Hello all, my name is Marvin. I am a freelance writer from Mobile, AL.
I have written or have assisted in writing musicals for children and
youth on and off for several years. I am considering writing something
and trying to have it published. The main difference between what I
used to do and what I am planning on doing is this: In the past I
always used established music. Now that I am writing something to be
submitted for publication, do I have to find a writer/composer to
colaborate with or will whatever publishing company I submit it to
(Intergrity, for example) handle that end of it. I can give examples of
what type of song I would like to use and where to place it but that's
about my extent on writing music.

If anyone here has any frame of reference on how to approach this
please let me know.

Marvin Morley

Marvin:
Go to the publisher's web site and read their submission guidelines. Most are using a stable of writers they like these days. Join a Children's Music Writing group online.Go to writing conferences where you actually meet the people. There is a Christian Songwriter's Conference every summer at the YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park, Colorado that is outstanding and the subject of children's musicals is covered quite well. You'd meet all the great musical writers. That is how you learn the inside information crucial to getting published.

If you are not a professional musician, or established songwriter, they will probably not want you to try to write the music.
But if you do have good songwriting skills, they may want to see a music sample, so you'd have to have a very good sounding CD of three or four songs to show them--nothing that shouts amateur.
I've written a number of songs and a couple of musicals through the years and I've had a few songs published and recorded, but not a children's musical, although I have written a couple of those as well.
Deborah
www.deborahdunn.com

In a message dated 11/27/06 03:20:18 Eastern Standard Time, mmorle...@gmail.com writes:

Hello all, my name is Marvin. I am a freelance writer from Mobile, AL.
I have written or have assisted in writing musicals for children and
youth on and off for several years. I am considering writing something
and trying to have it published. The main difference between what I
used to do and what I am planning on doing is this: In the past I
always used established music. Now that I am writing something to be
submitted for publication, do I have to find a writer/composer to
colaborate with or will whatever publishing company I submit it to
(Intergrity, for example) handle that end of it. I can give examples of
what type of song I would like to use and where to place it but that's
about my extent on writing music.

If anyone here has any frame of reference on how to approach this
please let me know.

Marvin Morley