Help find the cure

Marketing Your Manuscript

by Rick Walton

1. Write your manuscript as well as you can. Edit it, rewrite it, have others look at it, polish it.
2. Do your market research:

--Look in Writer's Market, or Children's Writers and Illustrators Market (available in most libraries, as are books mentioned below) for publishers that publish your type of work.

--Get publishers' catalogs to see what they are publishing (order catalogs from publishers or ask your local children's librarian if you can see theirs.) Look in libraries and bookstores to see who publishes books similar to yours. Look in Children's Books in Print.

--Look on the internet for writers' guidelines, publishers' information, and other information on writing.

--Network. Most manuscripts are sold through connections. Get involved with writers groups. Attend conferences. Join the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). Get to know people who can help you become a better writer and get published.

--Make a list of the publishers you're interested in, and notes on their requirements and publishing interests.

--Stay away from publishers who want you to pay them to publish your book.

3. Prepare your manuscript:

--8 1/2" x 11", one side, double-space, standard margins, neat, no spelling or punctuation errors. Your last name, title, page number on each page. Paper clip or rubber-band together. Or put in a box. Don't bind.

--Use a high-quality printer. Normal print size (Courier 10 for example), no extra large or extra small. Do not desktop-publish your book.

--Do not put copyright notice or rights you're selling on your manuscript or in your cover letter. Copyright is taken care of by the publisher, rights for sale are negotiated once the contract is accepted.

--Unless you are a professional-quality illustrator, do not submit illustrations. If illustrations are submitted, be sure to emphasize in your cover letter that the text and illustrations are to be considered separately.

--Do not describe how you want the illustrations except in cases where the illustration is required by but not indicated in the text.

--Always keep a hard copy of your manuscript.

4. Write your cover letter or query letter:

--Each manuscript should be accompanied by a cover letter, in a business letter format, stating what you are sending.

--If possible, the cover letter should be addressed to a specific editor. Writer's Market and Literary Market Place will help you find names.

--The cover letter should be brief. For example, "Please consider the enclosed picture book manuscript, Ralph Eats His Toe, for publication. I am enclosing a SASE for your response."

--If you have professional writing credentials, such as previous publications, you can list them in your cover letter.

--If your manuscript is non-fiction you can state in your cover letter what your qualifications are for writing this book, and why you think your book will sell to the public.

--If your manuscript is long non-fiction, or a novel, most publishers want a query letter instead of an entire manuscript with cover letter. Query letters for non-fiction should include the topic of the manuscript, the age of the market, how your book is different from competing books, and your qualifications for writing this manuscript. In general, novel queries should include a brief cover letter, a synopsis, and a couple of chapters. Some publishers, however, want to see complete novels.

5. Submit your manuscript:

--Be careful with simultaneous submissions. If you send simultaneous submissions send to a few at a time. Don't send to subsidiaries of the same company.

--Always enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope.

--Don't get discouraged with rejection. Some great books have been turned down by dozens of publishers.

6. Wait:

--Always be working on new projects and sending out different manuscripts. Then you won't be emotionally tied to any one manuscript.

--Publishers average 3 months to respond. If three months has elapsed with no word, send the publishers a polite note asking about the progress of your manuscript.

7. If necessary, reassess your manuscript:

--Although not every rejection means a poorly written manuscript, if your manuscript is frequently rejected, especially if the reasons given are similar, take another look at your manuscript and see if it's worth continuing the submission process. If you're not sure, set the manuscript aside for a few months and bring it out again after you've had more writing and editing experience.

8. If your manuscript is accepted, negotiate the contract:

--You will usually be offered 5% of retail for picture books and 10% for longer works. Paperback royalties are usually 3% and 6% respectively.

--Advances usually begin at about $2500.

--In any contract there are dozens, if not hundreds of other contract clauses. You can either trust the publisher, find a lawyer with expertise in publishing to look at the contract (for a flat fee), find an agent to handle the contract for you, or study up on contracts and negotiate yours yourself (there are some books available on such topics.)

9. Consider getting an agent:

--It is usually easier to get published than to get an agent. Agents usually want to see a track record before they consider you.

--If you do want an agent, get one who specializes in children's literature.

--To get an agent:

1. Look in Literary Market Place to find agents who handle children's literature.
2. Send query letters to those agents who might handle your work. Query letters should include your publishing experience, any other qualifications, the kind of writing you do including brief descriptions of some manuscripts you would like handled. Also ask the agent, if he or she is interested in you, to send you information on terms with which they deal with authors. Be sure to include a SASE.
3. When the responses come back, study the positive responses and prioritize them.
4. Send your work to the first agent on your list. If the work comes back rejected, send to the second, etc.

--Some legitimate agents are charging reasonable reading fees for newcomers (around $25-50). Most legitimate agents do not charge reading fees.

--Agents require 10-15% of everything they make for you.

The Publishing Process (Will take from 1 to 3 years)

Once your manuscript is accepted and the contracts signed, the following will likely take place:

1. You will receive one-half of your advance after you've signed the contract.
2. The publisher will begin looking for an illustrator and will give you suggestions for rewriting your manuscript.
3. You will rewrite your manuscript as quickly and as well as you can. Those of your publishers suggestions that you agree with you will take. Those that you don't care about either way, you will also probably take. Those that you disagree with you will discuss with your editor until you reach a mutual decision. As you rewrite you will probably find other ways to improve your manuscript.
4. You will send back your manuscript. Your editor might accept it, or might make further suggestions for improvement. If your editor accepts the manuscript as final, you will receive the second half of your advance.
5. The publisher will probably by now have found an illustrator. Some publishers will ask your opinion on the illustrator, but in the end it will be the publisher's decision.
6. The illustrator will get to work, and the publisher will set a tentative publication date. Publication dates are usually in the spring or the fall.
7. The publisher might send you a typeset copy of your manuscript for you to review. If you find a publisher-caused error in the manuscript, the publisher will fix the error. At this point you might be able to change the manuscript for artistic reasons, but you will be responsible for the costs of that change.
8. The publisher will ask you to fill out an author information questionnaire. This information will be used for filing the copyright and for writing the author bio that will appear in the book. The publisher might also ask for a photograph and for a dedication.
9. After the illustrations are completed and the book signatures printed, the publisher will send you a copy. The publisher will also send you a copy of the jacket art.
10. The book comes out. You'll receive 10-25 author copies. You'll be able to buy extra copies at 50%-60% of retail. Your book might be reviewed by The School Library Journal, Booklist, Kirkus Reviews, or any number of other publications that review children's books. Good reviews are nice marketing tools, but let the publisher deal with that. You'll be better off is you ignore the reviews.
11. You might be asked to visit schools, bookstores, or libraries to speak, sign books, or do workshops. Be prepared for these, they're important sales events.
12. All royalties will go to pay off your advance. Once your advance is paid off, you will begin to receive your royalties. Publishers do an inventory quarterly or semi-annual to determine sales, then figure royalties.
13. After your book has run its course, remaining books might be "remaindered." When this happens you will be offered a chance to buy copies of your book at a fraction of retail.
14. After your book is out of print for a determined time, rights might revert to you. If not, you can request those rights from the publisher. If the publisher has no plans for your book, they will probably oblige. You are then free to try to market your book again.