Work-in-progress: MEET ME ON THE INSIDE

This is, by far, my most passionate project yet... MEET ME ON THE INSIDE.

This book is meant to change the paradigm of middle school thinking on RESPECT for self, others & life.

This manuscript is currently being reviewed by some literary agents.

 

My very own Manuscript Catalogue...

I took some time today to go through ALL my WORD DOCs and file folders filled with completed, partial and developing manuscripts...

THE RESULT: 20 COMPLETED Picture Book MSs

26 PARTIAL/DEVELOPING MSs

I am quite excited. The downside to that number is, when you approach an editor and/or agent, they would like to see your (sometimes top 3) strongest piece. Well, that  is such a subjective call... it could potentially take me the next 400 years to circulate these one by one and wait the 4-6 months for a response.

Have you ever had an editor or agent sit down with you with ALL your ideas? Do you need to have at least ONE published book under your belt before anyone will devote that kind of time to your projects?

What are your thoughts and insights?

Managing Submissions

I've got myself in quite a pickle!

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Because I am very impatient and have a creative mind that NEVER shuts off I have sort of shot myself in the foot..maybe.

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Four years ago when I wrote my first book and started submitting, I got into a nasty habit of collecting only a handful of rejections before putting THAT book on hold and starting something new.

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Therefore, I have collected about 15-20 picture book manuscripts in varying degrees of completion.

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A writer-friend of mine recently told me about a friend of hers who had never written anything, never gone to a conference, never read how-tos for the children's publishing industry but she garnered herself a book deal with the VERY FIRST THING SHE HAD EVER WRITTEN!

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WHAT??!

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She simply sat down with the CWIM and started at "A" and went clear to "Z" making a list of all of those publishers whose needs fit her book. She got one call. ONE. From Walker & Co.

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Walker! "W"

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Had she stopped after "M" she would STILL be wallowing in self-pity...maybe...I would be! LOL!

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I don't give up easily - obviously - I have been at this for FOUR YEARS and counting.

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So today I decided to sit down and do the same thing. I chose my TOP 5 favorite picture books I have written and I am making a list. I am making a list in a way that I can simply cc and paste the publisher's address into my Query letter and hit PRINT....then on to the next one.

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I have also given myself specifics that I can add into my query like, looking for special needs stories, want to inspire and ignite a passion for reading, etc.

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My list looks something like this:

Helen Harriss
Freesone/Peachtree, Jr.
Peachtree Publishers
1700 Chattahoochee Avenue
Atlanta, GA 30318-2112
*animals, folktales, special needs, humor
*send full MS?
*responds to queries/mss in 6 mos
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Thomas J. Greene, Publisher
Greene Bark Press
P.O. Box 1108
Bridgeport, CT 06601-1108
*originality, imagery & color. Intention is to fire up a child’s imagination
*prefers full MS w/ illustrations
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Editor
Health Press NA, Inc.
P.O. Box 37470
Albuquerque, NM 87176-7479
*complete MS
*responds in 3 mos
*100% 1st time authors
*simult subs

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So, 37 years from now when I have made my rounds with these 5 books, I will tell you how it went!

Happy Writing!