Submitting an untraditional picture book

portugueseninja · Jun 6, 2014

Hello!

I'm turning to the kind folks of AW for advice again… hopefully someone here can help me!

I wrote a picture book manuscript, and I had originally intended it to be for a traditional 32-page picture book, but as I wrote the story it evolved and became longer and more detailed. But I feel like the detail is all part of the story, so I don't want to cut parts out to make it fit a word length mold.

I've submitted to a bunch of agents and have received responses, and none of them have commented on the length exactly (but I guess that could be the nature of form rejections), though they've said things like:

"it's very cute but not for me", and "your story is charming but unfortunately it's not the kind of thing we publish". But they are all saying that, so I don't know what to do and I feel like they're trying to let me down gently.

At 2500 words, maybe it's more of an early reader rather? It's not in chapters though, it's like a long flowing story that reads like a poem.

Is there a different genre that I should consider submitting in?

I'd love any advice you can give me

Thanks, and best wishes,
Joey

portugueseninja · Jun 6, 2014

Well, I've shared it with people I know who have children age 6-8 and they found it appropriate for their reading level (though some words are a little more complicated so they benefitted from having a parent read it to/with them, rather than it being something a kid can read all by themselves.

Is a kidlit "epic poem" more suitable for being published as poetry rather than a picture book, perhaps? I did see that many children's book agents say they accept picture books but not if they rhyme.

cornflake · Jun 6, 2014

Twenty-five hundred words is way too long for a picture book, and ages 6-8 is not the audience for a picture book. These are likely a large part of your problem.

killdeer · Jun 6, 2014

Picture books aren't my area, but I do know that publishing guidelines for young children tend to be pretty rigid because they correlate to children's developmental stages. Picture books are often read aloud by parents to kids who can't yet read themselves. For that reason, there's not a lot of flexibility to run over the length limits. (I'm not speaking from personal experience, just from what I learned online as I read up on guidelines for older kids.)

This post is a good one: http://literaticat.blogspot.com/2011/05/wordcount-dracula.html

portugueseninja · Jun 6, 2014

Thanks cornflake, JustSarah and killdeer,

It doesn't HAVE to be a picture book, because it's long enough that the story is told in detail in the text, but when I wrote it I had in mind some books that I looooved when I was a child, which were not picture books but they were still beautifully illustrated and I just loved those pictures with the story. So that's what I hoped my story would turn out to be.

So I guess it's not strictly a picture book, but it's also not an easy reader, and it's too long to be just a poem. And now I'm not sure what to do with it. :Shrug:

Polenth · Jun 7, 2014

I'd suggest looking through the book shop for titles that are the sort of thing you're aiming at. You want concrete examples on sale now, rather than your childhood memories. It'll help you target the book more effectively, and give you an idea of things like word count target.

Waldo · Jun 8, 2014

What is the topic of your book? Is it nontraditional in topic, theme, structure? Or is it just length?

Recently on my blog, I revised a book I wrote 7 years ago that was 1600 words (it was 5,000+ words before that) and I brought it down to 500. Picture books that go over the word limit often have a lot of unnecessary information in them. This may also bring the age range down...

bonitakale · Jun 10, 2014

I used to work in the children's room of a library. It's been about seven or eight years, but we had a section of mixed picture books and chapter books for kids around 6-8. There were a lot of picture books for that age range--too long and old for the preschoolers--by Deborah Hopkinson, Jon Jon Scieszka, Chris Van Allsburg, etc.

Do they still publish such? They were good reading.

Torgo · Jun 10, 2014

portugueseninja said:
Hello!

I'm turning to the kind folks of AW for advice again… hopefully someone here can help me!

I wrote a picture book manuscript, and I had originally intended it to be for a traditional 32-page picture book, but as I wrote the story it evolved and became longer and more detailed. But I feel like the detail is all part of the story, so I don't want to cut parts out to make it fit a word length mold.

I've submitted to a bunch of agents and have received responses, and none of them have commented on the length exactly (but I guess that could be the nature of form rejections), though they've said things like:

"it's very cute but not for me", and "your story is charming but unfortunately it's not the kind of thing we publish". But they are all saying that, so I don't know what to do and I feel like they're trying to let me down gently.

At 2500 words, maybe it's more of an early reader rather? It's not in chapters though, it's like a long flowing story that reads like a poem.

Is there a different genre that I should consider submitting in?

I'd love any advice you can give me

Thanks, and best wishes,
Joey

Tricky, this. 2500 words is probably too long for a picture book in the 3-5 year old range, and there's a significant challenge cost-wise in going from a 32pp book to, say, a 48pp or 64pp book.

I think I'd need to look at it. When you hit 50 posts, pop it in Share Your Work and maybe PM me to let me know it's there, and I'll try to advise.

Debbie V · Jun 10, 2014

You may simply have a short story.

You're too long for a picture book; too short for a chapter book. It also sounds like your language is too complex for an early reader - these are meant to be read independently by the child learning to read.

I'm also going to suggest you post in SYW.

Longer picture books do appear these days, but they are a much harder sell. Patricia Polacco has a few, but she is also well known.

portugueseninja · Jun 11, 2014

Many thanks for the replies!

Hi Waldo! The very short form topic of my story is that it's about a vagrant mouse who finds a place to belong. The actual story is more detailed and descriptive, as time goes by and the mouse is collecting coloured beads to try and make a rainbow. But I'm trying to portray the passage of time and the mouse's perseverance and hope, so it starts during winter and then the seasons pass and the end of the story is at Christmas.

So I guess it's an extended variation on the common 'cute animal does a thing' topic.

Hey bonitakale, I'm going to look into those writers and see if maybe my style is similar and maybe I'll find some leads on potential agent-matches or something! Thanks!

Debbie and Torgo, thank you, I'll build up my posts and post there for advice!

dantefrizzoli · Aug 5, 2014

it depends on your book categories and specifics, so it's up to you ultimately.

Submitting an untraditional picture book

portugueseninja

portugueseninja

cornflake

practical experience, FTW

killdeer

portugueseninja

Polenth

Mushroom

Waldo

Cracked the Story Code

bonitakale

Torgo

Formerly Phantom of Krankor.

Debbie V

Mentoring Myself and Others

portugueseninja

dantefrizzoli