Picture book manuscripts and illustrations a childrens. Cover letters for electronic submissions to childrens. This is the suggested formatting when submitting a picture book text to publishers. Picture book submissions the great cover letter almost an. Deseret book is a publisher and retailer that publishes and promotes a variety of books, all of which reflect the values espoused by the church of jesus christ of latterday saints. Picture book format and how to format your manuscript kidlit. If a publisher requests query letters first, before full submission of the manuscript, then this will be your query letter. Write a query lettera onepage pitch letterto send to prospective literary agents or publishers.
A cover letter is essentially a business letter introducing your story and yourself to the editor. If you dont make a good first impression, your children s book manuscript will likely get sent right back to you accompanied by one of those dreaded rejection letters. How to write a picture book query letter in 6 simple steps. A query is a business letter asking permission to send the project described. Typesetting and formatting your book completelynovel. Select specific skills abilities, experience certain experiences, achievements achievements, relating to. Formatting means how your manuscript appears on the. A cover letter that accompanies a manuscript or a manuscript synopsis is also known as a query letter, and it should contain a compelling overview of the work, details about the writers background and publishing history, and it should follow the publishers guidelines for submission.
This is the picture book manuscript yabby set in the standard submission format. It would look like a standard business letter with the date, contact information, and the actual content of the letter. The cover letter otherwise known as a query letter, by comparison, should actually be pretty simple. Manuscript formatting writing picture books for children. Tips include formatting the manuscript, finding publisher, writing query letters and more. From keyboard to printed page society of childrens book. Submission guidelines for writers and illustrators. How to write a cover letter for manuscript submissions. How to format a manuscript the specifics guidelines you. In my role as coadmin for the query critique forum on 12 x 12, i recently wrote a post on writing a picture book query.
This letter is an introduction of you and your story for the editor. You can even leave out the pages breaks, but include some information about the illustrations when it is vital to understanding the story as in the example, yabby. May 17, 2014 please send a query letter pitching us your manuscript, 12 page synopsis of your manuscript, 35 sample pages of your manuscript, a brief author bio that includes any previously published work, selfaddressed stamped envelope. Be well written you are writing to people who care about know your market. Southwest human development is looking for its next winning childrens book writer.
Your hook should be a oneline sales pitch that encapsulates the essence of your story and hooks any potential editors, agents, picture book buyers and picture book readers. It is either sent without an accompanying manuscript, or with two or three sample chapters the publishers guidelines will state which form the query should take. The three items i submit are a cover letter, proposal and formatted manuscript. Nov 21, 20 children s publishing is extremely competitive and there are so many writers out there trying to get their children s picture book into print. Picture book submissions the great cover letter almost. Jul 25, 2018 a cover letter that accompanies a manuscript or a manuscript synopsis is also known as a query letter, and it should contain a compelling overview of the work, details about the writer s background and publishing history, and it should follow the publisher s guidelines for submission. Writing and publishing your own childrens book is no longer difficult to do, nor is it. How to submit a childrens book to a publishing company pen. Obviously, an electronic letter is going to differ in several ways. Query letters that worked a childrens book editors. This vid is a nononsense guide to submitting a picture book or a longer piece of fiction or nonfiction to a childrens book publisher.
Readers should feel they are better people for having read the book and that they are getting good. Its one of the five major mistakes i made and i wish someone was there to tell me what to. An atrophied manuscript is far, far worse than a rejection. Use a 1 margin on all sides use a title page, set up the same as the title page in your package see page 159. Apr 23, 2009 this vid is a nononsense guide to submitting a picture book or a longer piece of fiction or nonfiction to a children s book publisher. The selected manuscript will be professionally illustrated, published and promoted by southwest human development. I will often draft a hook or pitch before my manuscript is submissionready.
Contact me for personal, actionable advice on your project. Cover letters are what we use mostly as picture book writers. Your manuscript should always be accompanied by a short cover letter. Many books, websites and newsletters for writers can give you advice on formatting your manuscript. A draft letter will be emailed to the author then four hard copies on lettterhead will be posted. As a picture book editor, i work with writers on all aspects of the picture book craft, from creating a compelling childrens book manuscript in proper picture book format, of course. Of course, you need to be prepared to give up your manuscript and take an offered illustration contract. Act or perish is amybells motto as the children and napoleon, their cat, run away, camp aboard a halfsunk shrimp boat in the eerie swamps, and search for the ghost light. Either get feedback from a writers group or a writing class or engage the services of a professional children s book editor or book doctor.
