Writing for the School Library Market

By Sue Bradford Edwards

Nonfiction writers create many types of work.  I’ve written activities for preschoolers and how-to articles for my fellow writers.  Still other writers create lesson plans, picture book biographies, and encyclopedias.  Each type of nonfiction writing requires a different skill set.  

My current focus is writing for the school library market.  Maybe this is something that would be a good fit for you.

 Diverse Interests

First things first, it is a huge help if you have a wide range of interests. My first book for this market was about the ancient Maya.  I’ve also written about puggles, Ariana Grande, cancel culture, and the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.  

When my editors contact me with the newest list of subjects, I have an easy time making one or more selections. That’s because I’m interested in so many things. I'm interested in history and anthropology, biological sciences and current events. Textile history fascinates me.  I knit, crochet, weave, and embroider.  I am about to sign up for a programming class. 

My interests and educational background have helped me explain evolution, what a drainage system is, how fracking works, and how a vaccine gives you immunity. If your interests are widespread, this field might be a good match for you.

Keen on Research

You also must love research to take on these types of books.  Periodically, an editor will suggest a resource they want me to use, but I generally find all research materials on my own.  

The types of sources I use vary by topic. When I wrote about The Who, most of my sources were published books. I pulled in books from university libraries throughout my area and also made a trip to Half Price books.  

Researching Food in Space, I combed through a variety of NASA materials. I dug through NASA’s online archives.  I read government reports. I sought out industry interviews with food scientists.

During the COVID pandemic, I wrote a book on the topic. This meant that right up until publication I was using medical sources and statistical data to update the text. If you are someone who loves to look things up, this type of writing might be for you.

Fast Drafting

Can you write over a thousand words a day? From the time I am assigned a book until I have to turn in the full manuscript can be anywhere from six weeks to three months. Often, I only have six weeks. Many of the books are 15,000 words long. This means I can’t wait for my muse to pay me a visit.

After my outline and sample chapter are approved, I get to work on the full draft. At that point, I may only have three weeks to write the full book. When I know where I am going with a chapter, I can usually write 1600 to 1800 words comfortably in one day. I don’t do this every day, but I can do it for about a week. After I revise the manuscript and take it to the right reading level, I hand it off to my editor.  Are you also a fast writer? 

A Willing Team Member

Although you will write on your own, you are also part of a team. Because these books appear in series, I am one of several authors.  

Sometimes I've had amazing ideas for book sections, but I've had to cut those ideas from my finished book.  Why?  Because the idea fit better in someone else’s title in the series.  Sometimes your book will be the one that has to make way. Other times your description of a process will be mined for use in other books in the same series. That’s what happened when I explained the process of evolution.  

Writing for the school library market, you often work with content experts and multiple editors on each book. This means that you must reconcile the comments and concerns of several different people. Finding a solution may be tricky, but I love watching my books take shape and knowing that in less than 18 months many of my books will be in the hands of teachers, librarians, and students throughout the United States.  It’s a great field if you are interested. 

Sue Bradford Edwards is a nonfiction author who lives in the St. Louis area. She has written over 80 books for the school library market. When she called her mother to say she wanted to write for children, she could actually hear her mother shrug over the phone.  “It’s about time you figured it out.” When her family travels, they look for historic sites and natural wonders. Absolutely nothing beats an alpine desert.  

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