[tim-myers-2 Posts: 10 Status: Offline I love kids' books!]

Hello, All--hope you're doing well!

I've got 16 children's books out and one on the way, and I made the "New York Times" Bestseller List for children's books.  But this is my first time illustrating as well as writing, and I'd appreciate some advice about how to submit to agents/editors.

My art is digital, and I'm doing the whole layout, text and art together.  And since the work is a picture book, I'm thinking I should submit the whole manuscript.  (In my experience, that's the standard). 

But of course, that's too many images for email, and I'd never inconvenience a busy editor by sending individual files.

Friends have suggested using DropBox, Google Drive, or some other format.  That would allow me to email, attaching a couple of samples, and including a link to the entire work.

Does that sound like the best approach to you all?  Do agents and editors accept that?  Are there better ways to do it?

I appreciate your time and trouble!

Best,
Tim J. Myers

[Debbie Vilardi Posts: 6,870 Status: Offline Language is so cool! WWW]

My understanding is that you submit the manuscript as a manuscript and include a link to a dummy book. It should be mostly sketches with a spread or so of finished art. This makes you look more open to editing the art. Keep in mind that the text will be edited also, so finishing those pages is wasted work if you then have to edit the art to accompany new text.

I know this question has been answered here more fully recently, but I can't find it right now. Hopefully, someone else will give you a more complete answer or the link.

[tim-myers-2 Posts: 10 Status: Offline I love kids' books!]

Thanks so much, Debbie, for your detailed and generous reply--so good of you!  I appreciate it even more since you're "pulling my coat" to some things I didn't know about.  This could make a huge difference for me, and I'm grateful!

[christripp Posts: 1,202 Status: Offline WWW]

Tim, agree with what Debbie has said here. Also, depending on the Agent's (if you wish to try that way first before moving on to Publishers open to author submission) guidelines for submission, they may accept 1 Illustration attachment along with your query and/or text/manuscript. A number of Agents use "Querymanager" for submissions so again, you submit the whole PB text and there can be an option in the form for uploading one (maybe more) pieces of the art.
Best of luck!

[tim-myers-2 Posts: 10 Status: Offline I love kids' books!]

As I said to Debbie--thanks so much, Chris!  I appreciate your time and trouble, and this is really helpful.  I do a lot via Submittable, but didn't even know about Querymanager, which is clearly crucial.  And your point about text and sample(s) is also great guidance.

Thanks too for the good wishes!