Matching Your Manuscript to Publisher and Editor

It can be maddening matching your manuscript to the right publisher, and even harder to the right editor. I encountered this again while deciding between two picture books to send a particular publisher, a normally closed house, but one where I managed to meet the editor at a conference.

That doesn't solve my dilemma. This house publishes a lot of easy readers, focusing largely on books for boys. Check. I can do that. But they also love dialogue-friendly stories, and only one of my two choices falls into that category, and it's not, by definition, and easy reader. None of the usual repetitive phrases that drive home a point and teach word structure and usage. I could be splitting the difference here, but, as always, I want to get this choice right.

It may come down to a gut choice, or even, as sometimes happens, the one with the best pitch – in this case, the story told entirely in dialogue and illustrations. Unfortunately, the other one is probably a better piece. Ahh, the dilemma!*

In the meantime, while I pore over details a five year old won't use to decide his favorite story (but that are still very important to make everything just right), here's a list of considerations when picking a publisher or editor to pitch.

Submitting to a Publisher

1. Do they publish authors you like? Probably the most common trick, but one often overlooked. Find out who publishes your favorite author.
2. Are there similarities between your work and theirs? Just because they publish your favorite author, do they publish work like yours? That is, is your work really similar to your favorite authors’? I love Faulkner, but I don’t write what he wrote. Find work similar in theme, style, voice, etc., and approach those publishers.
3. What to they publish most? A big house may publish everything, a small house a select line. Just because they publish everything from board books to young adult doesn’t mean they don’t have a preference.
4. Books for Boys or Girls? Are there more boy books or girl books? Most houses publish some of both and certain books can be for either, but is there more of one than the other?
5. Age range? Sure picture books are for younger children than middle grade and so on, but even those genres are divided into ever-increasing niche markets. Is your middle grade for 8-12 year olds or 10-14 year olds? Is your YA for 13-16 or 15-18, and so on. Even picture books can 2-6 or 4-8. Marketing has been doing this for years; publishing has caught up.
6. Voice? Are most stories first person or third? Dialogue or text heavy? Present tense or past? Male or female narrator? Clipped sentences or lengthy literature? Try to match up wherever you can. Don't change your style to match theirs. After all, you need an original voice or you'll never get published. You just want to be close to a given house's history

And with that said, stick to what they've published in the past few years. Publishing, like the digital world, is getting a shorter history. Two years can be out of date.

Submitting to an Editor

Once you have a publisher or two picked out, you'll need to submit to a particular editor. Sending it to Dear Editor is a sure trip to the bottom of the slush pile. The very bottom. Of course, particular editors have particular tastes. Agents know these and follow these, but like researching a publisher, you have to rely on old-fashioned leg work (and by old-fashioned I mean the Internet). Find interviews with them, blogs they write, tweets they send, podcasts they've joined, and most importantly, conferences. Some editors are virtually anonymous on the web, but most do conferences and they come with one important answer:

“So what are you looking for?”

They hear it a hundred times. They have an answer prepared. When you approach them, be prepared, too. Explain why you think your work is right for them. Do your homework!

And good luck.

*Briefly discussed in my post Balzer and Bray on the Brain

After a Week Back from Pocono SCBWI

I’ve been back from Pocono SCBWI for a week, with little time to blog. More on why in a moment.

The weather in the Poconos was fit for football, even if we were talking baseball. And writing. Lots and lots of writing. Which is good. Pocono is a well-run and impressive workshop for children’s book writers. Located a little less than an hour from where I grew up, ten minutes from a place where I’ve performed, and 20 minutes from where my parents took their honeymoon, Shawnee on Delaware, PA, feels like home to me. That helps. Always good to feel at home.

The 2011 faculty was impressive, with two of my favorite editors in attendance: Dianne Hess (Scholastic) and Ruta Rimas (Balzer + Bray). Agents Jennifer Rofé (Andrea Brown) and John Rudolph (Dystel), plus editors Robert Agis (Sterling ) and Liesa Abrams (Aladdin), joined them. In between speeches and presentations, I had a lengthy conversation with Eastern PA Resident Adviser Francesca Amedolia on writing, conferences, and her writing theories (which are both entertaining and accurate!). I also had a great time talking with writers like Laura Weller, Kevin Sheridan and Wendy Latty, all of whom impressed me with a wide variety of talent (YA, non-fiction, and art). I also ran into fellow Eastern NY SCBWI members Karen Orloff and Ruth Roberts (we get everywhere!).

