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