| "Oh, I've always wanted to write for
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| | the editors, they may ask you to write
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| children!"I hear it all the time,
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| | the new book.Approaching School and
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| whenever I reveal that I'm a published
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| | Library PublishersSo how do you find
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| author of children's books. Always the
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| | publishers that specialize in the school
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| starry-eyed look, the slightly wistful
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| | and library market? Start again at the
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| expression, and the inevitable, "That
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| | library. Look through the shelves for the
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| would be so fun!"Fun, indeed. All the fun
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| | newest books and note the names of the
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| of slaving over getting just the right
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| | publishers. You can also ask the
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| word, of collecting rejection slips, of
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| | children's librarian if you can browse
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| wondering if new authors really can break
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| | through their book catalogs. Get the
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| into the children's market.There is a way
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| | addresses and website of the publishers,
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| -- if you are willing to exercise some
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| | then see if they post author guidelines
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| flexibility in your writing.Take a stroll
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| | on their websites. You can also find
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| through the children's non-fiction
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| | educational publishers in the Children's
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| section of your local library and look at
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| | Writers Market, which is widely available
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| the newest books you see there: books on
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| | in bookstores and libraries.Once you have
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| jet planes, hot air balloons, holiday
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| | a list of potential publishers, read
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| crafts, bicycles, helicopters, race cars,
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| | their guidelines and follow them
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| and more -- some of them with my name on
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| | carefully. There are two ways to approach
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| them.Welcome to the world of the School
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| | school and library publishers. One is
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| and Library Market.How the School and
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| | with a book idea of your own. Many will
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| Library Market WorksBudget cuts or not,
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| | accept submissions of fiction and
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| libraries need a constant supply of new
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| | nonfiction manuscripts, and will pay an
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| books. Library books get a lot of hard
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| | advance and royalties. The other way is
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| use, and the most popular titles wear out
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| | to send a resume that lists your
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| quickly. Even the nonfiction section, the
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| | published works (if any) and pertinent
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| part of the library that many people
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| | experience (any education experience you
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| think is "boooring!" gets a lot of use as
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| | have is helpful), along with samples of
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| kids look for books to help them with
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| | your writing (sometimes called "clips").
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| reports, or books on their favorite
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| | If the editors like your sample, you may
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| hobbies and interests.When librarians
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| | get a phone call or an email from an
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| pull worn copies of well-loved novels off
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| | editor asking if you would like to accept
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| the shelf for replacement, they may get
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| | an assignment. Which approach you use
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| new copies of the same title. But in the
| |
| | depends on the publisher. Their
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| nonfiction section, old, worn, or
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| | guidelines will state whether you should
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| outdated books get replaced with new
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| | send a manuscript, or if you can send a
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| books with up-to-date information.Where
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| | resume and writing sample.If you get an
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| do they get these books? From publishers
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| | assignment, be sure to ask plenty of
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| that specialize in the school and library
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| | questions to clarify the editor's
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| market. These publishers produce new
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| | expectations. Make sure you're clear on
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| titles and entire new series every year
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| | due dates, and be prepared not only to
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| to meet librarians' needs. This also
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| | meet the due dates, but beat them. Ask if
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| means that they need authors to write new
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| | there are sample books from the series
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| titles ever year.These aren't books that
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| | that you can see before you start
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| are going to be sold in bookstores, nor
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| | writing. There won't be if the series is
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| are they going to make any best-seller
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| | new, but there may be a similar series
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| list, so don't expect high royalties. In
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| | that can serve as a model. If other
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| fact, most school-and-library books are
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| | authors are working on other titles in
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| written on assignment on a work-for-hire
| |
| | the series, ask if someone else has a due
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| basis. This means that the work is
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| | date before yours, and if you can look at
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| purchased outright from the author. The
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| | their outline. This helps preserve
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| publisher retains the copyright and all
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| | consistency in the series. Educational
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| rights to the book. This might sound like
| |
| | publishers usually have extensive
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| a raw deal, but consider that librarians
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| | guidelines to help you write according to
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| want up-to-date nonfiction titles. This
| |
| | their style, and often have outlines from
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| means that the book you write this year
| |
| | which authors work.Then go to work doing
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| may not stay on the backlist more than
| |
| | your research and writing the best book
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| five or six years. These aren't books
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| | you can. If the editors are pleased,
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| that would earn a great deal in
| |
| | expect more assignments in the
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| royalties. However, that same publisher
| |
| | future!Karen E. Bledsoe is a children's
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| will need a new title on the same subject
| |
| | book author, and has written many books
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| in a few years. If your work satisfied
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| | for the school and library market.
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