August happenings and May Gibbs Fellowship!

It's been an icy August this year in Canberra, but lots of toasty things happening to warm things up.

Some super special news is that I've received a May Gibbs Fellowship for 2018. Head still spinning from this one! and I'm so incredibly grateful. I'll be spending a month in Adelaide later next year (2018), working on some secret squirrel business (gotta love secret squirrel business). It's particularly special because May Gibbs is close to my heart. Thank you, May Gibbs Children's Literature Trust!

In the spirit of Things All Happening At Once, I've opened an etsy shop! I'll be printing some of my artwork locally, along with a selection of pages from Australia Illustrated. All prints will be A4, on beautiful archival paper, and can be posted anywhere in Australia. I'll be adding to my store over time. Click the image above to visit!

Ask Tania: What's with these book awards that authors can buy? Are they worth it?

Hi Tania,
I'm an emerging author, and I'm in the middle of self-publishing a little chapter book. I was wondering ... what's with these book awards that authors can buy? Are they worth it? I'm not sure how they work.
Caroline

Hi, Caroline,

Oooh--the vanity book award. This is a tough one. About to get frank here!

You may have heard of the term 'vanity publishing', where authors pay to have their work published. Some vanity publishers prefer to call it 'joint venture' publishing, but it's still the same thing.

While this type of publishing may suit those who'd like to publish their memoirs for their family, it's not recommended* for anyone who wants to make a career out of writing books. There is no selection criteria with vanity publishers (even if they insist there is) and the outcome for your work is therefore nowhere near the professional level it would enjoy with a trade publisher (who makes financial, time and emotional investments in your work).

*Footnote: I think self-publishing is wonderful--I've done it and I'm a big supporter of it--but you can absolutely self-publish books well and with credibility, without having to use a vanity publisher (and you'll save yourself a tonne of money, too!). See my post on self-publishing for more.

Fundamentally, you should never have to pay to submit work to publishers, and you should never have to pay to have your work published. The reasons are far too many to go into here (you can google this topic for thousands of references), but suffice to say that 99.99 per cent of the time, using a vanity publisher is not only unprofitable (in fact--it can end up costing you a lot more money than you bargained for), it can be damaging to your career in terms of both the production quality of your book, and your credibility as a creator.

Ask Tania: What makes a great author website?

Dear Tania, 
I am keen to create my author website but want to know--what should I include? What makes a great author website?
Thanks!
Toni

Hi, Toni,

A website is vital for all authors and illustrators. It's a global, easily-accessed, inexpensive platform that takes minimal effort once set up--and serves as your Virtual Headquarters, not to mention your virtual marketing professional and sales rep!

I'm consistently looking at the work of other authors and illustrators, not only for Kids' Book Review, but because I have a strong interest in supporting emerging talent. One thing that consistently surprises me is the lack of strong web presence. In fact, I've lost count of the times I've looked someone up--or the title of their book--and literally found nothing.

And this lack of web presence is so hugely detrimental to any creator. If we can't find you, how can we find your books?

So, first and foremost, you simply must must must have a website. A website is a standalone 'centre'. Think of it as your home. Then, you have several satellite sites that link to your website, such as a blog, a bookstore, a Facebook page, an online gallery or illustration portfolio, book or character websites, etc.

With me, I have my central website then I link to my blog and my social networking sites (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Youtube). I also link to Kids' Book Review and the 52-Week Illustration Challenge, because both are directly associated with my work as an author illustrator.

It would be tempting to link to your travel blog or your cooking blog or other interests, but unless you're a travel or food writer, it can become confusing to pack too much into one website.

This brings me to my first website tip.

Ask Tania: Non-Fiction Picture Books--where do I start when submitting to publishers?

Dear Tania, 
My question is about approaching publishers with non-fiction picture books. I'm aware how to submit fiction picture books, but is there a difference with non-fiction? If I was interested in writing a book about a person in history, should I go full throttle, researching meticulously, honing my text and sending off a fully-polished manuscript, knowing that all that research could be of no use if the ms is rejected?
Emma

Hi, Emma,

A girl after my own heart--I adore non-fiction PBs! And I most particularly love books on people from history. I'm busting to know who you want to research; might have to ask you privately (sorry readers!).

