How to Get Children's Educational Books Published

Finding a publisher for children's educational books is a challenge. The publishing industry is very competitive, and because they are in a specific niche, children's educational books can be even more difficult to place with a publisher. The following steps will guide you through the process.

Instructions

Getting Your Educational Children's Book Published

1. Your manuscript must be complete and ready to submit when a publisher expresses interest.

2. Have an expert review the content of the manuscript. The material must be accurate because your children's book is meant to be educational and teach its readers. Ensure that the material presented by your book is correct.

3. Locate potential publishers. Visit bookstores and find educational children's books that are similar to yours. Make a note of their publishers. Purchase a market guide like Children's Writer's and Illustrator's Market, or check it out at your local library. Make a list of as many potential publishers as possible because the children's educational book market is very competitive. It can take dozens of submissions before you sell your book to a publisher.

4. Write a query letter that explains the concept of your book. The letter must pique the a publisher's interest because you are aiming to get an invitation to submit the complete manuscript.

5. When you receive rejections, immediately submit your query to other publishers. When you receive manuscript requests, send out the manuscript as soon as possible. Continue you this process until you receive an offer for the purchase of your book.

6. Have an attorney with experience in the publishing industry read the publisher's contract before you sign it. If the attorney gives the okay, sign the contract. If she does not, decline the contract and continue your efforts until you find a publisher who offers an acceptable contract.

Tips & Warnings

• Rather than approaching publishers yourself, you may choose to have an agent do the submission work for you. You can find potential agents in online and print market guides. To get an agent, use the same process as looking for a publisher--send your query letter. Agents often have connections with publishers and can sell your book more easily, but they will take a commission for doing so. For support and information during the process of finding a publisher, you may wish to join a group like the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.

• You should never pay to have your children's educational book published. The publisher should pay you in the form of an advance and royalties on the book's sale. If a publisher ever asks you for money, do not do business with him. Agents should never charge you any money up front either. They should get their payment once they make the sale.

Resources

• Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators