(originally published in 2005)
During my own research on publishing I would always become somewhat giddy with excitement when I would see a title like the one above. It was as if the author was about to reveal to me the one magic clue that I needed to crack the mystery, the one thing that would set my career in motion. I would usually envision it would be something really simple, something I could do in the span of a week. I think in the beginning I was more in love with the idea of getting published than I was with the process of getting there. This is not necessarily a bad thing, after all who wouldn’t be? It is an immensely exciting experience, I have rarely experienced the elation I felt after receiving an actual acceptance letter in the mail. But what I learned in the meantime was bigger than any publishing tip I had ever read, you really must LOVE THE WORK. While getting published is an exciting possible outcome of a creative endeavor, it should not used as a motive for creating. For a while now I have been approached by people asking me to offer some tips on getting published. After much procrastinating I have come to write some of my thoughts on the subject, elusive as it may be. But I thought it appropriate to also talk briefly about the process of creating, developing the ideas and bringing them out into the world.
As with any advice I can only tell you what worked for me, some people may have a different approach. I find now it really helps me to read about the process of creating, the process of submitting is extremely important to learn but fairly straightforward (you only need to do it a few times to get it)…
1. Let your idea have it’s own life. This sounds a little strange but what I mean by this is once you have the idea in your head don’t try to control it too much. Let it tell you what form it should take. It really helps at this point to go for a long walk and just LISTEN (it may be several long walks). Let the words and images evolve. With my most recent book it took over a year for me to know what form it would take. I had ideas for content and had begun writing but no overall format to tie it all together. I didn’t worry about it too much but just let it “be” for a while. One day while reading a book on “intuition in business”, a concept popped into my head. This concept was “play”, and it tied the whole book together and became my focus from that moment on.
2. Really enjoy yourself and the process of creating, the best work will flow* out of you. People will respond the most to things you did with passion, (as opposed to things you forced). Don’t worry about whether it would sell, or what’s hot in the moment your target market, or what a family member recommends. Be honest with yourself and the process.
3. Make it real. I made the book in it’s entirety, packaged it up really smartly in a box with fake hay so when they opened it, it was somewhat displayed. This shows the viewer exactly what you had in mind, without them having to visualize it. Invariably if you explain something, they won’t see exactly what you are thinking.
(This suggestion is appropriate for people who wish to write AND illustrate. I do not recommend having someone else illustrate a book before you submit to a publisher as I have been told by many editors that this will actually hinder your chances of getting published. Do it if you can execute it in a way that is flattering.)
4. Research and target the appropriate publishers. This is extremely important, really look at their newest catalogues. Would you work be an appropriate fit? Are they using people with a style that is compatible with yours? I’m not saying to cater your work to them necessarily, but find an appropriate fit for you. I read the Writers Market like a novel, and used a highlighter throughout. This gives you a good indication of what certain publishers are looking for and how to present your work. One of the most common mistakes that authors make when submitting work (according to editors) is submitting work that is not suitable to their list. This ensures that you get your stuff into the slush pile.
*recommended reading “Writer’s Market”, or “Writer’s Guide to Book Editors, Publishers and Literary Agents” both published yearly.
5. Really sell yourself to them. Put together a package with a bio, list of clients, testimonials from clients, target market for your piece, and a sales pitch (as in a press release) about why you created the book and how it might be presented to the public. Also I always mention that this is not a simultaneous submission in my cover letter, (this is common courtesy in the publishing field), and that I purposely chose _________ because I felt the work would fit well with their list, in concept and visually.
6. If you are rejected…keep moving forward. The right company is out there waiting for you to find them. It is o.k. to feel bummed periodically (have a good cry about it! Yes it feels like you don’t know what you’re doing sometimes). Just pick yourself up again, dust yourself off, and start moving again.
7. A few little personal tips that I like to do when I submit things…
-Write an acceptance letter to yourself saying how great you think the book is.
-Cut out an existing Bestseller List from the newspaper. Add your book to it.
-Put all these things on your wall where you can see them.
11:40 am
You are way cool! I found an article about you while I was in the gyno office. I am taking a SARK class and she called me a treasure finder and she is right because I think you are a treasure that I’m glad I found! I am a mom of an amazing 5 yr. girl and we have written a book together that I am in the process of getting published. Even though I’ve just baby touched your website, ect. I find you very inspirational and can’t wait to explore more and try all of your amazing ideas! here is a question my daughter asked me yesterday, Do I have a feeling of sunbeams or moonbeams? What do you have a feeling of this moment? :)
Sending you super stary hugs! Michelle Wotruba soon to be published author of The Town of Plizz Dot!!
6:27 pm
I read this on the right moment, I think. Hmm, I find it difficult to express myself in Englisch.(i’m dutch).
When I don’t know it anymore then I can come back to your site..read some articles from you and your experience . Then my head wil be a bit in rest and I can work again. Cause art is not an easy job :)
Thanx for showing your experience,drawings enz.
Warm greetings, Ingrid.