Oct 25, 2014 time for a final pass of my creative thesis. When i wrote my article on writing a synopsis, i mentioned that it was one of the most challenging tasks for authors. This is a very good reason to submit manuscript and illustration together. If you dont make a good first impression, your childrens book manuscript will likely get sent right back to you accompanied by one of those dreaded rejection letters. If your manuscript needlessly takes up a lot of pages, your prospective editoragent will be less inclined to print it off and circulate it. For novel submissions, you may submit the full manuscript, or a query that includes a synopsis and at least three chapters of the manuscript. The captivating features and vibrant colors of a childrens book are what will attract a child to pick it up. Picture book format and how to format your manuscript. A query letter is always recommended before submitting a full manuscript. If you are submitting electronically, your email will be your cover letter. When you send the letter, do not include the entire manuscript or even sections of it. In the first paragraph, describe your manuscript, including targeted reader age. At wacky bee were concentrating on books for 312 year olds with our list falling into three sections picture books for 36 year olds, early readers for 47 year olds and. Write a query letter a onepage pitch letter to send to prospective literary agents or publishers.
Ive got a bird feeder in view, my infinity stone words of wisdom, the bottle of wine ill crack open when everythings turned in, my relicfamiliar for this wip, a couple of my research books, a candle, my composition notebooks, iced coffee, headphones to play my wip playlist, a squishy fidget, hot tamales and cheezits, water in my gifted. In book publishing, agents and editors will often refer to books in manuscript form, noting that the book is in the earliest stages of preparation. For picture book submissions, please include the full manuscript. And the biggest question is how to format your childrens manuscript i remember my first time writing a picture book and sending it out, my formatting was all off.
How to write and illustrate children s books will be very helpful. Thank you for the revision suggestions for my picture book mstitle. May i show you a synopsis and 3 chapters of this manuscript. Read the query letter on page 11 of this guide, or online at resource library. The query letter has one purpose, and one purpose only. Ms title is the story of josie, an eccentric child, growing up on a remote cattle farm in outback queensland at the turn of the century, from her humble beginnings to her rise to become one of the most wellrespected. Make sure your return address is in the upper left hand corner. There are many different places you will send your manuscript and they all have slight variances in formatting. Top 10 tips to submitting a childrens picture book manuscript.
How to format your childrens manuscript like an expert journey. If you are submitting by snail mail your cover letter is on a separate sheet and included in the envelope with your manuscript. From keyboard to printed page society of childrens. If your manuscript is of interest, the editor will request a submission. When many firsttime selfpublishers consider the design elements of their book they only think of the front cover. Keep it professional, keep it courteous, and above all, dont be afraid to send it. Sep 27, 2010 since most agents ask that the picture book manuscript be included in the submission, writing a really meaty query letter for picture book, especially for that short a manuscript seems a bit silly.
But the design of the pages inside those covers have just as much impact and require the same amount of careful consideration. At my writers group, we have had a few new members come to have someone look at their manuscripts before they submit them. Submit your childrens book manuscript southwest human. The market guides relay which method the publishers prefer. Please send a query letter pitching us your manuscript, 12 page synopsis of your manuscript, 35 sample pages of your manuscript, a brief author bio that includes any previously published work, selfaddressed stamped envelope.
We will focus on the final submission process to format your childrens manuscript. Gabbys secret is my 3900word chapter book written for a third grade reading level. Kane miller kane miller is expanding its picture book, chapter book, and middlegrade fiction. How to format your childrens manuscript like an expert. We are committed to finding and developing new talent, whether you are a writer or an illustrator. Turn off the function that takes an entire paragraph at the bottom of the page to the following page if the paragraph is split between two pages. I am a member of scbwi and the author of a childrens picture book. Some editors like to read that you have researched the market regarding books similar to yours. In the early 1990s, julia donaldson a former busker and wife of a university lecturer was approached by a. You may wish to join the society of children s book writers and illustrators, whose members have access to regularly updated industry information including a list of which titles have been published recently by houses, which will help you get an idea of what types of books they publish. Now, in a traditional hard copy submission, you would place your cover letter on top of your childrens book manuscript. Literary agents will read the manuscript you send, and some the synopsis, but all will read the covering letter.
Dec 20, 2018 how to format your childrens manuscript like an expert. As such, it is made up of individual sentences, double spaced. If you decide to create this kind of presentation, uri shulevitzs writing with pictures. If you are submitting via snail mail, send your manuscript in a standard size 9 x 12 envelope. Be sure your manuscript is complete and polished to a shine before you submit it. Writing a cover letter manuscript appraisal agency.
Marlo garner writes, illustrates, and edits childrens books and teaches writing and revision workshops. A cover letter literally covers sits on top of the manuscript you are mailing in. In the second paragraph, explain why you chose this publisher. Download our free guide to typesetting and uploading your book on completelynovel. Sep 30, 2015 the three items i submit are a cover letter, proposal and formatted manuscript. I have a picturebook manuscript that would target children up to three years of age.
