Write2Ignite

If you follow our blog, you are interested in writing for children or teens. That, in and of itself, speaks volumes. You feel called to craft stories that will excite young readers, or you feel called to write Bible stories or devotionals that are just the right reading level to engage kids in exploring God’s Word and to motivate them to live out the words of the Bible in their own lives.

BUT if you have attended many writing conferences, you know that the market for writing for this age group is constantly changing. One time you may hear that picture books are highly sought after by publishers. You head home and spend hours and hours putting together the best picture book proposal you can. Feeling confident, you attend another conference in hopes of meeting just the right editor or agent, and you hear that no one is buying picture books. What happened?

The market may have changed for any one of many reasons. For example, in an effort to meet the previous demand, publishers may have rushed to provide picture books… and the market became flooded.

Maybe you feel you were called to write picture books, and not shall we say, books for young adults. But what if you hear at the conference that publishers are buying young adult manuscripts.

What is an author to do in a changing publishers’ market?

You might try one of several routes.

If the market seems open in another area or age group of children’s publication, and you are also led to write for that age group, you could certainly focus your writing in that direction.

BUT

If the market seems open in another area of children’s publication (say YA as opposed to picture books), but you have never had any interest in writing for young adults, it best to stick with writing you feel called to do.

Clear as mud, right? But the bottom line is what you are called to write. Sure, your book proposal may have a bit of a wait before it finds a home, but that is more than fine if you are following God’s call. Ultimately, we want to hear these words in every area of our lives:

‘Well done, good and faithful servant!

                                                                           Matthew 25:21 (NIV)

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Carol McAdams Moore writes for children and youth in the general and Christian markets. Learn more about Carol and her tween devos: Dare U 2 Open This Book – draw it, write it, dare 2 live it – 90 devotions and Just Sayin’ – write ‘em, draw ‘em, hide ‘em in your heart at carolmcadamsmoore.com.