Do you write Orthodox Christian books for children? Are you a new writer wondering where to submit your manuscript? Are you a previously published writer who needs another outlet for her work?
This post is for you! It’s the information I wished for when I first approached the Orthodox publishing world, and several times since.
As the market for high-quality Orthodox children’s books expands, so do the number of publishing options for writers of these books. Publishers watch what sells to understand what needs are being met, and what needs are being expressed but are not yet met. A book purchase is a vote for the book being purchased and, indirectly, for other books of the same type. This is as true in the Orthodox world as it is in mainstream publishing. It’s encouraging to observe the upward spiral of demand for Orthodox children’s books and publication to meet that demand.
WHY DOES THIS LIST MATTER?
My childhood and my human identity are firmly rooted in the stories I read and loved. Those memories begin before memory. I can’t remember a time without books, without someone reading to me, and then without my own endless adventures through the printed word. I believe faith and imagination are strongly bound, so I want the number of good books – faithful, beautiful, funny, poignant, and beloved – to grow and grow.
In addition, as a writer, I want the blessing of multiple options when it’s time to submit a manuscript. Writers write. We grow, we change, and we write some more. Publishers release a limited number of books each year, and competition for those spots is fierce. The more publishers are accepting submissions, the better chance we have of being published.
BEFORE YOU SUBMIT YOUR BOOK PROPOSAL…
All publishers are different, but in more than a decade of writing books for publication, I’ve learned that some things are consistently true, no matter which publisher you are considering.
1 – Read the submission guidelines. No, really. Read every single word. The company wrote those guidelines to ensure submissions will have the best possible chance of matching their requirements. Do you want the best possible chance? That means knowing EXACTLY what the publisher wants and doesn’t want.
2 – Follow the submission guidelines. Having read the directions, your next step is to follow them. In most instances, the first person who sees your submission when it arrives at the publishing house is an editor. Editors are detail-oriented, educated, word-smithing, book-loving, and generally strong-minded people. They work hard and will bless you for making things easier for them by following the guidelines. The guidelines can also help you discern whether your book is a good fit for the publisher, and whether the publisher is a good fit for you.
3 – Explore the publisher’s website BEFORE deciding to submit. Visit their webstore. Browse the entire collection of books for children, including those they choose to sell that were released by other publishers but focusing especially on their own line up. Be a good observer. Watch for trends. Compare your proposed book with what you are seeing. Does it fit in? Do they already have four other books on the same topic? If you don’t see anything that looks like your book, is that because you would be the first to fill a real need, or because they wouldn’t see a need for your book? Take your time with these questions. You might need the answers as you craft your proposal.
4 – Always have a back-up plan. This piece of excellent advice comes to you from my friend Phoebe at Being in Community. When you submit a manuscript to a publisher, you should be thinking about what you’ll do if the publisher says Yes! But you should also have a plan for that book’s next step if the publisher says No. I’m working on another post about rejection letters, so that’s all I’m going to say about this here.
THE LIST
Here it is! Note – you do not need to be represented by an agent to submit to any of these publishers. The information given below is drawn from personal experience and from contacting the publishers directly. In each case, you’ll find the publisher’s website, a link to their submission guidelines, and some notes on what the publisher is looking for, together with anything I’m able to add from my own experience publishing with them.
Ancient Faith Publishing
This is the publisher I know most about – both as an author and as an employee! I’ve seen the whole publishing process at Ancient Faith from both perspectives. I’ve had manuscripts rejected and accepted by them, and I’ll always be thankful for what I’ve learned from their editors.
You can find Ancient Faith’s submission guidelines HERE. The guidelines include descriptions of what Ancient Faith is looking for and specific directions for submitting each type of book proposal. You can find the children’s section of the Ancient Faith Store HERE. Ancient Faith accepts and reviews submissions on an ongoing basis; there is no submission deadline.
