.

More subtle things, such as using single spacing rather that double spacing, or a manuscript whose word count is out of whack with the “norm” is sometimes all it takes for an EA to say “Beginner”. Rejection.”

So here’s the good news: simply by picking up the specific, but not wildly arcane, rules of children’s publishing, you can leapfrog over the madding crowd. When an EA or reader reads a manuscript that comes from someone who clearly knows how it’s done, they’re far more likely to give it a fair reading, and far less squeamish about passing it on to the boss.

So how do you learn the rules? Visit http://cbiclubhouse.com and have a look at the resources available there.

Step 2: Write to the Publisher’s Needs.

The problem with most aspiring children’s book writers is that they have a specific idea from which they won’t budge. To be honest, it’s usually a pretty dumb idea and, even if it’s halfway decent, chances are it’s been done many times already. Look, I know your dream is to write that book about the talking dish sponge and his sinkside pals, but put the dream on hold for a bit. The absolute best way to get published is to figure out what publishers want - and give it to them.

Here’s an example: Schools desperately need fiction and nonfiction books that integrate into curricula. Publishers, thus, are desperate to provide said books, as schools are big and dependable customers who are likely to buy directly from the publisher, giving even a better profit margin.

And you’re response to this is..? Hopefully, it’s “Hey, I’m gonna write some books that tie in with school curricula!”

This is just one example - publishers have all sorts of often unglamorous niches they need filled. How to find out? Send for their guidelines and catalog. Often, they’re quite explicit about their needs, other times you need to read between the lines of the catalog to figure it out. But the answer is usually there.

And, seriously, let’s see Brad Pitt try to write an exciting thriller about the passage of the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act.

Step 3: Learn to Write a Great Query Letter.

Your query letter (used if you’re sending a few sample chapters of a longer manuscript) or cover letter (used to accompany and introduce a complete manuscript) is your chance to really earn the sale. Almost always, it’s a wasted opportunity filled with irrelevance (I’m the mother of four and I’ve always dreamed of writing a children’s book!), pleading (It would mean so much to me to see this book in print!) and ludicrous assertions (Everyone tells me I’m the next J.K. Rowling!).

A good query letter is basically this: a powerful sales letter meant to convince a publisher that it is in its best interests to publish your book. Essentially, you need to tell them that your manuscript fits their needs and will sell to their current market and will expand into new markets. Tell them, specifically, how you will be able to deliver readers (e.g. I have a weekly blog read by more than 20,000 parents and my website attracts 60,000 visitors a month) and how there is a defined need for your book and how you will reach the target customers (e.g. There are over a half million foster children in America. These children, their foster parents and foster siblings need books like mine to help make sense of their situations. I will promote my book directly to them through organizations, conferences, newsletters and websites.)

To succeed in publishing, you must strip away the romantic nonsense you’ve been brought up with and see things as they are. Children’s books aren’t published by magical elves. They’re published by business people (albeit, business people who, thankfully, often genuinely love the books they publish). Display to an editor that your book will be an artistic and financial success and you’re taking a big step in the right direction. For much more on writing a great query letter, go to http://www.write4kids.com/query.html To learn about a collection of actual query letters from children’s authors that you can use for models, go to http://www.write4kids.com/a2e.html.

Step 4: Write to an Underserved Existing Market.

Sometimes the concept of writing to a publisher’s needs can be turned on its head. Perhaps there’s a sizeable, wonderful market that no one is serving and you can convince a publisher that its just the one to serve it. It could be anything - children of interracial marriage, girls who like jazz, boys who play piano, American kids who dig the game of cricket - if there are enough of them out there and are too few books for them to read, you may very well be introducing a publisher to a potentially lucrative market.

Do your research. Talk to trade associations, government experts, owners of websites that serve specific markets or anyone else who can give you some supporting backup on the size of your target group. Search Books in Print for already existing titles that target the group. Speak with librarians and booksellers to get their viewpoint on needs. And include it all in a great query letter.

