Submit Your Children’s Book Without an Agent! UPDATED List of >80 Open Publishers

Posted in publishers, Writer's Platform, Writing Children's Books, Writing events, Writing events, promos, contests by bitsykemper

100 Publishers accepting children's books — 100 Publishers accepting children’s books, no agent needed

No Agent? No Problem!

Publishers accepting children’s books, updated 4/25/24

Eager to submit your children’s book but don’t have an agent (yet)? Finding publishers accepting children’s books from unagented writers is no easy task! But not impossible. I know because I’ve been doing it awhile, having authored 16 books so far without an agent. I’m now actively pursuing one, given the tighter and more competitive climate, but am still pitching solo. Many other kidlit authors/illustrators that are staying commando too. Wait, I mean rogue. Agentless? You know what I mean.

image of "closed" sign symbolizing publishers closed to picture book submissions

As I get ready to submit my next round of picture books, I see more and more publishers that USED to be open to submissions are either closed and now agent only, are at capacity and temporarily closed until further notice, or sadly have shuttered down completely. Some have been bought out by larger houses so their policies have changed, some are simply catching up from the constant influx of subs and are temporarily overwhelmed.

What that means to me is that aaalll those great lists of children’s book publishers I’ve bookmarked and found sooo helpful are now outdated. It’s frustrating to have to re-research every link. You feel my pain, I know you do.

21Feb2015

Current Status of Children’s Book Market, according to SCBWI NY 2015

Posted in Writing Children's Books, Writing events, Writing events, promos, contests by bitsykemper

Image result for clip art importance

Ah, so much went on at the international conference that I’m still basking in the fruitfulness. I’m pretty sure that’s not an expression, but you know what I mean. I’ve tweeted out much of the greatness. I’ve culled some more juicy tidbits to share, in random order:

1. Webinars are popular and great for those farther away from the masses. Expect to see more.

2. Webinars are NOT a replacement of in-person conferences, workshops, or gatherings. They are in addition to them. Nothing beats face to face contact.

3. Editors and agents find/book authors and illustrators at conferences, people they wouldn’t otherwise hear from. Repeatedly. Attend roundtables, submit your work for critique. The additional cost is worth it.

4. With the field so crowded, editors and agents are looking for something that “blows them away.” Really good no longer cuts it.

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5. There’s no award for speed in this industry. Give your work the time it deserves.

6. Hardcovers, after a bit of a slump, are on the rise!

7. Picture books are getting shorter, funnier…”an economy of text.”

and, my favorite takeaway from the enter conference:

8. “The importance of what we’re doing will never go away”

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Thoughts? Comments? Bring ’em.

31Mar2014

April Kidlit Writing Contests

Posted in Writing Children's Books, Writing events, promos, contests by bitsykemper

CONTEST TIME

Do you work best under pressure? I do. (Don’t judge) Sometimes a writing contest is just the kick in the butt I need to get moving on a manuscript that’s been getting all dusty and lonely. I’ve scraped up a few contests that all have April or May deadlines, so consider this your official kick in the pants to start working on that in-need-of-attention manuscript that you haven’t have a reason to work on–until now. Yeah, you’re welcome.

EntertoWinimage

I can’t personally vouch for the hosts’ honor or intentions of these upcoming contests, but they look pretty good. And it’s hard to find middle grade (MG) contests. I know most people that put these contests on are volunteers and work really hard, and it all takes time away from their own work, so please read and follow guidelines closely.

Please note I rarely advocate for any contest that charges a fee; to me that’s a flag that it’s not legit. I realize some large contests charge money just to keep the riff raff out, but enter with your eyes open. Also check the fine print to see what you win and whether they assume all rights to your work once you submit it. Some of these might have any of those flags, I haven’t checked, so be careful.

