Now we wait...

So I sent out two picture book manuscripts to an agent.  This is my first submission, so I'm very excited, and very nervous!  I know it's a long shot at this point, but I had to give it a try since this agency has only opened up for unsolicited submissions from scbwi conference attendees for 6 months.  I emailed the cover letter and stories, as per her guidelines, so now we wait.  and wait.  and wait.  By the way, have I mentioned that I am not a patient person?

More information from SCBWI NY conference

I have gathered the information from several attendees of the conference regarding the breakout sessions with editors.  The following is a compilation of that information:

David Gale, VP and Editorial Director Simon & Schuster BFYP

Looking for all genres from pb to ya, although he despises rhyming pbs!  He enjoys a quirky character driven story, and short pb (1-2 lines per page).  He asked that we address submissions to the "Submissions Department" instead of to him directly.

Nancy Siscoe, Associate Publishing Director and Executive Editor, Knopf & Crown

(A division of Random House) She also expressed the desire for shorter pb text.  She takes pb and mg.

Jennifer Hunt, Little Brown Books for Young Readers

12 acquiring editors, Jennifer Hunt's assistant editor, T.S. Ferguson, also acquires material.

She is not looking for pb manuscripts at this time.  Key features in manuscripts are voice, original characters and plot, and craft (well-written).

Molly O'Neill, Assistant Editor, Bowen Press

I have no information on her, except that she is not looking for pb texts now.  She does not accept unsolicited manuscripts, but I think if you put SCBWI-Midwinter Conference on the envelope, she may be required to at least look at it.  I believe that is a condition for them to attend these conferences.

Reka Simonsen, Henry Holt

Spring/Summer are the best times to submit.  Henry Holt tends to be educational, and connect to the classroom curriculum in some way.  They are NOT trendy.

Caitlyn Dlouhy, Atheneum Books

Always accepts unsolicited submissions.  Response time is usually 2-3 months, but could be longer.  Likes character driven plots with a strong voice.

Wendy Loggia, Delacorte

No pb.  All "girly" books.  Yearling Contest for mg opens up for submissions in April.  Does not usually take unsolicited submissions.

Anamika Bhatnager, Sr. Editor, Scholastic

Attendees of conference can submit pb through ya manuscripts until Jan. 2009.  Be sure to check the guidelines

I apologize if there is information missing and invite you to post any additional information you have.  You can find the submission guidelines for each of these publishing houses online,  or in CWIM 2008.  I hope you found this information helpful!

SCBWI-New York

I spent the weekend in New York City at the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators winter conference.  It was enlightening, inspiring, and otherwise exhausting.  I'm a little star struck with meeting such authors as Tomie DePaola, Susan Patron, and Carolyn Mackler.  It was an amazing weekend.  One of the big questions was:  is the picture book dead (or dying)?  The answer was a resounding NO.  But the picture book (particularly the rhyming picture book) is the most difficult to sell.  And it's one of the hardest things to write because every single word must be essential to the story.  The level of the reader must be considered with every word, and the patience of the parent to read the story (usually over and over) must also be considered.  So, the question becomes, why on earth would anyone choose to write a picture book, given all these strikes against it before it's even finished?  I believe the answer is simple.  The writer does not choose the story; the story chooses the writer.  And the writer must write the story that has chosen him.