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Question: I have written a children's book!. Does anyone know the first steps I must take to get it published!?
I'm also an artist and will be illustrating it!. But, I won't illustrate it until it is accepted by a publisher!. Does a publisher want the illustrations first though!?

Anyone know the inside steps!?

Thanks!Www@QuestionHome@Com


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
I suggest you join the SCBWI: the Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators!. They'll give you all the information you need!. Their homepage is http://www!.scbwi!.org

You could also start by getting The Complete Idiot's Guide to Children's Book Publishing by Harold Underdown!.

If your writing and illustrating are both professional, you can submit a picture book dummy with a few finished art samples!. If you aren't a professional illustrator, however, you would be best off submitting just the manuscript to publishers!.

To learn more about submiting to publishers, I would recommend that you get the 2009 edition of the Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market!.

Good luck!

Added on: You don't need an agent for picture books!. Most agents won't take on picture book writers because the amount writers make on them is so small!. (Agents can get writers $100,000 advances on novels, but most picture books only earn authors advances of a few thousand!. This leaves the agent's cut so small, it's not worth it!.) In most cases, you can submit picture-book manuscripts or at least a query letter directly to publishers!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

The first step in getting any book published is to get an agent!. I've been told by more than one published author (one quite successful) that you have to have an agent these days or the publishers wont look twice at your work!. Get hold of a copy of the writers and artist's yearbook and that has a listing of every agent in Britain and New York and it will tell you what sort of stuff they deal with and how to get hold of them!. Let them worry about whether you should sent the illustrations in with the book!. Make sure to tell them about the illustrations and maybe enclose a sample one when you write to themWww@QuestionHome@Com

Most publishers will not accept unsolicited manuscripts from first time authors, so your first step is to get a literary agent!. Finding a literary agent who accepts first time authors is equally difficult!. I suggest you search the web for literary agents!. Be wary of any agents who require you to give them money upfront!. Real agents get paid when your book sells!. They take a percentage!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Well, you need an agent!. If you are a professional illustrator, why don't you ask some of the authors who you have worked with if they can recommend anyone!?Www@QuestionHome@Com