General Book Guidelines

Children's Book Guidelines

Woodbine House specializes in books for and about children with disabilities. We are especially receptive to books that are written expressly for parents of children with disabilities, but will also consider books written for children and for professionals. (Separate writer's guidelines for children's books are available on this website.)

You need not be previously published or have an agent to submit a book proposal. However, hands-on experience raising, teaching, treating, or otherwise caring for one or more children with disabilities is essential.

Our current needs include, but are not limited to:

• Parents' guides to raising children with specific disabilities
• Guides to specific issues related to a given disability (e.g., communication skills, social skills)
• Reference books on disability-related topics (dictionaries, directories, etc.)
• Practical guides to issues of concern to parents of children with disabilities in general (e.g., special education, sibling issues)

We are deluged with parents' personal accounts of raising their child with a disability. Although we consider submissions in this genre, be forewarned that we publish very few. We do not publish adult fiction, poetry, or books expressing a religious viewpoint.

To submit a proposal, please send as many of these elements as possible:

• The table of contents;
• 2-3 sample chapters;
• An annotated list of books in print on the subject, explaining how your book differs from the competition;
• A list of potential markets, including specific organizations, book clubs, and groups of individuals that would buy your book;
• A vita or biographical note describing your qualifications to write this book;
• Samples of previously published or unpublished work, if desired;
• Estimated length and completion date.

Manuscripts should be typed, double-spaced. Please let us know if you are making a simultaneous submission.

If you wish to have your proposal returned, please enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope large enough to accommodate the manuscript. No metered mail or International Reply Coupons (IRCs) please.

If you do not wish to have your manuscript returned, you may enclose a stamped #10 envelope or e-mail address for a reply. Please note that we will make a one-time effort to email a response but cannot account for undeliverable emails due to spam filters, overfilled mailboxes, etc.

Allow 8-12 weeks for a response. Please note that calling or emailing to check on the progress of your manuscript will not speed up the response time.

General Book Guidelines

Children's Book Guidelines

Children's Book Guidelines

The only children's books we publish are books for or about children with disabilities. Types of books we will consider include:

• children's picture books of approximately 1200 words or less
• nonfiction and fiction chapter books for older children and adolescents

Our current needs include, but are not limited to:

• Books about children with autism spectrum disorders, Tourette syndrome, and epilepsy. We're especially receptive to those written from the point of view of a school-aged child with a disability or his/her sibling peer.
• Books related to children with mental health issues, especially emotional behavioral disorders.

Some Woodbine House Idiosyncrasies:

• We no longer publish books in which talking animal characters play the roles of children with disabilities.
• We do not publish books that are written solely to impart a message about people with disabilities to people without disabilities. Examples of these messages include: "People with disabilities have feelings too"; "Everybody is different, and that's OK!"; "People with disabilities make good friends."
• Since we publish so few children's books, it is unlikely that we will publish more than one book on the same topic.
• We prefer stories with narrative drive or plot (conflict/resolution) rather than "what it's like to have" or "a day in the life" type stories.
• We frequently see books that were originally written to help siblings or classmates understand the differences or experiences of a particular child with disabilities. We are unlikely to publish a book of this nature unless it addresses universal concerns in a way that will be useful or informative for many children and their families.
• We do not publish books expressing a religious viewpoint.

We publish very few children's books. A story has to really captivate everyone on our staff for us to accept it. Do not take it personally if we reject your manuscript. Perhaps it will appeal to another publishing company with different needs and preferences.

If your manuscript includes illustrations, please send a few representative originals or color photocopies.

If you wish to have your proposal returned, please enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope large enough to accommodate the manuscript. No metered mail or International Reply Coupons (IRCs) please.

If you do not wish to have your manuscript returned, you may enclose a stamped #10 envelope or e-mail address for a reply. Please note that we will make a one-time effort to email a response but cannot account for undeliverable emails due to spam filters, overfilled mailboxes, etc.

Allow 8-12 weeks for a response. Please note that calling or emailing to check on the progress of your manuscript will not speed up the response time.

 

General Book Guidelines

Children's Book Guidelines