Most people have questions when they are just getting started in children's publishing. Here are a few of the most common...

How do I find an illustrator for my picture book?
Don't worry about providing illustrations with your manuscript. Especially if you are a first time author, most publishers prefer to chose the illustrator for your book. That way they can pair a well known illustrator with an established reputation and fan base with a new author. This helps sell books. The only time you need concern yourself with illustrations is if you are doing them yourself.

Can I sell my work without going to New York?
Certainly! Many well-published writers and illustrators live throughout the Midwest. Simply submit your manuscript or non-returnable artwork to the publishers via U.S. Post. Be sure to submit a copy and not the original just in case something should happen to it along the way.
The best way to insure that your work will sell is to make sure it is the best that it can possibly be. To do this read children's books being published today; attend a critique group to get feedback from other writers (see our page of groups around the state); and make sure your work is properly formatted (obtain a copy of the SCBWI member publication, From Typewriter to Printed Page).

How do I find an agent?
One source of information on reputable agents in the SCBWI Guide to Agents (a SCBWI member publication). Finding an agent is much like finding a publisher. You need to be certain that they represent children's authors in your genre and that they are currently accepting clients.
An agent is not a short cut to getting published. Finding an agent is just as difficult as finding a publisher who is interested in your work. If they sell your work, it is also a long-term commitment because they will have a right to part of this income from that work as long as it is generating income of any kind--even if this person is no longer your agent. But there are also pluses to having an agent. An agent will negotiate your book contract and since they are experienced in this area they will have a greater knowledge of negative clauses to avoid. An agent can also successfully get you a higher advance in addition to getting your manuscript read by an editor at a closed house. A good agent is an effective buffer between author and editor, helping get the author the best deal possible while facilitating a strong working relationship.

Should I apply for copy right?
There is no need to obtain copy right before submitting your work. Once you have committed it to paper, you have a copy right and there is really no need to register it. If you do so, this will generally signal the editor to whom you submit your work that they are not working with a professional. It also tells the editor that you do not trust them not to steal your work. If you feel you can't trust a particular publisher or editor, then don't send them your work. It is not worth the legal hassles for a publisher to steal your work, especially not when they can obtain quality writing legally. That said, a copyright attorney will give you different advice. They will tell you to register your work before submitting. Why? Because without a registered copy right, you can only sue for actual and not punitive damages. Often, registering for the copy right will cost more than you will make on a magazine piece. When it comes down to it, it is your call.

I submitted a story, got a rejection and then saw something similar in the magazine! Did they steal my idea?
Probably not. Every author at some time submits a story or finishes a book and then finds a similar piece of work. The good news is, your idea is the kind of thing they want to publish. The bad news is that they probably already had this other piece in the works. This happens frequently; no idea is original, only your expression of it is. Even if you had already copy righted your work, the copy right only applies to that particular expression of the idea. Another author can still write about a similar or same idea without violating your copy right. That's how you can get so many retellings of a single folk tale. Find out more in the SCBWI member publication, Copyright Facts for Writers. And subscribe to Mo Scribbles and read Chris Kelleher's column on copy right. Subscribers can even contact him with questions to address in future columns.

Where should I submit my manuscript?
No one knows your work better than you do, so no one else can really tell you where to submit. Read similar books to see who publishes what. Read a variety of manuscripts to see if they publish your kind of story. And be sure to check market listings such as the SCBWI member publications the SCBWI Guide to Book Publishers, Directory Guide to Magazine Markets, the SCBWI Guide to Small Press Markets, and the SCBWI Guide to Educational Markets. Subscribe to Mo Scribbles and read Donna Batemann's market updates. Also request the publishers guidelines so that you know what they want to see in a submission such as the complete manuscript or a query letter with synopsis and chapters. The best thing you can do for yourself is to make sure that you have put together the best possible manuscript before submitting. One way to do this is to have other professionals read it and give you their opinion. Join a critique group. They are a great way to get feedback andimprove your writing skills which is really the only path to publication. If you don't know of a critique group you can join, check out the link below and we will try to help you.

The publisher I want to send my work to only takes query letters? What is that?
A query letter is essentially a one page sales pitch. It offers a particular work (picture book, novel, article) to a publisher. It has to be short, to the point, and intriguing. Short, but important, query letters stump many good writers. Fortunately, novelist Kristin Nitz has agreed to let us post the model query letter she used to lead one of our Casual Meetings. Query Letter