But to your question. The very first thing you need to tell yourself when it comes to dedicating the endless hours to researching and penning a non-fiction book is this:

Ask Tania: What's the process when someone is commissioned to illustrate a book?

Dear Tania,
What's the process when someone is commissioned to illustrate a book?
Thank you!
Jolanda

Hi Jolanda,

Like most things in publishing, this is a far-reaching question and has many moving parts, but I'll do my best to give you a general overview!

Publishers

Traditionally, publishers (both trade and independent) like to appoint illustrators to books. They use either in-house illustrators whose work resonates with their overall book list, and with whom they have an established relationship, or they commission illustrators they've had their eye on, or whose work might complement the book's text, genre and 'feel'.

Commissioned illustrators may be experienced or emerging--and again, this is dependent on many factors. A lot of the time, publishers like to go with someone who understands the book creation process and how to interpret and add visual value to a manuscript, but this doesn't mean emerging creators can't achieve contracts, especially if they spend time reading and studying picture books (or other types of illustrated books) to familiarise themselves with layout, design, construct and the priceless nuance that imagery can add to text.

Many illustrators submit their work to publishers, and most are willing to receive unsolicited portfolios, as looking over artwork takes just a fraction of the time than reviewing a manuscript. Visit publisher websites and check out their illustration-receipt process. There's absolutely no harm in having your work out there. You can also showcase your work at many children's book festivals and conferences. It's well worth doing this.

If you're unsure how to present your work/create a portfolio, there are countless tips online--just google it. You can also google what publishers particularly esteem in regard to illustration. Being able to effect 'movement', emotion and character consistency are all highly regarded, as is an understanding of attractive colour palettes.

Ask Tania: What's the best way to work towards becoming a full-time author?

Dear Tania,
What's the best way to work towards becoming a full-time author?
Cathy

Hi Cathy,

I could write 1000 paragraphs on this! And even then, it would be part-way subjective and would fail to cover all the intricacies and variations and far-reaching tentacles.

Some of us need to work full-time jobs, some of us work part-time, and some of us have the luxury of all the time in the world. Some of us have small kids, older kids, grownup kids, no kids. Some of us are in marriages, some not, some in supportive relationships, some not. Some of us have self-belief and some of us don't. Each author's life situation and journey is unique, and so very many variables contribute to the acquisition (or not) of a full-time writing career.

I could also regale you with the myriad things you 'should' be doing, but honestly? ... other than the fact that each person has a unique life situation that must be navigated around, authorship is changing. Our online world is changing. The way we read books is changing. The way we write and publish is changing. And it's all changing so fast, I reckon by the time you read this, my 'advice' would be redundant.

So, I'm going to go back to brass tacks. I'm going to hand pluck the 'little things' that I've learned in almost 30 years in the writing industry (first magazines, then adult non-fiction, then children's). I reckon if you can resonate with the following stream of consciousness, you stand a good chance of securing full-time authorship.

Bolded entries are especially important. At the end of these points, I'm going to cover Self-Belief and The Flow--also especially important!

Here we go ...

Ask Tania: I'm media-terrified. How do I promote my work without putting my foot in it?

Dear Tania, 

I'll get straight to the point. I'm media-terrified. Interviews unnerve me, as I never know what question is coming, if my responses will sound dumb, if I'm saying the wrong thing, or--worst of all--if I don't even know what to say. This is also a worry when I need to do presentations. How do I promote my work without putting my foot in it?

J

Hi, J,

You are not alone! Even the most seasoned creators experience angst and nerves before an interview or speaking engagement. I don't think I'll ever get used to it, personally, and there's been times where I've literally not slept the night before, I've been so angst-ridden. 

I think the first thing to remember is that feeling nervous is absolutely normal, and is a human  reaction that almost everyone experiences, no matter how confident or seasoned they are. When we really absorb this knowledge and really embrace it, we feel a lot better about ourselves.

Ask Tania: Who pays for what if we get a publishing deal?

Dear Tania, 

A friend and I are writing a book that includes lots of styling and photography. Who pays for photography and props, if we get a publishing deal? Do we pay or does the publisher cover those costs?

Mark

Hi, Mark,

Your question depends on a few factors.

With the type of book you're planning, you have a lot of work ahead in terms of time and money investment. It's kind of scary to work on a book with no guarantee of publication--this is what creators the world over face, and no matter how much financial investment you need to outlay (if any), you still have to put in the time, heart and effort, with no guarantee of publication, let alone financial success.

