The following recommendations assisted me over the long years when I was trying to write a publishable children's novel. I have now had seven books published, with more in the pipeline.

... especially those published in New Zealand. You need to know what kinds of stories the local publishers are looking for (especially which genres, such as adventure, fantasy, history, humour, sport, family, social issues).

• Talk to the children's librarians in big public libraries, visit specialist children's bookshops, ask children about their favourite books.
• Read the shortlisted titles and the winners of the latest annual New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children and Young Adults; and also the annual children's book awards presented by the Library and Information Association of New Zealand Aotearoa.
• Read reviews of children's books in newspapers and magazines (see my Reviews Intro).
• Read popular local series (such as Penguin NZ's Kiwi Bites and Scholastic NZ's My Story); contact the publishers to ask for their Advice Sheets for writers wishing to submit stories for the series.
• Join Storylines Children's Literature Charitable Trust of New Zealand - for newsletters, yearbooks, functions, news, awards, and information about what's going on with children's books in New Zealand. Visit www.storylines.org.nz 
• Join Kiwi Write4Kids - a very active New Zealand group.

• Send away for a copy of the annual booklet called Writing and Illustrating for Children. Visit Christchurch City Libraries to order a copy of this booklet. This very useful resource will help you avoid sending your mss to the wrong publishers.

• Attend a creative writing course – online, or at an institution such as your local community centre. Several organisations now offer courses on writing for children.
• You need to learn about technicalities such as good plotting, character development, setting, style, pace, suitable length, etc, as well as the basics of producing a presentable manuscript.
• Visit the advice pages at the New Zealand Book Council website.
• Investigate the New Zealand Society of Authors. They have publications available for purchase that will help you with the business of writing.
• Join the NZSA if you can; they offer a Mentorship scheme to members which has helped many aspiring authors, as well as manuscript assessment services.
• Surf the Internet for any of the thousands of sites and discussion lists offering advice, hints and support to would-be children's writers (two sites to start with are http://www.write4kids.com/ and www.underdown.org/).

You need to prove to publishers that you have written your story for the current market... You must know the following:

• What age range of readers are you aiming at?
• What gender? Remember, boys will rarely read a story with a girl as the main character.
• Is your story a quick-read one suitable for learning readers, or is it a more complex story suitable for accomplished readers?
• What other books have been published recently in New Zealand that can prove your story will be popular with local buyers?
• What genre does your story belong to?
• What other interesting description can you provide that will entice both adults (parents, teachers, librarians) and children to choose your story above all others?
• A useful tip is to describe your story in one sentence: "This is a story about …" Try to write a vivid, exciting sentence that will make people want to read your story.

 Publishers are being flooded with more and more unsolicited manuscripts. If your story has been assessed, an editor is more likely to put it at the top of the slush pile rather than the bottom. But be aware that you will have to pay a substantial sum for a proper assessment.

• Visit the NZ Association of Manuscript Assessors website for contact details for local manuscript assessors.
• Information about a typical assessment (content and cost) can be found at the website of Total Fiction Services.
• Consider the advice of your assessor very carefully. They should be able to analyse the elements of your story, advise on improvements, and recommend likely publishers.

If you've done all of the above then it's time to start sending your stories out to publishers (you can still do this in New Zealand without an agent).

• Prepare a good-looking manuscript with double spacing, generous margins, page numbering, and a title page.
• Include a letter providing information about the story, its length, its potential readership, and why you think children will want to read it. Also provide concise information about your writing experience. Remember, this letter is a sales pitch – it should be informative, polite and well-written.
• Put your mss in a strong folder or box (use paper clips for chapters, not staples), include a SAE with return postage for the mss, and post it in a strong envelope. Do not fold any part of your mss.
• If your mss is rejected, count yourself lucky if you get a letter detailing why the publishers have not accepted it. Many publishers just send out a standard form rejection. Any critique from a publisher must be considered very carefully. Any expression of interest in further work should be followed up quickly.
• Try to accumulate a body of shorter published work, such as non-fiction articles, short stories, or online writing. The more you get into print, the more well-known you will become.
• Sending to overseas publishers is a different ballgame - a much trickier one. My advice is to concentrate on getting yourself published in New Zealand first (unless you've written something as astounding as the Harry Potter books, of course!)

Lorraine Orman (April 2007)