[Heidi Wade]

Hi Mr. Korman,

My name is Heidi Wade and I am a special education teacher at Jayhawk Elementary in Kansas. I took a group of my students to your presentation at Prairie View High School in LaCygne, KS. I enjoyed your presentation and had a question for you. My daughter also attended your presentation. She has written a children’s book and would like to try to publish it. She is 12 years old and she was very inspired when she heard that you were 12 years old when you published your first book. Is there a way that you would recommend we go about publishing her book? There are so many options out there (and very expensive). I would appreciate any insight and assistance.

Thanks for your time,

Heidi Wade

Hi, Mrs. Wade,

Thanks for posting. I'm pleased to hear that you enjoyed my presentation at Prairie View. I had an excellent minitour in Kansas, and hope to be invited bck one day.

Your question. What you're talking about is self-publishing, which is something I have never done. My advice is to find a library book on publishing markets. These have long lists of publishers and the kinds of material each is looking for, whether or not they consider unagented submissions, and even contact persons at various publishing houses. Your daughter's manuscript should be submitted to one of them, or several, if you prefer. Of course, it's up to the company if they find the submission is something they wish to publish.

These books also usually have a list of literary agents, if you prefer to go that route. It might be best since many houses will not read unsolicited manuscripts. Times have changed since I sent my work to Scholastic and became a published author!

As for self-publishing, you might want to make some inquiries in places like Amazon, Kindle Press, or Barnes & Noble.

Good luck!                                                                                              ---Gordon Korman---

[Mila Bremenstuhl]

Hi Mr. Korman,

I\'ve read almost all of your books and I loved them! But I\'m not writing you to talk about how big of a fan I am I\'m writing to ask you a question about writing. I\'m 10 years old and am working on writing a book with my best friend. I was wondering how you get your books published, and could I do something similar? I\'m really working hard on this book I\'m writing and it already has over 100 pages, I really don\'t want all that hard work to go to waist so I was wondering if there\'s any ways for a kid to get published. You inspired me with your writing to write this book and I want to be able to inspire someone with my writing. So if you know any way for a kid to get published could you please tell me? 

Even if you don\'t answer, thanks!

Mila Bremenstuhl

Hi, Mila,

Yes! It worked for me. And if you have something that's truly publishable, it can work for you too.

Go to your library and ask for a book on Writers' Markets. That book will have the names an d addresses and a lot of pertinent information on every publisher in the English-speaking world. It tells you what the publisher is looking for, and whether or not they will even accept manuscripts that come without an agent.

When your book is finished, give it to someone you know and trust -- an aunt, a Mom, a teacher -- someone who will give you an honest opinion. If you get that person's approval, you should put a lot of work into polishing it up so that you consider it perfect. If there are spelling errors, or grammatical ones, any reader will discard it. It must be typed, one side of the page only, and error-free. It should be sent to the publishing company of your choice with a covering letter, introducing yourself and telling a little bit about yourself and your book.

My own experience was over 40 years ago. It might be a better approach to find a literary agent who will, in turn, try to sell your work to a publisher. I have an agent now, of course, but I didn't back then.

Anyway, that's what worked for me with my first book. I was 12 at the time, and thought it was soooo easy. It isn't. Not everything is publishable, or as good as the author(s) think it is. But this is exactly my story.

Good luck! I hope to be writing you and your friend a fan letter one day soon!                                   ---Gordon Korman---