How do I get a Children's book published when I'm basically a child myself at 13?

Question

I'm 13, but I want to be an author. I wrote a story and I want it published. Now! Not to be rude.

Answer 1

You can self publish on the Internet. Try this site.


http://www.lulu.com

MERRY CHRISTMAS and have a nice day.

Thank you very much, while you're up.

Answer 2

Not to be rude, but sometimes every story you write doesn't get published.
Have you contacted any publishers? There is a very good book (it should be in the public library)called Writers Market, that lists something like 3,000 different publishers and tells you exactly what the requirements are for each publisher - what kind of stories or books they like to published, how long they should be, etc.
Pick your publisher and send them a query letter. That means you tell them something like "When Jake Marshall work up, he couldn't figure out why a tiger was sitting at the foot of his bed."
Jake is the son of an African tourist guide, and the tiger was was one of a series of strange animals his father had brought home.
How Jake deals with the tiger, and other problems, is detailed in "Tiger Tails" - a 3,000 word book designed for pre-teen readers."
Then you write a self addressed envelope, put a stamp on it (it's referred to as an SASE) and send it to the publisher of your choice. They read it and either decide it sounds like it might be interesting, or realize their last six books were about tigers and decide they don't want to know about it. Either way, they use the SASE to tell you what they decided. If they like the idea, they'll ask you to send your manuscript, and that's what you do.
You might want to start off writing something for a magazine. It's much easier than writing a whole book, and magazine publishers are listed in Writers Market too. If you've sold a few magazine stories, it helps you to get a book publisher to take you seriously.
Anyway, hope these suggestions help.
Merry Christmas.

Answer 3

Is it a children's picture book type or a novel style book? Because I have a feeling that there is a VERY slim chance of a 13 year old publishing a picture book, just because of the way that they are written and such- they can't use them to attract other young adult readers. However, if you send a novel type story to enough publishers, one might pick it up especially because of your age- it gets good press to publish a by-a-kid-for-a-kid book. However, NOW probably is not going to happen, unless you self publish.

Answer 4

This is a cut and paste of a similar question I answered last night - I hope it helps you as well.
I doubt that you are going to be published or sell a screen play at eleven. However, that said, I totally understand your drive and desire. I am a novelist - I have six books published. I started writing when I was in second grade. Naturally I wasn't very good, but you know how practice makes perfect? It took me another thirty years to publish, but I kept writing and getting better that whole time. My advice is to continue writing. Take every class you can. Listen to criticism and take it to heart - it's really hard, because you want to think your work is perfect, but if you are going to be a real writer this is one of the most important things you can learn. Read constantly - not crap, but well written books in the genre in which you are interested. Your parents or teachers might help you put together a reading list. Be willing to rewrite and rewrite and rewrite. Research writers' conferences in your area and ask your parents to send you to one for your birthday. Think of it as you would think of being a basketball player - you are probably not going to be at the top of your game when you are eleven, but all the work and practice that you put in when you were eleven will get you that scholarship down the road. Good luck to you and keep writing!

Eventually, if you stick to it, you will have to hook up with an agent (that's where writers' conferences come into the picture!) who will sell your books to a publishing house.

Also, you might want to look at a 2007 Children's Writers' and Illustrators Market ( a book you can check out from the library or request for Christmas). It will list magazines that are open to submissions from younger writers. Submitting shorter pieces is an excellant way to practice and get better.

Good luck! Keep writing!

Answer 5

I have the same problem (I'm 13 too). Enter contests and send the manuscript out to different publishers. It is a lot easier to publish when you are 13 rather than younger, because that is a lot of the time the mandatory entry age.

Answer 6

There is no definite way to have your book accepted by a publisher regardless of how well written it is. However, I do recommend checking out Poets and Writers magazine's classified section at www.pw.org. This section always has publishers looking for new books.

Regardless of how difficult it is to getting a publisher to publish a book you can always resort to self-publication. Many well know authors have resorted to this technique. Further, current technology makes this choice a far less costly and emotionally difficult course to take.

It used to be that if you published your own book, you paid for having 5,000 copies printed and tried to sell them. What usually happened is that you ended up giving them away as Christmas presents, funerals, etc., and having abut 4,900 copies left molding in the basement when you give up writing.

Now, there is print on demand publishing, and anyone can have their book printed at essentially no financial or emotional cost. In this light, I recommend taking a look at www.cafepress.com.

Cafepress is a print on demand company where you can offer everything from buttons to t-shirts to books that you write.

Each person doing business with cafepress is given a "store". If you offer a single item, such as a book, there is no charge to run your store. If you offer numerous items, it's about $5 per month to maintain your store.

Cafepress creates the button, book, t-shirt, greeting cards, etc. when an order is placed, ships it, bills it, and sends you a check for your sales. They have a set base price for an item, and you charge above that for whatever profit you want to make. For a book, they have a base price of so many cents per page. Advertising your store is up to you.

My wife and I have a store at cafepress, and you're welcome to check it out at: www.cafepress.com. Our store is called earthmoonmars.

Answer 7

Make about ten copies of your manuscript and send it off to ten different publishers. If one of them likes your work they will contact you to tell you so. If all of them are rejected do not get discouraged, just send it off to ten other publishers. I just read a book where this one author who shall remain nameless for now, was rejected by thirty different publishing houses and self-published his own written story. He had 7,000 copies printed and took them to book stores and had them placed about ten to a hundred copies placed in the different bookstores. After about a year a major publisher just happened into one of the stores, bought the book and then contacted him and now he is world-famous thriller writer. From there he has branched out to writing TV scripts and movie scripts. Good luck and don't worry about your age. If your writing is good, the publishers will tell you and they may even give you ways to improve on your work.

Answer 8

Check out www.writing-world.com it has alot of contests and listing of places that take freelance work. Try to get published in magazines or win a few contests first. Most book publishers are interested in people who have been proven successful. It also builds self confidence to see your name in print..good luck
Also have your parents get you a subscription to Writers Digest it is a great magazine..

Answer 9

You need to submit the book to a publisher. You have to follow their rules in how you submit it. Get a copy of Writers Digest and follow the rules.

Answer 10

Write your book, have an adult proof it for spelling and grammar as best you can, save it on your PC, make copies and have an adult contact A LOT of publishing companies. Good luck!!

Answer 11

you should enter yourself into a short story contest. that could give you a chance to be known. I'm pretty sure that editors, publisher, and authours judge those sort of events.

I think. :)

I know how you feel though. I LOVE writing. (joined english honours this year @ school)