Targeting a picture book publisher is a great adventure!
When I first started writing, I used to just write a picture book manuscript about any idea I felt like at the time. Then, when it was finished, I tried sending the manuscript on its round of potential publishers. A stream of rejections letters followed.
Now I’ve learned a better way. Before I ever write the first word of a new picture book manuscript, first I find a publisher I want to target. Then I study their product line. Then I pray about deciding on an idea that would fit their product line like a glove. Then, and only then, do I actually sit down to write.
If you’d like to learn a step-by-step method of targeting a picture book publisher, visit my blog at Blogzone. and follow the posts I wrote during the month of March, 2008. During that month, for the Book in a Month Club that I host, I decided to write a picture book and explain how this process works. I invite you to join in on the fun and try these steps yourself.
The results? I finished writing the manuscript and submitted it to my target publisher. Within a week, I heard back from them that they were interested in my manuscript and wanted to keep it for consideration. I was so jazzed! And even if that particular publisher never publishes my book, I know I caught their interest because of first taking careful aim!
Contributed by Nancy I. Sanders
