have collection of words... need publisher... - some children's book publishers who accept unsolicited manuscripts

I have a picture book ready to go, but need to find a publisher who will accept my children's book without my agent (who represents YA and adult work, but not picture books). Of course, she will take it on once a publisher who accepts the work is found. In the world of publishing, many agents don't represent all age levels and genres.

Here is a list of publishers who accept unsolicited children's picture books - I do not endorse any of them, I found them through research and thought I would share the information:

Peachtree - accepts unsolicited manuscripts of children's fiction & nonfiction picture books, chapter books, through middle grade and young adult. They take submission through snail mail. It's important to read their submission guidelines. The Acquisitions Editor is Helen Harriss.

Boyds Mills Press - accepts unsolicited manuscripts of picture books, poetry, middle grade, and illustrations submissions. Submission are accepted via snail mail only Read their submission guidelines. The Executive Editor is Liz Van Doren.

Flashlight Press - accepts unsolicited picture books. Has a long response time listed, as many of the others do. They don't want picture book manuscripts, only a query. They only accept queries via email to Shari Dash Greenspan. Carefully review the submission guidelines.

Arthur A. Levine Books - accepts unsolicited manuscripts of children's fiction, not novel length work. The publisher no longer accepts snail mail, only accepts email queries. Carefully review submission guidelines.

Penguin - accepts multiple types of unsolicited material, including picture books under the Dial imprint. From the guidelines page, it's nearly impossible to find how and where to send submissions, but it did find a page for Dial Books that gives a little more information.

Charlesbridge - a children's book publisher that has a user friendly website. The submissions guidelines page doesn't list an editor.

Handprint Books - entirely a children's book publisher. The site has such small print that I had to enlarge it to read the submission guidelines. The only thing that caused some concern was that when I followed a link for the latest catalog, a 2007 catalog opened.

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt - accepts unsolicited manuscripts and if you scroll down through the frequently asked questions, you can find the submission guidelines. They accept submissions via snail mail.

I'll add more publishers to this list as  come across them.

The premier issue of Literary Brushstrokes has gone live

Open publication - Free publishing - More fiction

Published again

I'm very happy to report that my work of creative nonfiction, titled "Dad," has been published in the premier print edition of The Avalon Literary Review!

Tada! I'm published!

Rubbing down the goosebumps here!  It's official, I've been published! My story, Cold Hard Steel, was accepted for publication by idea gems - it appears in a special issue called
Tough Lit II. An excerpt of the story appears on the website.

Here's the special issue Tough Lit II, where my story appears in print:



To say that I'm excited is a vast understatement!

Some writing contests to consider

Okay, so what does the newbie writer want? To be published, right? What might just help you get an agent for a new novel? Being published. Well, contests can be a great way to get published, plus they look great on your CV. Here are a few contests that merit consideration:

Writer’s Digest Writing Competition – Deadline May 2, 2011, entry fee $15 for first entry then $10 for additional entries. Categories:

• Inspirational Writing (Spiritual/Religious)
• Memoirs/Personal Essay
• Magazine Feature Article
• Genre Short Story (Mystery, Romance, etc.)
• Mainstream/Literary Short Story
• Rhyming Poetry
• Non-rhyming Poetry
• Stage Play
• Television/Movie Script
• Children's/Young Adult Fiction

Grand prize is $3000 and a meeting with an agent in New York.

The 2011 Stella Kupferberg Memorial Short Story Prize – Deadline March 1, 2011, entry fee $25, short story must address the theme, Restaurants and Bars and must be no longer than 750 words.

Grand prize $1000 and a reading on the radio

2011 Wabash Prize for Fiction – Deadline March 1, 2011, entry fee $15 for each entry, maximum submission length 10,000.

Grand prize $1000 and publication in the Summer/Fall 2011 issue of the Sycamore Review.


………..And now … for those creative nonfiction writers out there:

Michael Steinberg Essay Prize – Deadline February 28, 2011, entry fee $15 per entry, maximum length 6000 words.
Grand prize $1000 and publication in an upcoming issue of Fourth Genre

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Check out my newly updated Reading Challenge page

A New Year and a few concrete resolutions

Yes, my postings have been few … and no, I still haven’t found an agent. So here a few of my resolutions for 2011

• Rewrite query letter for finished novel
• Complete and polish second novel
• Post to writing blog at least once a week
• already doing that on my genealogy blog
• Get another short story published
• Cold Hard Steel accepted for publication in an upcoming issue of by Adventures for the Average Woman ezine and print magazine
• …and I’m sure I’ll think of several more over the next few weeks

In the upcoming weeks I’ll be blogging about agents, publications to submit stories to, contests, some video blogging, and much more

Writing Contest

Here is a writing contest that may be of interest for short story writers and poets. The deadline is January 15, 2010, which will be here before we know it. Prize is $500 for the winning story and $500 for the winning poem - not bad! Winners also get published in the Heartland Review literary journal, after which all rights return to the writer. The contest is held by the Central Coast Writers - go to the website for contest details.