So, I guess the first thing to say is this: welcome to the world of publishing! It's a place where relying on income doesn't really exist--at least, not at the beginning. With recent reports saying most authors earn as little as $13,000 p.a. from their writing (and that's often active, full- or near-full- time writers!), it can be rather discouraging. But the good news is, income does increase over time, and with dedication.

But back to your question.

Ask Tania: How much do I present to a publisher in order to be taken seriously?

Dear Tania, 

How much do I present to a publisher in order to be taken seriously? Do I need to have the whole book written to go to a publisher, or just a few pages or the concept?

Lisa

Hi, Lisa,

Every book, every creator, every publisher, every 'route' to publication is different, and oftentimes as uniquely individual as each and every book.

Some people submit to a slush pile and are picked up (rare!). Some people submit after entering a competition. Some submit through an agent. Some submit an idea to a publisher they may have met at a conference (HIGHLY recommend attending conferences!) and that idea is interesting to the publisher, so they ask them to flesh it out and submit. Some might win the chance to submit directly.

Some might receive a manuscript critique and be picked up that way. Some are already published or know publishers well and can submit directly, or hash the idea out with their publisher first. Some are also commissioned to write something the publisher is looking for, and some are just famous and so will be published straight-up, whether or not they can actually write.

Ask Tania: How much of my in-process book should I reveal to the public?

Dear Tania,
How much should I say about my works in progress? I want to share what I’m working on but I’m unsure as to whether I should actually mention the book title or put some of the concept drawings up on my website. It’s not a question of being worried about someone else hearing my ideas, it’s more a matter of what level of exposure is the right amount. What would you suggest?
Jules

Hi, Jules,

The answer to this question depends on your publishing situation.

If you have a contract for a WIP (work in progress) and are actually in production, the general rule is to share either nothing, or very little until close to publication. You could check with your publisher for their thoughts on this. Some of my publishers allow little peeks at drafts or roughs (not finals or near-finals) and others would prefer nothing be revealed. Some creators post images that are a wee bit blurred or just a tiny slice of an image or character--but again, it's something you would need to check with your publisher.

Generally, however, you would not reveal the title or concept for your book, other than perhaps 'meet Johnny the astronaut' with an image rough. This reveals very little but piques interest.

I'm currently working on a picture book and I'll very occasionally share some peeks at my artwork along the way, but most of my 'reveals' will be about my creation processes rather than revealing too many visuals or concept reveals. You can see from this post just how much I've revealed/the focus of the reveal. The book isn't out till November 2016 and it's a comprehensive book with a high page count--so it's easy to reveal little bits. And I can continue to show little bits of my processes as time goes on.

At this stage in the book production process, I would never reveal title and content/concept. What I regularly do is add my WIPs to my Works in Progress list (you'll find it here, at the bottom of my BOOKS page)--but only when we are relatively close to publication, and again, depending on the publisher's wishes. You'll see on this list that I need to keep some titles quiet, so I've just written 'three more picture books, out 2017) or something like that. Other books, I actually mention the title.

If you are self-publishing or working on something that you will eventually submit (ie: you don't have a publishing contract with a traditional publisher), I think you can reveal a little more of your WIP than if you're contracted. Again, you want to be careful just how much because a little bit of mystery is a good thing. Revealing a lot or being 'everywhere all the time' can make people switch off, so balance things well.

I like how you said you're not worried that someone will steal your idea if you reveal a few things. Even if people could 100% guess what you're up to, the fear that your book will be snatched up and produced in a matter or weeks or months is highly unrealistic. And no one could ever do it as well as you're doing it, anyway!

I do think, in general, that reveals of some kind are a good thing because they build that all-important creator/reader relationship. People absolutely adore sneak peeks, and they can be a great thing if done well. They build anticipation and get people talking and bring people to your site/blog. And that's what we want!

If you have a character concept that you're keen to start marketing before the book is published, you could absolutely set up a Facebook page or website with a simple header image and a short synopsis. Don't give much away and perhaps just post little snippets on how things are progressing rather than showing too much imagery. The closer you get to publication, the more you can reveal.