Pocono also does a great job at diversion, with repeated parties, auctions, and other events to network. More importantly, this year's auction proceeds were split with the Japanese chapter of SCBWI to help with earthquake and tsunami relief efforts.

Pocono SCBWI Highlights (for me):

1. I attended Dianne Hess' presentation on what she's looking for at Scholastic. OK, so she didn't specifically say my book, but that's what I heard. Actually, Dianne did say she'd get to Spaghettisburg and The Bossy Witch (both of which she requested earlier this year) soon. I also found out Dianne's a vegetarian. I share this nonwriting tidbit because I always like meeting fellow vegetarians and promoting the cause.
2. I attended two sessions with Jennifer Rofé, back to back. The one on book marketing was the most helpful for me (I will write up some of what I learned in a future post. No, really. I promise). The presentations had an informal feel to them, and she has great energy. Really dynamic, that way. Her 5 years as a school teacher showed. Her session on Editing With an Agent was a bit less helpful to me, but only because I'm in the middle of doing that now. That said, it was great to get another perspective on it.
3. Sid Fleischman Humor Award Winner Donna Gephart (How to Survive Middle School) gave an interactive workshop on writing quirky and humorous characters. Largely aimed at YA and middle-grade authors, I thought it wouldn't help me much. I mean, I did stand-up for 20 years and can write a joke, and I don't write YA or MG. Yeah, I thought that right up until...
4. I met with Ruta Rimas Saturday night. She paid my writing a great many compliments, but for the moment is passing on Leaping Lemmings (at least until I can get an agent to submit it for me). I won't go into great detail, but at least the story is still on the table (thankfully!). Ruta then wondered if I ever considered middle grade. No, no I haven't Well, not until the drive home. Four hours is a long time to kill in a car, so I began crafting a middle grade story. Title, main character, beginning and ending. Working on the rest now. And one of the big reasons I haven't blogged. Only so much time, and stories take precedence. Particularly if there's an opening for it.

What I like most about Pocono is that it is workshop heavy; a chance for writers to learn, or at least sharpen, their craft. I may go back next year. We'll see. In the meantime, I'm considering their November event in Gettysburg (a town I love, by the way. Hey, I have Spaghettisburg ready to go!).

And I'm ready to go, too. I'll leave you with these positive words from Ruta.

Ruta: “Children's publishing is a small community.”

Me: “I know. And I want to get in.”

Ruta. “You will. You definitely will.”

I hope she's right, whether that be with my first love – picture books – or perhaps a new love, middle grade. There's no timeline, I guess, just a goal line. I'm still inside the one, inching ever closer. I just don't want to fumble...

Highlights of the Empire State Book Festival

The 2nd annual Empire State Book Festival escaped bad weather but not poor attendance. At least it appeared that way; I suppose we'll have to wait for official numbers.

Which is too bad. There were plenty of great authors in attendance, including Ann Martin (of The Baby-Sitters Club), who gave the opening remarks, and Rosanne Cash, who gave the keynote address. In between there was plenty to do, for book buyers, lit lovers, and aspiring authors.

Empire State Book Festival Highlights

My own personal list:

