PICTURE BOOK FOCUS Pitch to DESIGN (Part 4)

In Part 4 experienced editor Natascha Biebow shares tips on why a strong pitch matters when selling your book to a publisher and the role of Design in considering its commercial viability.

If you’re submitting a book for publication at a traditional publishing house you will have heard people say how important it is for you to have honed your pitch and to know and understand the unique premise of your book. But why is this so important and how does this influence whether a book is acquired and ultimately considered commercially successful? In this series of blog posts we will look at the different roles in children’s publishing and how your book’s hook is key for each one.

In order to pitch your book in-house the EDITOR must pull together a PROPOSAL to present to colleagues comprised of other key members of the publishing house. 

(Read about the role of the EDITOR in Part 1, the role of FOREIGN RIGHTS SALES in Part 2 and the role of PRODUCTION in Part 3.)

For a picture book a KEY element is the illustrator and how the book’s visual identity and brand will hook in readers. Where will it sit in the marketplace? What is the key market for the book? How will it stand out? What’s its message?

Each book has a different visual identity and messaging – the illustrator must suit the story and theme and make the book stand out from the competition. In this selection of books about an evergreen topic – starting school – each voice is distinctive and has a unique take-away feel.

 

The DESIGN team are experts at keeping current with new visual trends and finding new illustrators. They often attend MA degree shows and trade fairs like Bologna to keep up to date with global trends. They also scout websites, competitions and social media for interesting illustrators with whom they might like to work. In addition they work with illustrators on the current publisher’s list to develop their styles and discuss future projects. 

When a picture book text is being considered for acquisitions the EDITOR will collaborate closely with the DESIGNER to explore ideas for an illustrator. 

Some key considerations might be:

·  What’s the feel and style of the book and what kind of illustration approach will best bring out the theme?

·  Will you match the text with an existing illustrator on the list or is it an opportunity to commission a new artist?

·  Could this be the next project for someone who has already published a book on the publisher’s list? It could consolidate and build their backlist and/or take them in a new direction? 

You Choose by Pippa Goodhart is the first in a bestselling series. The author was paired with Nick Sharratt, who had already become a household name in the UK market for his covers for fiction by authors such as Jacqueline Wilson and Jeremy Strong, his picture books, including Don't Put Your Finger in the Jelly, Nelly and Ketchup on Your Cornflakes and the Daisy series by Kes Gray (Eat Your Peas).

 OR

·  It can be useful to pair a debut author or illustrator with a more experienced half so as to leverage  their platform and visibility in the market.

Five Quills paired debut author Annemarie Anang's text I Am Nefertiti with more established illustrator Natelle Quek.

Dance Just Like So! is the second book in this same pairing that will be published in September 2024.

 

Who is the book for? 

Does it have a trade or mass market or an educational market audience? 

The illustrator choice needs work for the target marketplace:

·  In conjunction with the team the editor will work out the positioning for maximising the book’s sales by looking at what is currently selling and considering the target audience: supermarkets, gift, trade, educational, foreign markets?

·  The target publication date can also be a factor – for instance if the project ties in with a specific marketing opportunity, (eg Valentine’s Day or Father’s Day), the illustrator’s availability and ability to complete the project in time can be a consideration that design will take into account when searching for illustrators.

·  The editor will brief DESIGN on the target market so that they can find a suitable illustrator. Ideally, to maximise sales, the project will work in both UK home, export and co-edition markets overseas.

·  The designer will create a visual brief to match the target market, age range and theme. Sometimes they will look at the market competition in the same space and create a ‘mood board’ to show editors what they have in mind alongside illustrator suggestions. 

Cotton Cloud Refuses to Rain by Elizabeth F. Hill is a story that required a detailed wordless storyline in the pictures to show how the Earth and its people are affected when there is no rain. Therefore the designer Amy Cooper was tasked to recommend illustrators who could capture this and make an inanimate cloud character appealing and likeable. 

 

The designer contacted various agents and Hannah George's samples caught her eye for their detail, atmosphere and characterisation. We asked her to do a sample for Cotton Cloud Refuses to Rain.

·  The designer will often liaise with illustration agents to the pitch the project in order to find a suitable illustrator. For example if the text has a bunny main character they will look at portfolios to see whether anyone has doodled something in their sketchbook that might catch their eye. 

·  Or if a project requires a young, bold graphic style or an ability to draw children they will let agents know they are on the hunt for a match that fits this brief.

 

What is the budget for the illustrations? 

In Part 1 we discussed the importance of the profit and loss for acquisitions. Considering the author and illustrator advance and royalties is an important element.

Image copyright (c) Natascha Biebow

·  The editor will work closely with the designer to find an illustrator that is affordable and available within the constraints of the budget.

 

Are there any novelty elements or finishes that will make it stand out? 

The designer will share ideas about this.

 

When pitching a picture book project by author/illustrator the designer will be instrumental in helping to fine-tune the project pre-acquisitions. For instance they might help to develop character sketches, strengthen the illustrator’s unique visual voice and helping to pace out the book’s roughs to make a compelling dummy. The editor will support the author/illustrator to edit and develop the story and the storyboard to make it sing.

Dandylion by Lizzie Finlay

Lizzie Finlay's lively character sketches and story caught my eye.

The designer and I worked closely with Lizzie to develop the story and create a working dummy that could be shown at Acquisitions. Images copyright (c) Lizzie Finlay.

The visual pitch: for the acquisitions meeting, the designer will often create a visual presentation that can be shared with the team to help onboard them.

 

When acquiring Pink Trucks by debut Sam Clarke and Cory Reid the designer had the illustrator on her wishlist and thought his unique bold style would be a good match for the humorous, rhythmical text. She asked him to do some character sketches in order to compile a pitch to onboard the Five Quills team.

So, what do you need to consider in terms of your book’s pitch when it comes to Design?

 

·  If you are an illustrator ensure that your portfolio is current and showcases characters and storyboarding techniques. You never know what will catch a Designer or Editor’s eye!

 

·  If you are an author/illustrator you have a commercial edge. Develop your craft and ensure that your story is solid and you have some finished sample colour spreads with a distinctive visual voice to share with designers when you pitch your work.

·  If you are an author trust the team and be open to ideas! They are experts and will make recommendations for pairings and illustrators that might be different from your initial vision but that will create a commercial book.  

 

·  If your book has a specific HOOK audience and promotional possibility be sure to pitch this to the editor and designer by letting them know about competitor titles that sit alongside it and illustrators that you might like and admire.

 

 

Wrap it all up nicely,

and remember the EDITOR and the DESIGNER are your champions. They are on your side!

*Header image: Ell Rose and Tita Berredo

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Natascha Biebow is an experienced children's book editor, coach and mentor and founder of Blue Elephant Storyshaping. 

She loves to help authors and illustrators at all levels to shape their stories and fine-tune their work pre-submission. She runs courses on picture book craft. 

She is the author of the award-winning nonfiction picture book The Crayon Man: The True Story of the Invention of Crayola Crayons.

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Ell Rose is the Illustration Features Editor of Words & Pictures.

Find their work at https://fourfooteleven.com

Follow them on Instagram and Twitter

Contact them at illustrators@britishscbwi.org

Tita Berredo is the Illustrator Coordinator of SCBWI British Isles and the Art Director of Words & Pictures. 

Follow her on Instagram and Twitter or www.titaberredo.com

Contact her at: illuscoordinator@britishscbwi.org.