Children's Writers: You Don't Hire the Artist

schreiben

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The publisher wants to hire the artist...
They want to choose an artist whose style they like-- possibly someone they've worked with before, possibly someone who's won awards or has a great track record. They'll want to enter into a contract with the artist for the rights to the work, and give specific direction for page counts, style, colors, size, etc.

Thanks for this information. I'm a neophite. An aspiring writer. I keep on thinking about possible illustrations that would go with my story when in fact, it's not really necessary.

Again, thanks a lot for this post.
 

Staceyp67

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Good info!

I have been thinking about the illustrations, etc. and you have answered a lot of questions for me. Thanks!!
 

Viking Horse

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Coming here, this (the OP, that is) was exactly the thing I was looking for, and I'm actually a little relieved to hear it is that way. Having just finished the first pass on my own book – it wasn't the one I wanted or, hell, even a novel at all, but it is a start and that's all I need – and getting ready to start searching for an agent, I was actually a bit worried as to how to handle this. Ever since I started working on this book, I've had an idea of what the illustrations should look like, but, funnily enough, it is nothing like my own style. (For one thing, I paint in coffee, but I have a feeling a monotone picture book would just look hideous.) I had considered getting something together, if only because discarding the illustrations later would be easier than then creating them, but knowing that the editor, publisher or whatever actually prefers to handle this sort of thing takes a lot of pressure off of me.

So, thanks; I've only just started here (even if I have stumbled across you in the past), and I'm already getting what I need!
 

Viking Horse

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Thanks, Stormie. And, believe me, I intend to ask plenty of questions. Despite lurking before, I never really had a chance to put into practice that which I might have learned. Now, however, with some practical use to apply it to, I'm hoping some people here will be able to help me work through the process should I ever hit a stumbling block. The end goal is not just curiosity this time, but something real and that excites me beyond belief. :D
 

nancyjrich

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I have sent a query letter to a REAL Publisher (I am a rescued rookie.). Should they request my children's story, should I send just the story or the one describing where an illustration should go and an idea what the illustration should look like. Do editors want to use their imagination allowing the story to give them the picture?
Thanks.
Nancy Rich
 

MsJudy

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I have sent a query letter to a REAL Publisher (I am a rescued rookie.). Should they request my children's story, should I send just the story
yes
or the one describing where an illustration should go and an idea what the illustration should look like.
no
Do editors want to use their imagination allowing the story to give them the picture?
yes
Thanks.
Nancy Rich

A good illustrator will be able to add dimensions to the story that you have not imagined. Everything important should already be in the words, and the artist works with that.
 

christylynn

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This is true being a beginner it is very hard to get your foot in the door so to speak but once you get that opening you've got it but you cant let your work or the quality of your work slack.
 

nancyjrich

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Thanks Christylynn,
I think I will be signing up to take a home course with a school that specializes in writing for children. They check out with the BBB, Absolute Writer, and P&E so I think I will be making a good choice. I am hoping it will also help me improve on some adult projects I am working on also.
God's Blessings!
Nancy
 

Mayusan

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Arigatou Gozaimaus!! This is exactly the question I logged on this very moment to ask.

The economy is kinda sucky if anyone noticed, so my agent is having a hard time getting certain genre's of books published, but he said one book that is still pretty good, are childrens books.

I've always wanted to write a children's book, and I have a great idea... but I was curious, what do I do about an artist? do I hire one, do I pay them when they give me the art, do I pay them contingent on the book being published? Do I not hire one at all?

Thank God for this post! Lol
 

JaimeyLeeScott

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Sorry, the above was an intended reply for an earlier posting.

Blue13, you've given me a lot to think about but I'm still going to disagree with you.



Well, of course they do. They're a business. They've always wanted to make money - that shouldn't surprise anyone. But what MOST publishers really want is to publish great books. Yes, they want to make money too, but that won't stop them publishing a book that's not a definite sell if they feel strongly that it's a great book.
.
.
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Canotila

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My question is this:

How does an author/illustrator go about selling their package deal? I know it can be done, because there are many authors that illustrate their own books on the market right now.

Is it only certain publishing houses that accept them? Certain agents? How do you find those people?

The whole process I go through for writing a child's story is I come up with a drawing of a character, and the whole thing goes from there. Character gets a name, background, storyline, etc. I do a storyboard of everything before any actual words are written down. I know I can draw, I have sold individual paintings for enough to pay the rent, taught at a private art school, and been approached by aspiring authors to illustrate their submissions (and declined, because like someone else pointed out earlier I didn't want to do 6 months of work on something that might never pay).
 