Step 5: Listen to the Pros.

There’s no need to go it alone. Take the time (and spend a few bucks) to listen to others who have made the journey. Writing conferences, workshops (visit http://wemakewriters.com for an excellent one), books and newsletters (such as Children’s Book Insider — write4kids.com/aboutcbi.html) can dramatically increase your chances of getting published by helping you avoid typical mistakes and pitfalls. An eBook such as I Wish Someone Had Told Me That: 64 Successful Children’s Authors Give You the Advice They Wish Someone Had Given Them (http://write4kids.com/wishbook.html) is a great example of this sort of instruction. Pay heed to the voices of experience!

Laura Backes is the publisher of Children’s Book Insider, the Newsletter for Children’s Writers. For more information about how to write children’s books, including free articles, market tips, insider secrets and much more, visit Children’s Book Insider’s home on the web at http://write4kids.com and the CBI Clubhouse at http://cbiclubhouse.com

You’re developing your craft, learning how to write a strong novel or intriguing non-fiction book. That’s good. But as much as you enjoy the writing itself, you’d really like to get paid for it. So what can you expect once you score that first book contract or magazine article?

* How Writers Get Paid

Authors are paid in one of two ways: in a percentage of the price of each book sold (known as a royalty), or with a onetime lump sum (flat fee). Here’s how each one works:

The royalty is specified in your contract and varies by publisher, but a common royalty rate is 10% for hardcover sales and 6%-8% for paperback. Traditionally, publishers paid the royalty on the actual retail price, but more publishers are moving to paying royalties on the net price, or the amount they actually receive from bookstores (stores purchase books from publishers at a 30%-50% discount). Though getting paid on retail versus net price is generally not negotiable, you can sometimes get a slightly higher royalty if you ask.

Most publishers pay the author an advance against future royalties. The author receives half the advance on signing of the contract, and half when the final manuscript is delivered. If you’re getting a 10% royalty on the retail price of a $10 book, and your advance is $3000, then once your book is published it needs to sell 3000 copies before you’ll start receiving additional royalty checks. If the book never “earns back” the advance (selling less than 3000 copies), it’s the publisher’s loss. Of course, the publisher is hoping that your book will earn much more.

The size of the advance is typically determined by estimating how much royalty the author would get on the book’s first printing. For a first-time author, the advance may be lower (because the author doesn’t have a track record and so the publisher isn’t be guaranteed a certain number of sales). Authors with an established following may command a larger advance because they have a built-in audience.

New authors always want to know the numbers: Exactly how much of an advance can they expect for a picture book or a middle grade novel? Unfortunately, there’s no easy answer. A small publisher may not have the resources to lay out more than a few hundred dollars up front, but might be willing to give a higher royalty. A first-time author is always a risk for any publisher, and so the advance paid will be lower than for a second or third book. But remember that the advance is really just a payment on future royalties; if your book sells well, you’ll get the money in the long run.

You also need to understand that for a picture book, the advance and royalty are split between the author and illustrator. So if you write the text but don’t create the pictures, you’ll get one-half the royalty (5%) and one-half the advance. For books that feature only a few black-and-white illustrations, the author gets most if not all of the royalty, and the illustrator is paid separately.

A flat fee means you’ll be paid one lump sum for your book, and you won’t earn any royalties. If you’re one of several authors writing a book for an established series, if you’re creating content for a book packager who does mass market series titles produced under one pseudonym, or if you’re hired to write a movie tie-in novel or work with licensed characters, you’ll likely be paid in a flat fee. The copyright may be in your name or that of the publisher’s. While it’s always nice to get royalties, flat fees may provide you with more money in one lump sum, and many authors take these kinds of jobs when they’re establishing a name for themselves. Magazines always pay in flat fees.

* If My Books Sells for $16, Why Do I Only Get $1.60?

