Ever wanted to write or illustrate a children's book and have no idea where to begin or where to seek publication? This handbook for new and aspiring children's authors and illustrators is the ultimat
Ever wanted to write or illustrate a children's book and have no idea where to begin or where to seek publication? This handbook for new and aspiring children's authors and illustrators is the ultimate guide to the whole process of writing your book and getting it to the publisher.
Written in clear and expert prose by Peter Carver, one of North America's leading children's book editors, this book will show you how to begin, how to develop the story, how to speak to your audience, and how to refine the work for publication. Peter does not beat around the bush: Writing a children's book is hard but rewarding work that requires the kinds of skill and dedication you can develop from the wisdom and guidance found in these pages. It includes:
- How to get started
- Writing for your audience
- Producing the manuscript
- Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, drama
- How illustrators get hired
- Illustrating picture books and nonfiction
- Planning your portfolio
- Knowing fiction and nonfiction, trade or education markets
- Should you get an agent?
- Submitting for publication
- Self publication
- Contracts
- Copyright
- How a publishing house works
- Lists of writers' resources and associations
- And much more.
Peter Carver
is a veteran children's book editor and recipient of the International Board on Books for Young people (IBBY) Claude Aubry Award for Distinguished Service in the Field of Children's Literature. Through his renowned workshops and retreats he has mentored hundreds of new and veteran authors, including dozens of national and international award winners whose books have been published in dozens of languages.
View Biographical note
ContentsPreface by Caroline Pignat
Introduction
A. FOR THE WRITER
1. Getting Started
2. Can someone teach me how to do it?
3. Why are you writing for children?
4. Producing the manuscript
What's a story?
The picture book
Fiction
Poetry
Drama
Non-fiction
5. Completing the manuscript
6. Who are you writing for?
7. Sending the manuscript out
Selecting a publisher
Educational
Trade
Magazines
Self-publishing
8. Commissioned, solicited, and unsolicited manuscripts
9. Submitting the manuscript
10. Waiting for the reply
11. So you're going to be published
B. FOR THE ILLUSTRATOR
1. Working as an illustrator
2. Illustrating picture books
3. Illustrating non-fiction
4. Training and background
5. Starting out
6. Making the apppproach: planning your portfolio
7. Getting hired
8. The illustrator as freelancer
C. FOR WRITERS AND ILLUSTRATORS
1. How a publishing house works
2. How to find a publisher
3. Copyright
4. How do you get paid?
5. Contracts
6. Should you get an agent?
7. The new technology
8. Organizations
9. Government cultural programs and grants
10. Resources
Afterword
Acknowledgments
Index
View Table of contents
