Updated- Have you always wanted to write a picture book? Are you thinking you want to publish it?  Hopefully you will sit down and write it if you haven’t done so already. People talk about doing it all the time but action is needed if you are serious. Many people think it is easy. It isn’t. It is a big time commitment. So the first step is to get the story all down on paper or on your computer.

To get it published will take a lot of edits. Seriously, it will need many, many edits. You may need a professional to look it over or join a writing group. This step needs to happen before submitting to agents and publishers.

Getting a publisher or agent involved is another big time commitment. So once your have a wonderful manuscript to show the world, here is the next step to getting traditionally published.

I was lucky. Very, very lucky. It takes a lot of work to get where you want to be. I tried to publish while working as a full-time educator, but it just wasn’t happening. It takes so much effort to submit to agents and publishers. I didn’t get a book contract until that was my main focus. Still interested? Let’s start.

Do you want to self-publish or go the traditional route through an agent/publisher?  I don’t know anything about self-publishing but some people have done fairly well with it.  There are several wonderful Facebook groups that have shared helpful information on self-publishing so check out those groups to learn more.

My goal was to be traditionally published but I don’t have an agent . . . yet.  At this time I have five books out in the world and I represent myself. I am a veteran library media specialist so my first step to getting published was RESEARCH!  Yes, you will need to do a lot of reading, reading, and more reading on the subject.  Getting traditionally published is challenging and very competitive.  So what should you read?

The best book to start with is Children’s Writers and Illustrators Market (most recent edition) which can be found at most libraries.  I checked the book out about five times.  Reading this book can give you information overload.  You cannot learn everything in one day. Pace yourself. There are other books out there about writing too. Those books may also be helpful.

If you want to be traditionally published, don’t think about working with an illustrator. That is the publisher’s job. If you get your book illustrated and submit it as a joint project, most publishers will not even look at it.

My next piece of advice is to become a member of The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.  They are an amazing resource and provide online information, workshops, conferences, and more.  Their website is https://www.scbwi.org.  They are an international organization.

Years ago when my manuscript was ready, I did submit to some agents but a small press accepted The Cloud Artist (2017). I shopped some of my other books around to other publishers/agents but didn’t have any luck.  The Magician was published in December of 2019 by my small press.  In the meantime, my husband and I collaborated on Lela and the Butterflies.  It was picked up by another small publisher that focuses on nature books for children.  It was supposed to be released in the summer but COVID pushed the release date back twice so it was launched in September 2020. The Book of Untold Stories: Fourteen Prompts to Spark the Imagination (2021) was released in May. Since I love storytelling, I wanted to help young storytellers along the way too. Twelve Days of Winter launched in September 2022.

I continue to submit books to agents because I would like to have at least one book published by a big publishing house.  You need an agent to make that happen.  Most people can submit to smaller presses but it is best to see if they are accepting manuscripts from authors who don’t have agents.  That information is found on their websites.

If you are submitting to agents/publishers, keep a log so you know what book was submitted where.  When The Cloud Artist was picked up, I had to contact the other places I had submitted it to so they knew it was unavailable since it was going under contract.

Hope this helps start you on your way! 

Sherri

The beginning of a new school year is upon us! Time flies! I will be returning to having adventures in subbing and looking forward to it.

I love discovering new picture books to add to this list. No matter if you are young or old, you can learn something new from some great picture books! This list is subjective and created for my own purpose but I thought others may want to see it.

LINK TO PRINTABLE LIST

Note: Updated January 2022 Picturebooks are not just for children. This is a list of that I recommend to share with middle school and high school students. Included are biographies about great historic figures and all kinds of nonfiction books about history, science, inventions, and more. Fiction books are also on the list. You are never too old to enjoy reading and learning from a picture book!

