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Conference Tips (Especially for the Less Experience Conference-Goer): A Guest Post by Jane Makuch... As a follow-up to my recent post on upcoming events, today I offer some tips for attending conferences. What follows are some lessons learned by a relatively new conference-goer Jane Makuch who I met at our Writer's Digest Editor's Intensive in September. Jane will also be attending the SCBWI Annual Winter Conference and the pre-conference Writers Intensive.She's currently revising a YA manuscript.
JANE'S CONFERENCE TIPS So many of us spend lots of money and want to do the "right" thing at conferences, but we're so often on the outside looking in. I've spent countless hours looking for do's and don't and know I still have so much to learn. Some things I have learned that I think will be helpful are:
Develop a 30-second pitch. Not just for agents and editors, but also the dozens of times other attendees ask, "What's your book about?"
Develop a 2-minute pitch for one-on-ones. So many new conference goers seem to think they need to spend the 10 or 15 precious minutes talking instead of interacting, answering questions and listening.
This might be elementary, but be presentable. Fit the part--show up showered and well dressed. I've been rather surprised by the lack of hygiene, sweatpants, and dirty toenails sticking out of the end of sandals...eewww! Clean and pressed doesn't have to mean expensive, but it does show professionalism.
No answering cell phones during classes. (Turn them off, or at least mute them.)
No talking to neighbors during a sessions because you're bored or scared or overwhelmed. They paid to be there also.
Have calling/business cards. Vistaprints.com has very inexpensive cards with quick delivery. Put blog and twitter addresses on them and use a nice size, readable font.
Ask people you meet at conference for their business cards. (Jot notes on the back so you can remember where/when you met them.)
Research the speakers ahead of time. Do you know of an agent who would be great to meet? If you have a polished manuscript, be ready to ask if you could query them. Then mention in your query that you met them at the conference.
Don't be bossy or rude. Never ambush an agent or editor. No knocking on bathroom stalls or hotel rooms!
You can't go wrong with a more formal etiquette. Kindness and respect will most likely get you noticed when presenting yourself with confidence and professionalism.
What's your best advice for getting the most out of a conference? Leave a comment!
I've got one: don't be shy. Talk to people in the hallways and a lunches and attend all the networking/mingling events and networt/mingle. (And if you see me, come over and say hello.)
Great tips! I would also suggest not always talking about your book or manuscripts - especially at lunch. Strike up a conversation about the city you're in, hobbies, great bookstores, etc. which will allow you to connect with people on a more comfortable and personal level.
I'd follow up on your tip, Alice, by saying "talk to anyone and everyone" - you never know what might come from it, but you know from the start that you're talking with someone who shares your love of children's literature. You've got something in common - a great place to start.
I'd also say that if you're at a multiday event with breakout sessions, try to find a mix of topics... and include one that just sounds interesting even if it's not exactly on "your" specialty area. I've found inspiration and knowledge that way many times.
I give a third nod to Alice and Greg's tip, don't be shy.
I would also suggest making a realistic goal (or setting an intention) for the weekend, not the thought that this one conference will make it all happen. But if you go in weekend wanting to make one new writing/illustrating friend, to take home one new craft technique, or learn something about your process/work etc. it will be a successful and wonderful conference. AND, sometimes those more realistic successes lead to big ones!
I always think of January as being nothing but dull dull dull and cold cold cold. January 2010, however, is shaping up to rather exciting (and yet...still cold cold cold). Here's what's coming up:
WRITER'S DIGEST 90th ANNIVERSARY PARYT, January 20th This takes place at the very cool Northside Tavern in Cincinnati. Join us for networking, give-aways, cake and various other anniversary fun. Here's my recent post about the party. No RSVP needed--just show up.
DIGITAL BOOK WORLD, January 26-27 This two-day industry event in New York City is a big ol discussion of current and future strategies, tools, and best practices for consumer publishers big and small in the age of eBook and e-readers. And pretty much everyone will be there. Registration is still open. (I will be tweeting and blogging.) Click here to follow DBW on Twitter.
ALICE RESTS, January 28
SCBWI ANNUAL WINTER CONFERENCE, January 29-31 You can still register for the biggest and best event for children's writers and illustrators there is (besides the SCBWI Summer Conference). If you can't attend, don't fret--you can follow the conference as it happens on The Official SCBWI Conference Blog manned by SCBWI TEAM BLOG (Jaime, Jolie, Lee, Suzanne and me.)
