Writer's Guidelines

An exciting new opportunity for children's writers

Publication in Parents and Children Together Online offers children's writers and illustrators an unprecedented audience for their work. The Worldwide Web is growing every day, and prospective readers of our magazine include parents, educators, and those in the literary and publishing fields. We can offer our authors valuable exposure to these readers.

What we are looking for

The primary goal of Parents and Children Together Online magazine is to further the cause of family literacy by bringing parents and children together through the magic of reading. We welcome submissions in the following areas:

  • Stories and Other Fiction for Children (Preschool to Eighth Grade)

  • Poetry for Children (Preschool to Eighth Grade)

  • Informational Articles for Children (Preschool to Eighth Grade)

  • Resources for Parents

  • Reviews of Children's Literature

  • Reviews of Publications of Interest to Parents

Manuscript submissions that include accompanying artwork or photography are especially welcome. We also invite artists and photographers to submit work, either in combination with a manuscript submission or on its own. Please send us photocopies or an electronic version-NO ORIGINALS!

Specific guidelines for children's poems, stories, and other fiction

The guidelines below are meant to help you better understand the types of work we publish. You may also want to review the previous issues on our website or order a sample print version of one of our back issues.

  1. Make your stories enjoyable to both parents and children

  2. Correct grammar and syntax are important, but keep them true to contexts and characters. We wish to model standard English language, as well as promote linguistic diversity.

  3. We welcome submissions of various genres, such as re-told folktales from different cultures, stories for beginning readers, life stories from one's childhood experience, and fantasy/science fiction.

  4. We are flexible about the length of poems and stories we publish, but request that submissions not exceed 5,000 words.

Specific guidelines for Informational articles

  1. We would like to receive articles on a wide variety of topics, especially those that help expand children's understanding of lives of other people and different places.

  2. We particularly invite articles that provide illustrations or photographs.

  3. Please ensure your information is accurate. While we do not require references to be cited, please indicate what resources you have used within or at the end of the text.

Materials for Parents

We invite practical tips, resources, and materials from parents to parents. We have found that materials that enable parents to assist their children's literacy learning at home and their adjustment to school life are very much appreciated.

Format for submissions

We welcome contributions from our readers. As Parents and Children Together Online is an online magazine, we recommend that contributions be submitted in electronic form, via email. You can simply cut and paste your manuscript into the email message or you can send the manuscript via an attached file. Attached files can be in Word or Wordperfect format and can be created on either Mac or Windows machines. If you use Microsoft Works or Claris or Apple Works, you should save your document in Text-Only or Rich Text Format before attaching it. If you have any art or photographs that you'd like to include, please scan them in and send them as attached files in Photoshop format (preferred) or JPEG format. (If you don't have a scanner, your local Kinkos or photo processor should be able to scan them for you). If the artwork or photograph is not created by you, please include a statement saying that the artist/photographer has given you (and the Clearinghouse on Reading) permission to use his/her work, and you need to include their contact information (including phone number and email address, if available). If you send your manuscript to us in print format, please use the address at the bottom of the page and include a self-addressed and stamped envelope if you want us to return your manuscript. Please note that submitting your work in print format may slow our review process.

Other information

  1. We accept manuscripts throughout the year. The number of issues we publish each year depends upon the quality and quantity of the submissions we receive.

  2. We reserve the right to edit the content and the length of a submitted work. If you do not wish your work to be edited, please state it when you submit your article or stories.

  3. Your name will appear on the directory listing of stories and the story itself, along with your email address if you request it.

  4. We freely allow our authors permission to reprint their stories in any other format, be it in book, magazine or online form. A story's publication in Parents and Children Together Online does not preclude its future publication in print form by another magazine.

  5. We cannot, at this time, offer payment for the publication of your manuscript, or the use of any graphic content such as photographs or illustrations. All we can offer is a wide audience for your work.

To submit work, order a sample copy or receive further information

1) E-mail us at reading@indiana.edu
2) Order a sample copy or request further information.
3) ) If you decide to submit your manuscript by regular postal mail, please send the manuscript to:
Parents and Children Together Online
c/o Mei-Yu Lu, Editor
2805 E. 10th Street, Suite #140
Indiana University
Bloomington, IN 47408-2698
Clearinghouse on Reading
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Dr. Carl B. Smith, Professor