In an article I wrote recently for GROG Blog about my experience with illustration notes with THOMAS JEFFERSON’S BATTLE FOR SCIENCE, my look back over the editorial revision process showed that when the text was clarified, the notes weren’t needed. In this post, Maria Marianayagam shares a very different experience. Once again, there are no hard and fast rules. Each manuscript is different, each experience is different. And the points Maria leaves us with are valuable in any situation.
GIVEAWAY! Maria is offering the choice of a signed copy of THE AMAZING POWER OF GIRLS or a 20-minute “Ask Me Anything” to one randomly chosen person who leaves a comment below.
Congratulations to Cindy Boyll, winner of CAN YOU HEAR THE PLANTS SPEAK? from Julia Wasson!
Why Art Notes Can Make or Break a Manuscript
by Maria Marianayagam 
I would love to say that my debut picture book, THE AMAZING POWER OF GIRLS, was sent out on submission and then was immediately picked up in a 20-house auction. Wouldn’t that have been easy?
It would have been.
But it wouldn’t have been a great story. And we’re all here for great stories, right? So, let me tell you one.
We went out with I am a Force (now titled The Amazing Power of Girls) in early 2021. Over the course of about two and a half months, passes trickled in, and by the end, we had about half passes and half no-responses.
The great thing was that although many editors were passing, they were saying nice things about the writing.
“The writing is lovely.”
“I hope you’ll keep me in mind for future projects by Maria Marianayagam– she is very talented!”
“I’m really drawn in by Maria’s writing…I’d love to see more from Maria in the future!”
But they were also saying things like…
“I had some trouble picturing the illustrations”
“I had a hard time envisioning it.”
“I don’t have a vision for this as a picture book.”
So, Alice, my former agent, and I went back to the drawing board.
In the picture book world, one of the “rules” is to not use art notes in your manuscript, or if you must, use them sparingly. And as a result, in this picture book, I had maybe one illustration note in my original submission.
But, as I was reading the feedback, it became clear that visualizing the text was an issue. For a bit of background, in this picture book, each girl is personified as a force—gravity, buoyancy, friction, tension, etc. Every line describes the girl and also describes what the force can do. For example, “I am gravity, pulling you in undeniably.” Gravity pulls you in. A girl can also pull you in.
So, I did what no picture book teacher would ever recommend—I filled my manuscript with suggested illustration notes. I showed how every line could be illustrated to demonstrate both aspects. Using the example above, I said, “Suggested Illo Note: a girl throws her younger sibling in the air and is waiting to catch him/her.” (Skylar White, my brilliant illustrator, found other ways to illustrate this when it finally was passed on to her.)
The other thing Alice and I did was make it clear why this book mattered. We stated in our pitch letter that “Maria is passionate about encouraging girls to enter STEM fields. Recent studies show women comprise only 28% of the science and engineering workforce; studies indicate early communication of STEM concepts by parents/teachers can directly increase this number.”
When we were done with these changes, Alice happened to have a call with a small publisher and after they showed interest in the pitch, she sent it over to them.
They loved it! She received a note right away, from the owner no less, that an offer was coming!! YAY!!!
Until they reneged the offer the following week.
Now, I’m not saying this happens very often. I’d like to hope it doesn’t. But, for whatever reason, their marketing team wasn’t on board and the offer fell through.
As disappointing as it was, I felt peace with this outcome. I had faith that if one publisher liked it, maybe another would too.
So, went out on sub again. And…
Heard a response minutes after sending it out—an editor said they were taking it to their editorial meeting. Agents like to keep other editors abreast of the status of the manuscript, so Alice told the others. And they responded right away, too! And over the next week, other editors considered and brought the manuscript to acquisitions.
And then The Amazing Power of Girls sold. In a pre-empt. Alleluia!
LESSONS LEARNED…
- Listen and consider the feedback you are receiving.
- The rules can be broken. A clear manuscript is more important than no art notes.
- Know what makes your book special/unique.
- Heartbreak happens.
- Have faith. Keep at it.
Don’t forget to leave a comment below to get in on the GIVEAWAY for a copy of THE AMAZING POWER OF GIRLS or a 20-min AMA.
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Beth Anderson, Children's Writer 
Maria,
Thank you so much for sharing your experience with your debut.
I especially appreciate your lesson learned: “A clear manuscript is more important than no art notes.”
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So fascinating and helpful to hear this, Maria. Congrats on THE AMAZING POWER OF GIRLS! I’m super excited to check it out.
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As a retired teacher who promoted STEM in her classroom – and continues to do so while volunteering – I am very excited about this book. As a writer – I am pleased to learn from your experience.
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I read this book and had wondered if there were any art notes! It’s wonderful, btw. Congratulations, Maria! Thanks for answering my question. I agree wholeheartedly with you.
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Thank you for sharing your book’s journey to publication. You had such huge disappointments but I’m so happy your book finally found a home. I would love to win a copy to read and review.
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This is really instructive. Like the opening reference of Thomas Jefferson’s Battle For Science, I would take these reactions as a sign that my text needed work; I figure editors are such pros that if the language is there, they would most certainly be able to envision the illustration possibilities. Thank you, Maria and Beth, for this alternative experience.
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Congrats, Maria! A lot of persistence and creative maneuvering paid off! I had a similar experience with a MS that sold after many “I don’t have a vision” replies. A CP who’s an illustrator created an “inspiration board” for the MS and my agent sent it to an editor who loved the MS but struggled to see how it could be illustrated. Voilá! It worked! Sometimes, you have to break the rules to succeed. Congrats again, Maria!! It’s a beautiful book!
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What a wonderful outcome, Maria and thank you for sharing your experience. I recently had a hard rejection when my agent and I were told to expect an offer but then at acquisitions, other stakeholders weren’t sharing the same vision as the editors. Your story journey resonates with me and is so encouraging – so thank you! Adding art notes and also your personal objectives in your submission letter are two great things I will remember. Congratulations on your beautiful book!
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