I have also had stories published in childrens magazines. Aug 18, 2018 the process of concocting a query is not nearly as difficult when you know the right formula. Wow children book publishers with perfect query letters. Childrens publishing is extremely competitive and there are so many writers out there trying to get their childrens picture book into print. Some childrens books are not even as long as the letter, and you want the editor to lift the cover letter and be wowed by your first line. If the manuscript is nonfiction, specify why you are qualifed to write this book. I believe the cover letter is an important part of my writing process. How to write a picture book query the basics the layout of a picture book query. I wrote a cover letter to accompany the manuscript i subbed to my publisher while in new orleans for my debut book launch.
Firsttime picture book author cover letters, exposed. Over 300,000 authors trust the professionals on reedsy, come meet them. The way i envision it is that there would be a picture for. Dear agentpublisher, please find attached a synopsis and three chapters of my genre novel, ms title, which is approximately 80,000 words in length. The main aim of your cover letter is to give the agentpublisher more detail about your manuscript and you, the author. How to format your childrens book manuscript dummies. A manuscript is essentially the earliest draft of a book.
Be well written you are writing to people who care about. Either get feedback from a writers group or a writing class or engage the services of a professional childrens book editor or book doctor. They are interested in why you think your book would fit well with their current line. To make it easy for authors, we have a variety of unique eyecatching, readytouse childrens book templates. Nov 26, 2018 as a picture book editor, i work with writers on all aspects of the picture book craft, from creating a compelling childrens book manuscript in proper picture book format, of course. The way i envision it is that there would be a picture for each sentence. If you are submitting electronically, follow any guidelines given by the publisher. While we get bills, unwanted advertisements and the occasional good news, kids always receive fun things in the mail letters from grandma, birthday wishes from family, the toy catalog. As a picture book editor, i work with writers on all aspects of the picture book craft, from creating a compelling children s book manuscript in proper picture book format, of course. Manuscript format template free download lara willard. It is the unpublished version of a book submitted to agents and editors for publication consideration. How to submit a childrens book to a publishing company. Picture book format can be confusing to new childrens book writers. Editors see a gazillion manuscripts every day, and the sight of certain common errors makes them sigh with impatience.
Query letter basics for the childrens book market book. How to format a picture book for submission pen and the pad. These templates are available in several varieties. The beginning of a cover letter is the same as the query letter with regards to format, headers, etc. How to write a childrens book in 9 easy steps complete guide. May i interest you in reading the completed manuscript. The society of childrens book writers and illustrators. Since most agents ask that the picture book manuscript be included in the submission, writing a really meaty query letter for picture book, especially for that short a manuscript seems a bit silly. Childrens books need to be engaging and pleasant to the eyes. Use 12point times new roman or arial font unless the publishers submission guidelines indicate otherwise.
In the final paragraph, state your writing experience. Mar 05, 2016 remember, agentseditors can differ in what they expectwant from a query letter or cover letter, so please always check submission guidelines. Writing picture books for children writing a cover letter your manuscript should always be accompanied by a short cover letter. Apr 01, 2011 a cover letter literally covers sits on top of the manuscript you are mailing in. If your story has a strong hook, then the editor will know right away how to pitch the story and wont be left thinking, nice story, but so what. Writing an effective one may take you a long time, but it is well worth the trouble. If the publisher accepts email, you still need a cover letter but save the postage. If a publisher requests query letters first, before full submission of the. A cover letter is essentially a business letter introducing your story and yourself to the. Except in the case of authorillustrators, we prefer that submissions not include artwork. Most publishers and agents submission instructions tell picture book writers to send the entire manuscript with a cover letter.
May 31, 2006 its something you stick on top of your manuscript when the editor or agent has already read your query letter at some point from an earlier communication and now youre following up with more material. Read the query letter on page of this guide, or online at resource library. If the query letter stands alone, its your only chance to sell the editor on your book. How to format a picture book manuscript for publishers. Childrens uk book publishers accepting submissions.
The winner of the first edition childrens book contest will receive a. Tips include formatting the manuscript, finding publisher. When writing a query letter for a picture book you will basically have three main paragraphs, plus your signoff. Childrens uk book publishers accepting submissions wacky. This letter should include a catchy summary of your picture book, along with a brief author bio and a list of your significant writing credits andor awards. The query letter is so much of a sales piece that its quite possible to write one without having written a word of the manuscript. Today well talk about the killer, knock the socks of an editor cover letter. I prefer an approximate word count for my manuscripts, but you can list exact word count on picture books.
At wacky bee were concentrating on books for 312 year olds with our list falling into three sections picture books for 36 year olds, early readers for 47 year olds and middle grade fiction for 812 year olds. Dec 09, 2014 i have a picture book manuscript that would target children up to three years of age. How to write a query letter that gets manuscript requests. Cover letters for electronic submissions to childrens book. Query letters that worked a childrens book editors site. When i see a picture book query done well and when i write my own picture book pitches, in fact its usually very simple.