Picture Book vs. Illustrations

Starlightmntn · Apr 4, 2007

I just read the sticky post "You Don't Hire the Artist," and I have a question.

I can definitely see how a publisher would want to hire an illustrator to give some graphical life to a story. In that scenario, the story is the stronger component. The illustrations add interest and flavor, but are not critical to the experience.

However, what if you have an idea driven equally by the images as the words? Something like Stranger in the Woods? I'm thinking of querying a picture book that would pair fairly spare text with photographs. Would something like that fall outside of the publisher-hiring-the-illustrator rule? I suppose I could query just the text, but without images, I'm not sure it would have the right impact. (I realize that if I do this, the photographs would have to be good enough to stand on their own. Professional quality.)

Any thoughts or advice? Thanks!

myscribe · Apr 4, 2007

Are you taking the photographs yourself?

If you are a professional-quality artist, you certainly can submit both. There are author-illustrators out there (Maurice Sendak, Jan Brett, David Wiesner, Mo Willems, Molly Bang).

Can't think of any with photos off the top of my head. But I know they exist. Anyone know of any examples?

spike · Apr 4, 2007

Starlightmntn said:
I just read the sticky post "You Don't Hire the Artist," and I have a question.

I can definitely see how a publisher would want to hire an illustrator to give some graphical life to a story. In that scenario, the story is the stronger component. The illustrations add interest and flavor, but are not critical to the experience.

However, what if you have an idea driven equally by the images as the words? Something like Stranger in the Woods? I'm thinking of querying a picture book that would pair fairly spare text with photographs. Would something like that fall outside of the publisher-hiring-the-illustrator rule? I suppose I could query just the text, but without images, I'm not sure it would have the right impact. (I realize that if I do this, the photographs would have to be good enough to stand on their own. Professional quality.)

Any thoughts or advice? Thanks!

Do not send illustrations unless they are done by a professional illustrator. Editors consider themselves to be experts in pairing up artists with writers. They also realize that a good part of the story is not included and will be done by the artist. Editors of picture books are used to sparse text and imagining the pictures that will go with them.

There are exceptions, of course, but those are usually illustrators or writers who have a proven track record.

spike · Apr 4, 2007

myscribe said:
Are you taking the photographs yourself?

If you are a professional-quality artist, you certainly can submit both. There are author-illustrators out there (Maurice Sendak, Jan Brett, David Wiesner, Mo Willems, Molly Bang).

Can't think of any with photos off the top of my head. But I know they exist. Anyone know of any examples?

Maurice Sendak was a successful illustrator before he became a writer. Not sure of the the others. Like anything else in the writing world, once you prove yourself as a marketable commodity, many of the rules no longer apply.

Starlightmntn · Apr 4, 2007

Yes, I'm taking the photographs myself. Here is an example of something I would consider good enough (not that I plan to use this one.)

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/877/1437/1600/Evergreen.Hill.rs.jpg

I often pair little fiction pieces or poetry with photos on my blog.

I'm not totally opposed to going the text-only route. It's just an artsy idea I have, and I'm not sure that would fully come across with just the text.

Toothpaste · Apr 4, 2007

It may seem odd, considering how few words go on a page and that picture books seem to be really a lot about the pictures. But the majority of picture books are actually written and then assigned an illustrator later. However there are exceptions, and many artists find themselves writing the books as well.

Hedgetrimmer · Apr 4, 2007

Star --

I took a look at your sample photo as well as browsed around your gallery. I'm no art critic, although I do mess around with the camera as a hobby and have more experience viewing photos in galleries and books. And I gotta tell you, your work looks as professional as anything else out there. Of course an editor would want to view slides under a light box or, if digital, check the quality much closer than my monitor allows, but I personally think the work is publishable.

I have no idea what your project is about, but were I you, I would query the houses you have in mind and simply pitch it that way. I wouldn't get hung up on the term "professional" photographer. Let an editor decide if your work mets the standard. Besides, photo PBs are much different than traditionally illustrated PBs anyway.

Good luck with it.

Jamesaritchie · Apr 4, 2007

Illustrator

I think you have it completely wrong. The reason the publisher wants to hire the illustrator is because the illustration are just as important as the text, and the publisher wants to make darned sure they are of top professional quality, something darned few writers can deliver. If the illustrations did not matter as much as the text, the publisher would be glad to let the writers do them. It would save a lot of money.

The illustrations are critical to the experience. Always. Just as critical as the text. That's why it's called a picture book, rather than a book with pictures.

This is one reason why it's much easier for a professional illustrator to write the text, too, and sell the book, than it is for a writer to do the illustrations.

You can always query, but if you really want to be the one who does the pictures, it's the pictures you need to be sending.

moondance · Apr 5, 2007

I don't see anything wrong with querying text with a few photographs to illustrate what you mean. It's an unusual enough medium to catch publishers' attention, and we all know they're looking for 'quirky' at the moment (whatever that means). Just make sure the submission is as professional-looking as possible. I think in your position I would send the text in manuscript form (you can include information about illustrations in brackets or italics) and then send one 'dummy' page, showing how you would use the photographs to illustrate the text.

Remember never to send originals though. Best of luck.

Starlightmntn · Apr 5, 2007

Thank you for the guidance everyone!

Picture Book vs. Illustrations

Starlightmntn

myscribe

Who's the ninja now?!?

spike

Mostly Ignored

spike

Mostly Ignored

Starlightmntn

Toothpaste

THE RECKLESS RESCUE is out now!

Hedgetrimmer

What happened, just there?

Jamesaritchie

moondance

Starlightmntn