Believe it or not, the children’s book publisher doesn’t make $14.40 profit on a $16 book. A small portion of the publisher’s overhead is paid by each book sold. A large group of people will work on your book: the editor, copyeditor, proof-reader, managing editor, art director, production manager, marketing department, sales staff and subsidiary rights (not to mention all their assistants), and everyone gets a salary. Your book needs to be printed (most likely overseas, especially if it’s a picture book) and shipped to stores. Publicity efforts can include sending out review copies (which come out of the publisher’s pocket), printing up posters or bookmarks, buying ads in review journals, creating and online presence and sending the sales staff to book conventions. Your book has to justify all these expenses, and still offer something left over for the publisher.

Laura Backes publishes Children’s Book Insider, the Newsletter for Children’s Book Writers. Want to learn how to write children’s books? Come hang with the Fightin’ Bookworms at http://cbiclubhouse.com Whether is writing picture books, chapter books, young adult novels, finding children’s book publishers — or anything else — you’ll find all the answers at the CBI Clubhouse!

Authors know the power of giving out freebies to promote their books. Bookmarks, stickers and the like are a great way to spread the word. The problem is getting the stuff in the hands of enough children, teachers and parents to make a difference. 

Here’s the solution: “freebie” websites. These sites list offers of free goodies for a variety of audiences, and are excellent places for authors to be listed. 

Here are some links to get you started: 

Freebies for Teachers
Freebies for Parents
Freebies for Kids 

You can either offer your freebies by mail (request that folks include a self-addressed stamped envelope to defray your costs) or, if it’s a bookmark or other paper item, perhaps you can offer it online in PDF format. That way, you can also get more traffic to your website! 

Interested in writing stories and sending them to children’s book publishers? Come on over to The CBI Clubhouse for audios, videos, insider writing tips and much, much more!

Whether you write picture books or young adult, the key information you need to locate and target a children’s book publisher for your manuscript is a click away. Here’s where to find it…..

1. The “At Presstime” section of each issue of Children’s Book Insider. If a publisher shows up in our newsletter, it means they’re taking unsolicited submissions. (Or, at least they were when we contacted them. Things do keep changing…..)

2. The Children’s Book Council members page. Gives age range, genre information and titles published for CBC member companies. http://www.cbcbooks.org/about/ourmembers.aspx

3. Bookmarket.com’s Publisher Listing Page. John Kremer’s superb site offers a detailed list of children’s publishers, with contact info, genres published, web links and more. http://www.bookmarket.com. From the homepage, scroll down to “Book Publishers for Authors” to see all the lists available.

4. Jacketflap.com All writers should check out this wonderful free resource. One notable feature: a massive database of children’s publishers with very detailed information. http://www.jacketflap.com

One important note: There’s no guarantee that any particular web listing is fully up to date or 100% accurate. Our advice: Once you’ve identified a publisher that interests you, visit its website to get the latest guidelines. Don’t simply depend on the information included in the listing. Consider these free lists as your starting point.

Happy hunting!

Entering writing contests is a great way to get your foot in the publishing door.  To help you get started, here are some useful links:

http://www.bauuinstitute.com/Marketing/BookAwardsList.html

http://www.freelancewriting.com/writing-contests.php

http://www.pw.org/grants?apage=*

Ten Tips for Contest Entries By Jan Fields

For writing tips and more information about writing for children, visit The CBI Clubhouse - Home of the Fightin’ Bookworms!

(Note: the following is excerpted from our acclaimed eBook Improving the Odds, Insider Secrets that Can Help You Get Published! by CBI Publisher Laura Backes.  To read another excerpt and get more information about this eBook, visit http://write4kids.com/odds.html)

Here’s a fascinating question I received a while back. It brings up an interesting dilemma faced by writers who receive personal (as opposed to form) rejection letters.

