PREPARING FOR RUTGERS ONE-ON-ONE A SECOND TIME

How did I go about preparing for this year’s Rutgers One-on-One Conference differently than last year’s? I didn’t really – except in one major way.

Last year, I was accepted after sending in a picture book manuscript. While it hasn’t been picked up yet, it opened a very nice door for me over at HarperCollins. The editor rejected it, but said she loved “everything” about the book except the main character’s species. Yes, the species. It’s a picture book, and that happens. She didn’t feel it was commercial enough (for future reference, please note that Harper loves cats, dogs, elephants, lions, etc. – animals kids already know. There’s a reason they’ve populated picture books for decades. I’ve heard this now from two editors and an agent). So she asked for a second manuscript, something “commercial.” I sent here the most blatantly commercial thing I’ve ever written. Again, she liked the story, but felt the main character isn’t strong enough to anchor a series. He’s too quiet, and not energetic or funny.

But she asked to see something else.

So I took out an old manuscript, reworked the main character a bit, and am preparing to send it to her. I’ve had editors ask me to send additional work before, but never a third time. Yeah, you can bet I’m sending it.

Rutgers opened that door for me. And that editor will be there again this year. I will find her long enough to say “hi.”

So how does that change how I’m preparing for Rutgers this year? It doesn’t, except this time I was accepted for a middle-grade manuscript. That means looking for something different in the 80 or so editors and agents in attendance. It means looking for those interested in both picture books and middle-grade books.

It’s a daunting task.

Now, editors and agents handle works of all stripes. Some love commercial, some love artsy. Some loved fast-paced and frenetic, others love quiet and introspective. They run the gamut from paranormal fantasy to issue-driven angst. I decided to quickly categorize my work according to industry definitions beyond the broad scope of genre and find editors who want that who are interested in my writing strengths.

Commercial? Check.

Funny main character? Check.

Strong hook? Check.

Fast-paced? Check.

I will only be pitching manuscripts that fit those categories. Except for overt commercialism, they’re my strengths. I’m up to the D’s on the editor/agent/mentor list, but I’ve already found three strong candidates. Even if I don’t meet them at the conference (since it can be big and unwieldy), I know I’ll be submitting to them afterward. Immediately afterward.

In the meantime, I’ll get to say hi to a very helpful editor from Harper, and let her know a third manuscript is on its way!

For a checklist on how to prepare for a writers conference, please read Writers Conference Checklist.

Bringing the Wild Things Here -- Thoughts on Maurice Sendak

Maurice Sendak, wonderful as both writer and illustrator, passed away this week at the age of 83. Below are some random thoughts on this, well, irascible individual.

When my brother and I were about 6 and 8 respectively, we had a conversation about Where the Wild Things Are. He thought it would be great to go to the land of the Wild Things, but I wanted to bring them here. Why? I thought that's where the chaos is. If the monsters came here, then this would become the crazy world. I liked the idea, even if I couldn't say so then, of bringing imagination here rather than relegating it to somewhere out "there."

In many ways, I think it appealed to Maurice Sendak, too. He liked to explore the darker recesses of his childhood, and in so doing, upset the staid parents of my parent's generation. He could be controversial, even objectionable, in words and images, like in Where the Wild Things Are or In the Night Kitchen. He could be philosophical in works like Higglety Pigglety Pop! Or There Must Be More to Life.  He encouraged me to do be daring and irreverent in a way safer choices (including Little Bear) could not.

I have a beach towel that I received years ago at a PBS convention in Miami. It has the Seven Little Monsters and The Berenstain Bears on it. It's fraying around the edges and isn't a bright white anymore, but I hang onto it because it has a connection to children's literature and two author/illustrators I grew up on. Sendak's work had a bigger influence on me, away from the safety of family life and friendly messages, but looking back now, they were written for two different audiences with two very different purposes.

Now that we've lost Jan Bearenstain and Maurice Sendak within months of each other, maybe it's time to retire that beach towel before it's a dingy rag that disgraces both their works.

I don't share Sendak's disregard for children's literature today. It can be deeply philosophical with artwork that pops off the page. I wonder if he could ever spot the writers and illustrators -- but particularly the writers -- that he influenced?

