CHAPTER 5

Researching the Market

There's no getting around it: You need to arm yourself with knowledge of the marketplace. It is important for a writer to be aware of what is happening in the world of children's publishing, not only to maintain an edge that many other writers don't have but also to discover the best way of reaching the intended audience.

Knowledge Is Power

Knowledge is power. Ignorance is bliss. As a writer, you want the power. It is unlikely that you would give a speech on cold fusion in front of thousands of people if you had no knowledge of the subject. Nor would you walk into a job interview without the slightest idea of what the company does. Well, neither should you try to convince a publisher that your manuscript should be turned into a book without the knowledge of what is currently selling. The more knowledge you have of the market, the better chance you stand of getting the attention of an editor.

Welcome to the Business

You must keep in mind that publishing is a business, and the success of publishing companies relies on their ability to sell books. So although publishers do seek to bring great literature to the world, they must focus on sales in order to stay afloat. As a writer aspiring to get published, you can't ignore the business aspect.

Unfortunately, most editors will first look at the salability of a book and then look at its quality. If you want your manuscript to make a good first impression, your best bet is to show your knowledge of the market-place and how your book will thrive within it. You won't be able to write a convincing query or cover letter without the power of that knowledge behind you.

What to Watch

There are several things you will need to keep an eye out for. Pay attention to what is selling well. Read reviews of new children's books and interviews with both up-and-coming and seasoned authors. Talk to your local librarians and booksellers and find out which books children and parents are asking for. What subjects are most popular for different age groups? What topics have been beaten to death? Find out the differences in what girls and boys read. Notice the physical appearance of the books. Are hard covers or paperbacks more prominent? What are popular trim sizes and page counts? The questions are endless, but these will get you started.

Watch the news, listen to the radio, and see what catches your attention. Maybe an idea for a children's book will come from the evening weather report or from your favorite baseball team. You never know when inspiration will strike, so keep your senses alert.

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While you may find researching the market and children's publishing overwhelming now, once you know where to look and become accustomed to pricking up your ears at key words and phrases, the ongoing research will become second nature. Just keep in mind that every little tidbit of information you can store in your mind about children's publishing is useful.

Aside from the books themselves, keep track of the publishing companies. Mergers and acquisitions happen all the time, so stay up-to-date on which companies have joined and what type of books each publishing company produces. Some publishing companies produce only children's books, some produce only adult books, and some produce both adult and children's books. And within these broad divisions are subdivisions based on subject matter and type of books published. There is a lot to learn and a lot to keep up with, but you will find the time and energy well spent when you see your book sitting alongside other great children's books on the shelf.

The Big Picture

Before you begin researching the specifics of the children's publishing industry, you should take a look at the big picture. By understanding the various markets available to children's books, you will be able to make choices concerning your own writing and take steps to zero in on specific areas. Keep in mind that the following markets are quite broad and allow room for a wide variety of subject matters and styles.

Trade Market

Trade books are most often defined as books that are sold in book-stores. These books are usually higher-priced, higher-quality books that can be either fiction or nonfiction. While most think of trade books as hardcover books, trade publishers also produce paperbacks. The trade market is what most people think of when they think of bookselling. Unless you want to write for a small, specialized audience or use technical language, you will most likely be writing for the trade market.

Mass Market

Mass-market books are paperbacks that are lower-priced, lower-quality books sold in supermarkets, discount department stores, newsstands, drug-stores, and so on. Mass-market books normally have a smaller trim size and are designed to appeal to a different audience from the one that buys trade books.

Mass-market children's books are often tied in to a popular show or character. The publishers often come up with the concept and then search out authors to follow their guidelines. In addition to seeking this market for your own work, you may want to look into working for publishers on established series. It is possible to be hired as a writer for a preconceived line of mass-market titles.

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One of the biggest publishing niches is the religious market. There are some publishers who produce only religious materials to sell to religious bookstores and organizations. Religious books can be fiction or nonfiction, but always convey a message specific to a particular belief.

