Children's Picture Book Format

[venavino]

I'm about to attend my first (yikes!) writers conference. I'm really going to pitch my book and I feel pretty good about that proposal, thanks to some good discussion here a couple of weeks ago. But I've also got a children's book to present. I've heard that publishers are pretty picky about the format writers use to submit a manuscript, but when I checked the writers guidelines to see what the publishing house I'll be presenting to is looking for, it just said, "we don't look at unsolicited materials." So, that wasn't too helpful.

Does anyone know the best way to format a manuscript for a picture book? Do they want to know how many pages I envision? Or where I would throw in page breaks? Or do they just want to know how many words and how many pages and receive the manuscript double spaced and looking just like any other type of submission?

Wondering and learning.

--Venavino

[David Meigs]

Is this a picture book, or a children’s story book with illustrations? Is it a collection?

[venavino]

It would be a picture book, but I'm submitting the text only.

[wgjones3]

From the Writers' Federation of Nova Scotia (http://www.writers.ns.ca/w4c.html):

How do you submit your book manuscript?

No matter what type of manuscript you're submitting, always make sure it is clear, error-free, double-spaced, and on white paper. Leave a one and a half inch margin on the left and one inch margin on the right. The top and bottom margins should be one and a half inches. Use 8 1/2" x 11" paper. Never send your only copy. Computer printouts are okay as long as they are separated into individual pages, on good quality paper, with dark, letter quality print (either laser or high-quality inkjet). Secure your manuscript with a paperclip, not a staple, and number the pages. Always remember to include a self-addressed stamped envelope, or sufficient postage to return your work.

To submit a manuscript for a children's book, follow the same procedure you would to submit any other type of manuscript. Find out if the publisher likes to get a book proposal first, or prefers query letters. Research the publisher's backlist to make sure that they publish the type of material you're writing, and that you like the way they present their books.

Cover letters should include autobiographical information such as past publications, qualifications that are relevant to the subject matter of your book, and any pertinent details about your life or work. Include the sort of information you see on book jackets. You should also mention the title of your manuscript and whether or not you are submitting it elsewhere. It can't hurt to mention a few books you have liked by that publisher.

Picture Books

A picture book is a book where the story is partially told by the illustrations, generally aimed at younger readers. If your manuscript is for a picture book, then usually you would send the entire manuscript with a cover letter. Send the story in regular manuscript format, without page breaks, but know where page breaks might naturally occur. The printing process dictates that most picture books are 24 or 36 pages long: when planning the length of your manuscript, allow a few of those pages for publishing information.

Chapter Books

A chapter book is a book with few or no illustrations, split into chapters, generally for older children. Chapter books are submitted in the same way that a work of fiction for adults is submitted. You should send a book proposal, including a cover letter, synopsis and sample chapters.Your proposal should be approximately one quarter of the length of your entire manuscript. See our fact sheet Writing a Book Proposal: Fiction (http://www.writers.ns.ca/bookfic.html) for more details.

[venavino]

>>Send the story in regular manuscript format, without page breaks, but know where page breaks might naturally occur.

That's what I was looking for-- thanks!

--Venavino