I was just wondering since I am reworking a short story I wrote several months ago what the process for trying to get it published would be. Do I need to get it illustrated (I would have to pay someone to do it since I can't draw stick figures, lol). I have looked around on the web and can't seem to find much and am just a little lost. I know I still have some revising to do but since I am in that stage I was trying to figure out the next step. Any info would be greatly appreciated and immensely helpful. Also, is there a specific way that you are supposed to set up the pages for a short story? Also, a correct length? Thanks again!
I don't know a lot about getting children's stories published, but I do know that you don't need to (and actually shouldn't) pay for/hire an artist do do anything for your book. Publishers, especially the major ones, have their own artists/people they use to do artwork. Length would depend upon the age group targeted. You can check books similar to yours in a bookstore or library to compare. I am sure someone can help a bit more than I can. Terry
I was just wondering since I am reworking a short story I wrote several months ago what the process for trying to get it published would be. ...just find children's magazines that publish similar stories and submit it to them... you'll find listings here: www.duotrope.com Do I need to get it illustrated (I would have to pay someone to do it since I can't draw stick figures, lol). ...if it's a 'short story' then it would be for a magazine, so wouldn't be illustrated, unless the publisher assigns an artist to draw something to accompany the text... ...but if you don't mean a 'short story' and really mean it's a picture book ms that you have to offer, then the same holds true... publishers assign their own illustrators and the vast majority won't even accept art work with the ms... ...first, you need to figure out what it is that you have, exactly... is it a 'short story' you want to see published in a magazine, or is it a children's picture book ms you want to get a book publisher to take on?... ...the format of the ms is basically the same, just like you would format any ms... unless it's a rhymed story that needs to be formatted in couplets or quatrains, or whatever... in which case, you would use line breaks accordingly... ...as for length, that will depend on the age range you're targeting... same goes for vocabulary, sentence structure and story elements... but if it's a story for a magazine, you will also need to go by each one's guidelines and size limits... ...hope this helps... if you want any further help with this, feel free to drop me a line, as i mentor lots of children's story/book writers... love and hugs, maia
