Happy New Year readers – I hope you enjoyed your festivities and are raring to go with your new year’s writing resolutions. And I am here to help!
I will shortly be working through and updating both my list of publishers accepting unsolicited manuscripts and my list of UK children’s agents, making sure that you get the correct information you need to submit. I’ll be deleting any markets that no longer look at unagented work or, in the case of new markets, haven’t developed as promised – but don’t worry, there’ll be a few new opportunities going in too.
I will also be continuing to offer my new critique service, giving you the chance to get an extra pair of eyes on your manuscript before sending it off into the big wide world. Alternatively if you have something that keeps being rejected and are wondering why, perhaps I can help? I have adjusted the prices slightly as the feedback I am giving is a lot longer than originally planned, but I hope you’ll agree it’s still excellent value for money and I have had some lovely comments from my first customers.
Finally as usual I will be looking out for new writing opportunities and reporting back from any useful writing events I attend. So let’s make 2017 the year you get published!
Lou Treleaven 
Dear Ms Treleaven If I may take a little of your time. My name is Ken Mackenzie, I live in Devon UK. I am not an author, I am just a grandfather who loves writing stories for my grandchildren and local school. I need a professional to look at my stories and tell me if it is worth my pursing them and paying to have them published. I have attached three but I have twenty. I know I have a nerve, but I don’t know what else to do or who to contact and you sound like an nice approachable lady.
Thank you for your time I am very grateful. Ken Mackenzie
Sent from my iPad
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Hi Ken, nice to hear from you. If you’d like to email your stories to me at lou dot treleaven at sky dot com I’d be happy to have a look as part of my critique service (prices on link above).
Hi Lou Treleaven,
My name is Lili Shang. I’m not a published author but desire to share my stories. I’m a retired elementary school teacher and grandmother. It would be wonderful if you’d agreed to look at one of my stories professionally. I am happy to pay for your services and would prefer to do a bank transfer.
Thank you for your time, Lili Shang
Hi Lili – yes of course, I’d love to. Email me at Lou dot Treleaven at sky dot com with your story attached and I’ll reply with payment details.
Good morning Lou
I am finding your blog very useful indeed with so much helpful information to digest.
One thing I would like to ask your advice about is writing in rhyme. I have written 4 childrenâs stories based on the same characters (around about 1500 words each). I know that many publishers tend to avoid rhyme and I have already submitted the first story to Maverick, which was turned down.
Do you know of any other publishers that would consider rhyme?
Many thanks
Regards
Judith
Hi Judith. Glad you are finding the blog useful! I don’t have a list as such, but what I will try to do when I review the list of publishers (which should be shortly) is make a note of which ones accept rhyming books, if this is specified on their submission page. In the meantime I’m afraid it’s the long slog of looking at each publisher’s website or book catalogue and seeing what they publish. I note your stories are 1500 which would be considered much too long by most publishers so you might want to consider cutting down to under 1000, or even 500 if you can do it! Alternatively you could think about putting the stories together into a book which would give you a 6000 word length, perfect for a chapter book. BUT you might have to ditch the rhyme as these are usually written in prose! Good luck whatever you decide to do.
Hi Lou, I would like to send a picture book text of 600 words to your critique service. If that’s ok will pay into your paypal account. Best wishes Theresa Heine
That would be great Theresa! And please email me your manuscript, to Lou dot Treleaven at sky dot com. Look forward to reading it.
I took your advice and sent my work off to five publishing companies worldwide. It took less than a week and I received three traditional contract offers, USA Australia and the U.K. Looking forward to my first book release.