Sometimes the influences are easy to see and sometimes you hope they're there. That your work stands the test of time. I know it will be around at least one more generation. On the day he died, I asked my 8-year-old son, "Which would you prefer? To go to the land of the Wild Things or have them come here?"

His answer: "Have them come here."

I smiled. I think Sendak has another generation of monsters waiting to create a little inventive chaos.

If you have a Maurice Sendak story or memory, share it below...

KidLit Buzzwords: What Does It Mean to Be Commercially Unpublishable?

It’s one thing to be unpublishable; it’s another to be commercially unpublishable.

Unpublishable means you can’t write. The work is drivel and probably deserves a place in the dustbin.

Commercially unpublishable means you can write, your work is really good and probably deserves a place in the dustbin.

Commercially unpublishable is far more kind and perhaps that’s why it’s being tossed around so much. It came up at least twice at the 2011 Rutgers One on One, and I’d heard it used several times before that.

What Commercially Unpublishable Means in Children’s Literature

Commercially unpublishable means that there’s no demand in the market for it. This doesn’t mean the piece isn’t good; it doesn’t even mean the intended audience wouldn’t love. It’s just that agents or editors don’t see a place fore it in the market. Take this example:

A picture book is written for children 5-8 years old. The intended audience will love it, says the editor or agent, but the picture book market for 5-8 year olds is dead because parents believe children that age should be reading chapter books so they can start getting ready for college.

Five or ten years ago, that manuscript might have been publishable. It’s well-written, has a great story arc and follows certain picture book precepts. It might even be publishable in another 5 years, if the market changes. But right now, it’s commercially unpublishable.

Consider other "dead" children’s markets:

Young Adult: vampires (market is glutted)

Middle Grade: historical fiction (sales down)

Picture books: Halloween (market is glutted), rhyming books

At least that’s what I’ve been told by various editors. They simply aren’t looking for them, though they always add the caveat: “Of course, there’s always room in the market if it’s well done.”

Which is the point Jon Sciezska, Harold Underdown and others made at Rutgers : it’s only commercially unpublishable until it’s published and someone buys it. Sciezska struggled to publish The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs, but it turned out it was commercial after all. Mo Willems struggled to see Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus in print and then it took off, launched a series, and spawned a terrific career.

The market may not have known it, but it was commercially publishable after all.

Summary: Commercially unpublishable is frustrating but not as bad as unpublishable. At least it means you can write, but the market has no idea what to do with you.

Or so  I've been told.
Good luck!

What I Learned At Rutgers – Not the University, the Council on Children’s Literature

I attended the 42nd annual Rutgers Council on Children’s Literature this past weekend. It is a writers conference of high renowned and in that regard, did not disappoint.

Before we get into the words of wisdom and the what-editors-are-looking-for nuggets, let me say that I was happy to see three other children’s writers from the Capital District (yeah, us!) in attendance. Heather Schwartz (Women of the U.S. Air Force; The Foul, Filthy American Frontier), Victoria DeAngelis and Dan Masucci, all talented in their own right.

Rutgers One on One

My One on One was with Emma Ledbetter, assistant editor at Atheneum. We went over Leaping Lemmings for about 20 minutes or so. She provided several good ideas and seemed adept at working with writers, asking me for my input, etc. It was less a lecture or critique and more of a collaborative effort. We then talked about other projects I’m working on. She seemed most impressed with an middle grade I’m working on which is good, because starting that project was inspired by another editor at Atheneum. I’ll have to get back to that middle-grade manuscript very soon.

Rutgers Five on Five

Emma, of course, was also part of the five professionals in our five-on-five, in this case four editors and one author. Let’s hit the highlights of what they agreed on are industry trends.

