How do I begin to learn about picture books?

 

Uri Shulevitz's Writing with Pictures is a great resource for learning the basics of children’s picture book design, illustration, and printing. Read his book, and then read, read, read as many picture books as you possibly can to learn the basics:

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• Most picture books are 32 pages. Some are shorter (24 pages) or longer (40 or 48 pages). The title page, half-title page, and dedication page, typically fill the first three or four pages, so, for example, in a 32-page picture book, the story and art are focused on 28 pages. If you are both the writer and the illustrator of a picture-book story, you will be writing and revising in tandem with designing a layout of sequenced illustrations.
   

• Once you find a publisher, the editor, designer, art director, and even the sales and marketing departments will all have input into the final book. This team will provide direction as you revise both the story and the illustrations.
   

What is a dummy?

 

A picture-book dummy is a working model of your text and illustrations, put together in a bound mock-up, or model, of your book. Its purpose is to show an editor that 1) you have thought about the sequence and pacing of your story, and 2) that the illustrations extend and help you to tell that story. Dummies can be created on paper with original sketches or art, or digitally, with scanned or computer drawn art. Digital dummies can easily be submitted to competitions and publishers electronically.

 

How do I create a dummy?

 

A dummy is a life-sized model of the book, in which you will demonstrate your skills in visual as well as textual storytelling.
 

Every page of the book should be sketched out. The sketches do not have to look “final” or be entirely in color, but they should clearly demonstrate your artistic skills and style as well as your vision of the finished book. The work should be finished enough that the editor and art director can see your intention, but unfinished enough to show that you are willing to revise your art work as well as your text. Keep in mind that you will almost certainly end up revising every single sentence and piece of art after editorial review. For purposes of the Tassy competition, you must include at least two two-page spreads of finished art.

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To make a digital dummy, create a folder on your computer with one jpeg for each spread of your book. There are many options for creating a multi-paged PDF. In Adobe Acrobat, go to “create PDF>multiple files”; in Photoshop, “file>automate>PDF presentation”. Other programs such as InDesign, Bridge, or Procreate also have options for creating multi-page PDFs, or you can even drop your images into a custom-formatted Word Document, and save as a PDF.

 

When saving your PDF for submission, your file should be at a fine enough resolution to show off your work but not too large to send or upload; 5 MB should be enough for an average sized picture book. Most programs have an option to “reduce file size” if necessary.

 

How do I submit my illustrated picture book to the Tassy Walden Award competition?

 

Illustrated picture book submissions to the Tassy Walden Award competition MUST adhere to the following submission requirements. Submissions not following these guidelines will be discarded by the submissions committee and will not be seen by the judges. No exceptions will be made.

 

Text:
 

► Please submit your picture-book text separately from (but along with) your book dummy.

► This text-only manuscript should be double-spaced, in 12-point black type, with ample margins of about 1.25 inches on the left and 1 inch on the right, 8 ½ x 11 with a white background.

► Please paginate the text, but do not insert page breaks for illustrations. For example, if your story is 300 words long, your text-only manuscript should not be more than two pages total.

► Put your name and the title of your story on every page of your text, preferably in the upper lefthand corner in a header.

► On the very first page of your text, please follow the directions for Picture Book Text only submissions. That is, type the submission category (Illustrated Picture Book) above your name, address, and phone number in the upper left-hand corner.

► Save this document as a pdf and submit it by uploading it as a file with your completed Google form on the submission page, along with your dummy pdf file. That is, your submission of your illustrated picture book to the Tassy completion will include two files: 1 pdf of your complete text, and 1 pdf of your complete dummy, which will include all of its proposed illustrations, comprised of detailed sketches and two pieces of finished art. You will upload these when you complete your Google Forms entry form.

 

Dummy:
 

► Along with your separate text, submit your completed dummy (with both illustrations and text) of no more than 40 pages. Your dummy must be no larger than 8 1/2 x 11 inches, and no larger than 10MB.

 

Illustrator Portfolio:
 

► To submit your portfolio to the Tassy Google submission by uploading your files to the Tassy Google Submission Form, submit exactly ten separate pieces of finished artwork no larger than 8 1/2 x 11 inches, saved and uploaded as one PDF no larger than 10MB. 

► At least three pieces should show story progression with the same character or characters.

 

How do I submit to publishers?

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DO YOUR HOMEWORK before you submit. Guidelines for authors and illustrators vary from publishing house to house; some publishers do not accept unsolicited manuscripts at all. Be sure to look carefully at publishers’ listings in the Children’s Writer’s Market or other source, but be aware that guidelines often change.

 

ALWAYS confirm guidelines at each publisher’s website. Many publishers have their current catalogs available online; study those or research their current “lists” through other online resources to see if your project seems like a good match.

 

Create a clear, concise cover letter. Briefly describe your book project and how you think it fits into the current children’s book market. Only a brief biography is necessary, emphasizing only relevant information; your work should be able to speak for itself.

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What else can I do?

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Questions to ask yourself:
 

• Do my illustrations extend my story or add an extra visual dimension to my text?

• Do my illustrations match the quality of my text?

• Are my art and palette well suited to my story?

• Have I created an engaging sequence of scenes?
   

When you submit your art samples and book dummy, include a separate manuscript with the text only in the standard format as outlined above for the Tassy competition. Your samples--copies (one to three pieces) of finished artwork--should be of the highest quality. Never submit original art.

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Don’t bind your finished art samples into your book dummy. Keep them separate and label each of them with your contact information on the back.

 

Helpful Books
 

• Molly Bang. Picture This: How Pictures Work

• Uri Shulevitz. Writing With Pictures: How to Write and Illustrate Children’s Books

• Harold Underdown. The Complete Idiot's Guide to Publishing Children's Books
   

Helpful Websites
 

• Write4Kids.com and the CBI Clubhouse: From Children’s Book Insider, this helpful site provides articles and tips on many topics of interest to writers and illustrators.

• The Purple Crayon: Basic information about writing children’s books and getting them published; interviews, book reviews, publishing news, and other topics.

• SCBWI: The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.

• Yellapalooza: This site provides helpful hints and very useful links for beginners in the children’s book writing—and especially illustrating—field.

• Deborah Freedman: Tassy winner Deborah Freedman offers excellent resources for writers and illustrators.

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Attend a conference! Take a class! Join a critique group!

 

And don’t forget to READ, READ, READ!