March 2005

Can I Submit A Manuscript My Agent Isn't Interested In Submitting?

I wrote a picture book which I believe has legs, but my agent isn't interested in marketing it. I am pondering sending it "over the transom" but how do I handle the fact that I'm agented? Do I tell them that I'm agented but that my agent declined to market the book? My agent represents "my fiction" which includes this and any other piece of fiction. How does that affect things?

As it stands right now, since your agent represents your "fiction", that includes your picture book manuscript. Technically, you aren't free to submit it to publishers on your own, even though it has been shelved. Ask the agent for an addendum to the contract that excludes the picture book and names it by name. If your agent is not forthcoming, make up the addendum yourself, sign it and send it to the agent. If your agent has a problem with you submitting the manuscript to publishers, perhaps you can compromise by sending the manuscript to children's magazines. No matter what, you need to discuss with your agent what to do about your "fiction" that he chooses not to represent.

Lots of children's book publishers look at unagented submissions. However I don't think it's a good idea to inform the editor that your agent has declined to market the manuscript you are submitting. It will only add unnecessary confusion to your submission. It's helpful if you're a member of SCBWI. They put out calls for submissions from publishers on a regular basis, on the discussion boards and in the bi-monthly Bulletin. They have an encyclopedia's worth of information on their web site. Claiming membership in your cover letter or resume will help your manuscript get picked out of the slush pile and actually read.

How Much Should I Charge For Writing Children's Stories?

I am recently out of college and just got hired by a children's clothing company to write short children's stories based on a cast of characters they created for the line. The stories will be posted on their website as part of a "kids club" section. However, they have given me no payment guidelines. I am at a loss for what to charge. I would be charging per piece, but I have no idea what the going rate is for something like this. Any ideas? Thanks.

First of all, you really should bring up payment guidelines to your supervisor, or whomever you are working with on this project. I have worked plenty of freelance jobs like this and frankly the sky is not the limit. They always have payment guidelines in mind on their end. You can save yourself a lot of embarrassment and worry if they will just give you some idea of the range they are willing to pay. Will you have a byline on these books? Who will own the copyright? How much research in involved? The answers to these questions are also the key to what you can expect or ask for in payment. For instance, when I wrote film scripts for a small company, they owned all rights and paid no royalties. I had no byline and was expected to do all the research. So I charged an hourly rate, and turned in my hours every two weeks like an employee.

If you're a member of SCBWI, go to the Publications section of the web site and click on the link at the top of the page for "Members", then scroll down to "Answers to Some Questions About Contracts", which is a good primer for understanding children's book payment structures and book contracts.

In her article "How Much Should I Charge?", Lynn Wasnak offers a complete list of guidelines for what to charge for all kinds of different projects in publishing business. Wasnak's recommended rates are hourly, therefore you might have to estimate how long it will take you to write a book and base your fee on that. For example, the low-range for book writing is $20/hour. So let's say it takes you 2 weeks to write a book -- 40 hrs/week X 2 weeks = 80 hours -- which amounts to $1,600. Then you need to determine two things: Is this a fee the company is willing to pay? Does this seem reasonable to you for the amount of work involved?

"How Much Should I Charge as a Freelancer?" by Moira Allen is another good reference. While it's geared toward articles it offers a good frame of reference and some excellent advice. Be sure to check out the links at the bottom of the column.

Where Can I Find Statistics To Include In My Cover Letter?

I'm using How to Publish Your Children's Book by Liza Burby, and the Children's Writers and Illustrator's Market to help me submit my first book. In Burby's book, Chapter 5 is about the submissions package. The author recommends including information to indicate the potential size of my book's audience. The example is: "The popularity of middle grade fantasy novels ... accounts for 40 percent of all book sales in the middle grade category in 2005." Where do I find statistics this specific? I looked online and found "Industry Statistics" by the Association of American Publishers, but the information was general and wasn't current. It was for 2003. I want to find info about picture books for older readers on specific topics. Is there an online or book reference that gives this kind of information? Thanks in advance for any advice you can give.

Yes, it's true that recent book industry statistics are not generally available to the public. The question I have to ask is: Why do you need to provide the publisher with book industry statistics? Editors already have current information available to them. Writers aren't expected to provide industry statistics. In fact it's possible that if you do include book industry statistics in your cover letter, the editor might think you are showing off, or trying to tell her about the business. And you certainly don't want to do that!

I'm not familiar with Burby's book. I usually recommend Harold Underdown's The Complete Idiot's Guide to Publishing Children's Books. He is a children's book editor and recommends keeping your cover letter simple. Include the title of your manuscript and "a brief and tempting description of your manuscript". He also adds that you should not include: your resume, marketing plan, endorsements, apologies, or a lengthy plot summary. In my own submissions I do include my resume, but on a separate sheet. Underdown's point is, if you don't have a long resume yet, it's okay not to include one. I would also add that if you're a member of SCBWI, be sure to mention that in your cover letter or resume.

So forget about book industry statistics. Keep your query and/or submission simple and focused on your book, and the story you are telling. That's the best way to attract an editor's attention.

For more information:

SCBWI

http://www.scbwi.org

"How Much Should I Charge?" by Lynn Wasnak

http://www.writersmarket.com/content/charge.asp

Lynn Wasnak's Book Publishing rate guidelines

http://www.writersmarket.com/content/howmuch3.asp

"How Much Should I Charge as a Freelancer?" by Moira Allen

http://www.writing-world.com/rights/fees.shtml

SCBWI Publications

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

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