Frequently (and Seldomly) Asked Questions
Comments or questions are welcome.
Q: Do you make money from writing books?
A: I make my living from my books and through speaking engagements and school visits. I get an advance against sales when I sell a book to a publisher. It’s usually at least two years before the book comes out, after all the editing, revising, and art gets done. Then the sales from the book must exceed the advance I received and then I start getting royalties, which I get twice a year when my statements come in. However, not a single writer or illustrator I know got into this business for the money. We are compelled to tell stories!
Q: If I want to be a published writer or illustrator, what do I do?
A: Here are some things I would suggest:
- Consider joining the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) as an associate member. SCBWI provides excellent services including regular newsletters, conferences, and booklets on various topics such as finding a publisher or an agent.If you go to any of their regional or national conferences, you will have access to editors and agents. You will also have a better chance of having an editor read your manuscript when they receive it. For both SCBWI and CANSCAIP (the Canadian Society of children’s Authors, Illustrators and Performers), even if you’re not published, you can join as an “associate” or “friend.”
- Read the kind of books you want to write or illustrate, and stay current with what’s going on in publishing now. To learn what to read, consult children’s review journals such as the Horn Book Magazine or School Library Journal, or ask the children’s librarians at your local library for recommendations.
- To keep up with publishing trends, read Publishers Weekly. These periodicals are probably available at your local library or you can subscribe online.
- Read books on writing and publishing in general, and on writing for children in particular. A wide variety of these are available at the library and in the writing section of bookstores.
- Purchase the most recent Children’s Writer’s and Illustrators Market for a huge listing of publishers and the kinds of work they are looking for. Good luck and keep at it!
Q: How did you first get published? Did you know a publisher or have an agent?
A: I joined SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators). I met lots of people in the children’s book world, made connections, learned a lot, and got a lot of rejections. I met a writer who knew an agent. He liked my work and signed me. You don’t have to have an agent to be published, but for me it works. I hate sending out all those letters to different publishers, the follow-ups and inquiries. There are some publishers who will no longer accept un-agented material now, though. My agent sent my books to different publishers and Harcourt Brace ended up publishing me. I would also advise purchasing the most recent Children’s Writer’s and Illustrators Market for a huge listing of publishers and the kinds of work they are looking for.
Q: Could you illustrate my book so when I submit it, it looks professional?
A: Actually, it is the editor’s job to put the right illustrator with the right manuscript. If you are not an illustrator, don’t include art with your submission.
Q: How long does it take to write a book?
A: It depends on the book. And sometimes picture books take me longer than novels!
Q: How long does it take to write a book?
A: It depends on the book. And sometimes picture books take me longer than novels!
Q: Do you write the story first or draw the pictures first?
A: I usually think of the story first, though since I’m an illustrator too, I tend to visualize what I’m writing about at the same time. But I never draw something and then try to stick a story around it.
Q: Do you only write picture books?
A: No, I wrote a middle grade novel called The Curse of Addy McMahon, that’s a kind of traditional/graphic mashup, and I have a YA (Young Adult) novel that I’m trying to get published, among other things, like a graphic novel for the very young, a weird illustrated novella…the list goes on.
Q: Do authors ever get a break?
A: No. Yes. Some of the time, just like everyone else. (I love this question, asked by a second grader in Naperville, Illinois).
Q: How do you present your illustrations?
A: In a dummy. You can listen to a podcast on how to make a dummy on my podcast page. A dummy is a mock up of a book. Since I both write and illustrate, I submit my books in a dummy. People who only write usually submit their books in manuscript format though some send in a dummy to show page breaks and pacing, and people who only illustrate can submit portfolios. If you send a dummy and you hope to get it back, make sure to include an SASE. And be very patient, I’ve known many hopeful writer/illustrators to wait months upon months.
Q: Does my geographic location matter if I want to get published?
A: No. I have friends all over the world who are published in the U.S. Especially now, in our techno world distance is not a problem.
Comments or questions are welcome.
