Highlights for Children: jumbo merged thread of all things Highlights Magazine

Highlights Acceptance question

I feel like I need some frame of reference... a fiction piece of mine was accepted by Highlights in April, 2007. Payment came instantly, but still no word about publication. I am aware there can be gaps between acceptance and publication, but does anyone know the typical time range of waiting with Highlights?

That seems like a long time to wait to see your work in print. On the bright side, you were paid in a timely manner.

Someone should be along who is far more helpful than me with that pub. And in the meantime, welcome to AW.

Hi Droll,

I had an article accepted by Highlights in March 2008 and I received a letter this summer alerting me that it will get published in January 2010.

Back in July though, I attended the Highlights Conference in Chautauqua and the editors stressed repeatedly that it's normal for articles/stories to take 3 years for publication. Since it's been about 2.5 years for you, I'd send a quick letter to the editor who accepted your work. No harm in asking, right?

Best of luck!

Droll said:

I feel like I need some frame of reference... a fiction piece of mine was accepted by Highlights in April, 2007. Payment came instantly, but still no word about publication. I am aware there can be gaps between acceptance and publication, but does anyone know the typical time range of waiting with Highlights?

Click to expand...

Droll:

Honestly, with Highlights, it can be many, many years before your story will actually appear in the magazine. That's one of the reasons it's so great that they pay on acceptance.

I'm not really sure if there are rules against linking to another writing forum (if so, Mods, let me know and I'll edit the link out of my post), but I found an older thread about this on the Verla Kay Blue Boards. There's one person who has been waiting 20 years...

http://www.verlakay.com/boards/index.php?topic=18641.0

Congrats on the sale. I hope it appears soon!

Smish

Highlights Question

I normally don't write short stories and have zero experience with children's magazines. However, I recently rewrote one of my rhyming PBs in prose. It no longer has the feel and rhythm of a PB, and so I'm hoping to place it with a magazine. Of course Highlights is first on my list.

Yet I understand they buy all rights, including copyright. What I'm wondering is if this means they purchase the byline as well. In other words, since the work is now their property, can they stick anyone's name on it, or even omit my name as the author, should they be so inclined?

Of course were I lucky enough to be offered a contract, I can raise the question directly. In the meantime, I'm wondering if anyone might already know the scoop on this.

Are you sure they purchase the copyright, too?

I guess it depends on the contract, but I've never heard of them changing the byline, and see no reason why they'd desire to do so. And while they do buy all rights, I've heard that if they sell the piece, they pay the author again.

For what it's worth, most of the major children's print magazines buy all rights (including the Carus and Cobblestone mags).

I've only begun writing short stories in the past few months, and have only submitted one so far (I sent it to Highlights about a month ago; no response yet), but like you, I've been doing the research.

Yeah, taken directly from their website:

We buy all rights, including copyright, and do not consider previously published material.

It won't keep me from submitting, but it's definitely something I'll ask if ever the time arises. I've never sold all rights to anything. Selling a piece in totality just makes me a little uneasy.

Oh, and good luck with your story. I hope they pounce on it.

Hedgetrimmer said:

Yeah, taken directly from their website:

We buy all rights, including copyright, and do not consider previously published material.

It won't keep me from submitting, but it's definitely something I'll ask if ever the time arises. I've never sold all rights to anything. Selling a piece in totality just makes me a little uneasy.

Oh, and good luck with your story. I hope they pounce on it.

Click to expand...

Good luck to you, too!

Much thanks.

Hedge:

I was flipping through the Children's Writer's and Illustrator's Market earlier today, and noticed that in their listing, Highlights says "Byline given".

Smish

Folks,

Highlights would never steal your story or put someone else's name on it. They buy all rights to your story, meaning they can resell it for you and share the proceeds with you without first obtaining your permission. Because companies seeking reprint rights don't have to go on wild goose chases to locate an author (who may have changed last names or addresses!) to secure reprint rights through Highlights (since they already own the rights) Highlights gets a lot more reprint requests and consequently I get a lot of reprint checks without lifting a finger. I occasionally get reprint requests for my non-Highlights stories but not nearly as often. Companies just don't want to do the leg work to find authors and secure rights. Instead, they can make a list of Highlights stories they'd like to reprint, make one phone call and get permission for all.

Highlights is a first class operation and I'm proud to be one of their authors.

Jimmer, thanks so much for taking time to clarify. I know how reputable they are; I remember reading the magazine as a kid way back when. Still, it's nothing I've ever had to deal with in other markets.

