Tips for Choosing a Publisher for Your Children's Book

So you've written a children's book and want to try to get it published.  Most publishers post their submission guidelines on their website, but they can also be found in books such as Alice Pope's "Children's Writers and Illustrator's Market" (however these can quickly become outdated).

When choosing which publishers to submit to, ask yourself the following questions:

1.  Does the publisher accept unsolicited manuscripts?  

Some publisher's websites will say they are closed for submissions, in which case you are wasting your time submitting to them.   Others will only accept manuscripts from agents, in which case consider obtaining an agent (don't even think of contacting such publishers no matter how wonderful you think your manuscript is).

Start by making a list of publishers that accept unsolicited manuscripts, which means they will consider your submission (see the publisher's guidelines for what to submit) even though they have not requested it from you.    

Some publishers' websites state that they "do not accept unsolicited manuscripts".  You can still consider sending a one-page query letter to such publishers, but you may never receive a response.  If you are an unpublished author, stick to publishers that accept unsolicited manuscripts.


2.  Does the publisher accept the type of book you have written?

Make sure the publisher accepts manuscripts in the same format and for the same age level as your manuscripts.  For example, some children's book publishers will be closed for picture books submissions, but open to other types of children's books, such as middle grade novels.

Also ensure they accept same genre of books.  For example, some publishers will clearly state on their website that they do not accept fantasy submissions.


3.  Has the publisher published books that are similar to yours?


You want to find a publisher that publishes books similar to yours, but not too similar.   If the publisher already publishes a series of teen novels about girls at a horse riding school, they are unlikely to want your teen novel about girls at a horse riding camp unless it is extremely well written.   However, if you wrote a middle grade novel involving girls and horses, they may be interested as this would complement their existing books.

4.  Does the publisher accept simultaneous submissions?


Simultaneous submissions means make a submission for the same book to more than one publisher at once.  Some publishers will clearly state that they do not accept multiple submissions, whereas other publishers will accept them, so long as you clearly state in your letter that it is a multiple submissions.  If the publisher will not accept multiple submissions, find out how long they take to respond.   If it will take a long time (e.g. six months to a year), consider whether the publisher is worth the wait.


5. Does the publisher accept multiple submissions?

Multiple submissions means sending more than one submission to the same publisher for different books.  Many publishers will only consider one book at a time, so wait until you hear back about one submission before you send in another.

6.  Have you read any books the publisher has published?


You should read at least three books by the publisher to see if your book would fit in with the types of book they publish.  Also, if you don't like the books, this is a sign that this publisher is not for you.


7.  Does the publisher only publish, or mostly publish books by authors resident in a certain country?


Some publishers only publish books by authors in the same country they are resident in, whereas others accept authors worldwide.  Often this is because the publisher relies on government grants or tax credits that can only be received if a minimum percentage of the authors are from that country.  
If for example you are a Canadian resident, consider submitting to a publisher that only publishes books by Canadians to increase your chances of being accepted.


8.  How many books does the publisher publish per year?

If a publisher only publishes one or two children's books per year, the chances of your manuscript being published are slim.  If you can't find any statistics on the publisher's website regarding how many books they publish per year, try looking for a list of upcoming releases.


Choosing which publisher to submit to can be a daunting task.  I recommend making a list of the various publishers, and gather information such as:  links to their submission guidelines, the types of books they publish, whether they accept simultaneous submissions, the wait time for a response etc.