Ready to submit, but not sure where to send your work? Time to do your research. Check out these resources.
Relevant Posts on This Site
10 Things NOT to Say in Your Query: Advice from a Children’s Publisher by Rob Broder
Sending Out Submissions by Heather Fenton
How Many Queries Does It Take to Get an Agent? by Kris Asselin
How to Format a Manuscript by Jen Malone
How NOT to Format Your Manuscript by Marianne Knowles
The Perfect Pitch by Dana Nuenighoff
What I Learned in an Agent’s Inbox by Jen Malone
Stay Organized with QueryTracker by Alison Potoma
10 Things NOT to Say in your Query – Advice from a Children’s Publisher Guest Post by Rob Broder, Publisher, Ripple Grove Press
Helpful formatting posts on other sites:
How to Format a Manuscript by Holly Lisle
Picture Book Format and How to Format Your Manuscript by Mary Kole on KidLit.com
First Impressions Count – How to Format Your Picture Book Text by Marlo Garner on Book Editing Associates
How To Format A Picture Book Manuscript For Publishers by Marlo Garner on Book Editing Associates
Sub It Club
Treasure trove of advice on writing query letters for multiple genres, with examples of what worked and explanations for why.
https://subitclub.com/
Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market
By Chuck Sambuchino. Offered by Writers Digest. Includes market lists, plus agent interviews and sample queries. Updated annually.
Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market
THE BOOK: The Essential Guide to Publishing for Children
Offered by The Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). PDF download included with paid membership. Over 300 pages with just about everything you need to know, including publishers, small presses, agents. Updated annually.
http://www.scbwi.org/online-resources/the-book/
Agent Query
Offers the largest, most current searchable database of reputable, established literary agents in all genres, as well as query-writing advice, online networking with other writers, and many other resources.
http://agentquery.com/
QueryTracker
Another database for researching reputable literary agents and editors in all genres, as well as tracking your own submissions, plus online networking with other writers and an informative blog.
http://www.querytracker.net/index.php
Query Shark
This blogger’s tagline is “How To Write Query Letters … or, really, how to revise query letters so they actually work.” Readers submit queries, which are selected for critique by Query Shark. Archives give many examples of what works, what does not, and why, in queries.
http://queryshark.blogspot.com/
Monster List of Picture Book Agents
Heather Ayris Burnell maintains this list of literary agents who represent picture book authors and author/illustrators.
https://frolickingthroughcyberspace.blogspot.com/p/monster-list-of-picture-book-agents.html
#PBPitch List of Picture Book Agents
Several times a year, #PBPitch offers a Twitter-based submission event. Literary agents who appear on this list may or may not participate in the #PBPitch events, but you can submit to them at any time. As always, check each agent’s submission guidelines.
http://www.pbpitch.com/picture-book-agents.html
Literary Rambles
“Spotlighting Children’s Book Authors, Agents, and Publishing” Great resource for researching agents. Agent spotlights, links to helpful resources, and more.
http://www.literaryrambles.com/
Manuscript Wish List (#MSWL)
Some agents and editors use this Twitter hashtag to tweet about subjects or genres they are specifically looking for; this can be a good snapshot of what’s “hot” among editors at the moment. Watch for MSWL tweet parties—specific days when many agents and editors tweet at the same time.
Compilation here: Manuscript Wish List
Preditors & Editors
A site dedicated to warning writers, artists, and others about less-than-reputable agencies, publishers, contests, etc. Includes many positive resources as well. Feb 2021: Link below goes to their Facebook community page while the website is migrating.
http://pred-ed.com/
Writer Beware
The public face of SFWA’s committee on writing scams, and another good resource for avoiding problems.
http://www.sfwa.org/other-resources/for-authors/writer-beware/
Renaissance Learning / Accelerated Reader
If you’re researching the kidlit market, this site has info on hundreds of titles – publishing history, genre, word count, page count, awards, author, language, level, interest level, book level, type of book (fiction or nonfiction). The post How to Research Comps Using AR Book Finder has advice on using this site.
WRITERS' RUMPUS 