Children’s Book Publishers

Learn how to get children’s book publishers to read your manuscript and which online publishers can help you publish your book for less so that you can get it done your way.

The children’s book industry is booming, and more and more authors than ever are producing books and clamoring to get them published. Unfortunately, while the market for these materials is huge, it does have limitations. That’s why, out of the many talented writers out there, only a small percentage can realistically hope to ever get their work published.

In fact, the quality of your work has little to do with whether it’s going to get published. Yes, of course it needs to be a well-written, well-produced book with broad appeal, but there are thousands of people producing work that meets this standard, and not all of them get published. What sets published authors apart is something much more pragmatic—that is, knowledge of the industry, and the ability to get manuscripts to the people who really matter.

In other words, no matter how great your book is, it’s not going to get published based on quality alone. You also must have some savvy in the industry, and it helps to have connections. Sad, but true.

Before Finding a Publisher, Familiarize Yourself with the Industry 

Finding publishers is easy. There are literally hundreds of children’s book publishers in the U.S., ranging from small, independent presses to large subsidiaries of global publishing corporations.

Before you can begin to sort out which children’s book publishers you have a chance with, it’s important to get a feel for the industry. If you don’t take an active interest in the current trends in the children’s book industry—for example, if you don’t know any of the current major authors or popular writing styles—this is going to be immediately apparent when you send out your work.

That’s why you have to read widely. You may feel a little funny looking through children’s books at the library or bookstore, but think of it as an investment. Try to get a feel for what different companies like to publish. And while you don’t want to copy existing books, you can take notes on what makes a children’s book work.

Once you have a good feel for the industry, make a list of publishing companies that you think would be most receptive to your work, and focus on these companies.

Sending Your Manuscript Out to Children’s Book Publishers 

When your manuscript is ready to be shopped around, there are important considerations that you can’t neglect. For one thing, every company has its own specifications for how it likes to receive manuscripts. Many children’s book publishers put this information online, while the information for others can be found in Writer’s Market books, which you can find at the bookstore or library. Follow these instructions to the letter, and your manuscript will have a much better chance of getting to the people who matter.

Once you start sending out your manuscript, expect rejections. Know that you’re probably going to be rejected dozens of times before anyone accepts your work. Don’t take it personally. You’ll probably receive some form letters, which simply means that the company has too many submissions to respond to each one individually.

Think of it as a game, and understand that, as with any game, hard