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LIVE: Picture Book Publishing (a Deep Dive of the Market Today)

LIVE: Picture Book Publishing (a Deep Dive of the Market Today)

February 10, 2018 Conference 2018, Live 2018 41 Comments

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Tags: literary agentpicture bookpublishing
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Kim
Kim
3 years ago

Yesterday Alyssa Henkin mentioned that nonfiction picture books are treating topics that are so sophisticated she wonders if they’d be better suited to middle grade. Who is the audience for these nonfiction picture books with higher lexile scores and are they doing well?

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Leeann
Leeann
3 years ago

What types of stories or categories of stories are editors seeking now? I have been told by agents that the pb marketplace is tough and that they hear from editors about a specific set of needs. So, what are they?

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Marquess
Marquess
3 years ago

is it best to find your own illustrator or write the story and seek one after? I have a friend who is an amazing artist and I’d like to work with her because it would be tremendous fun.

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Emma
Emma
3 years ago

Hello Celia! Is the world of making and publishing picture books at all like the world of graphic novels, or are these considered completely different entities?

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John
John
3 years ago

What do you consider the difference between a board book and a picture book? If someone submits a picture book, what are some deciding factors in turning that into a board book? Thanks…

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Pj McIlvaine
Pj McIlvaine
3 years ago

What is hot and what is not?

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Shannon
Shannon
3 years ago

How do you, personally, feel about rhyming stories, and is there one Scholastic imprint that publishes rhyming manuscripts more than the others?

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Joni Nemeth
Joni Nemeth
3 years ago

Piggy backing on the above comment – is it okay to blend fictional elements in non-fiction picture books (Ie., anthropomorphizing animals in a nature book). How would you classify such a book? – I’ve heard info-fictional but that seems a little unwieldy.

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Diane Landy
Diane Landy
3 years ago

Hello, it’s great to see you here! What advice do you have for a non-illustrating PB author to break through?

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Diane Landy
Diane Landy
Reply to  Diane Landy
3 years ago

PS. I have a mass market children’s book coming out in June (un-agented), and am seeking an agent that handles PBs.

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Loie
Loie
3 years ago

I am writing a picture book about homelessness and I am wondering about the query process for picture books? Is it similar to querying other projects?

Thanks 🙂

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P.D. Pabst
P.D. Pabst
3 years ago

I write mostly MG and YA, but I’ve got some ideas for picture books and don’t know the proper format when querying. Do you have any suggestions of books or blogs to help with this?

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Kim
Kim
3 years ago

Why do agents and editors have a preference for author/illustrators rather than just one or the other?

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T. James
T. James
3 years ago

What word count do you like to see in PBs?

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Annette
Annette
3 years ago

Hi Celia! I took your class at NJSCBWI last year and left fully inspired to change my NF picture book into a novelty book. I’ve had some good feedback, but I’m stuck with making a dummy as a nonillustrator.

Here are just a few basic questions I’ve been wanting to ask you. 🙂
Should a dummy be on cardstock or paper?
Do I draw some horrible and simple pictures, or do I just include some of the novelty features (like flaps and a fact wheel) with the text?
Do I print it out on 8.5×11 size or half-page size or the size it will ideally be?
How do I bind it?

I can’t wait to learn from you again. You’re an inspiring editor.

Thanks,
Annette Whipple

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jackie
jackie
3 years ago

I’m a Middle Grade writer who eventually want to do some picture books. Most agents aren’t interested in author-only picture books. Once you’re published, though, if your other books do well, does that picture book door typically open up, where they pair you with an illustrator? Are they looking for you to have a fan base and good sales first to be willing to do that?

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Bluejules
Bluejules
3 years ago

Hi Celia! I’ve been wondering about the language used in picture books. Obviously, it has to be suited to the readers’ abilities, but some editors seem to like if authors also use ‘big’ words (as a sort of challenge for the children to learn new things), but others frown upon them. How challenging do you think PB should be?

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Emily
Emily
3 years ago

I often see picture book biographies listed for mswls. How does this work when the subject is living? Would permissions be something that agents take care of or do they prefer to see that in place before the writing is even attempted?