When your WIP is close to publication, it's fine to begin revealing more. The cover (and this varies by publisher) is revealed to the public around 2 - 3 months before the publication date. A relatively short lead time is wise because people are strongly swayed by visuals and the last thing you'd want is people swooning over the cover, rushing out to buy it--and it's not available yet. Sale lost. If, however, they only have a few weeks to wait, they're more likely to track it down and buy it.

Good luck with the slow reveal!

See all the questions so far ...

Ask Tania: How do I write a book proposal?

Dear Tania,
My manuscript is being taken to an acquisitions meeting! It's very exciting, however, the publisher wants me to write a proposal rather than just the cover letter I sent with the manuscript. What is the best format for the proposal?
Kirsty

Hi, Kirsty,

Congratulations! That's wonderful news and one step closer to holding your precious book in your hands!

Writing a solid book proposal is important. You are effectively selling your book to a team. You want them to want it! Some publishers have a set format they require for book proposals, but if you are just asked to write one without guidance, here are my tips.

The publisher already likes your work, so their interest is a given. But an acquisitions team's main focus is:

a) does the work suit their ethos?
b) is it marketable/sellable?
c) is this author proactive, dynamic and able to help market their work?

Check the publisher's ethos or mission statement. Many have it on their websites and if they don't, you can get a solid understanding of what it might be from their current book list. Or ask the publisher directly.

For marketability and sales potential, you'll need to make your book sound 'needed' on the market. Does it align with current trends or current affairs? Is it unique in some way? Does it fill a market gap? Essentially, you need to ensure the book fits a spot in the market and an audience. Don't expect a publisher to find your audience for you. Think about where this book fits in the current market and who it would sell to. Research this well.

For proactivity, be sure to make it clear that you are active and willing to help market your book. More on this below.

Proposals vary enormously, depending on the book type in question, but in general, a proposal can include the following (if it's a long proposal, it should include a table of contents, but a short one doesn't need that):

• A short overview of your proposal.
• A clear and direct synopsis of your book. Make it relatively detailed but not too long. Like all elements of your proposal, it should be well-edited. Don't waffle and don't include too many personal elements. 'I wrote this book because...' is okay, but one or two sentences is enough--not an essay.
• A idea of your target market--who they are, and why they will relate to or buy this book. Including some kind of stats or facts will help.
• A short competitive analysis on books, websites or products that are similar to yours and compete with yours. Most importantly, state why your book stands out and/or how it is better/will attract more sales. Be factual and don't use hyperbole.
• If you say your book is completely unique and has no competition, you will need to then prove it's not so specialised or whackadoodle that your buying market proves too small.
• Provide an author biography with what you have already achieved and what you're working on. Are you a specialist in your field? What makes you stand out? List any other book titles here. Be sure to list memberships and affiliations (member of CBCA, SCBWI, etc). The more industry-involved you are, the better.
• Show how present you will be if this book goes to print, and suggest ways you can market and promote it. Be sure to state your online presence, website links, social networking capabilities,  and other platforms or achievements, eg: I am a reviewer for BookBlogs, I already have experience with speaking to children, I have set up a blog for my work, I have media contacts, etc, etc. Be confident and firm about what you WILL do, not what you COULD do.
• Provide three sample chapters for fiction and the entire manuscript for a picture book. Yes, provide the work again, even if it's already with the publisher. You may have made some fresh edits between now and then, so provide your best work (though not a complete redraft!).

When you're done preparing your proposal, go over it and ensure you've met the following:

• The reason this book should be on the market and what its unique selling points are.
• Who will buy this book? What will they love about it/get from it?
• Why YOU? In what way would you make a valuable asset to this publisher's stable? Are you consistently writing new material? Are you target market savvy? Do you already have an audience or web-presence? Do you understand the importance of proactivity?
• Can you be easy to work with? Show this by being well-researched, confident, warm, professional, direct and succinct. If you are faffing or asking a billion questions that you can easily find with a Google search, publishers may baulk no matter how much they love your proposal.

Good luck!

See all the questions so far ...

Finding Your Illustration Style

When you think of Graeme Base or Stephen Michael King, Shaun Tan or Dick Bruna, I’m sure an illustration style immediately pops to mind. Each of these talented people have a particular style they’ve honed over the years. It’s become a sort of ‘trademark’—instant recognition {also called visual branding} that’s highly beneficial in a marketing sense.

