[Betsy Posts: 2,502 Status: Offline PICKY EATERS WWW]

I'm trying to get an overview of what's going on with the picture book response rate these days (manuscripts subbed to publishers, not agents).  Lately the response time boards for books have been almost completely inactive.  I can't tell if people just aren't hearing anything or simply not posting.  For the purpose of this poll, limit yourself to the last six months or so.  Don't post for recently submitted manuscripts--unless you got a response right away.  Thanks.  Hopefully this will provide an overall picture for all of us.  

[JennaWren Posts: 2,231 Status: Offline WWW]

Betsy, just wanted to check, but I assume you mean subs to publishers (as opposed to agents)?

[Betsy Posts: 2,502 Status: Offline PICKY EATERS WWW]

Yes, thanks for clarifying that, Jenna.  I mean manuscript subbed directly to publishers.  Are people hearing back?  Or not?

[jeanreagan Posts: 44 Status: Offline WWW]

What if folks submitted to a publisher via an agent?  Or are you interested in only hearing from folks without agents? 

Thanks for the clarification!

Jean Reagan

[Betsy Posts: 2,502 Status: Offline PICKY EATERS WWW]

Let's just limit it to publishers subs for now.  Although if people are having success with subbing pbs through an agent, you're welcome to post it on the narrative section of the thread. 

I'm just trying to find out if pubs are responding at all to slush.

[MegM Posts: 428 Status: Offline WWW]

Betsy, I voted before reading your post, and may have skewed your data because my sub was in Australia, to a local publisher. I'm the (currently) lone 'snail mail, acquired' in case you want to exclude me... (I won't be offended!).

[JennaWren Posts: 2,231 Status: Offline WWW]

I just wanted to add that I wanted to vote, but last spring (until recently), I'd not only slowed down with my PB writing, but had decided to focus on agents instead.  I had a very close situtation with a super agent that didn't pan out, and only in the past month have been expanding my subs to agents and (a limited few) publishers.  I think what lead me down this particular path was not only what I wanted, but also the stagnation of the market as an unagented PB writer -- that is, the market is slow for everyone, but to the unagented it seemed at a standstill.

Not sure if that helps in any way!

[Betsy Posts: 2,502 Status: Offline PICKY EATERS WWW]

Thanks, Meg and Jenna. 

I'm starting to get the overall picture from the results so far.  Interesting. 

[KatyD Posts: 904 Status: Offline www.katyduffield.com WWW]

Yeeeouch! That "no response" percentage is difficult to read, isn't it?

[AmyD Posts: 159 Status: Offline WWW]

I have noticed the same thing in the response boards. But, there has been a lot of talk about not publicly posting rejections so I figured people were staying quiet. That is why recently I asked a question separate from the response boards about Sterling. They are one of the few publishers that still take unsolicited picture book manuscripts AND respond even if not interested, so I was hoping people were still hearing from them. It sounds like people are but at a very slooooow rate of response.

Anyway, I didn't vote in the poll since I only have one manuscript out to one publisher (for less than 3 months) and am still hoping to hear back. I would love to see the results though, is there a way to view the poll results without voting?

[Stephanie Ruble Posts: 1,995 Status: Offline author/illustrator WWW]

Betsy, some subs take longer to get a response, but are still getting a response (why I couldn't submit a vote in the poll). BTW, is there a way to see the results if you can't vote? There usually is, but I don't see that option on this poll.

[Betsy Posts: 2,502 Status: Offline PICKY EATERS WWW]

Yes, it's locked to encourage people to vote.

I'd say that if it's been more than six months and you still haven't heard, "no response" would be appropriate.  I certainly know that some editors take longer than that to respond, but there's no way I can account for all possibilities in this poll.   I'm just trying to get an overall picture.

If you have a pb that doesn't really fit in one of the categories, vote anyway--and then explain further in this section. 

[Betsy Posts: 2,502 Status: Offline PICKY EATERS WWW]

O.K., I've unlocked the voting.  Please, if you have info. about a picture book submission, share it with the rest of us.  There's no way to trace who voted for what.

[CarrieF Posts: 271 Status: Offline WWW]

I do not have a vote (since I haven't subbed any pbs) but can't see the poll results. And now it looks like it is not possible to vote either...not sure what is going on?

