About Submissions
Because of the many questions we receive concerning submissions I have written
the following section to answer
frequently asked questions,
(FAQ).
1.
Does
LionX Publishing accept submissions?
2. You
are a local publishing company,
not back east! Can I submit
...
3.
I
have a children's book ... How
do I get published?
4.
I
love to write. I want to be
an author. Where do I begin?
5.
A
note on talent and "instant"
success
Does LionX Publishing
accept submissions?
No,
we are not
presently accepting submissions.
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You are a local publishing
company, not back east! Can
I submit ...
As stated
above, we are not accepting
submissions, but here are some
links to local resources that
might help you out.
Sacramento
Publishers and Authors
Society
of Children's Book Writers and
Illustrators
USAsia
Press
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I have a children's book
... How do I get published?
It's
not easy. And many don't understand
that writing the book is oftentimes
the easiest part of the process.
Getting published, although
a great first step, is just
that. A first step. Then there
is marketing, publicity, events,
etc. Publishers generally handle
the editorial and production
issues and distribution, and
maybe a little upfront marketing.
But the bulk of the publicity
work, (which is what drives
sales), is up to the author.
A good question to ask yourself
is this: "Do I just want
the thrill of publishing one
book or do I want to begin a
long career as a successful
author?" If you are interested
in the latter, here are some
good resources that may help
you begin the journey.
Recommended
Books on Writing Children's
Books and Getting Published
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I love to write. I want to
be an author. Where do I begin?
It's best to start small. Write some short articles for children's
magazines and try to break into
the publishing world that way. Then when you have a
decent resume of published works, maybe some publisher might take a chance on you. One thing
most people don't understand, publishers lose money on most of the books
they publish. It's a big risk and investment, so publishers aren't going
to be that willing to take on an unknown author especially with all the competition
out there. Look at most of the books at Borders and Barnes & Nobles.
The authors are mostly well known names, (i.e. famous people dabbling in children's
books), or authors with lots of writing experience and
contacts
at the big publishing firms in New York. It's no easier to break into this business
than any other. Just remember
it's a business and publishers
need to make money. So if you
have a clear track record of
published works which demonstrates
your talent, you have a much
better chance of catching their
attention. In the meantime,
keep writing.
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A note on talent and "instant"
success:
Everyone is
talented at something. But why
is it that some reach higher
levels of success than others?
One reason is perseverance and
timing. I believe there is talent,
and then there is "inspired"
talent. What's the difference,
you ask? Talent is good and
it's a great starting point.
But "inspired" talent
is talent applied at just the
right time. The missing ingredient
of timing is something most
of us miss. Timing isn't something
we can control. That's why it's
so important to persevere. If
you want to accomplish something,
like becoming an author, you
have to keep going. Then at
the right time, your talents
being applied, you have "inspired"
talent. This is what catches
people's attention and truly
touches the soul. This is what
separates you from the rest
of the talented pool of people
trying to accomplish the same
thing as yourself. I believe
the people that enjoy lasting
success achieved it over great
lengths of time. They started
small and worked their way up,
little by little. Then people
finally notice them, and everyone
thinks: "instant success."
Wrong! They have been working
for years, persevering, overcoming
rejection and disappointment
and the occasional small successes
along the way. Then after a
certain period of time it all
adds up, the timing is right,
and we get to go to the next
level.
This may sound very difficult
to some. Others know exactly
what I'm talking about. But
to those who think it sounds
too hard, there is a key. You
have to really enjoy what you
are doing. So when the hard
times come, and they will come,
you still do what you do for
the love of doing it. Some people
call it "enjoying the journey."
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