• Mash-Ups. Everyone’s in love with mash-ups, you know, those books that take two archetypes and bring them together. Everyone was looking for the next Shark vs. Train (kids love sharks and trains. It’s a natural), or something similar to a new book from Atheneum, Zombies in Love (can be promoted on Halloween and Valentine’s Day).
• Crossovers. Something that can be sold in more than one genre, particularly with undiscovered adult appeal. A lot of YA has this (adults love dystopian almost as much as teen-agers), but so do some picture books, like It’s a Book. Also Zombies in Love. The book is shaped like a coffin for that reason, and filled with dating references and frustrations adults (zombie or otherwise) will get.
• Trends in Children's Literature. All the editors are looking 3-5 years out to figure out what the next big thing is. For instance, if three years ago you guessed food as this year’s hot topic for teens, you’re a big winner. I’m guessing if the economy doesn’t improve, food will continue to be big in three years. And so will starvation.
• Interactive Apps. No one seems to know exactly which way the e-book industry is headed, but it’s certainly going to continue to grow and print books will someday be a novelty item. With that in mind, editors are keeping an eye open for books that come with all sorts of bells and whistles to keep young readers entertained. Probably easiest for the board book, picture book, chapter book, and non-fiction markets, but all books can have pop-ups, links, maps, graphs, etc. Even dark, dystopian YA. After all, readers need to know their way around those mean streets, too.

Finally, I’d be remiss if I didn’t say a word about the day’s keynote speaker, Jon Scieszka. His speech was funny (as expected), but had its underlying serious side, first with Guys Read, an organization he began 10 years ago to encourage boys to find the books they enjoy. As he said, he read Dick and Jane in school, but home had the books he couldn’t put down. As boys fall further and further behind girls in school, particularly in reading, it’s an important message and important work.

But then he talked of rejection, a big topic at every conference, as publishing houses struggle to turn a profit and seem to sign fewer and fewer writers, or keep signings close to the vest. He discusses his own struggles in the late ‘80s, with plenty of rejections for The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs and The Stinky Cheese Man. He kidded the four or five dozen editors in the room with the pain of that time. At least it felt that way, because editors often made absurd suggestions about his submitted manuscripts. Called them “commercially unpublishable” (another buzzword at the conference. It came up at least twice, plus I heard it on Thursday from an agent). He told them they “need to get out more” and said, only half-jokingly, “you are the enemy.”

Can’t say I’d go that far, but I understand the sentiment, even if, for him, it’s coming 20 years later.

To sum up, while Rutgers didn’t turn out to be my best networking conference, it turned out to be the second-most instructive and the most business-oriented. I think I’ll apply next year. Maybe with that middle grade Emma seemed to like…

Reflections on a Summer Spent Writing

There's an old saying in the publishing world: don't submit in August. That's because the New York industry shuts down -- editors and agents go on vacation, catch up on the slush pile or head out to Los Angeles for a few days of sun and fun at the SCBWI Summer Conference.

The saying began when editors responded more quickly to manuscripts, even unsolicited manuscripts. I'm not sure it makes much difference today when no matter what time of year you submit you're looking at a six-month wait, but the old saying stands: don't submit in August!

That doesn't mean as a writer, particularly a writer trying to break into the business, that you should take the month off. Or any part of the summer. Or Labor Day weekend. After all, isn't writing your getaway?

How I Spent My Summer Writing

1. Stayed in Touch with Two Literary Agents. Nothing signed, of course, but one shows great promise, having requested a serious business plan from me that the other did not. We'll see. So I include writing a marketing plan among my summer writing accomplishments (oh, the business side of writing!)
2. Wrote Two Drafts of an Early Chapter Book.  A sequel to an earlier picture book that has been getting some attention. Following the Nick Bruel Bad Kitty model here. Workshopping and writing the third draft now.
3. Outlined a Middle-Grade Novel. Began this at the suggestion of an editor. It was my summer goal to start this book September 1. I did. Finished one chapter. Um, I guess that means 10 to go (a Fall goal!)
4. Attended a Writers Conference. Went to the Eastern NY SCBWI Mid-Hudson Conference in June and was accepted at their November Falling Leaves Workshop, as well as the Rutgers One on One in October. Very excited about both.
5. Submitted a Picture Book Rewrite to an Editor Who Requested It. Even submitted it in August. Guess I just didn't follow that adage.
6. Outlined Two Picture Books. One is a sequel to the requested picture book. Editor wanted to know if I could see it as a series. Of course! Well, I can now...

Maybe that should be another writer's adage: See everything as a series.

Hope everyone else kept busy writing these days, whether putting together a manuscript or attending to business (including conferences). Let me know what you accomplished this summer, and I hope it includes the word contract.

Just probably not with an August signing date...

