So I wrote something, now how to I get it published with out getting Ripped off?

Question

Its 5 pages, and I want it to be a kids book. Its a lovely little story.

Answer 1

First of all, start talking like an author, not an amateur. Always refer to a manuscript in terms of words not pages. A publisher, agent or editor is always going to ask "How many words?" Everyone's "pages" are different depending on how you type, what font etc. So always talk in terms of words and sound professional. You just learned something important.

A children's picture book is either 32 or 48 pages with art. That is because books are printed in groups of 16 pages - so they are always in multiples of 16. Take a paperback book and fan it out. See how it falls into little clumps of pages? Each one of those is called a "signature" and is 16 pages long. That's why sometimes there are blank pages at the end of a book. Because they have to print 16 pages at a time on a printing press. It is done on huge sheets of paper, folded up and cut. Then if it is more than one signature, they are stacked up in order and bound together.

If and when a publisher purchases your manuscript, an artist will be assigned to the work. Surprisingly, they will make more money on the book than the author does.

Now for the bad news...

Unfortunately the odds are heavily stacked against you. You have chosen the most difficult thing in the publishing business - getting a children's book published.

Let me describe for you the current nature of the children's book market. I just finished ghostwriting five children's books for a very major sports figure - already sold to a very major NY publisher. The first is with artist now and due out in Spring. I am currently working on others to follow. This information was given to me by a Senior Editor at the publisher I write for (one of the top 2 publishers in the world) ...

40% of children's books published today are by celebs like Madonna, Jamie Lee Curtis etc. Celebs can get anything they want published. Their names sell. (Like my sports star's name sells)

40% are written by existing, established children's authors like Eric Carle.

15-20% are reprints of children's classics like Curious George.

That leaves at best 5% for new authors.

And that percentage is being cut into by adult authors like Carl Hiaasen and Mary Higgins Clark entering the childrens' market recently.

To that, add the fact that most of the large publishing companies are backlogged with children's books they have under contract but havent gotten out yet. It takes about a year for a children's book to make it out. It usually takes an artist about a month a page to illustrate. So most publishers have their production schedules for children's books filled out for the next few years.

As a result, most A list publishers aren't even reading children's' books right now, which means agents arent either. Agents only read what they can sell.

There is very little room to break into the children's market. Only books that are extremely exceptional and have huge appeal stand a chance. Forget any holiday related books - the selling season is too short to make money.

Take a walk through any major childrens' book department and you will confirm what I am telling you. Getting a children's' book done is almost impossible - and getting an advance for it is virtually out of the question anymore. Unless you fall into one of those categories above. I am fortunate to have the backing of a very major sports star to get me in the door with kids books. I write adult novels, but believe me I have tried with kids books before and failed for exactly the reasons I list here.

Ghostwriting has gotten me in through the back door, and now I will be able to sell some of the children's books that have my name on them. For now, someone else's name is on the cover. Someone whose name sells books - big time. Don't ask me how you can get a ghostwriting deal for a major sports star ... I really backed into this. It was a gift from Heaven really and it is a blast working with this person too!!! My mantle is now covered with sports memorabilia worth a fortune!! Presents.

That is the nature of the beast. You might get a copy of Writers Market and search for some small publishers who are reading childrens' books, but searching through the agents section, you will see that almost NO agents are reading childrens' books. Try for some small publishers that read without going through an agent. Expect a lot of rejection. Develop a really thick skin and learn to advocate for yourself.

There is one shot you have. As you are searching through that book department, look for something that isn't there. Some kind of a topic nobody has written about. It would be something that teaches a lesson to kids in a fictional way, but that hasn't been done before. Believe me - there are topics. I fond one recently. I did a teleconference with the publisher I work with and he was thrilled. He wants te book yesterday. No such book exists. If you can find a topic nobody has covered before and write an exceptional book. you have a shot. Jamie Lee Curtis has been very successful with that. There weren't books for adopted kids until she thought to write them.

Always remember that before you send anything to anyone, check them out. Preditors and Editors, Absolute Write Water Cooler's Bewares and Background Checks, Writers Weekly.com and Writers Wall are all great sources and totally free - although if they help you, it is nice to contribute a donation. Someone has to pay for running the sites. If you do not see information on the publisher or agent in question, write to Dave K at Preditors and Editors, Victoria Strauss or James Macdonald at Absolute Write or Angela Hoy at Writers Weekly. They are happy to pass along any info they have to help you. There are a lot of fakes and frauds out there ready to take advantage of amateur authors in difficult situations - like breaking into the children's book market.

As for self publishing it with someplace like Lulu - it will get you nowhere. Self published books dont make it to bookstores. It is a financial black hole to self publish. I recently read about a woman who refinanced her house and spent over 70 thousand dollars publishing and promoting her children's book. She has recouped less than 10% of her money and is in danger of losing her home.

Childrens' books are impulse buys. What is out on the tables for kids to see is what sells. Kids don't shop at websites for things like books. They have to hold them in their hand and nag Mom to buy it. The only way to achieve that is through a good traditional publisher. Self publishing will do nothing for you but take money.

I have starred a lot of great Q and A regarding writing on my profile. You can access it and print out the pages. Start a notebook you can refer to. There s a lot of good information here and I add more as I see good ones. I am doing it to help others. Feel free to use it. Add me as a fan and get the regular updates. Keep writing. Remember you have to need to grow a hide as thick as a herd of elephants. There will be rejection letters.

Just keep writing. Be exceptional!!

Good luck.
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They're, Their, There - Three Different Words.

Careful or you may wind up in my next novel.

Pax - C
1 week ago

Answer 2

Let me remind you that there are very few brand spanking new ideas under the sun, second almost all of those ideas have been written about. Granted you may not have seen anything remotely resembling your story but somewhere I'm sure something may exist. Next understand legitimate publishers are not in the market to steal your ideas. Another writer may try to steal it but it's highly unlikely that a publisher will. Last you may or may not have a story worth stealing but if it is that good then know that it is not just your story that makes it good but also the writing itself. That is where it truly separates you from others with similar stories or thieves who plagiarize. Poor man's copyright is good as well as registering your writing with the copyright office. If you get an interested publisher than they will copyright for you. Also I was once told your work is automatically copy written the minute the words hit the page and the fully formed manuscript is completed. Yet that's hard to prove in a court of law. J...

Answer 3

What makes you believe you'll be ripped off? If your story is good, it might be considered for publication.

Get a current copy of Writer's Market by Writer's Digest Books, available at your library. In there you will find a list of publishers of Children's Fiction. Please understand that it's not an easy market for beginners to break into. You might need an agent to even get your manuscript considered at all.

In the front pages of W.M. you'll see instructions for submitting your writing in manuscript form, plus other things an aspiring writer needs to know -including how to find a suitable agent.

Few publishers accept over-the-transom manuscripts these days, but you might just find the rare one that does.

Good luck!