I have been working on a story (still at the beginning) and I just need some names or company names of book publishers. And the thing is, my story is not too kid-friendly, mainly because of some violence and stuff. Would Scholastic work? Or is that too much of a kid-friendly company? I appreciate any answers. And just so you people know, I just want to plan ahead and gather information so when my story is finished, I can start looking right away.

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Believe me you have lots of time. You can finish your manuscript then submit query letters (not the manuscript) or you can send a query letter now. However, you need to write a synopsis and story outline if you haven't already done so. Either way do the basic steps: 1) Go through Writer's Market and list all agents and publishers who handle your genre. 2) Send a query letter to each listing following their submission guidelines to the letter. ***go online to their site to get their up-to-date guidelines and the current person's name to address your query.*** 3) Prepare to receive reams of rejection letters and don't take them personally. They're not. 4) Don't give up. I recommend finishing your story first, or at least a few chapters, because anyone interested will want to see a sample of your work. Wishing you the best of luck with your writing, Gary Anderson

Yes, you need to finish the story before you even contemplate contacting an agent or a publisher. I recommend going to the public library and using the Literary Market Place or the Writers Market and searching for publishers and/or agents that specialize in the genre you're book falls into. It never hurts to have some ideas on where you will make your submissions when the book is finished. However, beginning this early in the game is pointless because things change so much in this industry that a publisher or an agent you earmark now could be out of business by the time your manuscript is completed, or they could have changed markets, be closed to submissions, etc. Put all your time and energy into completing the work, then look for agents/publishers. When it does come time to submitting your work, always follow the submissions guidelines to the their specifications, not yours. The first mark of an amateur is not paying any attention to what they want in a submission package. Nearly all agents/publishers will pass on query letters regarding incomplete work. They get submissions from literally hundreds of places who are marketing completed works, that they simply have no time to bother with a work that's not yet written. Another place for you to look is the Preditors&Editors web site. They have a great listing of agents and publishers. Best wishes to you on your writing endeavors! :o)

Okay, good. Glad you added that last part because I was going to say that you shouldn't query publishers until you have finished it because if they ask for the complete manuscript, they aren't going to remember they asked for it by the time you finish it months from now. You can look up publishers in Writer's Market books. They sell them in Barnes & Nobles. Make sure you get the most updated version: 2007, of course. You can also look for recommended agents at www.aar-online.com. It's good you're researching ahead of time. But remember: finish it first!