Writing and Illustrating Children's Books
As a husband and wife writing team, Caroline and I want every
one of you writers out there to be the best you can be. We want
you to spread your wings creatively while honing your skills in
the craft of writing and the craft of getting a manuscript
published. There is no greater thrill than to see your work
become a book on the shelves of Barnes & Noble or Borders.
We'll take it a step at a time. Print this stuff out. Share it! Tell
people where to come to get more. And there will be more, so
stay tuned!
Part I:
Getting on top of the pile
An editor friend of ours once told us that she had
received just under 1000 manuscripts in the past month. She had
two interns who would help her sift through the pile of treasures
from these many hopeful writers, but the task was still daunting.
Her story served to underline the fact that it is a jungle out there,
and the competition is fierce. How can a new writer get a
manuscript noticed with 999 others waiting beside, on top of,
and underneath it?
There are ways. The first step is the query letter. A query
letter is essentially a tool for authors to ask permission to submit
a manuscript. However, a well-done query will give you a leg up
on the next author in line. The goal of your letter is two-fold:
(1) You want to elicit a "yes" from the editor, so that you have
permission to send your no-editor-can-resist
proposal for yourbook, and
(2) You want to make a good first impression so that the editor
will remember your name when the manuscript crosses his or her desk.
How can you do all of this? The first thing to keep in
mind is to keep it brief. If the editor must shuffle through nearly
a thousand queries a month, which one will that editor be more
likely to read? Give yourself no more than four lines to
communicate what needs to be communicated. Here's how to do it:
In your first line, introduce yourself by saying why you are
interested in this particular publishing house. You might mention
titles already in their lineup that relate to the project you want to do.
In your second line, outline any writing experience you have, and
any specific personal experience that makes you ideal for writing
what you want to write. For example, a friend of mine wanted to
write a children's book on autism. She had never been published,
and had moderate writing experience, but she did have an autistic
son. Her personal experience made her an ideal writer for the
project she was proposing.
In your third line, give a brief synopsis or theme of your book
and target audience (i.e. ages 8 to 12).
Finally, ask if they would be open to you sending a formal
proposal and either an excerpt (if it is a longer illustrated book or
a chapter book) or a full manuscript (for younger audiences and
shorter books). IMPORTANT: Always be sure to include a
self-addressed, stamped envelope!
For more about getting on top of the pile,
watch for our upcoming echapter!
These are the critical elements of a query letter. But to
whom should you send it? How do you find out? More about that
in Part II: Finding the Right Publisher.
feedback? cosmicart@stock-space-images.com