How to Submit a Children’s Book to Publication

That’s it. You’ve finished creating your children’s book. It has a moral, it has a good story, it uses no polysyllabic words yet still comes across as readable. It is time to get your children’s book published. To do so, unfortunately, can be a long and grueling process. But the result is well worth the wait.Before you Begin: Myths about Publishing Children’s BooksContrary to popular belief, you do not need to have your book illustrated in order to submit it for publication. In fact, most publishing companies do not want the books illustrated because they have artists they contract to help create the finished product. This can save you a great deal of time, but it is disappointing for some people who have a particular artistic vision for their manuscripts. If you want to illustrate the children’s book yourself, you should look for either a publishing company that encourages illustration or consider self-publishingAnother myth is that publishing companies look to publish any good book that comes their way. This is not true in the slightest. Most children’s book publishing companies have very specific categories, morals or guidelines that must be followed if they are even to look at your manuscript, let alone publish it.Steps for Publishing1) The first step is to research every publishing company you can find – sending dozens of manuscripts to every company is a poor idea, and most companies will not even read your manuscript unless they feel it relevant to their products. Go online to the “Children’s Book Council” and find out which publishers are relevant to your topic and how they accept their submissions.2) Send a letter. This letter should include:o A cover letter (with your background, why you wrote the book, its purpose, etc.)o A query letter indicating what the book is about and why it should be published, asking the publisher whether or not they wish to read it.o A small portion of your manuscript.o A Self Addressed Stamped Envelope – This is vital. No publisher should ever have to pay to send you a yes or no, no matter how good your children’s book is. Add an extra stamp in case they have documents to send you.3) Now wait. You may receive a response within a few weeks or a few months, or you may not receive a response at all. Still, it is best to wait and give the publisher some time before reviewing alternative options.4) If you receive a yes, send your manuscript immediately. Again, wait a while for a response as you may not get a response even to a book that the publisher is willing to publish for several months. Your manuscript should be readable and follow the guidelines given to you by the publisher.5) If you receive a no, try another publisher and look to see if there is a reason that the publisher refused.6) Remember: Rejection is part of the game. Few manuscripts get accepted the first round. Continue to try other publishers and consider getting feedback from friends and family about how your children’s book can have more appeal.7) If you do not hear from the publisher after two or three months, consider sending the manuscript elsewhere and notify the publisher that has not written you back that you are doing so. There is no need to tell the publisher that they cannot still consider your book (they may simply not have gotten to it yet) but it is a good practice to at least notify them that you are sending it elsewhere, so that if they are interested they will write you back. Only notify them that you are withdrawing your book from consideration if you expect it to be published with a different company.By following these simple instructions, you have a chance of achieving your goal of becoming a children’s book writer. Once you have a single book published, it opens the door for several more.