Writing for Kids: 10 Reasons Manuscripts Get Rejected

Jan 11, 2012
Susie Yakowicz

Avoid Common Mistakes and Avoid Getting Rejected - Nicolas Espinosa

Are you writing a book or story for children? Learn why manuscripts get rejected by editors and how you can increase your chances of an acceptance.

When it comes to getting published, writing for children is no different than writing for the adult market – publication is challenging. You may think you have a sellable story. You’ve certainly worked hard at creating it. You’ve even had someone you trust read it and approve. Still, there’s a good chance your manuscript won’t sell just yet. Here are some of the main reasons manuscripts for children get rejected. Avoid these common mistakes, and you may be well on your way to publication.

Why a Children’s Book or Story Manuscript Won’t Sell

Undeveloped characters. Boring, simple characters don’t appeal to kids; quirky, multi-dimensional characters do. If you haven’t spent time developing your characters, it’ll show. The main character is especially important. He or she should be around the same age as (or slightly older than) the targeted reader and have flaws that the reader can relate to.
Adult solves the conflict. Make sure an adult isn’t responsible for fixing the main problem in a story for kids. Even a helpful word of advice from an adult character that leads to a solution can land the manuscript in the rejection pile. In children’s stories, adult characters should play a minor role and remain in the background as much as possible.
Plot too thin. Does the story build up to a climax? Is there a surprise element or twist involved? Is there enough action and excitement to keep readers interested? Are there some interesting and relevant subplots? Most good story plots share these qualities. If yours fall short, you may need to work on developing your plot more fully.
Unnatural, outdated language. Do your characters sound like real people? Stiff, awkward dialogue and outdated word choices in a story’s narrative don’t work. Listen to kids talk and learn from them. Slang is useful as long as it’s not overdone. For historical works, study language and read books of the time period for guidance.
Flat ending. A poor ending can ruin a perfectly good manuscript, but often writers can’t tell that their ending doesn’t satisfy. Here are some questions to ask yourself: Does the ending sum things up? Does it deliver a resolution and provide closure? Will readers be left thinking about your story when they’re finished reading it? Good endings can take on many forms, and they’re essential to selling a manuscript.
Spelling and grammatical errors. Every writer makes mistakes, but spelling and punctuation errors, as well as problems with grammar and usage, are easily avoidable. Carefully editing a manuscript before submitting it to a publisher is all it takes. Hiring a copyeditor may be necessary – and a worthwhile expense – for those who aren’t confident in their self-editing skills.
Inappropriate or untimely submission. A manuscript that doesn’t fit with the editorial needs of the publisher won’t have a chance at selling, which is why researching a market before submitting a manuscript is key. For magazine submissions, read back issues and check theme lists for a proper fit. For books, research and review other works by the publisher. You’ll also want to make sure your story idea hasn’t already been covered by the publisher.
Too many or too few words. If you didn’t pay close attention to the word count specified in the writer’s guidelines, you may be out of luck. Most children’s magazine and book publishers have strict policies on word counts and may not even read a manuscript that has too many or too few words. If your word count is too high, try cutting redundant words or eliminating paragraphs or even chapters that don’t add value for the reader. Adding words can be as simple as including a sidebar.
No extras. Sometimes, little “extras” can help sell a piece. This is especially true for magazine articles. A related activity, craft, recipe, or game can be just what your manuscript needs to win over an editor. Book manuscripts, especially nonfiction manuscripts, can be taken more seriously when they include back matter items, like a glossary, timeline, or places the reader can go for further information.
No SASE or incorrect contact information. Providing inaccurate contact information or, for postal submissions, forgetting to include a self-addressed stamped envelope can make it difficult for an editor to get back to you – with an acceptance or a rejection. If you don’t hear back, though, it may not be your fault. Manuscripts do get lost, so be sure to follow up with the publisher in the recommended amount of time.

Submitting a children’s book or magazine manuscript is a necessary step to getting published but one that involves the risk of rejection. However, knowing why manuscripts get rejected and how to avoid making the same mistakes can greatly improve a writer's chances of an acceptance and, ultimately, publication.