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| Frequently Asked Questions | Join CANSCAIP | CANSCAIP Meetings | Buy CANSCAIP | Contact Us | |
Frequently Asked QuestionsGot a question? Send it in and we'll post an answer here!1. About CANSCAIP 1.1 What is CANSCAIP? 2. Getting Published 2.1 How do I get published? 3. CANSCAIP Website Questions 3.1 Can I put up my biographical/bibliographical information on the CANSCAIP site? 1. About CANSCAIP1.1 What is CANSCAIP?The Canadian Society of Children's Authors, Illustrators, and Performers (CANSCAIP) is a group of professionals in the field of children's culture with members from all parts of Canada. For over twenty years, CANSCAIP has been instrumental in the support and promotion of children's literature through newsletters, workshops, meetings and other information programs for authors, parents, teachers, librarians, publishers, and others. CANSCAIP also has over 500 friends – teachers, librarians, parents and others – who are also interested in aspects of children's books, illustrations and performances. 1.2 How do I contact CANSCAIP?Our snailmail and email addresses and telephone number can be found here. CANSCAIP Executive:President: Deb Loughead 1.3 What is CANSCAIP's history?CANSCAIP (The Canadian Society of Children's Authors, Illustrators, and Performers) grew out of a Canada Day Conference organized in 1977 by the Port Colborne Public Library. Eleven artists – writers Claire Mackay, Jean Little, Madeline Freeman, Audrey McKim, Madeline Kronby, Bert Williams, Mike Wilkins, and Nancy Cleaver; illustrators Alan Daniel and J. Merle Smith; and performer Claude X. (now C. Sam) LaBrecque – had been invited to share their expertise with the children of the town. Many were strangers to each other; all realized they needed (and wanted) to know others working in their field. Out of this need for professional stimulation, a support group was born. This group now comprises over 400 professional members and is growing month by month. From the beginning, we of CANSCAIP have seen ourselves as a group that provides support, collegial companionship, and information about the larger world of creative endeavor. We offer this through a quarterly newsletter which serves as a life-line for our Canada-wide organization, through local meetings (currently in Toronto and Calgary/Edmonton), and through seminars at our annual professional development conference, "Packaging Your Imagination" (Toronto). Our performers have showcased their work in two group concerts, and our illustrators have mounted a highly successful travelling art show: The CANSCAIP Collection, original art from picture books, has crossed Canada from Halifax to Vancouver. As well as offering support to our professional Members, we have always included our partners in reaching children – librarians, teachers, parents, emerging creators and publishers. Through an associate membership category called Friends, they can receive the newsletter, attend our meetings and access resources in our password-protected Friends section of the CANSCAIP website. As of September 2006, CANSCAIP has over 500 Friends. 1.4 What are the benefits of joining CANSCAIP?Benefits of joining CANSCAIP can be found here. 1.5 How do I join CANSCAIP?Membership information can be found here. 1.6 I'm already a Member/Friend. How can I get more involved in CANSCAIP?We always need more people to volunteer their time! Contact anyone on our friendly Executive to see what you can contribute! 1.7 Why doesn't CANSCAIP accept self-published authors/illustrators as Members?This ruling may seem somewhat unfair towards self-published creators, especially with today's improving desktop publishing technology. Unfortunately, CANSCAIP lacks the resources to individually assess a candidate's work. Getting published by a recognized publisher or distributed by a recognized distributor is a reasonably objective benchmark of production and (especially) editorial quality. Self-published creators are welcome to join as Friends of CANSCAIP. 2. Getting Published2.1 How do I get published?There is an appropriate protocol for submitting a manuscript or artist's portfolio to a Canadian publisher. CANSCAIP Friends can access the area of our web site which features many articles by children's book experts and published authors and illustrators about different aspects of Canadian children's publishing. Beginners in the field will also be interested in the "To Market, To Market" section of our newsletter where publishers advertise calls for manuscript and portfolio submissions. CANSCAIP recommends the Get Published! Kit produced by The Canadian Children's Book Centre which goes over basic information about agents, cover letters, query letters, manuscript submissions, and Canadian publishers currently accepting