July 2002

Where Can I Find Agents For Children's Fiction?

Many of the agents' lists and sites that I've seen specifically exclude writing for children. Is there a reason for this? Is the market for children's fiction totally overloaded? Can you suggest any agents who do consider children's fiction?

You can find a list of children's book agents in the Children's Writer's & Illustrators Market. The majority of children's book agents won't represent an unpublished author. The kind of agents who will represent unpublished children's authors more often than not, charge fees or refer you to a fee charging editing service. You have a better chance of finding an agent if you have a book published. Plus you'll attract more reputable agents. It's a well known fact among children's writers that it's harder to find a good agent than a publisher.

The best news for children's writers is that most editors still look at unsolicited manuscripts or queries. Your key to success is in knowing how and where to find those editors and publishing houses. The Society of Children's Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI) publishes a list of agents and publishers, which is available to members only. However members don't need an agent. Many publishers will look at members' manuscripts exclusively.

SCBWI has many international chapters, including your homeland Australia. You'll find a list posted at their web site, including how to contact, along with a list of publications free to members, and other valuable information.

How Can My Students Publish Their Picture Books?

I am a professor at Washington State University. I teach a language arts course in the teacher education program. The emphasis of this course is on writing instruction. As a culminating activity, my students write, illustrate, and bind a children's picture book. The students are so proud of their books when completed. Many of them are so outstanding that we often talk about publishing them. I have been all over the net and have talked with several authors via email, but have yet to find an avenue for getting some of these books published. We are not looking for the traditional route as these students are definitely amateurs and they want their books left in tact when published; stories and illustrations. The students and I have thought about starting our own publishing company through WSU, but thought we might try to find someone who has already done this rather than reinvent the wheel, so to speak!!

Any help you could give us would be greatly appreciated. We look forward to hearing from you. And, thanks for the great web site! We all enjoy it!!

Self-publishing is the best way to guarantee that the students will have control over the picture book production process. However full-color printing costs are quite high, making it prohibitive for most writers. Xlibris has a new program for picture book writers. They offer three types of services ranging in price from $999 to $2,499. 1st Books Library and iUniverse also offer publishing services for picture book writers. You will need to go their web site and inquire about their package prices.

Workman Publishing is one of the few traditional publishers who will look at artwork with submissions, so they're certainly worth a try. Submissions guidelines are posted at their web site. Bollix Playhouse and Handprint Books are two new children's book publishing companies that will also consider illustrations with submissions. Submission guidelines for Bollix Playhouse can be found at the Children's Writers Marketplace at Write4Kids.com. Guidelines for Handprint Books can be obtained by sending an email request to: submissions@handprintbooks.com.

My best wishes to you and your students in your publishing endeavors.

Are Editors Opposed To Talking Animals in Picture Books?

Would it be accurate to say that most picture book editors are not opposed to talking animals but are opposed to mixing animals that talk with humans? Also, is this a contemporary preference? I can think of many successful books that mix humans with talking animals (e.g., The Cat in the Hat and The Lorax). Of course, they are older books.

It's not so much that all editors are opposed to mixing humans with talking animals, although I'm certain some editors ARE opposed to it, it's just that you don't see many examples of that in picture books being published today.

In his article, "Getting Out of the Slush Pile," Harold Underdown (publisher, iPicture Books) provides a list of the types of manuscripts editors see too often. Anthropomorphized, alliterated animals, such as Sally Squirrel, Carter Carp, and Billy the Bossy Beetle are considered over done.

While some editors tell interviewers they don't adhere to trends in children's literature, the evidence simply does not prove that out. Children's book publishing is full of contradictions, and you've hit on one of the big ones. What used to work in children's literature, the beloved stories of our childhood, just don't fly in today's competitive publishing market. If you look at picture books published during the past five years, you'll notice that the "trend" is definitely away from humans interacting with talking animals. So yes, I think it is a contemporary preference.

As for Dr. Suess, Theodore Geisel was one of kind. His first book "And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street" was rejected two dozen times. His books were not wildly popular right away, but sort of caught on through the years. It's best that pre-published or beginning picture book writers not look to Dr. Suess as an example. It's another contradiction of children's literature. Even though the great children's writers have inspired us to become writers ourselves, their styles are outdated and we are expected to invent a new style for today's children. Part of how we do that is by looking at what's being published for children these days -- "trends" -- and what keeps on selling -- the older, enduring favorites -- in which case the writer looks for a new slant on an old favorite.

For more information:

SCBWI International

http://www.scbwi.org/regions.htm

Xlibris Picture Book Services

http://www2.xlibris.com/pb_pubservices/

1st Books Library

http://www.1stbooks.com

iUniverse

http://www.iuniverse.com/

Workman Publishing submission guidelines

http://www.workman.com/content/pagemaker.cgi?1005854822.txt

Bollix Playhouse submission guidelines

http://www.write4kids.com/wmarket/march.html

Handprint Books

http://www.handprintbooks.com/contacts.html

Getting Out of the Slush Pile

http://www.underdown.org/slush.htm

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