Have you always wanted to write and publish a book… but didn’t know where to start? Parenting Times editor Tracey Tong asks DC Canada Education Publishing editor Kara Cybanski your burning questions about getting published as a children’s author
Parenting Times chatted with DC Educational Publishing editor Kara Cybanski. Photo Courtesy Kara Cybanski
Tracey Tong: Do believe it is a common dream – a “bucket list-item” – of many people to become published writers?
Kara Cybanski: I know I always dreamed of being published when I was little, and although I have my name on a great many books here as editor (and even author on some story anthologies), I still hope to publish my own books when the right story occurs to me someday! I think it’s a common dream, but not as many people know what it truly takes to bring that dream into reality.
Unless you’re using shortcuts—don’t get me started on AI-generated children’s books—it actually takes time and dedication to get a children’s book published.
We want the best for young readers, so we’re willing to put in that work to create books that inspire meaningful change in both the children and our shared future.
TT: Dying to know. How many manuscript submissions do you receive?
KC: It really depends on the day! Sometimes, we don’t get any for a while, and other times, my inbox is flooded, especially after I put out a call for submissions on social media or in a newsletter. We had over 25 last year and five so far this year.
TT: Who are these people who are sending in submissions? Are there many first-time/previously unpublished writers, for example? Are these people professional writers? Teachers? (I just want to know what my chances are. Ha ha!)
KC: Most of the submissions are from parents and/or teachers, most often women, who want to tell a specific story based on their experience of their children’s. One submission we received and later published was by a first-time author with multiple sclerosis who wanted to explain to her kids what invisible battles she faces each day.
That story became My Mom Is Not a Superhero (Darcie Naslund, Dania El Khatib). Teachers, too, send us manuscripts for stories or resources they feel are missing from their classrooms.
TT: Can you give our would-be writers a hint: as an editor, what kinds of stories are you hoping to see into your submissions box?
KC: What were looking for boils down to this: a) something we don’t already have; b) something with educational value; and c) something unique that other publishers haven’t done or a unique take on a more common topic.
For example, if you wrote an ADHD book, and you see that we already have one, you’ll know that the likelihood of us publishing another is small. I personally am looking for submissions that work with our diversity mandate without feeling forced. I want to see a story that is engaging for both kids and adults—after all, adults are the ones with the money to buy the books.
TT: Can you give some guidelines for what you’d like to see in terms of submissions?
KC: I want to receive a manuscript in which I can see the potential: for illustration, for publishing, for audio tracks, for sales to schools and parents and libraries… And it’s a lot easier to imagine the future of a manuscript if it’s not full of errors or formatted weirdly! I suppose overall what we want in a submission at DC Canada is something special, educational, valuable.
TT: Once someone has submitted something, what can they expect in terms of next steps?
KC: After we receive a submission, our team goes over it to discuss whether it would be the right fit. If yes, great! We sign a contract and we get started on the editing.
TT: Does DC Canada facilitate connections between writers and illustrators, or do the writers and illustrators have to make their own connections?
KC: Once the book is edited enough, we hunt for the right illustrator to bring the story to life, sometimes consulting the author on this and sometimes making the executive decision based on our decades of experience. (Sometimes, the author illustrates their own story!) After illustrations are done and have been revised by our team and at the end, the author, we lay it all out together and review a few more times before printing. But really, that’s just the beginning! Once the book exists, it’s time to market through all possible avenues—book launch, social media, newsletter, community contacts, events, bookstores, libraries, schools, NGOs, etc. And we need our authors involved in that too!
PT: What happens if a submission is not accepted?
KC: If the submission is rejected, we generally try to let the author know withing a few weeks to two months. If they haven’t heard word by then, I welcome them to follow up just in case! I try to give quick feedback if I can as well. As to whether they should resubmit… it depends on why we rejected it. If it’s because we already have a similar book, then no. If it’s because we have too many projects on the go, I generally specify that the author can resubmit in six months or so if they haven’t yet found a home for their story.
TT: On average, how long is the entire process from submission to publication of a book?
KC: That depends on the book! Some are more elaborate in terms of design or illustration, others need more editing, and sometimes we just have too many projects wrapping up at the same time, which pushes a project back a bit longer. I’d say six to 18 months, with the average sitting around 10 to 12 months or so.
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