Although getting a rejection letter is no fun –even if it’s directly from an editor who clearly enjoyed your work — you’ve actually established something quite important: a relationship with a real live editor.

Here’s how I advised one writer about taking advantage of this great opportunity:

Hi Laura,

I seem to have clawed my way to the near the top of the slush pile; I am now receiving signed, personalized rejection letters rather than photocopied forms. Several of the letters have included favorable comments, but so far I have received no suggestions for revisions of the manuscripts, or requests that I do so. My question is, if I revise the manuscript substantially, can I send it back to the same editors again? Or does ‘no’ mean ‘no, no, never, never’?

In publishing (unlike the rest of the world) being rejected “personally” is much better than being rejected anonymously. It’s frustrating, though, if the editor doesn’t tell you why your manuscript was rejected (that’s up to you and your writers group to figure out). If the editor doesn’t specifically say she wants to see the manuscript again, then “no” means “no”. However, she may say she’d like to see other manuscripts from you. If that’s the case, be sure to send her something else, and remind her in your cover letter that she requested another story. Even if she didn’t mention seeing more work, I’d still send her another manuscript (provided it’s the kind of thing that publisher is looking for) and in your cover letter thank her for taking the time to respond personally to your previous submission, and say “Here’s something else I thought you might like.” Forming a relationship with an editor now can often lead to a sale later.

For writing tips and more information about writing for children, visit The CBI Clubhouse - Home of the Fightin’ Bookworms!

We get lots of e-mails from writers with questions, and we do our best to answer as many as possible.  Here’s a sampling of some common questions, along with responses from Children’s Book Insider Editor Laura Backes….

Q: What are the qualities that make a memorable picture book?

A: Many things make a picture book memorable. Well-defined characters with which young children can identity, and who have a problem or goal that young children can understand and find important. A well-paced plot that inspires the child to turn the page and see what happens next. Lyrical, rhythmic text that sounds appealing when read out loud. Engaging illustrations that contain details not found in the text, and also add another layer to the story. And finally, an original, imaginative story that the child, parent and editor haven’t seen before!

If you think about your favorite books from your own childhood, they are probably stories that made you feel something: wonder, joy, excitement, surprise, or even sadness. Those stories that speak directly to a child’s emotions are always the most memorable.

Q: I am considering submitting to a publisher who requests a cover letter, full manuscript and information on my personal/professional background. Would this personal/professional info. be included in a cover letter or in a resume? Also, I don’t have recent professional experience as I am currently a homemaker. Do I state this or only include my previous professional experience (which does not relate to writing though does relate to children)?

The personal/professional information would be presented in a short paragraph in your cover letter. Any professional experience that relates to writing or children can be included. If you were formerly a teacher, for example, that’s relevant. If you’ve been published but it was for the adult market, I believe you can still include that information in your cover letter. However, if you’re unpublished but a member of a writing organization such as the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators, this information would be of interest to an editor. If you’re without experience, don’t worry about it. Simply skip this paragraph.

For much more information about writing children’s books, visit the Home of the Fightin’ Bookworms - http://cbiclubhouse.com

HarperCollins UK’s Fiday Project is offering authors of certain electronic-only books “profit share” contracts “in which profits from each book are split equally between publisher and author”.    Keep an eye on this — it could foretell a future in which, shorn of printing and distrbution costs, publishers will be compelled to offer far better contracts to compete with entrepreneurial ePublishers.

Here’s the link to the story:  http://www.bookbrunch.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=977&Itemid=97

Also, here’s an interesting piece about the potential for digital children’s books:  http://www.columbian.com/article/20090105/LIVING/701059994

Live from Denver, it’s the announcement of this year’s Newbery and Caldecott recipients.

The action begins at 7:45 AM Mountain Time on Monday morning.  Here’s where to take it all in:

http://ala.unikron.com/

UPDATE:  If that feed is full, you can get the results instantly by following this Twitter page:

http://twitter.com/ALAyma