Editor Interview: Andrew Karre on His First Year at Carolrhoda...
I last caught up with Andrew Karre in October 2008 shortly after he moved from Flux to become editorial director at Lerner Imprint Carolrhoda Books so I thought it was about time I check in with Andrew to see how things are going...
You’ve have just more than a full-year under your belt as editorial director at Carolrhoda Books. How did year one go?
It went very well. I work with an amazing group of colleagues and being able to work with them on the books that were in process when I arrived was a pleasure and an education. And what a great batch of books my predecessor left. It’s an impressive act to follow. Sally Walker’s Written in Bone and Vaunda Nelson and Greg Christie’s Bad News for Outlaws have been critical highlights (six stars between them), but there are so many more I could name.
I’m also very excited about what we’ve been able to acquire for 2010. I think the fall 2010 list is going to be very exciting—a great mix of new names and veteran authors and illustrators.
Has the economic climate had an effect on your line? What’s your advice to new writers on breaking in at this point?
The economy effects everything, of course, but I don’t feel like we’ve let it affect the books, either in quantity or quality. It just means your publishing decisions need to be that much smarter.
Your company has a good online presence. Do you encourage your authors to use the Internet (Twitter, facebook, blogs, site) for promotion as well?
I don’t see how an author can start out now without some sort of online presence, so yes, I encourage. But I don’t think publishers help anyone when they simply say “go forth and do online promotion.” It’s not enough to say get on Twitter and Facebook and start a blog. There needs to be strategy and a reasonably deep understanding of how these technologies can advance an author’s career and sell the publisher’s books. It’s more work to do this author by author, but at least it has a chance of bearing fruit.
For the moment, the blog is mostly my thoughtful spot. I dump a lot of unrefined thoughts about publishing and editing and writing and whatever there. It’s also where I post submissions information.
Tell me about some Carolrhoda projects you’re excited about.
I’m excited about so many things in fall 2010, but before that, in spring, there’s a piece of narrative nonfiction for YAs that I think will get a lot of attention. It’s called An Unspeakable Crime and it’s by Edgar-award-winning novelist Elaine Marie Alphin. Basically, it’s th
This was really interesting - thanks for the interview Alice and Andrew!
Elaine Marie Alphin wrote the great book on writing: "Creating Characters Kids Will Love" - so I can't wait to see what she does with the Leo Frank story, where there's not a lot of lovable stuff going on. Yeah, I really can't wait to read it.
Writer's Digest is Turning 90, We're Having a Party & You're Invited!...
Writer's Digest is hitting the big 9-0 so we're celebrating with a birthday bash at the ubercool Northside Tavern in the Nati on Wednesday, January 20th at 7 PM.
We'll be giving away lots of writerly swag and there will be cake (and a well-stocked bar).
“All of us on staff are honored and humbled to be a part of the Writer’s Digest legacy, and this anniversary gives us a moment to celebrate and give thanks to the writing community that supports us,” say Jane Friedman, our Publisher and WD Community Leader. “Anyone who’s ever worked with or for Writer’s Digest is encouraged to join us, as well as anyone who has read and appreciated the magazine over the years.”
If you are in the area--or even if you're not--come join the WD team in anniversary revelry.
Reaching Your Target Audience Online: A Guest Post by Greg Pincus...
Happy New Year readers! I've been away from my office for weeks, I've trudged through the snow, I'm back at my desk, and I'm starting off 2010 with a guest post by Greg Pincus.
Read on–and please leave comments yourself if you can offer advice about reaching an audience of young readers online...
If you’re an author or illustrator who’s blogging, Tweeting, Facebooking or using other social networks to build your platform, you need to think strategically about who you’re going to reach online and how you’re going to do it.
Some choices are easy–you’re not likely to use LinkedIn to appeal to the kids who read your picture books. But if you write YA, in particular, you often have to make some more complex choices since your potential readership is actually online…and in large numbers.
Teens, however, don’t use the web the way adults do. As a result, most author/illustrator blogs and websites don’t attract teenage readers unless the author is already known to them. Twitter connections follow a similar pattern.