Every year we plant more host and nectar plants. We have over 200 milkweed in our conservation easement. It is the host plant for monarch butterflies. We also have spicebush for the spicebush swallowtail, pipevine for the pipevine swallowtail, tulip trees for tiger swallowtails, maypop passionvine for the variegated fritillary, and many more. If you don’t have a yard but want to help butterflies, potted flowers on a porch are helpful. It is wonderful to greet the butterflies every year! They do love our flowers! Hope you get a chance to read Lela and the Butterflies!

So excited! Thought I would share some information about this new book published by The RoadRunner Press!

The Book of Untold Stories!

Do you like using your imagination? Are you someone who wants to create stories? Then grab a piece of paper and a pen, open this book, and let your imagination soar! What is your big fish story? If little aliens visited earth, what would they look like and what would they do? If an octopus could read books, what would it read and why? Fourteen colorful illustrations await, but only you can tell your unique story based on them. A doorway to endless hours of creative writing, The Book of Untold Stories will turn you into a storyteller or writer no matter your age! For ages 5-up. 9781950871094

I keep adding a few more titles. You are never too old to learn something new from a picture book! To see the updated version, go to the “Extra Ideas” tab and there is the list that is updated almost on a month basis.

Tweaked and updated February 19, 2022

You have always wanted to write a picture book? You are thinking you want to publish it?  Hopefully you will sit down and write it. If you are really passionate about writing it then sit down and do it. People talk about doing it all the time but action is needed if you are serious. Many people think it is easy. It isn’t. It is a big time commitment. So the first step is to get it all down on paper or on your computer.

To get it published will take a lot of edits. Seriously, it will need many, many edits. You may need a professional to look it over or join a writing group. This step needs to happen before submitting to agents and publishers.

Getting a publisher or agent involved is another big time commitment. So once your have a wonderful manuscript to show the world, here is the next step to getting traditionally published.

I was lucky. Very, very lucky. It takes a lot of work to get where you want to be. I tried to publish while working as a full-time educator, but it just wasn’t happening. It takes so much effort to submit to agents and publishers. Still interested? Let’s start.

Do you want to self-publish or go the traditional route through an agent/publisher?  I don’t know anything about self-publishing but some people have done fairly well with it.  There are several wonderful Facebook groups that have shared helpful information on self-publishing so check out those groups to learn more.

My goal was to be traditionally published but I don’t have an agent . . . yet.  I am a veteran library media specialist so my first step to getting published was RESEARCH!  Yes, you will need to do a lot of reading, reading, and more reading on the subject.  Getting traditionally published is challenging and very competitive.  So what should you read?

The best book to start with is Children’s Writers and Illustrators Market (most recent edition) which can be found at most libraries.  I checked the book out about five times.  Reading this book can give you information overload.  You cannot learn everything in one day. Pace yourself. There are other books out there about writing too. Those books may also be helpful.

My next piece of advice is to become a member of The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.  They are an amazing resource and provide online information, workshops, conferences, and more.  Their website is https://www.scbwi.org.  They are an international organization.

Years ago when my manuscript was ready, I did submit to some agents but a small press accepted The Cloud Artist (2017). I shopped some of my other books around to other publishers/agents but didn’t have any luck.  The Magician was published in December of 2019 by my small press.  In the meantime, my husband and I collaborated on Lela and the Butterflies.  It was picked up by another small publisher that focuses on nature books for children.  It was supposed to be released in the summer but COVID pushed the release date back twice so it was launched in September 2020. The Book of Untold Stories: Fourteen Prompts to Spark the Imagination (2021) was released in May. Since I love storytelling, I wanted to help young storytellers along the way too. I have a new book coming in August 2022.

I continue to submit books to agents because I would like to have at least one book published by a big publishing house.  You need an agent to make that happen.  Most people can submit to smaller presses but it is best to see if they are accepting manuscripts from authors who don’t have agents.  That information is found on their websites.

If you are submitting to agents/publishers, keep a log so you know what book was submitted where.  When The Cloud Artist was picked up, I had to contact the other places I had submitted it to so they knew it was unavailable since it was going under contract.

Hope this helps start you on your way! 

Sherri

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