Art issues? Books?

[spaggel]

So. I've been thinking. I really want to work on like, an art book. Pull together what I've done and print it. OR. Do like, a children's book. It's one of the things I've always wanted to do. So much that I have little story idea's all thought out in my head (the one about the little tomato and seeing all his brother and sisters get picked, but not him and then it getting cold and he wakes up a whole NEW plant the next summer? yeah, anyways) but I always want like, new ideas and things.

I've been looking at lulu.com as a way to do this, but I thought. Hey, why jump to the end before I ask a whole bunch of people who might know more about this then I do.

SO:

1) What does it take to rate art book/children's art?

2) Suggestions? Guidelines?

3) Writing? ...help?

Comments

[gillianinoz.livejournal.com]

I can only speak as a long time fan of childrens books. I'm actually a bit of a collector as well.

Study the big sellers out there - the award winners. (I am Australian so I go for Ozzie writers and illustrators)

The most popular children's author in Oz (by a mile) is Mem Fox.

http://www.memfox.com/welcome.html

Her stories run the gamut from animal stories like the hugely popular 'Possum Magic' to nostalgic stories like 'Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge"

Please read her 'So You Want To Write A Picture Book' page:

http://www.memfox.net/so-you-want-to-write-a-picture-book.html

She has some quite interesting advice.

And finally - when people ask me about writing I give them one piece of advice. Read and read and read.

Have fun!!

(I have used my icon of the greatest children's writer of all time - Enid Blyton.)
;-)

[spaggel.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the link! I've been reading and it's got some really good stuff in it :D

I used to collect childrens books (most of the time, I prefer them over adult books... ) but too many of them and not enough space *sigh* but I love art and I love to read and when children books something that is just short of magic and no end to fun I want to get in on it too

[pollitt.livejournal.com]

You may want to check out The Writer's Market for Children's Books. There are a couple of good books out there that offer advice. My own advice is to look at what is in the stores, talk to a couple of booksellers and see what's selling for them.

And if/when you self-publish, find some websites to send a sample of the book to and then put a link up to Amazon and drive sales that way. If you're serious for looking for a publisher, then, you'll have sales figures to back up your request.