publishers
WE IMAGINE DIFFERENTLY
Storymix is in the business of inclusive children’s fiction. We produce high-quality, high-concept stories that centre a diverse cast of characters in fantastical settings and thrilling plots. Our work with publishers meaningfully increases the number of diverse titles published each year.
Become part of that change today.
why we need diverse books
One in every three books sold in the UK is a children’s book, with the UK print book market seeing its ninth year of consecutive growth. Whilst the number of published books featuring a Minority Ethnic character has risen from just 4% in 2017 to 20% in 2021, only 9% of these books centred a Minority Ethnic main character in 2021.
According to the last census, ethnic diversity has risen from 8% of the UK population to 18%. In London, that figure is already over 40% – and projected to grow to 30% across the UK by 2050.
In schools, the latest statistics show that a total of 34.5% of pupils are from a Minority Ethnic background.
This population is still not sufficiently represented in the books published for children, and many book-buying consumers are frustrated by this. Storymix helps publishers address this frustration by crafting blockbuster books that change the conversation.
“We jumped at the chance to work with Jasmine and the Storymix team back in 2020 with FUTURE HERO, which arrived on submission with the clearest and most compelling of pitches and the promise of top notch writers to work with. Jasmine is laser-focussed on child-friendly storytelling with much needed diverse representation at its heart and has been a huge pleasure to work with on this series’ launch: it has been such a collaborative and creative and rewarding experience for us all at Scholastic.”
Lauren Fortune, Fiction Publisher at Scholastic UK
publishers we work with
collaborating with storymix
Publishers can work with Storymix in two different ways:
Method 1: The Pitched Project
Storymix will go out on submission with concept produced in-house by our skilled team of editors and storyliners. This pitch will include a series proposal, character profiles, a detailed chapter breakdown and sample chapters written by a creative we have been working with.
A key element of a Storymix proposition is the writer or illustrator we attach to a project. We commission writing or illustration samples based on our original storylines from creatives of colour in our database. We find the perfect distinctive, memorable and authentic voice or style to bring our concepts to life.
Once a publisher acquires a project, a contract will be negotiated between Storymix and the publisher. Storymix will then commission the chosen writer to write a full manuscript. This is the same for an illustrator on an illustrator-led project. When you acquire a project from Storymix, you are not just buying the IP, but also our editorial time and expertise to deliver that story.
It is our mission to nurture, develop and launch (or even relaunch) talent from racially-minoritized backgrounds. We work with both experienced and up-and-coming writers and illustrators who may be at different stages of their careers: published, self-published, unpublished; agented or unagented. Storymix supports its writers and illustrators with an apprenticeship-style experience, allowing them to gain experience, network with industry professionals, and develop their craft while being paid for their work. Our experienced team of in-house editors will be with them every step of the way, providing them with invaluable support and editorial guidance.
Method 2 - INCUBATE WITH US
Storymix will present a slate of ideas as topline pitches based on a wish list of genre and age range shared by the publisher in advance. The publisher will be given the opportunity to choose an idea to develop in collaboration with Storymix, becoming an early exclusive partner to the series.
Similar to the way treatments are developed for television, the publisher will be asked to contribute a development fee to Storymix.
This development fee guarantees the publisher exclusivity, while also according them a greater degree of input in the development of the concept from an early stage.
Storymix will be responsible for the development of the series in-house. A skilled team of editors and storyliners will work together, with input from the publisher, to create fantastical worlds and thrilling plots that centre children of colour at the heart of the story.
Once a concept is approved, a detailed storyline will be written. Storymix will commission writing samples based on this storyline from its database of creators.
Payment structures – and the expectation to work for free – are commonly cited as a barrier to entering children’s fiction by creators from underrepresented communities. The development fee paid by the publisher ensures creators can be paid to sample for work.
Once the project is greenlit by the publisher, a contract will be negotiated and signed, with World Rights guaranteed as part of the deal. The chosen writer will be commissioned to write a full manuscript, with in-house editorial support from Storymix.
Proposals not greenlit remain with Storymix.
