Can You Get Your Children’s Book Published?

If you have had the creative and fulfilling idea to write a children’s book - and even if you have already put it down on paper - you may be wondering what next step you can take toward getting it published. You may have also discovered that the children’s book market is highly competitive since many other people are interested in this venue of publishing.

So where do you even begin?

Find a Publisher

The best place to begin in publishing a children’s book is finding the right publisher who is interested. You can Google “children’s book publishers” online to search, and there are also many writers websites that will provide lists of the top children’s book publishers. Still, it is important to research each publisher individually because they have their own set of guidelines for writers and illustrators. When you are choosing a publisher, there is no reason to be picky since you may have to approach several or even many publishers before finding an interested party.

How to Submit

Like I said above, each publisher may want something different from you when you submit your children’s book manuscript. Some publishers may want the entire manuscript, while others may only want a query letter and a summary. Make sure to only submit what the publishing guidelines specify if you want a chance at all for consideration, and do not waste your time mailing in a manuscript to publishing houses that do not accept unsolicited manuscripts. In your submissions, always make the font simple and easy to read, and stay away from fancy script.

Possible Rejection

If you have never been published before, you absolutely must be prepared for rejection because it is a part of the industry. Many of the children’s books written each year are written by authors who are previously published, but that does not mean that you don’t have a chance - you will just need to try harder. You can learn from the rejection letters instead of taking them personally and continue to adjust your approach until you find a publisher who is happy to publish your children’s book manuscript!

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