[brandon-jennings Posts: 2 Status: Offline I love kids' books!]

Hello All,
I've read "The Book" and tried searching the forums to find the answer to this question, and so far I have not had any luck.
I'm prepping my dummy for submission and I am not sure if I am supposed to insert the text on each as I imagine it or if
I should just submit the text as a separate document and submit the dummy as illustrations that have no text accompanying them.

I apologize if this has been asked elsewhere, but I'm new to the bluebird (and SCBWI), and I joined to be part of this community, so I figure it's about time that Ibe brave and ask a question instead of hoping the answer is just beamed into my brain.

Thanks to anyone who can point me in the right direction or who might have the answer.
Brandon
 

[christripp Posts: 1,211 Status: Offline WWW]

Hi Brandon, welcome!!!:)
I sub a dummy with the text on each page but other Author/Illustators will sub text in manuscript format with just a few Illustrations to show their vision/style (of course then that's not a true dummy is it:) Even if the art is only sketchy pencil, I think it's nice to see the flow of the the text to page turn in a dummy done like this.
For all kinds of member questions/answers regarding dummies, you can do a search (top right of this page) using the word dummy.

[Debbie Vilardi Posts: 7,001 Status: Offline Language is so cool! WWW]

I am not an illustrator but my understanding is that a dummy would contain what would be in the book but without finished art except on a spread or two. The other pages would be sketched. Often the manuscript is submitted separately with the dummy in manuscript format.

[brandon-jennings Posts: 2 Status: Offline I love kids' books!]

Thank you both so much for your responses. Now I'll  get this thing finished up and sent out.

[marla-lesage Posts: 383 Status: Offline Write. Illustrate. Revise.]

I put the text in the dummy. Depending on the publishers submission guidelines I may or may not include the text as a manuscript as well.
Good Luck with your submissions!

[yaara-c Posts: 53 Status: Offline "Between thought and expression lies a lifetime"]

Hi all, I'm preparing a PDF dummy at the moment and I was wondering what was the best way to do it - should I do put each spread on a different page or is it ok to put several (2 or 3 ) on the same page?
My thinking was - have all the spreads as mini thumbnails on the first page so that the agent can get an overall look of the entire book at one glance and then put larger sketches of 2 or 3 spreads on each page. Then at the end put a sample, finished illustration (I'm an author - illustrator). Hopefully they'll get that far:)

What do you guys think?
I just feel that putting one spread per page might make it too long and heavy a document, but if it's the standard please let me know:)

Thanks!
Yaara

[Debbie Vilardi Posts: 7,001 Status: Offline Language is so cool! WWW]

I think it would be hard to read the full page of thumbnails. You set it up like you would the actual book and have the finished spread somewhere within it, wherever it falls in the story. You'll most likely be submitting digitally, so the actual weight is not an issue. But I'm not an artist.

[yaara-c Posts: 53 Status: Offline "Between thought and expression lies a lifetime"]

Thank you Debbie. So you wouldn't put more than one spread per page?
Yes it is digital but seemed like it would be faster to go through it if there are 2 spreads per page rather than just one. But it sounds from what you're saying that the dummy should match the book with its structure. Would you include the end pages as well?

[Debbie Vilardi Posts: 7,001 Status: Offline Language is so cool! WWW]

I have no idea about the end pages, but the I do believe the dummy matches the book. Look this up online by Googling "sample book dummies" to see what others have done. Hopefully an actual illustrator will stop by.

[Vijaya Posts: 7,164 Status: Offline Encourage WWW]

Yaara, the PB dummies I've seen all have sketches and some finished art on separate pages, like in a real book. But I've also seen them compressed into one page as thumbnails for an overview See: https://taralazar.com/tag/how-to-make-a-picture-book-dummy-in-9-easy-steps/ and another link: https://www.craftsy.com/post/how-to-make-a-picture-book-dummy/#

[yaara-c Posts: 53 Status: Offline "Between thought and expression lies a lifetime"]

Thank you so much guys! I'll update accordingly.
I appreciate you taking the time to help.

Yaara