Both models work

You control more of the money if you have an artist already on board.

The key thing to remember is that writing is an art/craft but publishing is a business. What will float a publisher's boat is an understanding of the market and where what you're pitching fits in.

Often it's good to get an agent involved. Carole Blake is a friend and wrote a brilliant book on this some years ago (widely available); she's working on an update now.

As well as traditional publishers look at disruptive new entrants like Nosy Crow (and Canelo but they don't do Children's they're digital only).

The children's market has the biggest slush pile of them all and you need to stand out.

As you're in Bath (where I lived for five happy years) you can go somewhere like Mr B's - the owner is a City fan - don't go in selling mode but listening mode. I know you get a thousand people asking you this but I've got some concepts in Children's. I'd love to sanity check them against what you find sells. Can I buy you a lot after work to talk it through? Etc. people who run Indy book shops are really good at this; your local chain bookseller manager can be hit and miss (some are absolutely brilliant; some are absolutely f**kwits - they could run any store selling any product to a certain level but don't know books really at all). I have no idea what the Bath Waterstones is like.

As you're close to BCHE you could think of approaching the publishing course there to see if a masters student wants to work with you to take something to market. A shot to nothing - 4/5 the answer is no, but you lose nothing for asking. The key lecturer there went to NHS.

Posted By: Old Man, Jul 1, 18:12:12