This April contest is like the show “Shark Tank.” Wining entries are posted where editors and agents can “bid” on seeing more of the manuscript. (No guarantee they’ll love it, of course.) It has grown-up books competing too so make sure your submission really stands out: http://scwrite.blogspot.com/2014/03/announcing-writers-tank-contest.html:

This is a Twitter pitch party just for #MiddleGrade and #NonFiction: http://www.jessicaschmeidler.com/?p=1037

Writer’s Digest 22nd Annual Self-Published Book Awards. Categories include Children’s/Picture books, Middle-Grade/Young Adult books, poetry, and lots of adult book caegoriess. Awards: $3,000 in cash, national exposure for your work, the attention of prospective editors and publishers, a paid trip to the Writer’s Digest Conference. Early-Bird Deadline: April 1st, otherwise May 1, 2014: www.writersdigest.com/competitions/selfpublished

These three have May deadlines, with thanks to http://www.writers-editors.com/Writers/Contests/contests.htm for all the deets:

32nd Annual SouthWest Writers International Competition – 10 categories for novels, creative nonfiction, essay, short stories, children’s picture books, and poetry. Awards: $300, $200, $150 in each of the 10 categories. other entries ($20 for SWW members, $30 non-members). Deadline: May 1, 2014 and may be submitted after May 1 until May 15 with payment of a late fee. Info:www.swwcontest.com2014 Leapfrog Fiction Contest – for Adult Fiction and Children’s Fiction (middle grade and YA only). Any novella- or novel-length work of fiction, including short-story collections, not previously published is eligible. The minimum length is 22,000 words; there is no maximum length. Awards: First Prize: publication contract offer from Leapfrog Press, with an advance payment, plus the finalist awards. Finalists: $150 and two critiques of the manuscript from contest judges; permanent listing on the Leapfrog Press contest page as a contest finalist, along with short author bio and description of the book. Semi-Finalist: Choice of a free Leapfrog book; permanent listing on the website. Entry fee: $30. Deadline: May 1, 2014. Info:www.leapfrogpress.com/contest.htm83rd Annual Writer’s Digest Writing Competition – 10 categories. Awards: $3,000, $1,000, $500, $250 plus more. Entry fees: Poems $15, $10; other entries $25, $20. Early Bird Entry Deadline: May 5, 2014. Info: www.writersdigest.com/competitions/writers-digest-annual-competition

KIDDOS

http://www.freecontestsforkids.com/writing-contests-for-kids.html: I found this website that lists a slew of writing contests FOR KIDS, so if you’ve got a budding Hemingway in da house, take a look here — like with contests for adults, please note I rarely advocate for any contest that charges a fee; to me that’s a flag that it’s not legit. I realize some large contests charge money just to keep the riff raff out, but enter with your eyes open. Also check the fine print to see what you win and whether they assume all rights to your work once you submit it. Some of these might have any of those flags, I haven’t checked, so be careful.

http://www.willamettewriters.com/1/guidelines.php *I know this one charges a small fee

http://www.wipb.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/WIPB-PBS-KIDS-WC-Entry-Form-2014.pdf *Hurry, deadline is April 4

Do you know of any others? Hook me up, man, I love these things.

Author Visit, O.W. Erlewine Elementary, Sacramento CA Feb 2014

“This is the part where they all die in the end…”

These are picture books, just one kind of a book

I can’t hear you!

Well, the author thinks the words are more important, and the illustrator thinks the pictures are…but it’s really both.

A little louder…!

Do authors get paid a lot of money? Not in dollars, but here, in the heart, where it counts!

Flyers the school created and distributed

Starting the year off write (heh heh, clever, huh?)

Hello Mr (or is it Ms?) 2014!

Who’s gonna join me on a writing challenge this month? Since my brain’s been idle since the close of

piboidmo2013-header-720x180

I hereby accept this 21-day challenge that various bloggers/writers/illustrators will present starting Jan 5! And it’s not just because a few editors and agents are gonna give prizes, as in fuh-ree critiques (although, sure, that does play into it). It’s because I’m competitive as ~~heck~~ can be and these kinds of challenges tend to get me working harder than I would on my own.

If you wanna join me, check out Shannon’s blog (http://www.shannonabercrombie.com/) or join her Facebook group.

Here’s to starting the year off write!! 🙂

Chance to pitch to editors/agents

Would you call this a really cool contest? a promo? However you want to call it, three seemingly lovely writer-types (don’t know them personally) have created “Pitchmas in July” where your 35-word pitch might get chosen by an editor or agent that wants more… Check out their site for details, and do it quickly, as the first email must be submitted to them by July 8th (2013).

I wish you luck, but not so much luck that it’s at my expense, as I’ve submitted two manuscript pitches to them…