This means that if you’re offering up a “this is my journey” or writing advice or book review blog or just tweeting as as yourself, you should focus on appealing to the gatekeepers rather than teen readers. If you want to reach your core readership, you need to consider building a community around a central idea or offering up interactivity that your potential readers want and can’t replicate elsewhere. Some examples:
Author P.J. Haarsma built a game which attracted a huge audience that became the core supporters of his books. The game community helped test storylines and championed the books to their friends, too.
The women behind Readergirlz have built a community around authors, books, and reading. The site is a destination offering interactivity, changing content, and projects that involve offline participation, as well. While the site is not directly about the Readergirlz “divas” themselves, the connection to the readers still exists for them individually as well as collectively.
Finding underserved, pre-existing communities can be an effective path to having a teen readership, as Lee Wind has done with his blog I’m Here. I’m Qu
So let's get practical...if you aren't published yet (me, hi!) then is it best for your blog to appeal to other writers...but then when you DO get published (me, someday?) shift the focus to a teen readership?? Or perhaps have TWO blogs? One for fellow writers and one for readers? This has always perplexed me.
Thanks, Alice, for having me over to your place. It's much appreciated. And jmartin - you're welcome!
Robin - most likely, even after you're published, your blog will attract some fans but won't likely grow that fandom... unless you're offering something that your target audience wants. So instead of worrying about that, ask yourself a series of questions: why am I online? who am I hoping to appeal to...and why? Can I offer something unique... and how will that help me?
There is no "best" group to appeal to by default. Who will help you accomplish your goals? That's the best group for you. Sometimes it's just a number. Sometimes it's writers or teens or librarians or agents or or or. The key is to spend your time productively, and for that you need to have clear goals that are reachable based on what you're going to do... and who that could possibly appeal to.
Does that make sense? (And I look forward to when you drop the "someday?"!)
Here is a sneaky question. What would you think about deliberately preplacing key words, or phrases, into a text, as part of the story line. These could then be drawn to as part of the marketing strategy for a specific market segment. Ever tried anything like this?
Thanks, Carmela. I'd tell you the time to start establishing a presence is "NOW!" but I know you're already doing that!
And writingisdevine - I'm not exactly sure what you're driving at. Putting keywords in a manuscript won't help if it's not online... and "keywords" are only effective if the people looking for them are gonna be happy when they find you. Strong, well-targeted keywords on a site can certainly help, but in a text, I don't see what they'd do. Besides, if you've written a strong text, there will naturally be the right-for-you keywords in it already, without sneakiness!
Knowing your audience is so important. I am feel much more connected to blogs and forums in which the blogger(s) or leader(s) have a genuine interest in viewer/reader feedback and creating a community.
Exclusive SCBWI TEAM BLOG Pre-Conference Interview: Laurent Linn...
Visit Lee Wind's Blog for the latest in our series of exclusive SCBWI TEAM BLOG pre-conference interviews with SCBWI Winter Conference speakers and keynoters.
Lee interviewed Laurent Linn, Art Director at Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. Lauren will offer breakout session on The Real Deal About Visual Story Telling.
I'll continue to direct you to more pre-conference interviews as we approach conference time. (It's getting close!)
Earlier this year I sent out this video to illustrate how the current administration is masquerading as a leadership team different from the previous one. The video documents how the choice between Democrat and Republican is really no choice at all. Recent history has confirmed the message of this video. Here we are almost a year after Bush left office and we see that really only the rhetoric has changed. The same program of economic, military, and civil rights disintegration remains in full effect. The sequel to this video is now available to shed more light on this false choice of governance. This sequel exposes: 1) how mega banks like Goldman Sachs created this financial crisis to then introduce their solution: a government hand-out of trillions of dollars to them; 2) how this same scheme is being set up again on a global scale through the development of a cap-and-trade derivatives market; 3) how Obama is simply managing this economic disintegration program that was furthered by Bush (and his predecessors) going back as far as Carter; 4) how Obama's actions have been just as unconstitutional as Bush's and how our country is being pushed deeper into an oppressive surveillance society. The sooner we acknowledge this false choice of governance we are given, the better the chances are that we can produce a real choice that represents us, not the institutionalized power structure pillaging us. If you would like to learn more about the timely issues raised in these videos please visit this alternative news website, where these videos were produced.
I spotted Emily, Brodi and Bree at the LA conference this past August wearing these t-shirts:
Word shirt ring leader Emily Wing Smith told me the terms emblazoned on their chests—"blasphemous," "violent" and "inappropriate"�were all stinging comments they heard about their own novels.
