How to get published, what I know so far....

So I have been doing some research when it comes to writing and getting published.

From what I have gathered most publishers will not consider publishing a new writer unless they have a Literary Agent same goes for using Illustrators for cover or illustrative work, they would need an Art Director. A site like reedsy.com is a good start for getting information about writing, finding an agent, getting published whether through a publisher or self publishing. This is the site where I found my editior. Reedsy has biographys on all the editors and what type of book they edit and the years expirience they have had. You can send a request to up to 5 editiors at a time then they will respond with a offer to edit or a decline. If you get a decline you can go in and send a request to another editor from their lists of editors. When you get an offer you can choose to work with the editor or not.

After doing my research on Literary Agents and large Literary Agent Firms, most don't have an editor on staff, if they do you will still have to pay to have your work edited. I found with reedsy.com it is nice to be able to choose someone who you might work well with than just being assigned a person.

I know lots of people are worried that having your work editied will take the life and soul you put into it out, that the editor will change everyting and remove all your creative ideas and completely change your book. A good editor will not do that. My first editing experience was awesome, I was given everything I needed. My main issues were word count, character development and word choices. My editor gave me some suggestions and I had to make the changes not the editor. I had to take the editor's notes and make the changes as I saw fit whether that changed a little or a lot of my story that was my choice. The editor said I could contact her anytime if I got stuck or needed advice or just a review of what I hand changed so far. Once I finished the edits I sent it back to her to review again. Now I got lucky, I found the best possible editor for my first time. I know that there are probably horror stories about working with editors or art directors and I pray never to have to experience them.

You can try to self publishing, which I have not ruled out yet and still feel like it will not get me what I what so that will be my last choice. Since writing and illustrating children's picture books was always my career choice I am going to try an find a literary agent who will hopefully get me working with a publisher. So this is my advice to you, research, research, research. I will try to post what I find that is helpful, but what works for me might not work for you so you should always use other peoples advice as a stepping stone for your own path.

I also recommend that if you are serious that you should have the best possible product ready to show people. Get an editor, have your illustrations finshed and layed out in a dummy book or as a pdf file. Join a group like SCBWI.org where you can get critiques by other fellow authors and Illustrators. I will be posting more information about SCBWI or the Society for Children's Book Writers and Illustrators in my next post.

Have a wonderful day and keep following your dreams!

Monica