Illustrators often say they don’t ‘see’ their own illustration style, yet others can readily pick it in an illustration line-up. Less experienced illustrators say they have a dream style, yet they’re either not sure exactly what it is {lack of focus} or feel they’re not capable of it {lack of self-belief}.

I’m one of these people. I’ve watched and admired many illustrators over the years. Each time I’ve admired their work, a thought goes through my mind:

Ask Tania: What is the Most Widely Used and Accepted Illustration Software?

Dear Tania,
What is the most popular, widely used and accepted software used by illustrators for digital illustrations for children's books?
Catherine

Hi, Catherine,

To be honest, it doesn't really matter how you produce your illustrations, so long as you can provide them in a format that suits your publisher--either hand-rendered illustrations that the publisher will have scanned, or as high-resolution digital imagery, most often PDFs.

Some illustrators (like me) create part of their work by hand and part of it digitally. I also use printed material and photographs which I scan into my computer and assemble into pages using Adobe Illustrator (AI). I find AI the most user-friendly when it comes to page assembly and layout, but that's probably because it was the first software I ever used.

The Types of Author You Don't Want to Be

I'm often asked questions on 'what to do' or 'how to be' something, and I love the challenge of answering these questions, but it's often the things we 'shouldn't' do that can have the most impact, and facilitate the most successful author journey. I've learned from many mistakes--both my own and the mistakes of others--and I continue to learn every day.

I hope this rundown on the types of author you don't want to be helps you avoid making common mistakes that may compromise your journey.

ask Tania: How should I lay out my manuscript?

Dear Tania,
My question is related to the layout of the manuscript [when submitting to publishers]. Do I present it with page breaks? Do I need to include a vision for the artwork? It is only 450 words long and anticipate that it will be approx 10 to 12 pages long. The story line is aimed at preschoolers.
Kirsty

Hi, Kristy,

Great question, and I do have some suggestions and guidelines.

The first is to carefully, meticulously research which publishers you wish to approach. It's vital that you do this, so you're not wasting their time--or yours! Publishers can take many, many months to get back to you, so ensuring you're hitting the right place, off the bat, is important.

The way to do this is to assess whether or not that publisher produces books along the same lines as your work. Once you've done this, check their website for their submissions process/requirements. If they are open to submissions, in the genre you've written in, submit it according to their guidelines. This is the best possible way to submit.

Having said that, there are general guidelines that are important for emerging authors.

The first is that you send manuscript ONLY. No images. An exception to this rule is if you have met a publisher at an event and have discussed the work, and they are happy to see both. Otherwise, only send the text.

You could send some kind of note on envisaged artwork but only if it's absolutely central to the story. Publishers generally like to appoint their own illustrators, and most don't like suggestions. If you are planning on illustrating the story yourself, you should absolutely mention this in your cover letter. Don't send any artwork, but simply state that you are an illustrator and are happy to show them your work if they would like to see it. You could also add a link to your work online, but that's it. Remember, succinct is best!

The standard way to send manuscripts is A4 paper (unless you're emailing), wide margins (3cm), double-line space, flowing text with natural paragraphs (no line breaks when not needed), left-hand justified, in a regular, readable font such as Courier, Times New Roman or Century Gothic. If your work is poetic/rhyming, you can send it in poetic stanzas.

Try to resist the urge to send your work in coloured text or exotic fonts, or with embellishments of any kind.

You can absolutely make notes on illustrations in the manuscript text but they should be really succinct, written under the accompanying text in italics or brackets. This should only be provided if the reader would not understand what's happening from the text alone. Too many illustration notes do impede your text. You need to trust the reader and rely on the fact that they will furnish their own interpretation from your words.

You can also do a very short informative intro if the manuscript requires any kind of explanation, but again, only if it's absolutely vital and central to the storyline, and if the reader won't understand it without the intro.

As for page breaks--short answer, no. Again, the reader wants to read a STORY. They don't want to be mucking around with page interruptions, unless, again, they're vital to the story in some way. As an emerging author, I would go with no page breaks, and once you're more established and understand how page breaks work, you could add some kind of division, as I do:

p1 verso: The first line of text in the story.

p2 recto: The second line of text in the story.

etc

(Verso means left hand page. Recto means right hand page. I usually only do this if it's central to the story, though.)