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An author/illustrator is a special case. And a nice find for the publisher, since it cuts costs. And very often, as with the best of this breed (Dr. Seuss, etc) the art is so integrally meshed with the writing that it produces a finer book.

Trouble would be if you aren't very good at illustration. In which case, the smart thing would be to bow out gracefully if they want a better artist. Unless you are "married" to your art to the extent that you'd turn down a deal over it. Which is certainly your right.
 

MsJudy

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Canotila, I really, really, really recommend that you join SCBWI. They're a great organization, the only one that really supports illustrators. I know my local region (Sf/North California) includes an illustrators' panel at the yearly conference, plus at least one other workshop just for illustrators each year. You can get portfolio critiques, marketing information, the chance to meet agents and editors who specifically look for author/illustrators, all kinds of good help.

Get more info here:
http://www.scbwi.org/
 

Canotila

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Thank you so much for the link. I looked over their website and they seem like something that should really help me.
 

BetsyJ

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blue13 -- "Are publishers gonna pair a world renown illustrator with a completley unknown writer? Most often not."

Yep, they absolutely will pair a completely unknown author with a well-known illustrator--happens all the time.

I've published 55+ children's books and I was paired with a very experienced and well-known illustrator the first time out. In fact, some publishers make a point of doing this in order to see that the book gets its fair share of attention from the media and doesn't sink into obscurity.

Dollywagon -- When agents ask for manuscripts by "writer/illustrators" they aren't asking for two different people, they're asking for one person who has both skills.

Canotila -- There's nothing wrong with sending one or two copies or of illustrations to an agent or editor (don't send original art) along with a story you hope to have published. In your cover letter, you'd add as an aside that you've included a few samples of art to show how you envision the story. Tell them that you'd be happy to allow someone else to illustrate it, if they have someone else in mind.

I know you might not want to do this, but it does increase your chances of acceptance. Editors always want a good story first. My agent always tells illustrators that their artwork has to be "museum quality" before an editor will be interested. It's best if you have a unique style and can draw both animals and people with equal skill. I once worked with an illustrator who could draw and paint beautifully, but editors just didn't like the way he drew people. We did several books together, but then he couldn't get other projects.

Ellen Jackson
www.ellenjackson.net
 

Skippy75

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From my point of view, working in publishing and assessing Children's fiction for publication, if you have a great story but poor illustrations (done by Nanna's friend Berta and which look like it too) it will detract from your story.

If you do illustrate or have an idea of what you want, feel free to submit ONE illustration with your manuscript as a suggestion. The illustrator might be GREAT and the publisher will be happy to have saved time in having to brief or commission an illustrator. But if it's not great, they want you to drop it there and then. Some publishers may even have inhouse illustrators they'd prefer to use for cost purposes.

Never tell a publisher that your Aunty Ethel has lovingly illustrated the book for you --this indicates that the publisher is likely to clash with you over choosing another, less nepotistic but more talented illustrator - and sometimes they can't be bothered with that.

Cheers
skip
 

Celesta

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Thanks for the great info. Good to know.

I would just like to add that self-publishing is a valid option for making $. I use photographs or find my own artists because I self-publish. I know if people are buying my books then what I'm doing is working.
 

MsJudy

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Welcome to AW, Celesta! We'd love to hear more about how you're doing with self-publishing, how you're marketing your books, that sort of thing.
 

Celesta

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Thanks!

Welcome to AW, Celesta! We'd love to hear more about how you're doing with self-publishing, how you're marketing your books, that sort of thing.

Thank you! I'm still trying to figure my way around here to try to make sure I'm posting in the things in the appropriate places but I'll be sure to share my story at some point :)
 

Marzioli

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The only negative side about publishers demanding on choosing the artists is you don't get to pick the style you feel best represents your script. I wrote and self-published a short kids book called Grandma Plim, and chose the artist myself. The results were fantastic; exactly what I wanted. I realize why they do it, but it's kind of sad.
 

Oh-La-Lauren

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Oh, boy. I'm sooo out in left field.

First of all, I'm an old person. I don't have time left to go through all the hurdles to get my books accepted by an agent and published by a major publisher. Second, I want to do both writing and illustration.

I know what you're saying is all true, but I'm a writer AND an artist, and I want to do the whole magilla myself. I wrote and illustrated a picture book for tots (shown on my website) and I'm almost ready to publish. The book is called, Baby Elephant Forgets, and I'm publishing in English, French, and Spanish. I speak all three languages, but I had a translator review and revise the Spanish version. Our local high school French teacher is reviewing the French version.