Stowi

Are you struggling to get your children’s book published? It takes time, determination and patience, but there are several simple tips that will help you along the way. To find out more, take a look at our top three ways to help you get your children’s writing published.

1. Know Who to Target

Although writing should be a free and instinctive process, it is always good to have a clear plan that outlines the aim of your work. Although you may not want your plan to be restrictive and regimented, it is still important to address the following questions.

* Who is my target market? Have I researched it? * Am I working to a time frame? How will I manage my development? * What does my story offer that is different? * Which publishers will I target? Have I researched their specialities?

Being clear about what it is that you wish to achieve will give you a good sense of how you can do it. Being unorganised and unspecific with your aims will only increase stress and knock your confidence. Remember: publishers are looking for something they can sell, so ensure your work is commercially viable and well thought through.

2. Know How to Promote Your Writing

Half of the battle of getting published is to understand how to sell yourself and promote your own work. Publishers often only read the manuscripts that are marketed effectively with an engaging and imaginative cover letter. So why let your book fall at the first hurdle? Put time and effort into communicating the idea of your children’s book. Think about what the publishers really want and make sure your pitch ticks all the boxes. Seek advice from other writers, or even enrol on a writing course to help you craft a covering letter that will effectively sell your work to publishers.

3. Be Realistic

Don’t let rejections set you back. See any criticism as a way to make your writing stronger and give you the best chance of getting published. All children’s authors from J.K Rowling to Beatrix Potter will have faced obstacles in their writing career, so build on your setbacks and seize the opportunity to refine your writing.

Would you like to become a children’s author? A writing for children course at The Writers Bureau gives you the chance to improve your writing skills, so you have the best chance of getting your work published.

Getting published is notoriously hard for aspiring writers and it can be a difficult and tiring process. So, how can creative writers get their work published for all to see? Believe it or not, many writers are now publishing their own books through Kindle and other self -publishing services. It’s a chance for writers to take back the power, but is publishing your own work really the most effective way to get taken seriously as an author? If you’re interested in getting your writing out there, take a look at our guide to perfecting your work and getting the most from self-publishing services.

Is E-Publishing Suitable For Your Writing?

Step one is to decide whether self-publishing is really the right choice for you and your writing. In many ways, it has obvious pros; it is an opportunity to showcase your talent and share your work with readers and peers. However, to make self-publishing effective, you will have to devote a lot of time to marketing your work and building up your readership. It has also adopted an unfavourable reputation among many publishers and critics, which some writers believe could be damaging to their future. Despite this, self-publishing has actually been around for hundreds of years and some of the world’s most loved writers published their own work, including William Blake, Virginia Woolf, Walt Whitman, and James Joyce.

How to Get the Most from Self-Publishing

There’s a lot more to E-publishing than simply submitting your work and waiting for the sales. In fact, there are a number of things to consider about your writing that are crucial to getting the most from the service.

1. Are you offering creativity?

Ensure that your book brings something new. Self-publishing doesn’t mean you can neglect creativity and the best way to get notice is by offering something new to your genre. Submitting work should not be rushed and improving your writing could work wonders in the long run. If you’re looking for a good way to refine your work, try researching online creative writing courses, so you can receive constructive criticism for your writing.

2. Presentation is everything

Has your final piece been proof read sufficiently? There’s no excuse for bad grammar, syntax or spelling and these are issues that can easily affect your reputation as a writer. Get family and friends to read your work and offer advice, so you can amend any confusing sections. Alternatively, look into online proofreading courses or copy-editing courses, which will give you a better idea of how to spot errors in your work.

3. Sell Yourself

Success doesn’t come without a little self-promotion, so set up a website, blog regularly, sign up for social networking sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, and show the world what you have to offer. This sort of marketing is cost-free and allows you to interact with potential readers, publishers and friends.

Do you want to improve your writing and get published? Visit the Writers Bureau and enrol in one of our creative writing courses. With over 20 years of experience, our tutors have helped a diverse range of writers enhance their skills.