The Complete Idiot's Guide to Publishing Children's Books, 3rd Edition: The Inside Story on Publishing Kids’ Books—from Beginning to End!

by Harold D. Underdown

Honest and precise, everything about writing for children there is to know.'
Jane Yolen, author

Here is the comprehensive guide to writing, publishing, and selling for an ever-expanding and always exciting children's market, now in a new and updated third edition.

- Includes new chapters on self-publishing and on "how to choose a how-to", plus revision and updates throughout.
- Offers practical advice on getting started and on dealing with out-of-print books.
- Covers picture books, chapter books, nonfiction, middle-grade and young novels, and common formats and genres.
- Reveals what happens inside a children's publishing company, and provides guidance in working with an editor.
- Sample cover and query letters, manuscript format, glossary, and recommended resources in an extensive appendix.
- Plus information on agents, contracts, copyright, marketing and more.

586 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 6, 2008

About the author

I have been a children's book editor for over 20 years. For the first half of that, I worked in-house at Macmillan, Orchard, and Charlesbridge. More recently I have been working independently--working with authors and publishers, speaking at conferences, and giving workshops. I also run The Purple Crayon, an informational website, at http://www.underdown.org/, and am a contributing editor to Children's Writer's and Illustrator's Market.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Publishing Children's Books grew out of my experiences as an editor. I have posted information and sample chapters on my website at my Idiot's Guide page.