Carrie

[Betsy Posts: 2,502 Status: Offline PICKY EATERS WWW]

Sorry.  I accidentally locked the voting. (I thought I was unlocking it and making the results available to everyone.)  I think I fixed it.  Try it now...

[Ree Posts: 338 Status: Offline No Boxes WWW]

I participated.

Susan

[JennaWren Posts: 2,231 Status: Offline WWW]

Ellen, I voted but want to mention again that my sub is relatively new, so I haven't expected to hear anything yet.  Well, I hoped!  But didn't expect.....

[eecoburn Posts: 237 Status: Offline]

Glass Half Full Girl, here. Hey, FIVE manuscripts acquired so far! And the percentage of acquired books is way above the what they say the industry norm is.  Of course, I know that since it is a Blueboarder poll the quality of manuscripts was also much higher.  I would love to know how many of those acquired books were from debut authors.

[Betsy Posts: 2,502 Status: Offline PICKY EATERS WWW]

Eeco--Just curious.  Five acquired in the last six months???  That's incredible.  You go, girl!

Were they all acquired by one pub?  Big or small?  Enquiring minds want to know...

[eecoburn Posts: 237 Status: Offline]

Noooo, no, no.  I was not clear.  I was trying to point out that 5 out of the 40 votes already posted were acceptances (not to mention 9 revision requests!).  That is a pretty good percentage, compared to the usual ratios.  I was just casting some optimistic light on what could be a depressing subject.  I, myself, have absolutely zero acceptances to add to the list, but it is encouraging to see that someone, somewhere is selling a manuscript. It keeps the hope alive!

[Ruth Donnelly Posts: 699 Status: Offline WWW]

Are those of us who can't vote because we haven't subbed yet eventually going to be able to see the results? Pleeeeeeeze?    :

ETA: Oh! Never mind--I can see it now!

[Betsy Posts: 2,502 Status: Offline PICKY EATERS WWW]

LOl, oh, O.K. Eeco.  Sorry.  I was about to recruit you as a mentor.

Yes, but I'm not surprised that the BBers are beating the statistical average.  This group represents a greater percentage of those who are serious about publishing, don't you think?

And also, maybe a little respondent bias?  It's more likely that people with some success would post their results.

All in all, though, it's looking good.

[jojocookie Posts: 344 Status: Offline WWW]

For PB

Highlights for children- Nice rejection one month.

Stories for children E-mail submission-Nice rejection on week.

Blue apple books publishers- nice rejection one month.

Philome- still waiting 4 months

Peach tree publishers- still waiting 4 months.

Caracus publishing- still waiting 6 months.

jojocookie

[Jodelle55]

I voted in the poll but wanted to add my experience.  I subbed a picture book to an editor after a local conference where I saw the editor speak.  Still no response and it's been about 9 months now.

[JulieM Posts: 844 Status: Offline WWW]

I wanted to say that I voted 'snail mail sub, no response'. To follow up, after about 10 months I did receive a response - sadly, a R. This was to an Australian publisher.

However I have also just received an acceptance to an email sub for a different PB MS, which I can't add to the poll as I have already voted. FYI, I received a response after a week, but the contractual discussions ended after about 6-8 weeks (I have no agent). This is to a small US publisher. (I'll divulge more news on this later.)

[Betsy Posts: 2,502 Status: Offline PICKY EATERS WWW]

Julie, that's great!  It gives all of us hope that at least SOMEONE is buying.  And Jodelle--I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

[Jodelle55]

Just wanted to say that I did finally get a rejection on the PB manuscript that I had subbed to the editor from a local SCBWI conference.  It took about 11 months before I got my manuscript back.
While I got a form rejection for the manuscript, the editor did actually hand-write a note at the end of it.
Just wanted to report in on the time it took to hear back.

[Tammi Posts: 1,367 Status: Offline WWW]

Yikes. Sorry! I responded to the poll before I realized you didn't want agented authors to participate.

One of the acceptances by way of e-sub was mine and one of the rejections by way of e-sub was mine.

[JulieM Posts: 844 Status: Offline WWW]

I'm afraid my deal fell through too! It was an unfortunate case of another book coming out just this year that was coincidentally similar to my MS. I'll have to chalk that one down to experience.

[Lenoreva]

One of the acceptances was mine too - also before I realized you didn't want agented PBs.  Sorry!