How I Became an Author of Children’s Books
Welcome to Lifehacker’s How I Became series, where I ask real people how they actually got their jobs. This week I speak with Oubre Andres , an award-winning children’s book author. She primarily writes nonfiction as well as short stories for publishers such as Disney, American Girl, Scholastic, National Geographic Kids, and others. Here’s how Andres became a children’s book author and how you might be able to follow in her footsteps.
What does a typical career as a children’s book author look like?
Authors of children’s books are an interesting crowd! Some have experience as children’s book editors or teachers, but in reality they can come from all walks of life. While you could always major in English or creative writing, my journalism background has helped me greatly in my career as a children’s book author. Having extensive experience in researching, writing reports, and writing articles under tight deadlines has only made me a better writer. It also made me a better ghostwriter. Some of the children’s book projects I’ve worked on have actually been scripts for child celebrities such as YouTube stars. Since I am comfortable interviewing people and finding a compelling storyline in a real-life situation, these projects were a good fit for me. I never had a real publishing internship, only an internship at a newspaper and another internship in public relations at a children’s museum and then at American Girl. I didn’t live in New York and couldn’t afford an unpaid summer internship in a big city. But it turns out I didn’t need it.
And how do you personally get into this field of activity?
I majored in journalism and landed a paid public relations internship at American Girl the day after I graduated. By the end of the summer, an assistant editorial position at American Girl magazine opened up, and I got the job. I eventually became a lifestyle editor and went freelance a few years later. I was able to translate my child’s magazine experience into children’s book writing by taking on book projects for hire, which is essentially like freelancing writing, but for publishing houses rather than newspapers and magazines. When I was first trying to break into this field, I attended a lot of conferences, such as the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators ( scbwi.org ) conference, to better understand the industry and interact directly with agents and editors.
What are the main job responsibilities?
Becoming a children’s book author requires a lot of brainstorming, research, and writing. I’m always coming up with interesting names, looking for fun facts, finding cool true stories, or creating a new story for a beloved character like Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty. I work closely with publishers’ editors, and my job is to develop the book from start to finish and meet deadlines. First I create an outline. Then I write the first draft. I am then responsible for revising the draft after receiving feedback from my editor, fact checker, or expert. The art director will take care of all the visual components – from photographs to illustrations and cover.
What are some of the best parts of your job?
I love that I write books that help empower the next generation. A book can change a child’s life! I receive letters from fans that sometimes make me cry with happiness. I’m so grateful that I can do what I do. I also love that I can hold a physical product that represents all my hard work in my hands and then read it to my daughters.
What’s not so great about this?
Children’s books are difficult to break into, which means there is an element of fussy culture involved in the process. I never know for sure where my next gig will be, and it’s stressful. Essentially, it has the same downsides as any freelance writing career—the constant hustle and bustle of searching for the next paycheck. It can be creatively exhausting. Plus, while writing a book for a major publishing house is exciting, authors don’t always have the best experience. We are often kept out of many decisions, which can feel powerless.
What is changing in the industry?
The publishing industry is going through huge changes right now, and no one knows exactly where they will end up. Self-published authors give traditional publishers a run for their money. Gradually, more established authors who already have a fan base are starting their own publishing companies, like fantasy author Brandon Sanderson, whose Kickstarter broke records after raising over $41 million—a truly astonishing figure. Between Amazon and social media, an author no longer needs the distribution and marketing reach of a publisher like they once did. Even as a less traditional writer, I ended up self-publishing my own series about women in STEM for kids called The Look Up Series . It features real women with incredibly interesting careers such as toy engineer, ice cream scientist and many more. It’s easier than ever to publish and distribute your own ideas, which is obviously having an impact on the traditional publishing industry.
What kind of people succeed in this industry?
I think the real secret to success is a business approach. The children’s book publishing industry likes to say things like “we’re not in this for the money,” but the reality is that publishers need to make money. They want authors who can write attention-grabbing headlines, create concepts that evoke emotion, and have stellar storytelling skills to create a book that stands out in a crowded market. I live in Los Angeles now, and the writers here are much more aware of the business side of things and the need to create a sellable concept. I really appreciate this and would like to see more conversations like this in the children’s publishing industry.
What are the different salary ranges?
There is such a wide range here. Most authors dream of a six-figure contract, but are more likely to end up with $20,000 to $35,000 per book, and that contract can be spread over three to four payments over two years. Anything under $10,000 wouldn’t be ideal, but it certainly happens.
How many hours do you actually work? What does a typical work day look like?
I work Monday through Friday from 9 to 4, but what I do during those hours varies greatly. Perhaps I’m preparing a presentation for the editor or calling the editor on the phone to talk more about an upcoming project. Perhaps I’m finishing a short fiction story for Disney or starting to write a new research-heavy non-fiction manuscript for National Geographic Kids. Or looking at an outline for a potential ghostwriting project where I need to decide if I want to take on the project. I may be working on a novel that I hope to present someday. I usually manage about three projects at the same time, all at different stages of completion. I also visit a school where I read aloud my latest project to a local elementary school. Sometimes I teach other aspiring authors how to break into children’s book publishing through a webinar or podcast. On the weekends, I also attend book events such as the LA Times Book Festival or the American Library Association Conference.
What’s something you didn’t know before getting into this industry that you wish someone had told you?
That you don’t need an agent! So much emphasis is placed on finding an agent—a time-consuming and somewhat frustrating process—but there are publishers, like Chronicle, that accept unsolicited manuscripts. And as I mentioned, there are work-for-hire projects where publishers develop concepts themselves and then need a writer to execute their idea. For such projects, you can communicate directly with editors, no agent required! The Authors Guild provides members with free contract reviews if you’re worried about not having an agent to help you with this.
What job search advice would you give to someone interested in this position?
I just want to clarify that becoming a children’s book editor and becoming a children’s book author are two completely different things. It’s easiest for aspiring children’s book editors to find jobs and internships in New York City, where many publishing houses are located, but children’s book authors can live anywhere and have any experience. The most important thing is to just start. Finish the project and throw it out into the universe. Then start working on project number two. Don’t value your first idea. Take feedback. Don’t be afraid to move on if it doesn’t work. Also, try new writing strategies. Read books on screenwriting, such as Save the Cat by Blake Snyder . Take the advice that works for you and leave the rest. There is no one right way to become a creative person. It may take you a while to become successful, so just keep writing, promoting and networking. Learn the industry, stay persistent, keep improving, make yourself visible and your work will eventually be noticed.