2013 CWIM Giveaway!

Have you used CHILDREN'S WRITER'S AND ILLUSTRATOR'S MARKET, also known as CWIM? It's a wonderful resource for those who write or illustrate for kids and young adults. It's updated yearly and has over 650 listings for publishers, agents, magazines, and more, including who to contact, how to submit your work professionally, and what they're looking for. It also has interviews and articles.

A new feature this year is a roundup with more than 20 SCBWI Regional Advisors who share their best advice on how to get your children's book published. I'm one of those!!!

CWIM is edited by the knowledgeable Chuck Sambuchino. I've asked Chuck some questions:

Kristi: In my own journey to being published in children's books, I had first sent art samples to publishers using the list of publishers in CWIM and was able break into illustrating children's books before writing them. When I began writing, I was hesitant and scared to submit my manuscripts to publishers. How does a writer know when they're ready to submit for the first time?
Chuck: In my opinion, a manuscript is ready for submission when it lacks any major problems. What happens is this: You write a book, and then you'll need to get other opinions on your writing -- be that from a professional editor or your own writing peers. These other readers will point out problems with the work -- e.g., how the writing is weak in the middle, or how the book starts too slow, or how the ending is not believable, etc. It is then your job to address these issues and try to fix them, one at a time. Once all the major issues of your book have been fixed, and readers start to respond to you with no more needed fixes, then I believe the book is ready for the world. 

Kristi: Now I'm blessed to have a wonderful agent, Linda Pratt, who submits for me. What can published writers and illustrators with agents still learn from CWIM? Do you consider CWIM a beginner's resource?

Chuck: It is certainly used mostly by beginners, but the book can be great for advanced, published authors, as well. Let's say you're a published author or illustrator who has made inroads in the book world -- but now you want to make more money writing for magazines. CWIM lists kids magazines. Perhaps you want to sell more books and build your writer platform through more public speaking. CWIM lists conference opportunities and contact names. Plus, it always has 120-180 upfront pages on the art and craft of writing & illustration. It's great instruction, and we must never stop learning. 

Kristi: Congrats on your new book, CREATE YOUR WRITER PLATFORM, coming out soon. Can you tell us a bit about platform and why it's important?

Chuck: Your writer platform is your visibility in the marketplace and your proven ability to sell books. A platform is built through success in arenas like a blog, social media, public speaking, media appearances, newsletter creation, article writing, networking, organizational contacts, etc. 

Platform is important because the number of publicists in the publishing world continues to dwindle. The pressure is now on for writers to be the lead marketers of their own books. In fact, nonfiction and self-published authors absolutely must have platform if they want their books to be successful. Fiction writers and illustrators not need platform, but do indeed want it -- because platform translates to book sales. And if you can personally sell more of your own books, you can make more money for yourself and also for the publisher. That makes you a more valuable, in-demand author that will get future book deals.

Since I've contributed to the 2013 CWIM, I'm holding a giveaway! Simply comment on this post by Nov 30 for one entry, and post a link to this blog in your favorite form of social media for an optional second entry (let me know in the comments). Leave me your email address or a way to find your snail mail address in case you win. Must live in the US.