This thread reminds me of the children's book ideas Robin Cooper sent to publishers in The Timewaster Letters, like Kelly Telly and his Smelly Belly. 
Random - Given your rave past I now understand why you like using smilies so much. (I was old skool raver 2nd summer of love and all that).
Quote: Dolly Dagger @ January 27 2009, 12:55 PM GMT2nd summer of love and all that
Whatever happened to Danny Wilson...?
I've been thinking of doing a kid's book recently. Not with any ambitions to get it published but to self publish through Lulu or Cafepress or something as a present for my daughter. I'm crap at drawing so I was going to do it all in Photoshop with actual photos of her.
Quote: Afinkawan @ January 27 2009, 2:28 PM GMTWhatever happened to Danny Wilson...?
I've been thinking of doing a kid's book recently. Not with any ambitions to get it published but to self publish through Lulu or Cafepress or something as a present for my daughter. I'm crap at drawing so I was going to do it all in Photoshop with actual photos of her.
That's a really sweet present, mate. I'd have loved something like that as a kid.
I've been writing and illustrating a Children's book lately.
(My own story and illustrations and I intend self-publishing it)
This is my second stab at Children's publishing in fact.
My first attempt a few years back had no luck with publishers,
(and to be totally honest I would never be so naive as to just
send a book idea unsolicited again – I can't say exactly why here)
Anyway the publishers weren't that interested – however an animated
Production company was – and we nearly got it commissioned – a long story
That one, but sad to say after two years it didn't make it – even with CBBC on board!),
My take on it all now is that the world has changed. We can all in theory
Self publish and market our own products. Publishers and TV companies
are having a hard time of it anyway. Some may call it 'vanity' publishing
but I call it 'Cottage Industry' and another possible revenue stream to allow me
to keep on writing. And yes I doubt there's much money in it unless you create another Winnie the Pooh etc.
( I would put in an image here...but don't know how - ?)
Quote: Nick M @ January 28 2009, 11:11 AM GMTI've been writing and illustrating a Children's book lately.
(My own story and illustrations and I intend self-publishing it)This is my second stab at Children's publishing in fact.
My first attempt a few years back had no luck with publishers,
(and to be totally honest I would never be so naive as to just
send a book idea unsolicited again – I can't say exactly why here)Anyway the publishers weren't that interested – however an animated
Production company was – and we nearly got it commissioned – a long story
That one, but sad to say after two years it didn't make it – even with CBBC on board!),My take on it all now is that the world has changed. We can all in theory
Self publish and market our own products. Publishers and TV companies
are having a hard time of it anyway. Some may call it 'vanity' publishing
but I call it 'Cottage Industry' and another possible revenue stream to allow me
to keep on writing. And yes I doubt there's much money in it unless you create another Winnie the Pooh etc.( I would put in an image here...but don't know how - ?)
Interesting reading that Nick. I've written an animation series originally pitched to CBBC, who liked it but told me to send to Cbeebies. I'm planning to do that and also adapt into a childrens' book. Are you saying there's no point sending unsolicited material or were there circumstances specific to your book?
PS Loved your 'cold calling' animation - beautifully executed and very funny. Always wondered whether they were real cold callers ?!
Sorry It was Cbeebies ...I always think of them as the same.
I would be careful sending unsolicited work...often the publishers
say not to do it anyway - and that they won't read it.
( Also you don't know WHO will read it)
However it is just as hard to get an illustration/childrens book agent interested.
It's all a bit difficult really. Im hoping self publishing will actually build
up some interest and then see if a 'real' publisher is interested.
(That's actually how short films have worked for me in past - you make them
because no one will fund them - then someone in TV see's them - likes them
and buys them/screens them - thus leading to funding to finish and pay
for the film).
Thanks for liking Cold Calling - a case in point - no one would pay
for that on 'paper' - local screening agency said no, as did broadcaster -
so I made it anyway. Fortunatly BBC Three then saw it and paid for a part of it,
allowing me to fund the film.
- I'm hoping a similair business model will help fund the childrens
books eventually.
And yes it was real Cold Caller's - hence the reason I had to legally
'beeb' out their company names. ( Which makes the film funnier anyway).
Look forward to seeing your book.
( just checked out 'Dr Twat and his paper cat' - excellent! )
Your cold calling animation is amazing! I can't help thinking this is what Fonejacker should have been like - it is way more pleasing to see someone mocking irritating cold callers than someone ringing up innocent people and mocking them. Well done to you, mate.
Thanks, glad you liked Cold Calling.
Interestingly Fonejacker came out about the same time as Cold Calling
I think. Some Synergy in the air about telephones at that time.
I must admit to liking Fonejacker when I see it. I would have loved
to have animated on it. It reminds me of the phone calls me and
my brother used to do as kids - we called them 'Phoney Phone Calls' back then.
( The guy who does the voices on FJ is a talented bugger).
Cheers
Nick
Quote: Nick M @ January 28 2009, 1:47 PM GMTThanks, glad you liked Cold Calling.
Interestingly Fonejacker came out about the same time as Cold Calling
I think. Some Synergy in the air about telephones at that time.I must admit to liking Fonejacker when I see it. I would have loved
to have animated on it. It reminds me of the phone calls me and
my brother used to do as kids - we called them 'Phoney Phone Calls' back then.
( The guy who does the voices on FJ is a talented bugger).Cheers
Nick
Would love to view your work but sadly each time I try my pc freezes, reason unknown 
Ohh,that's strange...hope it doesn't crash any other
folks PC's.
I've written two children's novels but they were more a means of testing out my skills than getting published and I created and edited a school magazine for years 7 to 9 which ran for four years.
Quote: Nick M @ January 28 2009, 11:11 AM GMTMy take on it all now is that the world has changed. We can all in theory
Self publish and market our own products. Publishers and TV companies
are having a hard time of it anyway. Some may call it 'vanity' publishing
but I call it 'Cottage Industry'
I think you may well be right long term, and certainly there are (rare) self-publishers who have succeeded in turning it into a decent income stream; but the problem seems to me to be that the large retailers have the book market pretty much sewn up, and they will want to deal with established publishing houses who can supply in the quantities they demand. That concentration of retail power limits opportunities for cottage industry publishing.
Out of interest how would you look to do it, paying out up front on a print run or publishing on demand?