The children's publishing industry is both capricious and finicky. It is sometimes difficult for even seasoned writers to make a success out of publishing for children; for beginners, it can feel impossible.

Success as a writer for children is not, however, entirely unattainable. Many novices make predictable errors that, once recognized, are easy to avoid. Knowing what specifics the industry is seeking out can help you go from an unpublished writer to one who is waiting for the next royalty check in the mail.

Think of an Idea

Every great story starts with a fabulous idea. Picture books and stories in children's magazines are no different. To come up with a fabulous idea, authors for children should spend time with the age group for which they are writing, to discover what children at that age find interesting. Every age group is different, but there are a few industry rules that are standard:

• Include a conflict in your story--Conflict is at the heart of all good stories. Without the feuding families, Romeo and Juliet would not have been worth reading. Stories for children should contain conflicts for children. The conflicts should not be watered-down versions of adult conflicts, but problems that real children could possibly face.

• Write about children (not animals)--In many wonderful picture book classics, the main character is a talking animal. P.D. Eastman and Beatrix Potter were gifted with the ability to make an animal seem like a real child, while still maintaining qualities of a rabbit or a mouse. In the modern publishing industry, though, nothing screams "amateur" as loudly as a story with a furry protagonist.

• Let your protagonist resolve the conflict--When adults see children in trouble, they almost always step in to help. But children's stories should show children solving their own problems, without the aid of a kindly grownup.

Write the Words

Once a writer has developed a fabulous idea, he or she has the challenging but rewarding task of putting that idea into words that will delight and engage editors, parents, and children. Remembering the following directives will help.

• Picture books don't have to rhyme--Dr. Seuss and Shell Silverstein could find a way to make cat rhyme with dog, and have it work. That doesn't mean that every great work of children's literature is going to rhyme. In fact, most don't. If you dream, talk, and think in rhyme, then you will probably write a fine rhyming story. The rest of us should stick with prose.

• Show, don't tell--This classic bit of writing advice is critical for any genre, including children's literature. A six-year-old will be bored reading about a party where kids have fun and play a lot of games. When that same six-year-old gets to crack the piñata with his first swing of the bat, then accidentally stick the donkey's tail to his sister's face, he'll have more fun.

• Use dialogue in your story--Stories come alive when the characters talk. Dialogue adds interest, gives your story depth, and moves the plot along effortlessly. Children's stories without dialogue won't hold the interest of either a child or a potential publisher.

• Don't preach to the reader--Children hate being patronized, and have a remarkable ability to tune out when they're being lectured. The purpose of school is to teach; the purpose of children's literature is to entertain.

Add Polish

Often times, polish is the only difference between a fabulous children's story that is published and sells a million copies, and a fabulous children's story that ends up at the bottom of the slush pile. Editors like to see submissions from people who have studied the industry, and who know what a proper manuscript should look like. If you follow these guidelines, your story has a better chance of being read carefully.

• Use perfect grammar and punctuation--When your books have sold a million copies, you will be able to get away with proofreading your next story only two or three times. But as a novice, your work may contain no errors. Proofread it several times, have your sister proofread it, then put it away for a week and proofread it again.

• Do not include pictures--One of the jobs of a publisher is to marry a story with an illustrator whose style suits the text. Writers are neither expected not encouraged to draw illustrations to go along with a story, so resist the urge to include your sketch of the protagonist or his dog. The only exception is the professional illustrator making a foray into writing.

• Use proper manuscript formatting--Because children's books are of prescribed lengths (the number of pages is always a multiple of 8), many writers make a dummy book to ensure that their story will be well paced. While a well-paced story is more likely to sell than one that won't work in 32 pages, the copy you send to a potential publisher should be in manuscript format. Put your name and address in the top left hand corner, center your title about halfway down the page, and use 12-point, double-spaced text.

Submit!

The day that you send your manuscript off to a potential publisher is an exciting one. A lot of dreams ride along in the envelope, as well as some anxiety. While there is no gimmick guaranteed to get your story published, the following suggestions will help you get it read:

• Research every publisher you submit to--Many publishers post their writer's guidelines on their website, and almost all will send you a copy if you mail a request. Market guides such as the Children's Writers' and Illustrators' Market, or websites like the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, www.scbwi.org, also provide information about what the different publishers are interested in. If you use all of the information you can find, you'll avoid wasting six months for a rejection from a publisher that only publishes certain type of books.

• Mail your manuscript to the right person--The publishing world has a high turnover rate in its top positions, so it's possible that the person listed on the website is no longer in charge. The only time it is acceptable to call the publisher is to find out the name of the person in charge of submissions.

• Include an SASE--In the days of typewriters, an author included a self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE) with a manuscript so that he or she wouldn't have to retype the 500-page book if the publisher didn't want it. Computers make the return envelope seem obsolete, especially with 1000-word stories. Editors still want to see them, though. Some publishing houses will even throw away manuscripts that are not accompanied by an SASE.

• Submit to magazines--Picture books are definitely where the money is, and many authors never submit to magazines because they are chasing the elusive advance. That's a mistake; children's magazines are not quite as competitive as the picture book market, so unpublished authors have a better chance of breaking into magazines. Also, cover letters that list a couple of clips from big-name children's magazines are more likely to catch an editor's eye.

Conclusion

External Links:

• Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrator - Information, forums, markets, and advice for children's writers
• Writer's Digest Children's Writing Page - Advice and information for writers for children
• The Children's Book Council - Free, non-profit market information and advice for children's book writers