Jane G. Meyer, the children’s book project manager, explains, “We want those projects that have so much Orthodox Christian flavor that other secular or religious publishers probably wouldn’t be interested in them. We also want submissions to come in that have been worked and reworked–that are free of obvious mistakes, and have been edited and revised for style. The stronger a piece is on the first read, the more likely it will move forward in the process.” She adds, “The best way to gauge what books we want is to look at the books we’re currently publishing. Our catalog is a good indicator.”
SVS Press
St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press published their first board book this year – Saint Ia Rides a Leaf, by Melinda Johnson (yes, me!), illustrated by Kristina Tartara – and Kristi and I are already contracted for a second board book with them. SVS is returning from a hiatus in children’s publishing. You’ve probably seen some of their older children’s books, many of which are still in print, but this is a season of change and development for them. It’s a fun time to jump into the line up.
You can find the SVS Press submission guidelines HERE. You can see the children’s section of the SVS Press Bookstore HERE. SVS Press reviews submissions at quarterly acquisitions meetings. The dates of the meetings and the deadline for submissions for each meeting are listed with their guidelines at the link above.
Sarah Werner, chief marketing officer for the press, offers this perspective: “SVS Press has long been seen as an ‘academic press’ and we are proud to carry that title into the future. Though, our renewed vision is to not just be an academic press for scholars alone. Our goal is to provide scholarly theological texts, quality translations of patristic writers, as well as quality theological material for ALL ages and walks of life. Our children need quality theological works just as much as adults! We are always looking for Orthodox writers and illustrators who are able to create and tell stories of our faith that are appropriate for little eyes and little ears. We are looking for material that accurately teaches children about our faith and inspires lifelong engagement with and love for God and His Church.”
Park End Books
Park End Books is a newcomer in the Orthodox publishing world. It’s a well-organized effort and already bringing books to market. I encourage you to visit the website to learn more about the company. Its advent is a positive sign of the market’s growth and a welcome new option for writers in search of a publisher. I recently received a contract from Park End for a children’s chapter book that will release in late summer of this year, and to date, I have been thrilled with the process. Summer Kinard, the founder and senior editor, was an author before she was a publisher, and I’ve noticed many aspects of the Park End experience that benefit from her dual perspective.
You can find the Park End submission guidelines HERE. Note that Park End accepts submissions at specific times, so be sure to watch the website for updates. You can see this new company’s growing webstore here.
Asked about Park End’s plans for children’s books, Summer reports, “We are planning three board books for the coming year as well as [my book, mentioned above]. For board books, illustrations are a big deal. We’re commissioning one, and two are from an author-illustrator team with a cohesive style. Our 5-year plan includes getting our books into mainstream bookstores, so we favor books that will reach beyond our target audience of Orthodox readers by tapping a broader cultural need. Our main goals are accessibility and beauty, and we love diverse voices and stories. We’re happy to accept Byzantine Catholic, Western Rite Orthodox, and Coptic Orthodox manuscripts, too, since our niche is meant to bring our whole corner of the church into the public awareness by getting into Barnes and Noble and other bookstores.”
Paraclete Press
Paraclete Press, in their own words, publishes books that present “a full expression of Christian belief and practice—Catholic, evangelical, mainline Protestant, Orthodox…” This means that Paraclete books may reach different readers than some books released by other publishers on this list, and that the staff you work with will be from a variety of faith backgrounds. Paraclete Press published my first board book, Piggy in Heaven, and I found them to be friendly and professional. The finished book was sturdy and adorable.
You can find Paraclete’s submission guidelines HERE. You can see the children’s section of their store HERE.
Publisher Jon Sweeney notes, “Children’s books are essential to our publishing, even though we only publish two or three per year. And we focus mostly on saints, holidays, and seasons of the church year.”
DID I MISS ANY?
If you know of any publisher of Orthodox children’s books who is currently accepting submissions but does not appear on this list, please post that information in the comments. We all want to hear about it!
God willing, this list will be twice as long five years or a decade from now. In the meantime, I wish you the blessing of time and strength to write, patience to persist, and the pure delight of seeing your published books in the hands of happy little readers.
Melinda Johnson, Writing 
