I have an awesome idea for a kids' book. Now what?

I hear this question a lot.

It’s a tough one because I know so many people have awesome ideas for kids’ books but just don’t know how to make it happen or where to even start. I know how it is; you see books on the shelf at The Biggety-Big Bookseller Corporations and think, “My ideas are better!”

It’s surely possible that you have a world-beating idea. Who am I to say? There are likely thousands of stories out there that will never be seen in print. I have several. The publishing industry is a complex beast. There are so many people and decisions that go into deciding what gets published that it’s extremely difficult to figure out the formula.

I hear ya. I’m a formula guy. I’m also a dude. I do better with straightforward, logic-based problems, not ethereal, emotion-based problems. Anyway, I’ll try and break it down for you in a way that’s helped me understand at least a little about how it all works.

In the current world of publishing you have basically three options after writing the story:

1. Find an agent
2. Find a publisher
3. Self-publish

What do you want out of this?

You really have to think about what’s most important to you. If the most important thing is getting your story out there for your family and friends to share, then you should consider self-publishing. Don’t listen to the “Yeah, but it’s only self-published.” downer people. Do it. Be happy.

If you seek fame and notoriety and the cool factor of seeing your book on the shelf at The Biggety-Big Bookseller Corporations, then you would want to seek out a publisher or an agent. These people have the industry clout and know-how to get books on the shelves.

I’ve decided. Now what?

Self Publishing

Self-publishing can be expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. Using a service like http://lulu.com is an excellent way to go. I did that with my first book. Print-on-demand is also a very low investment on the publishing end. If you want to sell lots of copies of your self-published book, you have to be prepared for the sales and marketing end. That’s a whole other post. However, it’s possible to get your self-published work into libraries. Check out these resources:

PMA, the Independent Book Publishers Association

American Library Association

Publishers and Agents

Most publishers just want to see a MS (manuscript). They usually have submission guidelines that, if they aren’t followed, turns your submission into confetti. They also like to select their own illustrator, so getting illustrations done beforehand might be a waste of your money and time.

When you go through an agent, it’s the same. They’ll probably want to read the MS first (no pictures). Unless you have VERY strong professional-quality artwork, don’t send them pictures right off the bat. Some agents may want to work with you to create a dummy (mockup of the book) with pictures. Usually they already have an artist they want to do it. So again, you could be right back to wasting money and time if you hire someone before submitting it.

If it’s a picture book without words, then of course you can’t submit a MS first. You might need a query letter, though.

These aren’t hard and fast rules and different publishers and agents have different policies and methods. If you contact some and ask, they’ll gladly tell you what they’re looking for. It cuts down on their workload (and yours, of course).

The Word on Illustrators

If you want to self-publish, then of course you’ll need to find an illustrator! Go for it. Remember that you get what you pay for. 

An experienced, professional illustrator should cost you a lot of money. We’re talking several thousands, depending on the size of your book. Don’t expect to get Biggety-Big Bookseller Corporation-type of artwork if you’re not willing to pay for it. You can find tons of artists who are itching to work for free or at low cost. If you don’t have much money, I sympathize. But understand a few things:

• If you ask a professional illustrator to work for peanuts, don’t expect them to be excited. They’re thinking, “How will I pay my internet bill with this?”
• If you find a student or non-professional to do it for a lick and a promise, don’t expect to be dazzled. It might happen, just don’t expect it.
• A promise of “Big royalties! More books later!” or “This will will sell a lot of copies!” means nothing. You’re asking someone to have blind faith in your book and marketing abilities. It might work out, but don’t forget that.
• So you love an illustrator’s work. It’s gorgeous, just what you want. They draw the most amazing animals ever. Don’t ask for proof that they can draw a marmoset. It’s annoying. Yes, she can draw a marmoset. Yes, even your very special marmoset.
• Are you an art director? Ever designed anything professionally? If not, consider hiring an outside art director to help you make sense of the process. You’ll be happier with the results.

You might find a pretty good illustrator willing to work for nothing simply because they believe in your book project and will accept proceeds from sales, but you still need a strong contract before starting. It protects you both. It’s also important to respect the idea that any artist is investing their time and effort in something that may not pay, so  even if they are “up and coming” they still deserve to be viewed as contributing something of great value. Everyone starts somewhere.

Scared?

So I hope I scared you away from children’s book publishing.

If you’re not scared off, then I guess you really want to do this thing, huh? That’s good, because you’re going to need to believe in it even when people tell you it’s a pipe dream. You have to love your story so much that you’ll get it out there no matter what anyone else says.

In case you get the idea from this post that I somehow find all of this easy… well, I don’t. The publishing world is sometimes a big mystery to me, too. No one has the definitive answer on how to get a book published. We’re shooting at a moving target. Welcome to archery practice.

I’m currently developing a picture book. It’s a damn good idea, too (of course it is). I’m going to go through all of these thought processes I just outlined (except the illustrator part because, well… I know someone). I’m not a book publishing psychic, so I’ll make it as good as I can and then let it go.

A great resource is SCWBI. For members, there’s a great community support, workshops, and conventions geared toward the children’s publishing industry. Check it out.

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