FAQs
FAQs are Frequently Asked Questions. The following are questions that we get asked most frequently in email, on the phone, and at conferences. They cover everything from submitting manuscripts to getting in touch with our authors. If you don't find the answers you need here, use our contact us form to send us your question.
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| How can I get a paper catalog? |
| How can I become a Free Spirit author? |
| If I send my manuscript to Free Spirit, will an editor read it and give me feedback? |
| Are there any books on publishing that Free Spirit recommends? |
| Where can I write to a Free Spirit author? |
| Free Spirit used to publish a book that I liked, but I don’t see it in your catalog anymore. Is it out of print? |
| Can I use Free Spirit Publishing's materials in my outreach or member benefit program? |
| Can I receive a review copy of a book? |
| Are Free Spirit books available in bookstores? |
| Are Free Spirit books available in hardcover? |
| Does Free Spirit ever publish fiction, short stories, poetry, or stories about animals? |
| Is Free Spirit a religious publisher? |
| My organization is having a conference. Will Free Spirit come and exhibit? |
| Free Spirit is unable to attend my conference. Can I have some catalogs to pass out? |
| Does Free Spirit offer quantity discounts? |
| Does Free Spirit use recycled paper? |
| Who is that dog I see in the Free Spirit catalog and on your Web site? |
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| How can I get a paper catalog? |
| To request a Free Spirit catalog, click here and fill out the online request form. We’ll send you a catalog in 7 to 10 business days. Wondering if Free Spirit uses recycled paper? Click here. |
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| How can I become a Free Spirit author? |
| Free Spirit welcomes submissions from educators, mental-health professionals, child psychologists, pediatricians, youth workers, parents, childcare professionals, experienced writers, and people who care deeply about children and teens. We publish books and creative learning tools in three main areas: (1) self-help for children and teens, (2) enrichment activities for educators and youth workers, and (3) successful parenting and teaching strategies. We do not publish fiction. To find out more about our author guidelines and what Free Spirit looks for in its authors, visit our author guidelines page. |
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| If I send my manuscript to Free Spirit, will an editor read it and give me feedback? |
| Before you send us a manuscript, please read our author guidelines. If you feel that the book you’re interested in writing or have written meets those criteria, then send a proposal only. Please send a query before sending the full manuscript. Queries only, not full proposals, are accepted by email: acquisitions@freespirit.com. |
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| Are there any books on publishing that Free Spirit recommends? |
| The Literary Marketplace (LMP) is published annually and available at most libraries in their resource sections. The LMP lists reputable publishers, their areas of publishing, and contact information. There are also several annual guides that list children's book publishers and their submission criteria. These books are also available at most libraries. Finally, How to Get Happily Published by Judith Appelbaum is an excellent resource for a first-time author. |
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| Where can I write to a Free Spirit author? |
| We always love to hear from our readers and so do our authors. Please send your questions, thoughts, ideas, or feelings to our authors by emailing help4kids@freespirit.com or by sending a letter by snail mail to
Free Spirit Publishing
217 Fifth Avenue North, Suite 200
Minneapolis, MN 55401-1299
We will forward your email or letter to the appropriate author. |
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| Free Spirit used to publish a book that I liked, but I don’t see it in your catalog anymore. Is it out of print? |
| Sometimes books do go out of print and sometimes we are simply putting together a new and revised edition. If you are looking for a book that you can’t find anymore in our catalog or online, please email us at help4kids@freespirit.com or call our customer service at 1.800.735.7323, 8 a.m.–6 p.m. CST, Monday–Friday, and we’ll let you know whether the book you’re looking for is still being published. |
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| Can I use Free Spirit Publishing's materials in my outreach or member benefit program? |
| Yes! Through the years, Free Spirit has earned a national reputation as a leader in developing positive, practical, educationally sound, and pro-kid materials. Many organizations have relied on Free Spirit's award-winning content to help families and children live better lives, and to provide educators with tools for teaching and reaching kids. To find out how you can partner with Free Spirit by using our books, posters, or other products, email corporate_partnerships@freespirit.com. |
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| Can I receive a review copy of a book? |
| Members of the media can obtain a review copy by contacting our publicity department at publicity@freespirit.com. |
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| Are Free Spirit books available in bookstores? |
| Yes, Free Spirit books are carried by local independent booksellers and chain bookstores such as Barnes & Noble, Borders, Books-a-Million, etc., and from online retailers such as Amazon.com. |
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| Are Free Spirit books available in hardcover? |
| Our books (with the exception of our board books and 26 Big Things Small Hands Do) are published in paperback. Librarians may purchase library bindings of our titles through their distributors. |
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| Does Free Spirit ever publish fiction, short stories, poetry, or stories about animals? |
| No. We only publish nonfiction prose. To learn more about what we publish, click here. |
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| Is Free Spirit a religious publisher? |
| Free Spirit Publishing is a secular publisher focused on self-help for kids and teens. We encourage character education and life skills development. Our books are suitable for public, private, and faith-based schools and organizations. |
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| My organization is having a conference. Will Free Spirit come and exhibit? |
| Free Spirit attends a number of conferences every year but we are unable to attend all of them. Please send your exhibitor information by mail to 217 Fifth Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1299, by fax to 612-337-5050, or by email to help4kids@freespirit.com, and we will consider attending. |
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| Free Spirit is unable to attend my conference. Can I have some catalogs to pass out? |
| Yes. Free Spirit is happy to send you complimentary copies of our catalog for your event. Just call, email, fax, or write with the name of your organization, date of the event, number of expected attendees, and desired number of catalogs, and we will send them to you. Catalogs arrive within 7–10 business days. We appreciate your support! |
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| Does Free Spirit offer quantity discounts? |
| Yes, we offer quantity discounts for single title purchases. Order 30–99 of the same title and receive a 10% discount; order 100 or more copies of the same title and receive a 15% discount. |
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| Does Free Spirit use recycled paper? |
| It is our policy to use recycled paper stock in our catalogs whenever possible, and to use environmentally friendly soy-based inks as well. Occasionally, recycled stock is not available to us due to shortages in the paper industry, but we use it whenever we can. As a member of Green Press Initiative, Free Spirit is also committed to making books from post-consumer-content recycled paper with zero old-growth forest fiber and an environmentally friendly bleaching process. Each year, we print a higher proportion of our list on qualifying stocks. |
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| Who is that dog I see in the Free Spirit catalog and on your Web site? |
| That’s Chloe, our president Judy Galbraith’s Airedale terrier. Chloe is Free Spirit’s mascot, and since she’s in the office most days, she is also our resident mischief maker. |
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