How do I get a children's picture book published?

Question

I've written a really great picture book (could also illustrate it). It would be for children from 1 to 6 yearsd old.
With a non-existant budget and no agent, how would I go about having the book examined for publication?

Answer 1

It depends on what you want from the book. If it is a pet project for you and your family, self-publishing is okay, and on-demand is almost ideal. If what you want is to make a serious attempt at making money on the book, get a "Writer's Market" and "Children's Writer's and Illustrator's Market" and dig in.

I've been doing searches for publishers, and there are many on line. Let me find a link to a blog entry about some of the options and post it in an edit.

Good luck.
edit - Look for the entry titled "drowning in minutia," August 21.
http://bookbindingyear.blogspot.com/

Also, I just added a set of links to the blog...not a complete list by any stretch. I followed the lead given by cardgirl2, and I wanted to second it - THANK YOU CARDGIRL2.
http://www.writeandpublishyourbook.com/Publishing/Working-with-Publishers/How-to-Publish-a-Book-Process/
Toward the bottom are some items for children's book writers and illustrators. Good luck to all here!

Answer 2

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
How do I get a children's picture book published?
I've written a really great picture book (could also illustrate it). It would be for children from 1 to 6 yearsd old.
With a non-existant budget and no agent, how would I go about having the book examined for publication?

Answer 3

With a brother who is an author and illustrator of children's books, it is the most difficult field to break into. My brother is very successful now, but it took him 30 years of hard work to be recognized by the industry.

If you send your story line and illustrations to a book publisher (say Random House) they will throw it right in the garbage. (A Pity) but the truth. You have to get an agent. You can publish it yourself. go to writeandpublishyourbook.com. and see what advice they have for you. Another thing you can do is to ask permission from your local elementery school and ask if you could read your children's book to the kindergarten kids. That would give the book some exposure.

You could send a query to Random House about your book and include illustrations. Do not send manuscript. A query describes your story line.

Are you familiar with "The Magic Tree House Series"? by Mary Pope Osbourne? My brother is the illustrator of that very popular series of kid's books by Random House. Look it up on the internet. They are going to celebrate the 25th anniversary of this popular kid's book. It made Mrs. Osbourne a very rich lady and my brother quite comfortable too.

I wish you well. If you have the will and determination and not get discouraged when you get turned down, go for it and maybe you will be one of the lucky kid's book authors who makes it.

Answer 4

When I went to get published, I went to www.outskirtspress.com. The are well-priced, YOU keep the rights to your book, and you have hands on input all the way.
They're really worth taking a look into.

Their children's book section (http://www.outskirtspress.com/childrenpublishing.php) will help you publish your children's book, into a paperback, for about $1,000. I know this sound like a LOT, but it includes:
*a unique ISBN
*an EAN barcode
*full-color interior formatting
*a full-color cover
*professional and durable perfect bound binding for lengths higher than 48 pages
*professional saddle-stitched binding for book lengths less than 48 pages
*high quality CMYK printing
*an author webpage that you can modify 24 hours a day
*distribution via Ingram and Baker & Taylor wholesalers
*listing online with Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Borders, and more

You will have almost daily contact with your author's representative, and they will help you step by step. You even get to choose how much your book will cost and how much of a royalty you want.

Something I discovered, though, they do offer a $499 extra (per year) of having a buy back policy. This means if a bookstore buys 25 cases of books (600+ books), and they decide to return any, you don't get charged for the return. It's like insurance for your book. And, a lot of bookstores won't pick up your book without it.

I have been extremely pleased with Outskirts so far. I think it would be a good idea for you to check them out yourself.

Answer 5

It's a tough call. You do need an agent these days to get anywhere unless you choose to publish it yourself at somewhere like lulu.com.

Send copies to agents in your country of origin and hope for the best - some do get through but the chances of success are around one in ten thousand, I'm afraid.

Answer 6

Well, from what I've seen, you already have to be famous. Can you sing, act or do something else to make you famous. THEN you can publish a children's book, no sweat. Like Madonna.

Can you tell that I'm a (frustrated) aspiring children's book author??

Answer 7

Go to site called the Children's literary agency, they will review your work and if they like it they will maybe sign you. It's just about impossible to get a look in without an agent.

Answer 8

You need to get ahold of Writers Handbook, as they have the names of publishers that will accept unsolicited manuscripts.

As a courtesy, I will give you a website that may be intersted in helping you.

It is tricycle press, the children's division of ten speed press (www.tenspeed.com). Be aware that most publishers will accept between 20-30 titles a year out of up to 10,000 submissions

You might also wish to consider the Highlights fiction contest (www.highlights.com)

Answer 9

This is a picture book: What do authors do? by Eileen Christelow This is a basic chapter book: The School Story by Andrew Clements (author of Frindle) Hope you enjoy! What do authors do? is from my third grade anthology but is really easy! :)

Answer 10

you can check out 'random house' on google