Below the three talk about those negative critiques, how they were impacted, and how they forged ahead through fashion.
When I wrote my YA novel THE WAY HE LIVED, I expected some backlash. After all, the book deals—however briefly—with some serious themes: suicide, homosexuality, mental illness. But I wasn’t prepared for the words of an anonymous commenter who left a review on a book retailer’s website, claiming she “tried to overlook the references to homosexuality and other inappropriate matters” but ultimately couldn’t get past it.
Okay, so I don’t happen to believe that homosexuality is an inappropriate matter. I don’t think anyone should believe that. But what really baffled me? Being offended by even a reference to something she deemed inappropriate. I believe that murder is inappropriate, but I’m not offended when someone refers to it. Maybe that makes me inappropriate—if so, then my “Inappropriate” t-shirt is actually appropriate!
My YA book ECHO features a teenage girl who becomes an alien hunter, so I wasn’t surprised when readers called it “too violent.” The problem came when I tried to change every scene that had offended someone. I quickly learned two things: 1) No two people were offended by the same scene; 2) If I removed every scene that had one detractor, there’d be no book left.
Not everyone is going to like my book. Someone, somewhere, is going to think a story about
Kudos, ladies! I love writers that aren't afraid to write what the hell THEY WANT. Violent. Inappropriate. Blasphemous. That makes me want to buy the books.
Brodi, thank YOU for you comments for my blog AND for not letting critics get you down. I'm glad you found an agent who thinks your book is "just violent enough." Hurray!
Exclusive SCBWI TEAM BLOG Pre-Conference Interview: Tina Wexler...
Tina Wexler is a literary agent at International Creative Management (ICM), a full-service agency and home to Dr. Seuss and E.B. White. Her list includes fiction and nonfiction for children and adults, with a focus on middle grade and YA.
Please tell us about how you got into agenting and how you ended up at ICM.
After getting my MFA in poetry, I applied for a job as an agent assistant to Louise Quayle and Elizabeth Kaplan at the Ellen Levine Literary Agency. There, I cut my teeth on permissions, audio and serial sales, and foreign rights. Around the time ELLA merged with Trident, I moved to the Karpfinger Agency to continue with foreign rights but soon left to start building my own list at ICM.
What are the advantages for you working at a big agency? What are the advantages for your authors?
The advantage of being at a big agency is that everything is kept in-house , which means having more control of what is happening with my clients' projects (and for the client, only one commission). We have the Los Angeles office shopping our books for film/TV; we have the London office securing UK and translations deals; we have an in-house lecture department; an agent who sells audio, ebook, and serial rights; and a theater department ready to negotiate stage adaptations of our books. I'm able to pull from a number of resources: our in-house attorneys, our tax and royalty departments, the knowledge and experience of the ten other agents working in our literary department. All of these elements come together to make my office run smoothly so I can focus entirely on my clients and their needs.
Do writers of books for young readers really need to have agents?
I think the benefits of having the right agent--whether you write for the adult market or the children's market--are immeasurable.
Tina, didn't know you were heavy on the editorial side, good on ya. Yup, like that.
High density livin' or visitin' fogs my goggles, but might have to suck it up for the N.Y. City SCBWI round up. My Wife's best friend lives in the Village. Her husband teaches at NYU, unfortunately, all her kids are home livin' with parents in University housin.' I affectionately call 'em "Eggs Heads in a can!"
Are you ever in Arkansas? (or wanna be)? Lots of space for an SCBWI talk-all!
Haste yee back, you definitely should renew your membership! It's a worth it. And the conference is terrific. (If you can't go don't forget to follow the Official Conference Blog: http://scbwiconference.blogspot.com/
Alice, Thanks for the reply... I really should tumble from under the moss and sun my warts!
LOL, I belonged to SCBWI when you submitted manuscripts directly to editors... AND, (after a two month no-hear), you were allowed to/invited/encouraged/ to use the PHONE... yep, call 'em right up and, like talk, ya know. "Hello, this is Goofy Goose, and I..."
Exclusive SCBWI TEAM BLOG Pre-Conference Interview: Ben Schrank...
Visit Suzanne Young's Blog for the first in our series of exclusive SCBWI TEAM BLOG pre-conference interviews with SCBWI Winter Conference speakers and keynoters.
