When I started out as a writer, my passion was to write children's books. Of course, I didn't do enough research to know what that meant, so I failed. Ten years later, I've gone back through the children's manuscripts and see why I failed -- they were bad! So, I pulled out two of the best ideas, polished them, and feel they are great! What do you recommend as the best and quickest way to get them published? The whole process seems so overwhelming to me. At this time, I've spent so many years to get to this point; I simply don't care about the money, but rather that the books are in print. However, self-publishing is out of the question right now, as I just can't afford it. My goal is to be a full-time children's book writer and create several new titles a year. Please share your expertise to steer me in the right direction?

Finding a publisher (or agent) is never easy or quick. There is no "best" way to find a publisher. Traditional publishing, self-publishing and small (POD) publishing all have their pitfalls. No matter what method you pursue, as a new author you will be responsible for marketing and promoting your own work, which is why self-publishing services and small print-on-demand (POD) publishers are becoming more popular with writers who want to get a book published and build readership.

Small POD publishers require the same process as traditional publishers. You submit your manuscript and wait for a decision. If they offer a contract it's usually for no advance but a larger royalty payment than traditional publishers -- around 40%. It takes several months for them to produce the book and release it to the public.

Self-publishing services such as Booklocker, Xlibris, and iUniverse cost much less than self-publishing under your own imprint where you do all the work and cover all the costs. You tend to save a lot on the up front printing costs by going with a self-publishing service. Lately I've been hearing about a new free self-publishing service called Lulu. Writers who have used the services on this web site report they are happy with the results. I can't recommend them one way or another, because I have no direct experience with them.

You might also find my article helpful, "The Elephant in the Room: Marketing Your Children's Manuscript".

Peggy Tibbetts