Submissions Policy

Wernick & Pratt Agency specializes in children’s books of all genres, from picture books through young adult literature and everything in between. We represent both authors and illustrators. We do not represent authors of adult books.

While we are dedicated to our established list of clients, we are always looking to find new talent to nurture. We are interested in both published and unpublished people who are seriously committed to a long-term career in the children’s book industry and the work involved in achieving this. We are able to take on only a limited number of new clients each year.

In light of the current market for children’s books, please be aware of our general submission preferences:

We are most interested in the following:

• people who both write and illustrate in the picture book genre;
• humorous young chapter books with strong voice, and which are unique and compelling;
• middle grade/YA novels, both literary and commercial.

We are not interested in the following:

• picture book manuscripts of more than 750 words, or mood pieces;
• work specifically targeted to the educational market;
• fiction about the American Revolution, Civil War, or World War II unless it is told from a unique perspective.

We receive hundreds of submissions each month, and while we would like to respond to every submission received, we unfortunately cannot reply to each one. Submissions will only be responded to further if we are interested in them. If you do not hear from us within six (6) weeks of your submission, it should be considered declined.

We are accepting submissions via email only. If you are interested in submitting, please follow these guidelines:

• Please send us your contact information, including your email address, your mailing address, and your telephone number. Please indicate if you were referred to us, and if so, by whom.
• Please indicate if this is an exclusive or non-exclusive submission. We prefer exclusive submissions for at least one month, but it is not a requirement for submission.
• Please include your background, including any publishing history, and if you have any other work available for consideration.
• For novels, please send as an attachment the first three (3) chapters of the work and a very brief synopsis; please do not submit the entire work or include chapters from more than one work unless specifically requested.
• For picture book manuscripts, please send as an attachment two (2) different manuscripts (NOT two versions of the same manuscript). Please do not submit any additional manuscripts unless specifically requested. Nonfiction picture-book submissions should follow these guidelines as well. Your submission could be one fiction and one nonfiction manuscript, or any other combination. 
• For chapter books (books such as JUNIE B. JONES, with fewer than 7500 words total), please send the full manuscript.
• For MG or YA nonfiction, please send a synopsis or proposal and three (3) sample chapters. 
• If you are an illustrator, please send as an attachment PDF samples of your work, as well as a link to your website or to a portfolio of your work. Please do not mail any original artwork, as we do not assume any responsibility for original artwork that is submitted.
• Please send all submissions to submissions@wernickpratt.com. Please indicate if you are submitting to Marcia Wernick, Linda Pratt, Emily Mitchell, or Shannon Gallagher, and please do not send the same submission to all of us simultaneously. A rejection from one of us should be considered a pass from the agency. Please do not resubmit that same project to another agent. We do not accept submissions via snail mail or social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.). Any submissions sent this way will not be responded to.

Thank you. We appreciate your interest in our agency and consideration of our submission guidelines.