To kick us off, Suzanne interviewed Ben Schrank, president of super cool Penguin imprint Razorbill.
I'll direct you to more pre-conference interviews in the weeks to come--and you'll find a few in this space.
Jane, who's been called the Hans Christian Andersen of America and the Aesop of the twentieth century, and is the award-wining author of numerous children's books, fantasy, and science fiction, including Owl Moon, The Devil's Arithmetic, and How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?, will offer the closing keynote address.
I remember seeing Jane speak from a wheelchair at the 2006 SCBWI LA conference after a night in the emergency room. She still knocked our socks off!
Jane would be a very interesting addition to the SCBWI line-up. I loved "Wizard's Hall" and was astounded at the similarities of Rowling's first book that came out a few years later.
Jane would be a very interesting addition to the SCBWI line-up. I loved "Wizard's Hall" and was astounded at the similarities of Rowling's first book that came out a few years later.
Queries Wanted for Upcoming Novel & Short Story Writer's Market...
Besides CWIM, there are a few million other exciting things I work on in the WD Community. One of them is editing Novel & Short Story Writer's Market, CWIM's sister publication solely for fiction writers.
I'm currently planning the lineup for the 2011 edition, and I'm looking for queries for articles and interviews for NSSWM. The articles are broken up into these categories:
The Writing Life
Craft & Technique
Getting Published
For Mystery Writers
For Romance Writers
For Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Writers
I'm most in need of material for the genre sections, but open to queries for all. I've also go a few spots to fill in our annual "Premier Voices" feature for which we interview debut fiction writers, so if you're a first-time novelist, I'd love to hear from you as well.
If you'd be interested in writing for me, email me at [email protected] with your ideas.
Should You Be on Facebook? Is Tweeting Really Necessary? Talking Online Presence with Loren Long...
I took Monday and Tuesday off work this week for no other reason than to use up some PTO (that expires at the end of the year). One of my Monday activities way having lunch with illustrator Loren Long and his wife Tracy. (Loren also lives and works here in the Nati.)
During lunch at the cafe at Joseph-Beth Booksellers (because I thought it appropriate and because they have great vegetarian chili), Loren, Tracy and I talked a lot about online presence. Loren has a website but has not ventured much beyond that. Does an author with more than a dozen fabulous books under his belt--who works with publishers like Philomel and Simon & Schuster, who is on the Jon Scieska's Trucktown team--need to be blogging? Be on Facebook? Twitter? It couldn't hurt.
It's no secret that authors/illustrators have a big responsibility in their own promotion. The more you're out there, the more connections you make, the more friends you have, the more conversations you get into, the better. Networking should start before you get published (see Christina Katz's Get Known Before the Book Deal)and keep rolling along once you have a book or two or ten out in the world.
That doesn't mean you have to use every social network avenue available. Twitter is not everyone's cup of tea. And heaven help us if everyone had a blog. But if you've got a blog's worth of things to say that would be interesting/useful/informative/inspiring then go for it. If you enjoy being part of the conversation and can fit it into your schedule, tweet away. But if these things aren't you, if they'd be drudgery, move along. But at least try things out to see what fits--you might really enjoy participating in the conversation. (And sometimes that conversation will be about your work.)
Speaking of work, here are a few of my favorite Loren Long covers. So so beautiful. (And now I'm off to hang up my autographed Otis poster.)
Some Friday Afternoon Led (stats) for Your Head...
File this under apropos of nothing/just for fun, but I felt the need to share my IT professional brother's latest word research here on my CWIM blog.
My brother and my classic-rock-digging teenage niece were listening to Led Zeppelin in the car, he tells me, and they had their usual discussion about how a rock song can't be a true rock song without the word babe or baby in it, or a reference to a female. "So," says my bro, "I decided to find a way to count the frequency of each word in all Led Zep songs. I included the titles of the song in my search, and used a lyrics list compiled by an obsessed fan who painstakingly documented what Robert Plant actually sung in their songs."
Here are my brother's Led Zeppelin word counts. Should I set him to work on the Judy Blume catalog? On what three occasions does Plant sing "lollipop"? And why isn't Houses of the Holy on my iPod?
