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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 writers’ guidelines for children's
books are available.)
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:
-
Practical parents' guides to raising children with specific
disabilities
-
Guides
to specific issues related to a given disability (e.g.,
communication skills, social skills)
-
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 We do not publish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:
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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;
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A list
of potential markets, including specific organizations, book
clubs, and groups of individuals that would buy your book;
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A vita
or biographical note describing your qualifications to write
this book;
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Samples
of previously published or unpublished work, if desired;
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Estimated length and completion date.
Manuscripts should be typed,
double-spaced. No email submissions. 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.
Allow 12
weeks for a response. Please note that calling or e-mailing to
check on the progress of your manuscript will not speed up the
response time.
Address submissions to:
Nancy Gray Paul, Acquisitions Editor
Woodbine House
6510 Bells Mill Rd.
Bethesda, MD 20817
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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:
Our current needs include, but are not limited to:
-
Books for
about children with developmental and intellectual
disabilities, e.g., autism spectrum disorders and cerebral
palsy. We're especially receptive to those written from the
point of view of a school-aged child with a disability or
his/her sibling or peer.
We
have limited interest in submissions about children with
chronic illnesses and physical disabilities.
-
Books
related to children with mental health issues, especially
emotional behavioral disorders.
Some
Woodbine House Idiosyncrasies:
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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.
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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.
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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.
To submit a
children's book, please send the entire text in hard copy. No
email submissions. 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.
Allow 12
weeks for a response. Please note that calling or e-mailing to
check on the progress of your manuscript will not speed up the
response time.
Address your submissions to:
Nancy Gray Paul, Acquisitions Editor
Woodbine House
6510 Bells Mill Rd.
Bethesda, MD 20817
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