CHILDREN'S & YA FICTION

“I never, NEVER worry or concern myself with the business side of things. Serendipity allows me to focus on what every artist should be focused on—the art. I’ve been spoiled; every time I complete a manuscript, I’m always confident that it’s going to be bought by a major publisher. Regina Brooks is the best!”

Derrick Barnes

SUBMITTING YOUR WORK

We’ve made the process for submitting your children’s and young adult (YA) book easy. All you need to do is complete the form, which will give us all the pertinent information we need to evaluate your submission. You’ll see that we request all the salient elements typically found in a query letter, and so do not require a query letter (though you are welcome to submit one in addition to filling out the form, if you so choose). We also request a synopsis of the work that details the plot of the story, and the first fifty pages or first three chapters of your novel (for middle grade and YA) and full picture book manuscript.

If we’re intrigued by what we see, we may request your manuscript in its entirety. Due to the volume of submissions we receive, we ask that you exercise patience as we review your work. We are no longer accepting snail mail.

Click here to submit your work. 

GUIDELINES FOR CHILDREN'S FICTION

The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) recommends the following specifications for the word count suitable for each reading level. These non-binding guidelines are provided for your information.

Reading Level of Book Word Count
Board Book 10-50
Early Picture Book 500 or less
Picture Book 500-1k
Early Reader 300-3k
Young Middle Grade 20k-55k
Middle Grade 40k-55k
Young Adult 55k-80k

GUIDELINES FOR CHILDREN’S PICTURE BOOKS

For story/picture books, there are two additional guidelines. First, if a story/picture book is less than 1,000 words long, please send the entire manuscript along with your query letter. Second, do not include illustrations in your story/picture book submission unless they are your own work. When it comes to pairing writers and artists, many publishers prefer to choose their own illustrators. However, if there is a particular illustrator you would prefer to work with, you may include their bio with your query letter as well as a link to their website, social media account(s), or another location that features their work (including electronic transfer platforms such as We Transfer, Dropbox, etc.).