10:24 am
So glad I stumbled across your blog this weekend! I’ve sat here for a good hour, reading post after post and completely absorbing your honesty and ideas. As someone who is trying to figure out how to become a children’s book writer, and not knowing where to begin on the “business” side of it all, this has been a good push.
Thank you so very much for sharing your own experiences, and I will definitely be bookmarking your blog for whenever I need another jolt of inspiration.
Have a wonderful week!
-Sarah
7:15 pm
Hi Keri,
I really like what you wrote here and how easy it is to leave a comment. I’m just starting out and am quite excited about the idea of completing your 3 wee tips. Sounds very law of attraction/quantum entanglement esq. I guess you do have to approach publishers too though so i should probably get on it.
Lots of love
dunc
9:03 pm
Thanks a bunch, Keri!
11:32 pm
What a treat! You are delicious. Thank you for your blog and journals. I have been trying to get a journal project published for a very long time. I think it is very difficult for creative people to develop a thick skin. Advice they give us creatives as we pour our heart and soul into our art. Then the suits say, “No thanks. Not the right fit. Go away you little little little person. Etc” But us creatives are thin skinned and that is what makes us beautiful and creativ e — our sensitive souls that breathe in art, muse, music and awe. We are moved because we are thin skinned. And this is what makes us create. So I raise a glass to the thin skinned creatives. Thick skin is for callouses.
Thank you for your beautifully illustrated journals. You have been a portal for so many people.
@Michelle – I love SARK. She is wonderful.
Hope you are getting some sleep with your little one Keri. “Journal Your Journey. Hope. Wish. Dream. Be.” ~ memomuse
6:39 pm
Best article I have found so far on this subject. Especially liked what you said about giving the project a life of its own. Thanks Keri…
12:44 pm
Hi Keri!
First of all thank you very much for sharing with us your ideas, your works and your advices.
Just discovered your little gem “How to be an Explorer of the World” a couple of days ago at the Tate Modern Gallery in London, while I was looking among all the books in their shop. Once I open yours i just didnt want to continue reading and went straight to the cash and bought it. It just happen very rare to me, I felt instantly a connection and had to buy it!
Cant wait to order online once I finish this all of your books, you are truly inspiring and I am really glad to find you!
Best regards,
Adela
2:14 pm
Thank you Keri!
I have always had a passion for art AND english and hope to, one day, make a career out of it! You have inspired me by having such a positive attitude to life. I often feel sad or stressed, but i might just print out a couple of your quotes or articles and, as you say, pick myself up and dust myself off and start moving again!
Bea xxx
11:36 am
Thank you Keri!
I ran across an article about you while waiting for my son at the dentist. Everyone got one of your books for Christmas that year. I love my Not a Book!
I didn’t know at the time that I, too, had a book I needed to publish. I am taking the first steps and am happy you’ve written about that here.
Thank you for your inspiring ideas and “dares”. They make a difference in my life on a regular basis :)
10:44 pm
I really enjoy reading all your blogs, and books of course! I only got 4 of all your books, it’s difficult to find them all in Mexico. I really have this doubt if they ship them constantly here, is that I love all your work and I mostly got my books by travelling to Canada (By the way I love it so much that my dream is living there when I have the time & age), is just that I have this necessity and obsession to have them All *giggles by happiness*. I remember exactly the first time I saw your name in the book I got first, it was been intriguing me since I first had the look on it really closely, and for last I bought it Jajaja. The book was “Finish this Book” and from the first word till the last one I had just notice that all that it contained was what I did younger (childhood); all those secret headquarters I had all over my house, all my observations through my backyard, analyzing carefully all the movements of my cats, collecting nonsense that meant diamonds to me throughout the day, asking myself if it was the correct question to my answer or viceversa, looking all the people on my surroundings and thinking “Why do they have those faces right now?” What is happening in their lives?”, not paying attention to the teacher because I was really focused on playing with my pens and the tiny erasers I had, collecting all the falling tips of the colors (I really didn’t know why I did that, I was just amazed of doing that), when the movie of the cinema finished I started imagining a sequel and me being the main character. Being sincere, my childhood was pretty much different from others, I was really antisocial just because I thought a lot, I always talk to myself in my mind and for really, I just kind of hated everyone because they couldn’t talk or think like me, and nowadays I just can’t stop laughing of that, I really can’t because nowadays I’m all the opposite of that, but I really miss it, I do, I did everything to have fun without the necessity of watching tv, using the computer, playing video games (I had and I still have, BUUUT those days were minority of number and use and, well, it’s just inevitable knowing that WatchDogs is on sale and you don’t have it yet *laughs with pretty much of sarcasm*), or even a freacking tamagotchi! My point here is then that I’m just glad but really really glad that you are what you are, such as a writer and person, I proud of saying that you are one of my role models in my life, you really show me that nobody grews up, nobody gets mature anytime, we just get older and change fiscally thinking that “being mature” means forgetting all the stupid stuff you did as a young human being and start taking all really strategically important. But it isn’t, what it means for me is that growing up is when you know you can be as responsible for being auto sufficient as doing all the stupid, crazy, and loving things you did once as a child, doing what you wanted to be, doing what you wanted to do, being that child that loves being free, being happy :)