Fundamentally, you want your story to be as easy to read as possible. You don't want the reader to be tripped up by anything much at all, other than the odd illustration note. When you trip up the reader, it does affect flow and enjoyment--and you want that editor to enjoy it!

450 words (or less!) for a picture book is perfect. Ideal, really, and it's actually a decent amount of text for a PB aimed at the very young. Ensure every word counts and earns its place. Be sure it doesn't just repeat what will be shown in illustration. Also ensure it inspires new and varied illustration on each double-page spread.

Book pages run by 8s. So a book can't be 10 pages (pages are counted by face not leaf--so a single leaf of paper is two pages). A book can only be 16 (which is too thin), 24 or 32, etc, the latter being standard. This is something you wouldn't need to worry about at submission stage, anyway.

I hope all this helps. Wishing you the best of luck with your submissions!

See all the questions so far ...

Ask Tania: ISBNs, Websites, Marketing Platforms, Schools - HELP!

Dear Tania,

I am happy to say that I have begun the journey towards becoming a self published children's book author. My story is complete, my illustrator is bringing my words to life, I have set up a Facebook page and I am doing A LOT of research on self publishing and putting my book out there. 

It is a process and every step is a learning curve. So, basically, I wanted to ask you for advice on a few things: Do I need an ISBN, where do I get one and why exactly do I need one? How important is it to have a website? I don't want to give away too much about my book and the story before it is published, so if I do set up a website, what am I supposed to write about? And apart from Facebook and Twitter, are there any other platforms that I can use to market my book? For example if we talk about visiting schools, libraries and book stores, I can only approach them once I physically have a copy of my book in hand, right?
 
Anjal

Dear Anjal,

Congratulations on your self-publishing journey! It's an exciting road and one that is full of excitement and development. You will learn so much!

Your questions are very detailed--some of them fall under my 'how long is a piece of string?' category! but I will try to answer them in a way that is helpful.

An ISBN (International Standard Book Number) is vital. You cannot publish without it. It's what 'publishes' your book. With this number, your book can be found in bookstores and online worldwide. Each country has its own ISBN provider (in Australia it's Thorpe Bowker), so you will need to research the provider for your own country. I recommend buying them in lots of 10 as it's a lot cheaper, they never expire, and you can use them whenever you like.

A website is also vital if you want a) marketing and promotion opportunities and b) presence. With one click of a button, potential buyers and fans can get all the info they need. It's low cost with worldwide exposure, so yes I would have one!

Look to the hundreds of thousands of other book and author websites for inspiration on what to put on your website. You can either start the website now to build hype or you can set it up and send it live once the book is published or you can set up a UNDER CONSTRUCTION site that just gives a little bit of info, then send the website live once you're on the market.

As a new author, you can't spend your life worrying about people 'stealing' your ideas. No one is going to do that unless they want to be sued for plagiarism, and even if they wanted to, they wouldn't be able to glean enough information from a website to go about their plagiarism activities. If someone loves your idea and wants to do something similar, you have no control over that, alas--that is the way of the world. If every author worried about such things, they might as well just lock their manuscripts in a drawer. :) So drop that worry and just get your work out there.

There are myriad ways to market your book online and Facebook and Twitter are two of them. Others include Pinterest, Instagram, Tumblr and your own blog. It really depends on your book and how much time you want to commit to promotion.

Schools and libraries are a great way to market your book, but yes, you would need to have a book to take to these readings and presentations. I have a mass of information in my Flying Creator e-workshop on presenting to schools (as well as many other tips on starting out in the industry).

Wishing you the best of luck on your journey!

Tania


See all the questions so far ...

Ask Tania: How can I submit when publishers aren't open for submissions?

Dear Tania,
I’ve been writing children’s books for years and have only started sending submissions to publishers this year. I have my sights on one of the most successful publishers of children’s picture books, yet they are never open for submissions.

How does anyone ever have a book published by these publishers? And some publishers only accept submissions from agents.

Help!

Joanne

Dear Joanne,

I hear your frustrations! And hopefully I can shed some light on this.

As you can well imagine, publishers--especially the Big Ones or those authors particularly lust after--receive thousands upon thousands of manuscripts a year. Depending on the publisher, they may only accept as few as 40 in 10,000 submissions, and some accept as few as two or three (annually).

So there really is a lot to get through, and putting up a 'CLOSED FOR SUBMISSIONS' sign helps them deal with that massive backlog.

