Product Description

Writing books for children is both art and business. If you dream of becoming a children's author -- or even if you're well on your way -- this handbook can help you in writing sellable stories, getting them published, and promoting your books.

Topics include common myths about children's writing, children's book categories, elements of successful stories, manuscript format, submission strategies, contract negotiation, the publishing process, career building, and children's writer resources. Also included are specialized subjects such as querying for multiple manuscripts, promoting a first book, and designing a Web page.

Read The Business of Writing for Children to learn the secrets you might spend years discovering for yourself.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #14631 in Books
• Published on: 2000-03-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 115 pages

Audrey Baird, Editor, Once Upon A Time
The Business of Writing for Children is a one-stop shopping center, a complete how-to-do-it guide for the writer who wants a jump-start on looking professional even though he/she may be turning out a first book. Editors will love you if you do it Shepard's way.

Susan Pearson, Editor-in-Chief, Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books
BRAVO! I thought it had pretty much all been said, but I was wrong. All the nuts and bolts are here as well as rules that bear repeating, PLUS insights not usually found in how-to books. Clearly and concisely written, this is an invaluable resource for both beginning and more accomplished writers.

Stephen Mooser, children's author
Aaron Shepard has written one of the most comprehensive guides available to anyone wishing to enter the competitive field of children's books. It's all here, from initial idea to successful sale, and then beyond to the essentials of contracts, promotion, and the ABCs of building a successful career. If you're starting out, start out here.

Customer Reviews

Disappointed
After reading the other reviews for this book I couldn't wait to get hold of it and ordered it right away. But when I received it I was very disappointed with the contents. I was expecting a fantastic book filled with amazing information and unfortunately it isn't, in my opinion. For me, The Children's Writers' and Artists' Yearbook is by far a much better source containing the majority of information Mr Shepard has in his book, plus a hell of a lot more.

From my point of view Mr Shepard's book is written mainly for author's writing illustrated books,(I'm not) which I didn't pick up from the other reviews, and also promoting books that have been self published, a route I don't want to go down.

I find his advice of sending out manuscripts with a Post-it note stuck on the front instead of a covering letter mind-boggling!

This book has obviously been of help to others but unfortunately not to me.

Mayra Calvani -- TCM REVIEWS
If you’re thinking of writing, selling and promoting a children’s book, The Business of Writing for Children is a title you’ll definitely want to add to your permanent reference shelf. In it you’ll find tips, useful information and resources on how to write children’s fiction, learning what editors want to see in a manuscript, how to submit your queries and promote your book. The book’s short length and concise, right-to-the-point approach make it an ideal first guide for beginners in the field.

Shepard begins by listing some “Dangerous Myths and Terrible Truths” about the business. Then he offers general guidelines on how to write for children, dealing with topics such as Theme, Plot, Story Structure, Characters, Setting, Style and Tone.

The different kinds of children’s books categories can be confusing and hard to distinguish from one another; Shepard describes each in a clear manner.

Everything from formatting and submitting your manuscript, to negotiating a contract, to understanding the publishing process, to building your career, to scripting your story can be found between these pages, and more. A separate section is given to other topics such as Rhythm and Writing and Researching Folk Tales.

Most helpful are the author’s sample flyers and queries, especially his ingenious way for sending one query for multiple titles, saving time and postage fees. Shepard also offers clever alternatives to sending queries by using Post-its. At the end of the book there’s an Appendix filled with useful resources.

Be aware this book will not teach you how to self publish a children’s book, but only how to sell your work to traditional publishers. However, this is a reference work valuable for anybody who wishes to understand the business of writing for children. Highly recommended.

Very good, could be longer
Excellent source of tips for an aspiring children's author. Could have more information in the actually 'how to write' section, but the advice he gives is very good.