*Next Up: Reflections on a Summer Spent Reading

 

R.L Stine on Writing, Writer’s Block and a Touch of Humor

I read an interview recently with the great R.L. Stine,* author of the Goosebumps and Fear Street series. And all I can say is he continues to surprise me. Did you know he wanted to be a comedy writer? Yeah, me neither, until I saw him speak this past January at the SCBWI Winter Conference. It began a list of surreal similarities between us:

1. R.L. Stine actually worked as a comedy writer for 10 years, with Scholastic. I worked as a comedy writer for years, too. Humor was his life's goal, and for a long time, it was mine.
2. In the interview, he says he’s never had writer’s block. Ever. Me neither. But I know what he means when he says, “Some days the writing isn’t as easy or pretty as other days. But you just keep going. You know you can go back and fix it.” He’s absolute right, of course. Get that first draft done! I always say editing is easier than writing. Up to a point, anyway (but that’s a different post).
3. Mr. Stine maintains that “The easiest way to avoid writer’s block is to do a lot of preparation first.” He makes chapter-by-chapter outlines and a character list (including write-ups on their appearances and traits). I was happy to hear this because I, too, do this. Of course, don’t treat an outline as dogma, but man, does it come in handy if a story starts getting bogged down.

So how is it that R.L. Stine, the Stephen King of Kidlit, move from humor to horror? An editor asked him to try it. Which is how I started working on middle grade – an editor suggested it.

Now I can only hope Mr. Stine and I share one more similarity: success. He has sold 350 million books… and I'm 350 million behind him.

But I’m working on it.

*Interview appeared in the Gotham Writer’s Workshop

Determination: Moving From Writer to Author

A writer is one who writes. An author is one who is published.

 

That’s a pretty common and accepted distinction. Plenty of people write, far fewer are published. For some people, making that leap is as easy as a stroll across the back nine, for others it requires building a whole new course. Regardless of the route, crossing the chasm requires two things:

 

1. Finishing the work. This one’s mandatory.
2. Submitting your work. When it's ready. Someone might stumble upon it, but they still have to read it. And like it. And be willing to put up money. 

But there’s one other quality: Determination. Drive. Yes, to do the above two, but also to study, research, know your craft, your genre. Participate. Be involved.

 

In short, to be immersed.

 

I’ve been thinking about that a lot lately, right after realizing that I’ve probably spent my entire first advance going to conferences and book events. And I also realizing it’s worth it. I have to be there professionally and personally.

 

But here’s where it gets muddled. Writers Conferences are a given. Writers go to get better, but mostly they go to gain access to editors and agents. Smart move. But why don’t they ever seem to be at the book events: 1. Doing the same and 2. Supporting authors. Soaking up the ambience. Learning.

 

In short, immersing themselves.

 

I belong to two writers groups (Eastern NY SCBWI and the Glens Falls Writers Group) and several defunct groups. Total membership for all the groups combined? More than 100. And yet I saw one writer – and the same writer at that – at all the book festivals and signings I’ve been to lately (see the Empire State Book Festival and the Hudson Children’s Book Festival entries).

 

I find myself freely talking to authors, watching them work, seeing who's selling books, how they’re selling them, what presentations move and which drag. But beyond that – far beyond that – I simply have to be there. I’m going this weekend to see Jane Yolen* and Mark Teague at Open Door Books in Schenectady . Why? Because I have to. I can’t explain it. Just like I had to see Hemingway’s house when I was in Key West . Some things you have to do.

 

Being around books is mine. I wish more writers looking to make the leap to author felt the same way. Maybe more of them would be published if they were Driven. Determined. Immersed.

 

And no, I’m not published yet. But I feel like I’m getting ever closer (see the Pocono SCBWI entry). But until then – and I’m sure after then, too – I’ll enjoy the next festival as much as the next conference – not to network, but to be surrounded by writers and readers who share my passion: books.

 

“Writers are not paid for their words. They are paid for their perseverance.”

*Jane Yolen says writing is a matter of 

"butt in chair." Don't make the mistake of using

book festivals to get out of writing. If anything,

write twice as much. Keep writing until you're

behind one of those tables selling your book.

Who knows? I might be there to buy it from you.

What's the last book festival you went to? Who did you go to see? What did you buy?