December 2001

How Has The Anthrax Alert Affected Publishers' Submissions Policies?

I finished the final draft of my children's story and I was getting ready to submit it to publishers when anthrax started showing up in the mail. Now I don't know what to do. Has this whole anthrax alert affected publishers' submission policies? And if so, how?

In a recent Publishers Weekly article, "Will Anthrax Kill the Slush Pile?" Steven Zeitchik reports that Walker Books has temporarily stopped opening packages from unknown places. Algonquin Books is encouraging email submissions. So they said, but I couldn't find any information about these changes at their web sites.

A New York Times article, "Publishers and Magazines Avoiding Unsolicited Mail" by Celestine Bohlen, contains editors' statements from a broad industry dissection; agents, magazine, and publisher markets, including Scott Meredith Literary Agency, Poetry Magazine, and Random House.

Both articles present a rather bleak picture of the current situation, so let's concentrate on what we know for certain.

A statement that Simon & Schuster is throwing out all unsolicited mail, appeared in Publisher's Weekly Daily on November 1st, however that applies to the Adult Trade Division only and does not include the Children's Division. They're returning some mail and some is sitting for a long time in their mailroom. Simon & Schuster is home of six children's book imprints: Aladdin/Simon Pulse, Atheneum, Little Simon, McElderry, S&S, and Simon Spotlight. On November 19th, the Children's Division notified SCBWI that they have established an email address: Childrens.Submissions@simonandschuster.com. In the notice, S&S specified this address is for queries only and for SCBWI members only. They do not consider unsolicited manuscripts, and manuscripts should not be sent to this address.

Greenwillow has been the only imprint in the HarperCollins Children's Book Division to accept unsolicited manuscripts since spring 2001, but now it too has closed the transom. Publisher Virginia Duncan is advising writers to call (212) 261-6627 after April 1, 2002, for an update on any possible changes. Check their web site for new information.

SCBWI reported on November 15th, word had come from Penguin Putnam, home of eight children's book imprints, that it too now has a new policy in place until further notice. Any mail either with no return address or not addressed to a specific person is discarded by the mailroom and not delivered to the office in question. The imprints are: Dial, Dutton, Phyllis Fogelman, Grosset & Dunlap, Philomel, Puffin, Putnam, and Viking.

The November issue of Children's Book Insider reports, "Harpercollins Publishers is owned by the same corporation as The New York Post. Due to the corporate group's recent anthrax scare, Harper has modified its submissions policy ... as of October 15 any unsolicited manuscripts are being discarded instead of returned. Mail received without a return address will also be discarded immediately. Mail addressed to specific editors will be delivered, but whether the editor chooses to open mail from someone they don't know is left up to each individual. This policy will be reviewed each month and any changes will be reported as they occur."

Other Harpercollins imprints are: Amistad Press, Avon, Joanne Cotler Books, HarperFestival, Laura Geringer Books, Rayo, Tempest, and Harper/Trophy. It's safe to assume the policy applies to all imprints, since they share the same office building.

You'll notice the information in the above reports came from SCBWI and Children's Book Insider. Now more than ever, it's important to belong to an organization and subscribe to publications whose editors deliver up-to-date information on changes in publishers' submissions policies. You'll find more information about publications for children's writers in my November column, "How To Gain an Edge in the Competitive Children's Book Market."

Writers switching en masse to Federal Express or UPS probably won't solve this problem. Although I do believe this is a time for writers to be bold. The 2002 Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market,, which is now available, publishes web site urls, phone numbers, fax numbers, or email addresses for all publishers listed. Go to the publishers' web sites to see if they post their submission guidelines. If not, call them, email them, fax them. Your script could go something like this:

"I have a children's book manuscript [or other brief description] I would like to submit to [name a specific editor -- shows you've done your homework]. Can you tell me the best way to submit? Thank you."

You can find direct links to publishers' web sites in alphabetical order at Children's Publishers' Submission Guidelines Online. Bookmark this site for future reference.

Without a doubt getting your manuscript in the hands of a children's book editor from now on is going to be a challenge. The best thing you can do is never give up. Persistence and determination are the writer's best friends. Perhaps more editors will open their minds and their inboxes to email submissions.

How Do I Decide What Age Group to Write For?

I have some ideas for stories floating around in my head that come out occasionally when I put my children to bed. I have attempted to write them down and just can't seem to nail down my audience. Are there any hints or tips that can help a new writer decide on the age group his/her story might be best for? What is the best way to insure you are not writing above or below your intended audience's reading level?

First things first, write the stories, then figure out your target age group. As you write your stories, you will understand more about them. Who are my characters? What happens in the story? What is my story about? It can be difficult for a new writer to answer these questions before the writing starts, which is exactly why first drafts and rewrites are so crucial. You learn from the process. Very often the age group will become clearer to you as you work on the project.

Once you have the first draft of a story written down, it's best to pause, set it aside and let it gel. During that pause, go the library or bookstore and visit the children's book section. Become familiar with books for different age levels.

To help you get a better grasp on target age groups, there are some good resources on the Internet. You can find reading lists by age group at Oprah's Kids' Reading List and Award Winning Children's Books. "Understanding Children's Writing Genres" by Laura Backes, defines the difference between early picture books, transition books, and toddler books. Eager Readers.com publishes a description and examples of books in each age group from early readers through young adult readers.

Good luck and get writing!

For more information:

Algonquin Books

http://www.algonquin.com/

Walker & Company General Submission Guidelines

http://www.walkerbooks.com/aboutwalker/submission_guidelines.php3

Publishers and Magazines Avoiding Unsolicited Mail

http://www.nytimes.com/2001/11/08/books/08SLUS.html

Simon & Schuster submission policy

http://www.simonsays.com/book_man.cfm

HarperCollins Children's Books

http://www.harperchildrens.com/hch/aboutus/

Children's Book Insider

http://www.write4kids.com/aboutcbi.html

SCBWI

http://www.scbwi.org

Penguin Putnam

How To Gain an Edge in the Competitive Children's Book Market

http://www.writing-world.com/caterpillar/cat10.shtml

Children's Publishers' Submission Guidelines Online

http://childrenspublishers.signaleader.com

Award Winning Children's Books

http://www.schoolratings.com/bestbooks.htm

Understanding Children's Writing Genres

http://www.writing-world.com/children/genres.shtml

About Reading Levels

http://www.eagerreaders.com/levels.html

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