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Rhea
Rhea
3 years ago

Is it worthwhile to look for an agent for picture books? I heard agents think picture books are a waste of time since they don’t sell for very much. Also, as an unpublished writer, is it really almost impossible to break into the picture book market? Is it better to try to break through in a different market?

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Annette
Annette
3 years ago

Also, I’d love to hear about NF novelty books for ages 5-7. My kids still love them (as solid readers), but there doesn’t seem to be a huge market for them.

Thanks,
Annette Whipple

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jackie
jackie
3 years ago

If a Middle Grade novel does well, are publishers like Scholastic typically willing to do a version of it as a picture book or a graphic novel so that lower level readers can enjoy the story? Is that kind of thing negotiated as an idea when an editor buys a novel that would lend itself to that?

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John
John
3 years ago

What is your attitude / approach to picture books that have been previously self-published?

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J
J
3 years ago

Is there a difference in word count between picture books and picture books early readers? Around 500 words seem to be the average for a PB, I have seen several PBs in the forum with circa 1500 words – are these likely to be early reader chapter books?

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Anne
Anne
3 years ago

What is the recommended word count for a historical fiction picture book .

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Kathy
Kathy
3 years ago

Please discuss the Early Chapter Book genre. I have written an ECB and my dream is to see it in the Branches series!!! Thank you.

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Laurie
Laurie
3 years ago

Are agents/editors as open to series in PB as they are in other genres? If you have a solo manuscript that could lend itself to a series, should you mention or let the agent/editor make that call?

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Kim
Kim
3 years ago

The homelessness question got me thinking — are any topics too dark for the picture book market if dealt with sensitively enough?

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slipshaw
slipshaw
3 years ago

Is there a market for narrative nonfiction picture books geared towards third to fifth grade that tie into common core or is that more appropriate for the school library market?

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Rebekah
Rebekah
3 years ago

In narrative nonfiction if the text is more lyrical, do prefer to have back matter or no back matter?

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Joni Nemeth
Joni Nemeth
3 years ago

Are you pro or con wordless picture books?

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Leeann
Leeann
3 years ago

On comp titles: An agent yesterday advised shying away from using a comp title that was too popular a book, such as Hunger Games or Harry Potter. Is this true for PB comps, too? I would like to use Last Stop on Market Street, but I am shying away from this after what she said.

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Marquess
Marquess
3 years ago

I’m am mainly a YA writer. Would you recommend I find an agent who can represent my picture book as well? Would it be easier that way?

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Shannon
Shannon
3 years ago

Will unagented attendees of WriteOnCon have the opportunity to submit to you directly?

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Kimberly
Kimberly
3 years ago

Speaking about blending non-fiction and fiction picture books – I heard the term “faction” recently.

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Leeann
Leeann
3 years ago

Will you accept queries from pb writers attending WriteOnCon?

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Shannon
Shannon
3 years ago

How do you feel about art notes? Only those that are imperative to move the story along (and not covered in the manuscript)?

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Connie
Connie
3 years ago

Can one transition from author only of pbs to later becoming an author illustrator. I woukd love to be an author illo, but while my writing is almost there in quality, I have a lot to work on in art. Should I submit as author only while I work on my art, hoping to submit as both for later books, or am I boxing myself in as author only?

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Deborah
Deborah
3 years ago

HI Celia! Since you mentioned ART notes 🙂 I always have questions on this topic in general. And also if you have an art driven project, is it helpful to put a note at the beginning for the whole manuscript or better to put notes throughout? Thank you so much! This is a very helpful session!

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Diane Landy
Diane Landy
3 years ago

Hello! Could you please take a moment to speak about ILLO notes? Thanks!

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Rhea
Rhea
3 years ago

If you have multiple picture book manuscripts ready, how do you send out proposals to agents or editors? Do you pitch your best book and just mention you have other manuscripts? Or do you send multiple?

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Shannon
Shannon
3 years ago

Thank you so much!!!

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