821 the 695 i 673 ah 632 you 603 oh 548 a 491 my 441 yeah 399 to 384 ooh 360 and 332 baby 313 me 291 it 234 love 231 of 202 know 193 on 193 la 189 your 181 all 177 in 166 that 161 now 155 i'm 148 it's 144 is 138 no 138 hey 129 gonna 128 so 128 do 123 ahh 119 down 111 ya 109 for 108 don't 107 whoa 104 be 103 when 98 time 94 way 93 just 90 got 89 but 88 go 87 come 82 babe 80 well 73 she 73 from 72 with 72 what 72 we 69 one 69 i've 69 good 68 woman 68 hoo 68 been 65 let 65 keep 65 can 64 if 64 have 62 tell 60 see 58 how 57 ain't 56 they 56 take 56 little 55 will 55 light 54 that's 54 her 54 gotta 53 feel 53 day 53 can't 53 back 52 said 52 bring 52 alright 51 wanna 50 away 49 night 49 home 49 get 48 really 46 mama 46 ha 45 woo 44 uh 44 as 43 was 43 never 43 are 42 she's 42 right 42 like 42 give 41 hear 40
Writer's Digest's Writer's Online Workshops (WOW) is launching a brand new 8-week course on Writing the Young Adult Novel based on our terrific book by K.L. Going, Writing & Selling the YA Novel. Here's some information about what's covered:
The choices you make as an author—choices about character development, setting, conflict, and plot—are going to be driven by the impulses, interests, and issues relating to a YA audience. In this course, we’ll be paying particular attention to how to write with an eye toward a teen audience. Questions we’ll ask ourselves: What kinds of characters are best suited for a YA novel? How can I develop and deepen the conflict of my novel? What are the limitations and possibilities of YA fiction? And, finally, How do I go about publishing and/or marketing a YA book? The various lessons in this book will introduce you to the YA genre and help you apply specific writing strategies to your work in order to turn the kernel of your idea into a publishable and saleable novel.
I've taught a few WOW courses myself and they're a lot of fun. Students get detailed critiques and advice from instructors on their assignment or works in progress as well as getting input from fellow students.
I'll share part of the course lecture. This begins a discussion on techniques for getting to know your character:
Before you pen even a single sentence of your novel, you should know your protagonist (and other main characters) and know him well. Entire books are written on how to well-develop character, and there’s much to consider. Going writes, “consider what truly defines each of your characters. What makes them unique individuals, different from others?”
This advice is excellent. Before you even begin writing your novel, you should write a character bio for each of your main players. Questions to ask: What is your character’s history? Where did she go to school? What is her favorite color? How many family members does she have? What is her biggest fear? What kind of job does she have, if any? What kind of grades does she get in school, and what is her favorite subject? Does she listen to music? Watch TV? Enjoy movies?
You, the writer, should know all of the answers to these questions, even if these answers do not make their way onto your pages. Why? Because the answer to these questions will reveal your character’s fully rounded personality, and it is this personality, the accumulation of all facets of the individual’s life and experiences, that will determine other aspects of your novel, such as how your protagonist responds to particular events before him.
Going’s chapter on character leaves us with a lot to consider, but let’s, for now, focus on four core elements of character: History, Complexity, Appearance, and Plausibility.
Here's the message posted on the Buy a Book, Save the World! Facebook page:
Well, it’s that time again--the Buy a Book, Save the World! 2nd Annual International Holiday Bookstore Bookpush! Last year was a brilliant success, with our numbers surging over twenty-five hundred strong, all for the love of reading.
How can you participate? It’s easy. All you have to do is pledge to visit your local bookstore and purchase a book to give as a gift. Remember--try and give preference to independent stores if you can, though we love all our booksellers.
This year, we’re doing something a little different. Instead of kicking off on Black Friday, we’re getting started a little early. Tomorrow begins a Publishers Weekly–sponsored initiative called National Bookstore Day. One hundred and forty independent bookstores from around the nation are participating with raffles, author signings, and discounts to celebrate the occasion. What better time is there to start our International Holiday Bookstore Bookpush? Contact your local Indie and see if they’re participating. (If they're not, encourage them!)
So get out, invite all your friends, spread the word about Buy a Book, Save the World!, and enjoy National Bookstore Day! Happy Shopping!!!
Julie Larios maintains Jacket Knack along with co-blogger Carol Brendler (a writer with an MFA from Vermont College) . The pair offer weekly posts focusing on children's books cover art.
