Matthew Fries, IQC provided this report as part of the process to receive his Staff Enhancement Grant, awarded in January 2021.
The course I took was called Publishing Your Children’s Book: How to Write and Pitch Young Adult, Middle Grade, and Picture Book Manuscripts. It was provided by Writers Digest University, and it involved three parts:
- In the first section, participants gathered online to watch a presentation by literary agents at PG Literary Agency. The Agents described the types of work they were looking for, and offered candid insight on how the publishing industry works. After watching the presentations, attendees then moved on to Step 2.
- Revision of submission materials. The goal of this course was to have a polished submission package that would be suitable for submission to a literary agent and (or) a publisher. Participants were encouraged to take the information that had been provided to them in the presentations and work on their packages. An online Q and A with the agents was part of this process. Amazingly, and this is really where the course paid off, the agents answered every single question that was asked of them. And in a thoughtful and detailed way. There were no pat answers. It was GREAT! After the Q and A was complete, Step 3.
- Participants were asked to submit their package to the agents, and three weeks later I got my package returned to me with a number of suggested edits and some great feedback. In order to get anything published, your submission package is everything. You can’t even begin to think about getting your foot in the door without a great submission package. Thanks to this course, I believe I have the best submission package I am capable of creating. If I do not get my novel published it will not be because my submission package was a poor effort. That would not have happened without this course.
I am very grateful to the UWSA for providing me with the money to take this course. My Visa bill looks slightly less daunting than it did this morning.
Matthew Fries
Are you pursuing a personal development opportunity for which you would like funding assistance? Is this opportunity something you can participate in within the current COVID-19 physical distancing restrictions?
UWSA members are invited apply for the Staff Enhancement Grant.
The next application deadline is June 1, 2021.
