How to Get a Children's Book Published in the United Kingdom
- 1). Determine the age range of your book. Books intended for children ages 2 to 6 tend to fall in the picture book category. Books intended for children ages 6 to 12 are usually middle-grade novels, with a word count of 35,000 to 50,000. Books intended for ages 13 to 18 are normally considered young adult novels, and can range from 50,000 to 75,000 words in length (some published YA novels are longer, but if you're a debut author, it can be hard to sell a manuscript longer than 80,000 words or so).
- 2). Research agents who specialize in your field. Some people will argue that you don't need an agent to get published; this is true, but having an agent will make it much easier. Agents know all of the editors in their field; they know which editors will love your manuscript and who will not be interested in purchasing it.
The best way to find an agent is to choose a few published books that are similar to yours. In the acknowledgements page of the book, you can usually find the author's agent. You can also look in the Children's Writers' and Artists' Yearbook 2010 (carried in most bookstores) to locate agents based in the U.K. Make sure that the agents you write to specialize in your area of children's publishing (for example, some agents only work with YA, while others only do middle-grade books). - 3). Write a query letter. A query letter is a brief, one-page letter that introduces you to the agent and explains why he should read your manuscript. If you have met the agent at a writers' conference or event, mention this in the opening paragraph. If you found the agent through Children's Yearbook or through an author's acknowledgment page, explain to the agent that you read some of the books she has worked on previously, and you thought that based on what you know of her taste, she might enjoy your manuscript.
In the second paragraph, summarize the plot of your novel. Do not make this longer than one or two paragraphs--300 words at most. Succinctly describe the plot points of your story in a way that is interesting and engaging. Don't end your synopsis with a cliffhanger; the agent wants to know the beginning, middle and end of the book before she decides if she wants to read the whole manuscript or not. Close your query letter by thanking the agent for his time. The website of the literary agency should say whether or not the agent would like some sample chapters to review. Normally, agents want the first three or four chapters included with a query letter; however, some will ask for the full manuscript right away. Find out how many pages or chapters this agent wants you to include with your letter, and do not include any more than that. - 4). Edit your manuscript one last time. Even if you've gone over the manuscript 20 times already (and if you haven't, you should have), you should check once more before you send it out to make sure that there are no glaring mistakes.
At this point, you're ready to start mailing out your agent queries. Take your query letter, attach the sample chapters of your manuscript requested by the agent's guidelines, seal in an envelope with a SASE (self-addressed stamped envelope) and send it. Some agents accept online submissions; in that case, you just need to attach the sample chapters to your e-mailed query. - 5). Start looking for another agent to query. Don't wait to hear back from the first one; it could take months to hear back about a query; even then, if the agent likes your material, she will ask you to send her the full manuscript before she makes a decision. Once you have an agent, the agent will submit your book to editors in the field. It could be several months before you hear back from an editor who enjoyed your manuscript, and then your agent will have to negotiate a book contract on your behalf. This is when it is particularly useful to have an agent; your agent understands the ins and outs of contracts and will help you get the best deal possible. Even after your book is purchased, it will probably be at least a year before you'll see it on the shelves in print.
Publishing is a long and frustrating process, but don't get discouraged. The reward of seeing your name in print will be worth the work.