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Publishing Your Teaching Ideas

Bysteve
Publishing Your Teaching Ideas
Tips by MaryAnn Kohl Your Book – the idea –
  • Clearly define your idea
    • Assemble, narrow, and sort material and research
    • Find a system to begin
    • File cards
    • Dummy pages
    • Tape recorder
    • Suggestions from this group
  • Research your unique idea (do not skip this step)
    • Check other books for formats
    • Talk to bookstore owners
    • Talk to teachers
    • Talk to librarians
    • Talk to other authors and publishers
Great Advice from a Publisher – Abigail McAden, Asst. Editor at Avon Books
  • Look through new books to find some that resemble what you imagine for your book. If you picture your book looking like an Eric Carl picture book, then it is Harper Collins. If you picture a middle grade adventure, it is an Avon. McAden says, “We get many submissions clearly inappropriate for our company. People think that because their book is so good, we are going to clear off our list and make room for their great picture book. But we don’t do picture books.”
  • “Submitting a manuscript to a publisher who doesn’t do the kind of book you’re writing is a waste of time and money. It gets rejected immediately and makes the author look foolish. You want us to publish you, but you have no idea about our line of books.”
  • It is important to be persistent, but don’t remain ignorantly persistent. Newsletters and conferences for writers are a great help because they’re educating people. That way, you’re learning how to do this.
Writer’s Guidelines – the smart way to begin
  • Send a request for “writer’s guidelines” to each potential publisher (you must find out who publishes the type of book you are writing)
  • This will give you ideas for:
    • what to expect
    • how to tailor your style or book format
    • what exact particular submission process the publisher is looking for
Resources to help you publish your teaching ideas –
  • The Children’s Writer’s and Illustrators Market
  • Literary Market Place (LMP)
  • The Author-Publisher Handbook, Aztex Corporation
  • The Self-Publishing Manual – Dan Poynter, Para Publishing
  • The Simple Guide to Self-Publishing – Mark Ortman, Wise Owl Books
  • 1001 Ways to Market Your Books – John Kremer
  • Book Publishing Resource Guide – John Kremer
  • Children’s Writer Newsletter of Writing and Publishing Trends – 95 Long Ridge Road, West Redding, CT, 068960-1124
A Few Publishers of “Teacher Books” – Look at your own teacher books and see who published them. Which one is a good fit for your book?

Bemiss-Jason Carson Dellosa 2244 Hilltop Drive Redding, CA 96002 (530) 221-090 Games, flash cards, calendars, stickers

The Learning Works PO Box 6187 Santa Barbara, CA 93160 Environmental activities

Creative Teaching Press [email protected] P. O. Box 2723 Huntington Beach, CA 92647-0723 800-287-8879, Fax: 1-800-229-9929 Reading, language arts, Spanish, music, math

Learning Resources 380 N. Fairway Drive, Vernon Hills, Illinois 60061 1-800-333-8281 | [email protected] Construction toys, language, phonics, science

Chicago Review Press 814 N. Franklin St. Chicago, IL, 60610 Teaching idea books

Learning Wrap-ups 1660 West Gordon Ave #4 Layton, UT 84041 800-992-4966, Fax: 801-497-0063 [email protected] Basic math, pre-algebra, vocabulary, ESL

Didax Educational Resources 395 Main Street Rowley, MA 01969 (800) 458-0024, fax (800) 350-2345 [email protected] Spelling, phonics, math, social studies

Little Brown & Company 34 Beacon St. Boston, MA, 02108 Children’s activities

Evan-Moor Educational Publishers 18 Lower Ragsdale Drive Monterey, CA 93940-5746 1-800-777-4362 Arts/Crafts, early learning, science, writing

McDonald & Woodward Publishing Company 431-B East College Street Granville, Ohio 43023 800-233-8787 (voice) 740-321-1141 (fax) [email protected] Posters, Brainy Borders, Drama guides

Fearon Teacher Aids 500 Harbor Boulevard Belmont, CA, 94002 Resource idea books

Milliken Publishing Company 501 E. Third St, Box 802 Dayton, OH 45401 USA (800) 444-1144, Fax: (314) 991-4807 [email protected] Supplemental products for K-12

Frank Schaffer PO Box 141487 Grand Rapids, MI 49514-1487 800.417.3261, Fax: 888.203.9361 Bargain books, activity books

Pearson Learning Group 135 South Mount Zion Road P.O. Box 2500 Lebanon, IN 46052 1-800-526-9907

Frog Street Press 308 East Trunk St. Crandall, TX 75114 (800) 884-3764, Fax: (800) 759-3828 Foreign language, awards, music, planners

Remedia Publications 15887 North 76th Street, Suite 120 Scottsdale, Az 85260 1-800-826-4740 Fax: 877-661-9901 Reading, science, math skills, social studies