Institutional Market

The institutional market covers schools and libraries. Someone has to write and publish the textbooks that kids use in school, right? Often text-books are curriculum-based and developed by the publisher. However, schools are beginning to add more and more single-title books to their curricula. Therefore, you can find publishers who produce high-quality fiction and nonfiction books that can be sold to bookstores, libraries, and schools.

Titles in the institutional market span a wide range of subjects. While there is certainly a need for those books in academic subjects such as science, health, and math, there is also a need for books covering psychological and sociological topics such as death, aging, suicide, divorce, disability, and special needs.

Where to Begin

An easy and pleasurable way to begin your research is to visit a bookstore or library. Give yourself ample time to peruse the shelves. Pick up those books that catch your interest and look them over carefully. What made you pick up the book? Was it the subject matter, the cover design, the title, the author? Perhaps you have read reviews or heard the book mentioned through word of mouth. Is it a book you would want to read to your own children?

Bookstores

If you have a local children's bookstore, this is a perfect location to conduct initial research. If you aren't able to visit a children's bookstore, then take a stroll through the children's department of any bookstore in your area. What do you notice first as you walk in?

Pay attention to the books set up with displays as well as those books that sit on the shelves face out as opposed to spine out. Note the publishers of these featured books. If at all possible visit a particular bookstore on a regular basis and record how long certain books are on display.

Talk to a clerk and find out what books children are asking for as well as what books adults are asking for. You may also inquire whether there are any topics not currently covered in children's books that customers are clamoring for.

Libraries

Libraries offer a wealth of information for the eager researcher. In book-stores, adults normally make the purchases; in libraries, children often check out their own books. You may find that the popular children's books in bookstores aren't the same as those in libraries. Note the differences.

Again, look for displays and note how long the library features particular books. Are there any books face out on the shelves? What books are lying on the tables or scattered in play areas?

Observe the children in bookstores and libraries. What books do they pick up and what are their reactions to those books? Do they seem to be searching for a particular author or are they just browsing? Take your own children to the library. Where do they go first? Once they have chosen their books to check out, see if they can tell you why they chose those in particular.

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If you have several things you want to discuss with a children's librarian, call ahead of time and see if you can make an appointment. Librarians are very busy and will be more willing to help if you take their schedules into consideration.

Talk to the librarian. Sometimes libraries have waiting lists for popular books. Find out what books are on these lists. If the library organizes regular activities such as story time, find out what books are featured and which are the most popular with the children. Sometimes libraries coordinate summer reading programs in which children check out and list the books they read. You may be able to get copies of some of these lists.

Staying Up-to-Date

There are quite a few publications that will help you stay abreast of the constant changes taking place in the world of children's publishing. The following sections highlight some of these publications, but there are a number out there, so don't limit yourself to only those noted.

TRADE MAGAZINES

NEWSLETTERS

WRITERS' MAGAZINES

Children's Magazines

While magazines designed specifically for children will not provide information on the publishing industry's ins and outs, they do provide an insight into children's interests. If you subscribe to a variety of magazines, you will be able to compare repeated topics and how they are handled.

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Several authors of children's books found their start publishing stories in children's magazines. This is a great way to get your work out there, and since children's magazines are published more frequently than books, their publishers are usually looking for new authors more often than book publishers are.

If there is a section contributed to by readers, pay particular attention to it. For instance, maybe the magazine allows children to write letters to the editor or showcase their own stories and artwork. Here you will find what children of this age group are interested in.

Networking

Another great way to find out what's happening in the children's publishing world is to talk to people involved in the industry. Maybe you know someone who knows someone who knows someone who could give you an insider's scoop.

If you have joined a writers' group, then you may already have contacts at your fingertips. Ask specific questions of the members. More often than not, these groups welcome the sharing of industry info.

Become a fan of popular children's book writers on Facebook and follow them on Twitter. Their comments might give you some insight into their creative process. Check out websites devoted to children's publishing. Most publishing companies will have a social media presence — sign up for as many groups as you can. Post an inquiry on a message board or sit in on an online discussion. Be friendly and inquisitive, and don't hesitate to offer information that you have gathered as well. Perhaps you will find contact information for the person hosting the site. If he is unable to answer your question, he may be able to recommend someone who can.

