Hi all,
Hope you all are keeping well and is gearing up for the Christmas holiday.
Would anyone be so kind to give me some advice on writing for young children. The questions are:
What is the number of words and pages limitation?
Must it come with illustrations?
Any publishers to recommend?
Many thanks.
Also here at Jimmy's. At least 25°C warmer than at home in Germany. Except for the nights, when it plummets to below freezing... But then, he has a woodstove. (Now, 16:38, lapping up the sun in a T-shirt.)
Great place to escape from xmas madness... if it weren't for the fact that Jimmy's a Santa lookalike.
Hi, Melinda!
Jimmy's not much cop at drawing either - as he admits. As he writes in the introduction to Not Now, Daddy!, 'I am incapable of drawing faces that don't look ridiculous'. And - for that book - not only must the faces be well done, but the nuances in facial expressions are of paramount importance.
He managed to turn a drawback (pardon the pun) into an asset, creating what is evidently a totally unique illustration style in children's books. One reviewer (a former primary school teacher) pronounced the book 'the most original children's book I've ever seen'. For a glimpse of the style, go to la-granota.com/list.htm
Don't let conventional thinking limit you. Illustration does NOT = drawing. I've seen books with illustrations of collage, ink spots with added faces+arms+legs, patterns made by dipping string in coloured inks, and - of course - potato prints and finger-painting.
(But my favourite is Jimmy's.)
p.s. I had to write that because I'm his houseguest for the next 2 weeks in a mountain house 8km from the nearest village. BY FOOT, since there's no road!
Just kidding, Jimmy! You KNOW that I love you AND your book. Put that axe down...
Hi guys,
Many thanks for all your excellent comments. I've finished writing a short story just above 1000 words for young children - 5 to 7 years (hope I'm right).
I'm no good at drawing, an illustrator would be great. It will be perfect if eventually a publisher is interested and will take it on board. Otherwise will try to do it myself to keep the costs down.
Sure Jimmy, I did think of La@Granota. Will submit to you when it's ready.
Wishing you all A Magical Christmas and A Happy New Year.