Good Apple PO Box 299 Carthage, IL, 82321 Teacher books/ all subjects , charts and posters

Rock ‘n Learn P.O. Box 3595 Conroe, TX 77305-3595 (936) 539-2731 fax: (936) 539-2659 [email protected] Audio/video programs to help kids learn

Grace Publications LLC 605 Wesinpar Road Johnson City, TN 37604 423-434-2983 Fax: 423-434-2993 Bible Fun, Chart Pack Plus, Clip Art Books

Simon & Schuster – Books for Young Readers Rockefeller Center 1230 Avenue of the Americas New York, NY, 10020 Craft and hobby

GMG Publishing Corp. 25 W.43rd St. New York, NY, 10036 Science/Smithsonian

Small World Toys 5711 Buckingham Parkway Culver City, CA 90230 (310) 645-9680 Fax: (310) 645-7903 Constructive/creative play, infant and toddlers

Gryphon House, Inc. PO Box 207 Beltsville, MD, 20704 Early childhood activities

Teacher Created Resources 6421 Industry Way Westminster, CA 92683 888-343-4335, Fax: 800-525-1254

Incentive Publications, Inc. 2400 Crestmoor Road, Ste. 211 Nashville, TN 37215 fax to: 615-385-2967 Grade Book series, ESL and Spanish

Teacher Created Materials 5301 Oceanus Drive Huntington Beach, CA 92649-1030 800-858-7339, Fax: 714-230-7070 Art, geology, math, technology, thematic units

Instructional Fair PO Box 141487 Grand Rapids, MI 49514-1487 800.417.3261 fax: 888.203.9361 Foreign language, geography, library skills

Teachers Friend Manuscript Editor Scholastic Professional Books 555 Broadway New York, NY 10012 Arts and crafts, language arts, teacher resources

J. Weston Walch, Publisher 40 Walch Drive PO Box 658 Portland, ME 04104-0658 207-772-2846 / 800-558-2846 Instructional materials, math, special education

Teaching and Learning Company P.O. Box 10 1204 Buchanan Street Carthage, Illinois 62321 800-852-1234, 217-357-2591 Language arts, science, math social studies

Judy Instructo Educational School Supplies for Teachers/Parents 2244 Hilltop Drive_ Redding, CA 96002 , (530) 221-0902 Giant Floor Puzzles, Clocks, Games, Desk Tapes
Write the Book –
  • Choose: handwrite, type, computer
  • Rough draft stage
  • Rewrite stage: omit, add, refine
  • Verification stage: check facts
  • Proofing stage: fine tooth comb by you and others
Preparing to Submit the Manuscript –
  • Refer to writer’s guidelines
  • Simple, double spaced
  • Large margins
  • Copyright on each page (“option-g” on a Mac) ©2001 Susie Smarty
  • Number each page
  • Name and address on each page
  • Hand-designed pages
  • To illustrate or not to illustrate
  • Suggestions for presentation of manuscript
    • No errors. None. Not any.
    • Leave white space – not overcrowded.
    • The “look” of your submission
  • Dummy book?
  • Folder?
  • Plastic sheet protectors?
Submitting the Manuscript – THE MANUSCRIPT PACKAGE The First Impression – Cover Letter – Query first, or send in entire manuscript (see guidelines) – Short and direct – “This is my book about whatever, and do you want to publish it?” approach – Give the age or grade intended for ( or for adults) – Give your “credentials” – why you are qualified to write the book – Give a summary page about the book The Second Impression – The Manuscript – Sample of manuscript, or entire manuscript – Other materials included to complete the package – Include a SASE for return of materials – Include a postcard for receipt of materials – Simultaneous submission or one-by-one? Sending in your manuscript package –
  • Call first?
  • Get the name of the editor
  • Find out if they need your type of book idea
  • Check out their publishing “line”. Be familiar with the company and the books they carry.
    • Query letter?
    • Unsolicited submission?
  • Include a SASE for return of materials
  • Include a postcard for receipt of materials
  • Simultaneous or one-by-one?
  • Waiting for reply (how long?)
  • Follow-up call
The Wait: What to Expect
  • Replies
  • Rejections (when publishers say, “No”)
  • Personal letters/impersonal letters
  • Length of time (weeks to months)
  • Call if wait seems too long
  • Sometimes a resubmission is necessary
  • After the rejections come in –
    • Send out more manuscripts to new companies
    • Be tough and resilient. Rejections are the norm.
    • Refine your submission according to any suggestions that may have come in from editors, if you are that lucky.
The Acceptance! What to Expect
  • Contract
    • Advance on royalty
    • Common royalty amounts and how paid
    • Author copies
  • Your input as author
    • Text
    • Illustrations
  • The Wait
  • Publication
    • Be the best author in the world
    • Help with publicity
    • Help with Marketing