Droll,

Highlights receives many many stories each day. The ones they like they buy without regard for what their next issue or two or three might need. They put these purchased stories in their "inventory" until they find a suitable slot for it in a future issue. When a story is finally slated for publication they send a letter informing the author of the projected publication date. About 5-6 months before publication you will receive a copy of the proofs (no other magazine does this) for you to check before it goes to print. One month before publication they will send you a public relations press release packet (again, no other magazine does this). You can fill out the forms and Highlights will send a PR package to as many as 3 newspapers of your choosing for a press release. I have been interviewed twice for full page newspaper articles and once was interviewed for a cable tv show through these press releases.

So, your story may sit in their inventory for several years. It will get published. Just be thankful they pay on acceptance.

Droll - I've never submitted to Highlights, so I know nothing about your question. But I would like to say a hearty CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!

Droll,

I forgot to add, when Highlights does get around to placing your story in an issue it is likely you will be asked to make a small revision or two. Your work is probably not completely done on that sale. It's usually just a word change or two in search of clarity. They don't expect to make any significant changes after purchasing but I think it's nice they do include you in the editing process. It's all done through email and it helps to develop a working relationship with their staff.

Enjoy the ride!

Jimmer

I have a piece that I'm currently submitting as a picture book, and got some feedback from an agent that it would be a better fit for the magazine market (Highlights specifically). I went to Highlight's guidelines and was also taken aback by the verbiage of "all rights, including copyrights." I wasn't concerned about the byline issue, just what it means for the future of that story.

Jimmer's comments have made me feel a little bit better about it, but I still have to wonder, what if I do want to try it again as a picture book later? It seems like a book publisher would have an issue with Highlights owning the rights. Or do the markets overlap so much that putting it in Highlights automatically kills its chances as a picture book anyway?

Angelica,

I think once your story reaches print, your first rights are gone as are your chances of getting it into book form regardless of the magazine.

I suppose it's possible Highlights might grant you rights to publish your story in book form but I sincerely doubt any book publisher would want them at that point. Highlights isn't trying to keep you from making money. If you had a book deal after selling to them, I'd bet they'd be willing to consider any sort of arrangement that suits your needs...and theirs.

A magazine story is a throw away. A picture book must have legs, meaning it should resonate enough to be read over and over for many years. If the agent is right, your story probably has limited value as a picture book. For sure, once published in a magazine it's book value would decrease even more.

I would suggest you try all the picture book publishers before submitting to a magazine.

Best of luck!

Jimmer

Jimmer said:

I would suggest you try all the picture book publishers before submitting to a magazine.

Best of luck!

Jimmer

Click to expand...

That's the route I'm going too. I wrote a short story that I planned to submit to Highlights. Someone then read it and thought it might be enough for a picture book. I recently posted it in SYW, received some wonderful feedback and have since turned out another draft. I'm going to send it back out a few more times before resigning its fate to that of a magazine story. You might consider posting over there and see what kind of feedback you get. Most people are more than willing to help.

Yes, my plan is to pursue the picture book route first; so far, it's only one agent that has said that. I was just doing a preliminary scouting on the Highlights guidelines, since it came up.

I've had articles and features printed for the adult market, so I'm admittedly less familiar with the children's magazine market and their rights.

The other possibility I've considered is using this piece as one in a poetry collection for kids, focused on animals and insects in the wild.

I have gotten feedback on this one in SYW, but it was the poetry forum. SYW is very helpful!

Are there any other markets for short stories for children? I have a short story that has elements of fantasy & Scifi that I do not think would it highlights criteria

bat115 said:

Are there any other markets for short stories for children?

Click to expand...

There are several. A good place to start is the Children's Writer's and Illustrator's Market. Your local library probably has the latest edition.

Smish

Online Submissions to Highlights

Has anyone subbed to Highlights since they started accepting online through submittable? If so, what's the response time like now that snail mail isn't involved. I'm getting antsy about a submission.

I realize no one responded to my first question, but I don't want to start a new thread on the same topic, so I'm giving this another shot.

It's to been just shy of eight weeks since my submission. When do I nudge? Or should I even nudge at all? Someone else told me they were rejected in eight days, but an acceptance takes longer so I really hope that's the hold-up. Any advice is welcome and appreciated.

I wonder if Highlights has a thread in BR&BC. Let's check and see if you might get answers there.

Ok, so I didn't find a BR&BC, but I did find a bunch of older threads about Highlights and figured one jumbo thread might shed some light, generate new conversation, be a useful tool.

Or it could be a big cluster now, but that's our solution for Highlights q&a and sharing now.