posted September 01, 2003 11:59 AM
I want to publish a series of childrens books based on the stories my mother has told me when I was growing up - of her childhood - growing up on a farm.... I want to promote it here locally in my hometown.
Any suggestions on how to get started? How do I get this edited, published...
Any adivse would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks, Di
------------------ Dianna Peter The Ultimate Mompreneur! diannapeter@yahoo.com
If you don't like where you are in life - move, you're not a tree!
posted September 01, 2003 03:10 PM
Please note, I've never published a book. However, this is a culmination of all of the good advice I've read and received over time. Hopefully a real children's author will visit and be able to give you qualified professional advice.
You could contract a printer to make the book for you, and then sell them to local specialty stores and through advertising and tours, OR
You could approach small presses with finished manuscripts, OR
You could get an agent and have him or her try selling your book to larger publishing houses.
Personally, if the stories are good enough to share, I don't see a reason not to go with an agent.
Write the best story that you can (minus illustration, unless it's very important you do that yourself) and have a few friends read it. Try to find people who know a little about spelling and grammar, who wont be afraid to point out mistakes. Once you are sure the story is as good as you can make it, put it away for a month or two. When you take it out again you will see it in a different light.
After you are really, really sure that you've done all you can, look at some of the children's books you enjoy the most that are similar to your idea. Look up the author in the who's who at the library, and find out who the agent is. Look up the agent in writer's digest's agents and publishers guide, and then send them a book proposal that fits their submission guidelines.
Keep doing that until you find an agent. Once you do, that person will begin working with publishers to find your book the right home.
That is what I would do - and again, I'm hardly an expert. You might also check out some children's writers' orgs (like http://www.scbwi.org/ )on the internet. I'm sure they'll have tons of info for you.
Please note: Any work at home or home business advice as well as the opinions expressed within WAHM.com forums and mailing lists are not necessarily those of WAHM.com. Any advice given by forum or mailing list participants is not endorsed by WAHM.com. By participating in these discussions, you agree to allow WAHM.com and its parent company Maricle Media, Inc. and its affiliates to use, reproduce, display and distribute your contributions, in any medium now existing or hereafter developed. Your personal information will not be sold or used by WAHM.com. Use of email addresses posted on these boards for the purpose of sending unsolicited email is prohibited.
posted September 01, 2003 11:59 AM
Once you do, that person will begin working with publishers to find your book the right home.