Anyone interested in writing and publishing a children's book should first know who their readers will be. We can all draw from experience of our own childhood, but the best writers are going to emerge themselves in their core market. If you are a writer who is not familiar with what the latest trends are in children's books, or have not taken a look at what kind of story lines are on television or the big screen, it might be time to start. The underlying theme of many children's books are still aimed toward core values and virtues such as honesty, trustworthiness and respect; but moving with the times, they are presented in innovative ways. Trendy characters and real world applications are often seen in modern day children's literature. Before writing, it would be helpful to recognize the latest trends and study different books that have recently been published.
Before getting your children's book on the shelf, you have to begin with choosing the right publisher. Ultimately, the writer should want a publisher who represents the style and ideals of their book. Considering it will be a long, working relationship, writers should feel confident the company they have chosen is one that shares similar views toward literature. The "Children's Writers and Illustrators Market" is a great resource book, published annually, to help writers find their publishers based on writer's guidelines and publishing house preferences. The book provides information as detailed as what months submissions are accepted to what type of stories the publisher is looking for. Publishers are always pleased when inquiring authors have done their research and know a bit of background about the company they are wanting to work with. In addition to investing in this book, it is helpful to visit your local bookstores and children's book stores to observe different titles that appeal to you. If they look like titles you enjoy, those might be the publishers to approach. Spending a good amount of time becoming familiar with the different companies and what they have to offer is going to pay off in the long run when it comes to presenting your children's book to the literary world.
If you have chosen several publishers to approach, you have completed an important first step, Perhaps the hardest task is composing the perfect query letter that will convince publishers your manuscript is worth reading. It would be ideal to simply hand in your manuscript to a publisher with no questions asked, but publishing companies receive such a large volume of submissions that they often begin with reading your letter of proposal before asking for the actual manuscript. This is when it is imperative to decide what kind of children's book you have written. The words you choose to describe your book to the editors will determine whether they want to read it. Often times, publishers will approach the writer that has a fresh idea toward children's literature. They want the story line to be adaptable to the times, focusing in on creative ideas that children can relate to. Query letters should capture the essence of the story and explain why readers will like it. Making mention of who your readers will be, why they will want to read it and how it could be marketed will provide a greater chance of getting an offer to be read.