Take advantage of all the resources available to you. Keep in mind that everyone has busy schedules, so be as accommodating as you can — your patience may win you brownie points with someone who proves to be an invaluable source of information. Be persistent, but not aggressive.

Finding a Gap in the Market

During your research you may come across topics that are currently unexplored in children's publishing, but desirable to children. If this happens, jump on it. Tapping into unexplored territory can be both exciting and lucrative.

Although it may seem as though every subject has been covered already, we are creating history every day. New technologies emerge, new discoveries are made, new events take place, and new issues are brought to the forefront. If you have a specialty, such as in medicine or horticulture, you are probably aware of current happenings or the latest research in your field. Could any of these advancements be the subject of a children's book?

Finding a gap in the market doesn't always mean that the subject is completely new — just that it is underserved in children's literature. You may find that an existing subject has not yet been explored in the form of a children's book. Or maybe it already has, but the book may be out of print or outdated. Can you give a fresh take on an old book?

If you believe you have discovered a subject that has not already been explored and would make a fantastic children's book, don't rush to contact an editor while shouting that you have her next bestseller. Just because your research hasn't come across a book on that particular topic doesn't mean that one doesn't exist. You certainly don't want to contact an editor and heighten the editor's expectations only to hear her voice — tinged with disappointment and annoyance — telling you that the subject matter has already been tackled and that it bombed in the children's book industry. Do your homework, and when you contact an editor with an idea, do so with a balanced tone.

Directing Your Attention

While it is best to stay up-to-date on all aspects of children's publishing, if you have decided what type of book you would like to write (or if you already have something written) then you will want to zero in on that during your research. For instance, if you are a history buff and are interested in historical fiction picture books, you should research the track records of previously published books in that area.

By Topic

Take a close look at all the books covering your topic and compare them to yours. How is your book different? What does it offer readers that others don't? You will have to convince an editor that yours has an advantage. Therefore, you must know the market for these books. You also need to find out how well these books sell.

Look for updated information or statistics concerning your topic. If you can improve upon or add a new twist to a topic that has already been covered extensively, then you might have a shot at grabbing an editor's attention. On the other hand, if the topic has had little coverage, you need to consider why. Perhaps other writers simply haven't been able to make it exciting. Or it may be that the topic is not one children are naturally drawn to. Editors may have decided that your topic does not work for children's books — in this case, you will have to present them with an undeniably catchy idea.

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Look up reviews of books that are similar to yours. This will give you an idea of the expectations for these books. Also take a look at the publication dates. It may be that you can add updated information, giving a stale topic a fresh outlook.

By Type of Book

Perhaps you don't know exactly what topic you want to cover, but you have a sense of what type of book you want to write. For instance, maybe you are fascinated with picture books and can't see yourself writing anything but. Or maybe you want to deal only with the facts and prefer writing nonfiction.

Let's say you want to write chapter books. See if bookstores and libraries have a particular section devoted to chapter books. If so, you are in luck. Take an afternoon and don't stray from that section. Pick up every book that catches your eye and flip through it. What topics do chapter books explore? How many pages do they have? How are the covers designed? What are the trim sizes? What sets these books apart from the rest of the children's books at the store?

Try to find out what chapter books are the most popular with children — and with adults. Compare the chapter book section with the picture books, early readers, and middle-grade books. Which section is the largest? Which is the smallest? Ask around to find out what chapter books are the best known to kids and adults, not just booksellers and librarians. Also try to find out what books were disappointing to readers. If you can determine what helps a book to sell and what causes it to fail, you will have a head start on writing a successful chapter book.

Of course, you will also want to pay attention to new releases and interviews with chapter book authors. Read through industry publications and find out what's happening in the world of chapter books. Which publishing companies publish chapter books? Keep an eye on these and how they market their products.