unsolicited manuscripts. The CCBC also has an illustrator's bank that is periodically reviewed by publishers. Visit the CCBC web site at www.bookcentre.ca 2.2 How hard is it for a first-timer to get a children's book published in Canada?Hard. One publisher reports getting 2,000 unsolicited manuscripts a year. However, each year they only published an average of one or two first-time authors. Because the number of unsolicited manuscripts a publisher receives is higher in children's publishing, it is actually more difficult, from a statistical point of view, to get a children's book published than an adult book. However, there are always success stories. Also, even though children's publishers get more submissions, they are also more likely to publish a first-time or non-agented writer than other publishers are. 2.3 How can I get my manuscript evaluated?The Writer's Union of Canada has a manuscript evaluation service (for a fee). It is also a good idea to check out writing classes in your area. Or form a writer's group! 2.4 I've written a children's book. Should I hire an illustrator?Generally, no. Publishers prefer to match up a text to an illustrator of their own choosing. For marketing reasons, they may prefer to pair a first-time author with a more established illustrator. Usually, an author sends a manuscript for consideration and an illustrator sends a portfolio of varied work that the publisher will have on file to consider when a new manuscript is chosen for publication. 2.5 How do I negotiate a contract?If you are an illustrator, CANSCAIP has a booklet called What to Look for in Your Illustrator Contract. This booklet is free to Members, $2 for Friends and $4 for the general public. Send cheque or money order to CANSCAIP, Illustrator Contract, 104-40 Orchard View Blvd. Toronto, ON M4R 1B9. Sample contracts and an information package can also be purchased from The Writer's Union of Canada. The Writer's Union will also negotiate your contract for you for a fee. 3. CANSCAIP Website Questions3.1 Can I put up my biographical/bibliographical information on the CANSCAIP site?Yes! All Members are offered a space to present their biographies and bibliographies, along with other pertinent professional data. 3.2 How do I post my listing?Simply go to the Member Biography Updates page for the online form, and follow the directions there. 3.3 How often are the CANSCAIP Membership List listings updated?The members' list is updated 4 times a year at the turning of the seasons. Your deadline is the solstice or equinox, post time will depend on the current workload of the webmaster. But don't leave it to that deadline, sometimes things are updated more often 3.4 Why isn't my name up on the CANSCAIP Membership by Region/Membership by Craft/Visits List(s)?The CANSCAIP Membership List is updated from CANSCAIP office records as often as possible. The other lists, namely by Craft, by Region and Visits and kept based on information submitted to the Webmaster via the Member Biography Updates form. In the interests of privacy, no other information about any member is posted without their consent. If you have submitted partial information, the Webmaster will add the Member to lists based on the sumbitted information. For instance, if you do not submit any contact iinformation (address, phone number, email address), you will not be added to the Visits list, since there would be no way for potential Visit clients to contact you. 3.5 I don't want to post my address, is that okay?Absolutely. Every category is optional, with the caveat of that you can't be listed on certain lists without certain information provided, as mentioned above. 3.6 I'd like something that I submitted in my listing to be removed. Can you do that immediately?For true emergencies involving health or well-being, please contact the Webmaster as soon as possible. Kindly realize that this emergency expediting is not available for less crucial circumstances, for instance, typographical errors, bad grammar, or missed deadlines. Pressure on the Webmaster will not net you good results. 3.7 I'd don't like the format, will you please change it to the way I would like it?No. This is not a personal website, this is an organizational resource and we are trying to keep the format consistent. 3.8 Can I post pictures of all of my book covers on the site?No. Please understand that our resources do not allow for everything that you can put on your personal website. 3.9 What is the CANSCAIP Online Companion?The CANSCAIP Online Companion is the former name of the CANSCAIP Membership List. Got a question? Send it in and we'll post an answer here! |
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For website concerns, email us at webmaster@canscaip.org Last updated April 5, 2006 Site created and maintained by Doodletronics |