Confused about Picture Book Manuscript

Jacer · May 17, 2010

Hi,

My 32-page rhyming picture book is just about ready to go.

Please forgive my ignorance, but unless specified by the publisher, exactly how do I format the PB manuscript? I have two to four lines per page. But typing it in paragraph form doesn't really make sense to me.

Thanks so much!

BetsyJ · May 17, 2010

Here's how you format it:

(Upper lefthand corner--put the word count in upper right hand corner)

Name
address
phone
email

Title

First line

Second line

Third line

Fourth line

Fifth line

Sixth line

Seventh line

Eighth line

Etc.

I strongly advise you to read what's available online before sending mss. out to editors. Writing is a profession requires basic knowledge of the industry. Go here and read the articles:

http://www.underdown.org/

And here for specific information about rhyming manuscripts:

http://www.dorichaconas.com/Icing the Cake page.htm

Good luck!

Ellen Jackson
www.ellenjackson.net

Jacer · May 18, 2010

Thanks

Thank you so much, Ellen.

Besides educating 600 elementary children every week, I've spent many months researching the various aspects of children's publishing. My dad actually owned his own small publishing company, back in the day. I sure could use his guidance now, that's for sure!

But some of the information I have read online, completely contradicts other things I've seen. Go figure! I just wanted to make sure the actual formatting of the rhyming PB manuscript is done properly before I submit it.

Thanks again for taking the time! Much appreciated!

Cyia · May 18, 2010

I hope you don't have lines on all 32 pages. At least one of them is going to have to be used by the publisher for the "official" information like copyright and all that Library of Congress stuff. You've also got a title page in there.

Debbie V · May 31, 2010

Generally, the picture book text gets about 28 of the 32 pages. (The rest is front and back matter.) If you are also the illustrator, you have more room to play with this. Otherwise, exceptions are up to the editor, art director and book designer.

Along with Harold Underdown's site, I'd go to the SCBWI for info. Go through the publications section.

http://www.scbwi.org/default.aspx

BetsyJ · Jun 1, 2010

What Debbie said. If you haven't joined SCBWI, it's a great resource.

You can absolutely trust the writer's articles that you find on the SCBWI board and anything your read on Harold Underdown's site.

Confused about Picture Book Manuscript

Jacer

BetsyJ

Ellen Jackson, author

Jacer

Cyia

Rewriting My Destiny

Debbie V

Mentoring Myself and Others

BetsyJ

Ellen Jackson, author