Children’s book publishers specialize in publishing books for children of all ages, with some focusing on specific age ranges or genres. They may accept unsolicited manuscripts or work only with literary agents, and typically employ editors and proofreaders. Following submission guidelines is important, and successful authors and illustrators may be asked to sign contracts for future work.
A children’s book publisher is a company or entity that publishes books for children. This can range from books designed for babies and children to books for teens and young adults. Often, the children’s book publisher specializes in books within a certain age range, depending on the size of the company. Larger companies are more likely to have the resources to publish a wider range of books.
The publisher of each children’s book may work differently. Some are willing to accept unsolicited manuscripts or questions directly from writers, while others will only work with literary agents. If they choose to publish a book, they can pay the writer or illustrator a flat fee or make royalty payments based on book earnings or a percentage of the list price. A children’s book publisher might also only publish books that fall into a specific genre, like young adult fantasy, for example.
Typically, a children’s book publisher will accept text or illustrations from one contributor, but not both. This means they will accept a manuscript written by a writer and hire their own illustrator to illustrate the work; or, they will accept sample illustrations from an artist and then commission that artist to illustrate a specific manuscript. If a writer is adamant about publishing their own text and illustrations, finding a publisher may be more difficult.
Most children’s book publishers are very specific about their submission requirements, whether they accept unsolicited inquiries. They can simply ask for a query letter, the first few chapters or pages of a book, or the entire manuscript right at the start. Regardless of the request, it’s important to follow the submission guidelines to the letter; a children’s book publisher is likely to release a query or manuscript that doesn’t meet the guidelines because they may receive dozens or hundreds of queries each week. Once an editor publishes a work, they are more likely to work with that specific author or illustrator again in the future. Some may be asked to sign contracts, while others will be published individually.
A children’s book publisher will likely employ a staff, including editors and proofreaders. Additionally, binding can occur on-site or they can ship the manuscripts to an outside company for physical binding and publication. Book publishers typically expect their employees to have a college degree, usually in English or a related field.
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