1. The Illustrator's Panel. Artists discussed their approach to picture books in the Picture This presentation. Featuring Julia Gorton, Daniel Kirk and Steven Petruccio (and a host of technical problems), I found this the most informative of all the panels I attended. Julia Gorton is probably the most experimental of the three, and Steven Petruccio's rich, detailed work impressed me greatly. I've long been a fan of Daniel Kirk's Library Mouse books. I found his approach to his work similar to mine, even if his art is far better. But then that's why I attended this panel.
2. Words Come First. A panel featuring two writers (Susanna Hill and Amy Axelrod) and one writer-illustrator (Iza Trapani, who I saw last year), on the idea that story comes first. And while there are some exceptions to this (Mo Willems created the drawing of Pigeon before he ever wrote a word), I generally agree with the premise here. The writer writes and the illustrator gives it added life. Examples of artistic disagreements and wonderful working relationships abounded. Spoke briefly with Susanna Hill afterword, because I like both Punxsutawney Phyllis and Can't Sleep Without Sheep. Looking forward to getting her new book April Fool, Phyllis.
3. Rosanne Cash. Her speech was heartfelt but also full of a seasoned performer's tricks (audience participation, a brief break into song, etc. -- plenty of ways to keep people engaged). Best of all, she didn't use a PowerPoint presentation. Authors always seem to rely on visual gimmickry rather than words to hold their audience. Long been a pet peeve of mine, and I often wonder, should my writing career gets to the point where I'm doing presentations, if I'd rely on such technology. Have audiences come to rely on it, too? Can the power of words alone hold them? Is there a fresh way to do this? Or like Rosanne, would I rely on the tricks of a seasoned performer? Great to watch her work.
4. SCBWI Members. Ran into a few Eastern New York SCBWI members, some presenting, some buying, all supporting each other. Picked up a copy of Liza Frenette's Dead End, and spoke briefly with Coleen Praratore (hopefully you'll soon see her The Wedding Planner's Daughter as a TV movie). I also greatly enjoyed talking with young adult writer Eric Luper and getting his thoughts on my agent situation, the business, etc. I'm forging relations with some of the same people with whom he regularly works. Eric graciously answered my questions, and I guarantee I will be picking up a copy of his newest book, Jeremy Bender and the Cupcake Cadets when it comes out in May. It will be a summer reading project for Johnny K.

While I still believe the Empire State Book Festival is a worthwhile cause, it was not without its problems. Authors only receive one hour to sign books, a move perhaps limited by space, but one that seemed to frustrate some of them. They would have gladly enjoyed staying throughout the day to meet readers and fans, and still take time off to do their presentations. This is the way most book festivals operate, so rather odd that this one does not. Also, some authors are scheduled to sign books after the keynote address. A keynote speech generally means THE END, so walking down the hallway afterward was depressing. The booksellers and vendors had all packed up, making the Egg feel deserted. A long line waited to see Rosanne Cash, but the other authors were largely ignored. Some earlier authors had signings schedule right after their presentations (which makes sense), but others did not. There was no feeling of immediacy, of striking while the iron is hot.

All in all, I like this festival. The talent is amazing, the vendors varied, non-profits are encouraged to attend (had a wonderful time chatting with The Children's Literacy Connection), and it's great for downtown Albany, but a few kinks need to be worked out. Hopefully come season three.

I'll be there.

THE END

Today Show Snookers Children's Books

In a bizarre decision, the Today show decided to abandon a more than decades-long tradition of interviewing the Caldecott and Newberry Medal winners after the prizes were awarded. Producers decided to go in a slightly more controversial direction and pick someone less representative of their audience and more representative of the Jersey Shore... actually The Jersey Shore -- Snooki. Now, I have nothing against Ms. Polizzi, or her appearing on the show. She needs an audience and they need ratings, but really, NBC -- in place of two talented authors (Clare Vanderpool and Erin Stead) who serve much of what your viewers find worthwhile -- their children and grandchildren?

I'm trying to guess the Today show's logic...

1. Producers figure Snooki's audience is still up from the night before.
2. She reads at a YA level.
3. With a name like Snooki, it has to be good.
4. It's tough to change channels when you're getting the kids on the bus.
5. They thought "Snooki" was an actual children's book character.
6. Ms. Vanderpool and Ms. Stead won't punch you in the face if they get canceled.

I'm sure the producers had their reasons, and I'm sure it comes down to money and "exciting television," because Ms. Polizzi, who is also promoting a book, will be more outrageous (and less educational). I think they call it "interesting,". Still, class, culture, and top-notch writing deserve a place on television, mainstream television, not just in spots reserved for PBS and niche channels on the upper end of the broadband. I hope Today reconsiders its decision and quickly books award-winning authors Clare Vanderpool and Erin Stead rather than lightweight, orange-toned pugilists who step from the pages of overwrought fiction and very bad television.

Hey, that's it! Maybe the producers grabbed Snooki as a cautionary tale... a chance to feel better about yourself before breakfast... or a reminder to have carrot juice in the morning... or...

SCBWI has taken to writing The New York Times and The Los Angeles Times to get these authors rescheduled. Here's hoping the Today show does it. To read more about it (in a serious vein), visit SCBWI's home page.