Cover me in iodine and roll me in a bandage
I just got a reply back from a reader for a literary agent:
"I read the children's book and can't recommend to my children lit agent contacts. I just didn't find it original enough to warrant further consideration. All that said, from the list that she sent, she wants to be in the kid book business and it might mean taking some workshops, attending some conferences, etc. Just because I didn't care for this book, doesn't mean she doesn't have a career carved out.
I understand that breaking in is tough - there are a lot of people who want to write children's books. What I suggest is looking into weekend conferences, meeting people and getting her craft down. The problem I found with the book she submitted to you - is that it felt too "vanilla." The character was sweet but needed a stronger personality for a series heroine. The field is just so competitive so its not enough to have a kids voice - that voice needs to be dynamic. I'm not a book agent and not in the publishing field so its just an opinion. My friend just got an agent based on her submitting to agents on her own - they do take submissions so you have to research the agents who rep the kinds of clients she thinks she would be. Do homework! That's what I would tell her - that and get out there - there are workshops and conferences and a children's book society she could get involved with and its worth her time if she's serious about getting published."
Holy crap - OUCH!
"I read the children's book and can't recommend to my children lit agent contacts. I just didn't find it original enough to warrant further consideration. All that said, from the list that she sent, she wants to be in the kid book business and it might mean taking some workshops, attending some conferences, etc. Just because I didn't care for this book, doesn't mean she doesn't have a career carved out.
I understand that breaking in is tough - there are a lot of people who want to write children's books. What I suggest is looking into weekend conferences, meeting people and getting her craft down. The problem I found with the book she submitted to you - is that it felt too "vanilla." The character was sweet but needed a stronger personality for a series heroine. The field is just so competitive so its not enough to have a kids voice - that voice needs to be dynamic. I'm not a book agent and not in the publishing field so its just an opinion. My friend just got an agent based on her submitting to agents on her own - they do take submissions so you have to research the agents who rep the kinds of clients she thinks she would be. Do homework! That's what I would tell her - that and get out there - there are workshops and conferences and a children's book society she could get involved with and its worth her time if she's serious about getting published."
Holy crap - OUCH!