How to Publish Children's Work & Illustrations
Children who spend their time writing and drawing can create exceptional works of whimsy and imagination. Taking a work to the next step, publication, is no simple task, even for adult writers. Publishing children's writing and illustrations requires a different approach, from the editing process forward. With a little research and persistence, you can improve the chances of getting a child’s work published. Or do it yourself with self-publishing options.
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Instructions
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Edit the child’s work. Illustrations do not need editing, but any written work should be reviewed for basic mechanics. A parent can easily edit the child’s work by ensuring proper grammar and spelling. But accurate spelling and grammar form only the structure of the work. Be sure you don't over-edit and obscure the child's special "voice" and style. These elements make writing vivid and memorable.
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Look for magazine short story or illustration contests. Some magazines, especially children’s magazines, conduct regular contests specifically for children's work. Look in literary magazines, children’s magazines and similar resources. Your local library should serve as a useful source for updated contest ideas, or do online searches for local, state and national opportunities.
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Send the edited work to magazines that publish children’s work and drawings and request submissions. Magazines that specifically publish the work of children, such as Magic Dragon, Cricket and Creative Kids, publish the work of elementary school children. Many print magazines, such as the venerable Stone Soup, a print magazine entirely written by children, have online alternatives with special opportunities for publishing children's work (StoneSoup.com).
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Look up publishers of children’s books. Find contact information at the beginning of any children’s book in the library or bookstore, or through resources like Writer’s Digest and Writer's Market. Review the publisher’s website carefully to determine if it's an appropriate venues for the reading level and subject matter of the child's work you want to have published.
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Contact the appropriate publisher by phone or query letter. Don't send an unsolicited manuscript, because it will probably be tossed in the trash. Your initial contact is crucial, so be polite and offer a clear description of the child's work you want published. Be ready to describe in a few well-chosen words exactly what makes it a viable choice for the publisher. After you get approval, send the specific documents that the publisher requests. Typically, publishers will have different requirements for submissions. They may request the entire manuscript but probably will prefer several chapters or illustrations, or even a briefer sample of the work. Many will not deal with authors directly, requiring the services of an agent. Do your research and act accordingly.
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Send the child’s work and illustrations to several publishers. Some publishers will reject the work, but don't be discouraged. Avoid sending the work to publishers that publish different genres—of course, you shouldn't send a non-fiction work to a fantasy publisher. An agent can help you get your foot in the door, and often specializes in and has contacts with publishers of specific genres, such as children's fantasy or children's non-fiction.
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For an alternate route, print-on-demand publishers accept every writer of any age: for a price. If you can afford it, self publishing is a quick do-it-yourself way to get children's work and illustrations printed in limited hard-copy editions. You can customize the children's work by selecting templates for design elements like font and layout. Visit self-publishing websites like ArtBookBindery.com and Callawind.com for more ideas. Of course, a self-published work doesn't promote itself. You'll have to take over the role of publisher, promoter and distributor to get the children's work out on the market.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Young child learning to write her name image by levo from Fotolia.com
