A short version of “The Long Story of a Little Book”

This should either discourage or encourage aspiring writers.
From May 2007 Plain Interests

Mrs. Yoder writes:
“I know of an author who could seemingly write books without effort. She sends them off to a publisher and they’re accepted. Others I know of could write stories and articles, one after the other, and editors are delighted with them.
But when you take a peek behind the scenes, you find it’s not always that easy…”
Mrs. Yoder wrote a poem about her oldest child, typed it up and sent it to Christian Light Publications.
Reject: not up to standards, they already have children’s books in process and really, it needs illustrations. (At least they gave her reasons)
She shelves it and eventually tries a little revising and sends it to Pathway Publishers.
Reject: it really needs illustrations including children and, well, their policy (strict Amish) is not to use pictures of people (too much like graven images, I think).
Back into the drawer for several years.
Mrs. Yoder the poet meets Mrs. Yoder the illustrator. She says yes if you can wait.
One year later, Mrs. Yoder gives Mrs. Yoder the illustrations. She sends poem and pictures to Christian Light Publications again.
Reject: not really up to their specs, plus, well, the Amish setting…Perhaps you could send it to Pathway?
Now Mrs. Yoder has invested time and money for the illustrations. No more sitting in a drawer. She sends it to Rod & Staff. They’d take it! But…it needs to be more of a Mennonite setting. That would mean changing both poem and pictures.
Meek, humble Mrs. Yoder sent them the ultimatum: Take it as is or please return it. They returned it.
Next she sent it to Vineyard Publications. They bought it! Seven years now since it was written. You can buy this book, all 18 pages, for $4.83 plus $1.00 postage.

What can you learn from Mrs. Yoder?
1. Who could have guessed that there are so many Amish and Mennonite Publishers and how different they are?
2. There are actually publishers who pay for poetry (well, Mrs. Yoder didn’t actually mention payment…)
3. Pick a publisher before you start to write, then write something that publisher needs.