Also, publishers don't have a Submissions Department that deals with incoming manuscripts, but rather they are sorted through by the publishers and editors themselves--sometimes with help from editorial assistants, but oftentimes not, as publishing houses have lost a lot of staff in the past few years.

This sorting takes considerable time and effort, and must be slotted in with other endless tasks and hours needed to actually produce the books and keep the company afloat. Indeed, I know many publishers who read manuscripts in their own time--such is the lack of working time available to dedicate to subs.

The other reason publishers close their doors to subs is because they work closely with established authors or their 'house' authors. A house author is someone who already has one or more books with the publisher--and manuscripts from house authors are always considered first (and indeed, some publishers require their house authors to offer all work to them first, before seeking publication elsewhere). This is quite a natural thing to do because authors develop fans, and fans mean an established market for sales.

The publisher you mentioned in your letter to me (and indeed many others like them) have a system in place to deal with the massive amount of submissions, and this involves a priority system. Priority One are house authors. Priority Two are previously-published authors and Priority Three are unknowns or previously unpublished.

I know this is maddening! but it's really the only way they can cope with the massive influx, and it also makes their job easier because Priority One and Priority Two manuscripts (or those that come through an agent) are often, by definition, better quality works, as they are from experienced people.

This does NOT mean Priority Three authors produce bad work! And indeed, several publishers I know regularly visit this rather large pile in search of new talent. So it's not impossible to secure interest from Pile Three. It is a lot tougher, though, because the pile is considerably larger than the other two, and the quality of some of the works can be questionable. Publishers have told me, though, of times they've sorted through the chaff and have found gold in this pile, so don't give up.

But now, to the question at hand ... how do you get around all this???

Firstly: set up a spreadsheet of publisher names and what they publish. Make a column for submissions and make note on when/if they are ever open for subs. Keep a close eye on it and if they're open, pounce! This means you need to have works ready to send--and remember they might need to be new works because some publishers ask for exclusive submissions.

Also make note of any email pitch programmes they open. Some are open for Friday Pitches (or Wednesday or Monday) that allow you to email a submission with a really short turnaround (usually they say: 'if you don't hear from us in three weeks, its' a no'). Many new authors tell me they prefer this type of submissions process because they're quick and easy, and they're not left waiting and wondering for months on end, sometimes years.

Of course, this means you get no feedback, but few publishers have the time or wherewithal to offer feedback on manuscripts anyway. Suggest having your manuscript assessed if you would like feedback.

Secondly: and most importantly, prioritise your industry. I teach this to my students all the time, as most new authors mistakenly prioritise publishers or even their target market (readership) over industry.

Your industry is everything. Getting to know your industry players allows you to network and meet the 'right' people, but also helps you develop the genuine friendships required for mutual beneficial support. When you are published and want to market your book, for example, you could either go it alone on a single blog (barely a ripple in an enormous ocean), or you could call on the hundreds of industry friends you've made, who wouldn't hesitate to plug your work in some way--sometimes in highly beneficial ways (a major ripple, maybe even a tidal wave).

When you become part of the industry, publishers will notice (they are highly proactive in the industry, of course). And the more they witness your presence, the more they will remember your name. When you go to conferences and festivals, they'll recognise you, you'll strike up a conversation--and they may even tell you they'd be happy to see your manuscript directly.

Yes, this happens quite a bit and yes, yes, like ALL industries, it's very much a case of 'who you know'. Quite naturally, if someone gets to know and like you, they will absolutely give you an 'in' if they're able to. I've had countless opportunities from this exact scenario, have received contracts and have even made some gorgeous new friends to boot.

Thirdly: enter competitions and awards, apply for grants and residencies. Get your name and work into the eyes of industry players (many judges are publishers). Our Unpublished Picture Book Manuscript Award is running again in 2015, so keep an eye on the website late January for this: first prize is your manuscript straight to the publisher's desk at Walker Books.

Lastly: In the meantime, write write write. Keep those works coming. No only will you consistently hone your skill and talent, you'll also have fabulous manuscripts to send off at a moment's notice!

Remember, the more people you get to know, the more you are published, things WILL become easier for you. The important thing (and know this sounds trite, but it's so very, very true) is to never give up.

Good luck!

Tania

See also: Coping with the Manuscript Submission Waiting Game

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