Why did you decide to start a blog focusing on cover art? How long have you been blogging?
Actually, Carol approached me and asked me if I'd be interested in starting a blog with her about the cover art of children's books. I'm not quite sure why she asked me—she had probably heard me going on and on about Chip Kidd , a designer of book covers for adults—but I'm so glad she did. In college I originally wanted to be a graphic designer, and I link three or four graphic design websites to my personal blog. Tell me a little about your background in regards to the children's book world.
My mother read to my sister and brother and me all the way through our elementary school years. That's where an involvement with kids books really begins—being read to as a child. When my own kids were little, I read to them, and I took a job at a bookstore. Eventually, I became the head buyer for a large children's book department in Seattle. Doing that every day—talking with reps about new books, judging all those books by their covers (!) as I ordered them (along with a quick pitch from the rep about author and plot), handing people books and watching their reactions—that got me completely hooked. I've written four books of poetry for children, and I teach on the faculty at Vermont College of Fine Arts in the MFA-Writing for Children and Young Adults program, which I recommend to all people who are serious about learning how to write for children. I also write poetry for adults, so I straddle the fence and look both ways in terms of my writing interests.
In the world of adult poetry, the community can be a little competitive, a little nuts (some of the craziness I love) and a lot hermetic. Luckily, the world of children's books is filled with generous, full-hearted people who love nothing more than building community, so I get to experience both the mysteriously introverted and the warmly extroverted extremes and everything in between. It's glorious.
Not too long ago, I started my own blog, The Drift Record and it straddles the same fence—not all Kidlitosphere, but not all adult. I go where the drifting takes me.
How often do you post and what kinds of things do you cover in regards to covers?
I post on Jacket Knack every other Monday, alternating with Carol. One of those two posts of mine each month is called “Tapjacketing”—filled with links to websites I've enjoyed over the previous month which I want to share with readers (and Carol sometimes sends me suggestions for sites she's seen, too.) I'm interested in the collaborative nature of book jackets—the behind-the-scenes decisions of art designe
Great interview! I am a debut author and I think I got really, really lucky with my cover. In fact, even though the book isn't out yet, I've gotten a ton of email from people saying they love the cover. I wanted to know more about how it was done and asked to interview the artist, but he declined saying he's not into the publicity side of art. I'll be checking out your blog for sure!
I spent the better part of the week working on the agonizing-yet-fun task of choosing debut authors to feature in First Books in the 2011 edition of CWIM. I've e-mailed all of my chosen ones today. To all those debut authors who haven't heard from me, I will be contacting many of you in the coming months as I resurrect Debut Author of the Month here on the blog beginning in January 2010. (Why does this all sounds so Biblical?)
Thanks so much to everyone who contacted me. I was so thrilled to hear from each of you and so happy to read about your successes (and your books). You should all be very proud.
Happy Halloween weekend to everyone. (Don't forget to fall back--and haunt for an extra hour tomorrow night).
First Books Lowdown: My Unscientific Findings on New-Author-Friendly Publishers...
Every year since I've been blogging, I've put out a call for debut authors for my First Book feature and every year I post about which publishers are publishing the debut authors who contacted me. Here's the scoop for this year (all of which are in random order because I don't like to alphabetize)...
Publishers who are publishing one of the debut books in my pool:
Flux
Carolrhoda
Flashlight Press
Scholastic
Houghton Mifflin
Albert Whitman
Dutton
Blooming Tree
Holiday House
Pelican
HIP Books
Clarion
Bloomsbury
Feiwel & Friends
Candlewick
Raven Tree Press
Delacorte
Capstone
Publishers who are publishing two or more of the debut books in my pool:
HarperCollins
Walker
Putnam
Random House
Sourcebooks/Jabberwocky
Farrar, Strauss & Giroux
Simon & Schuster
Sterling
This year Putnam ties previous two-time winner HarperCollins at five a piece, so they each get a Friendly-to-New-Authors Gold Star!
Only a handful of the debut authors who contacted me said they have agents--I'm sure more do and didn't mention it--and some of those agented writers didn't get their agents until after the first book deal. I heard from plenty of unagented writers.
About half of the authors who contacted me are YA writers, the other half picture books, MG and chapter books, with PBs as the majority.
If you're among the YA authors (or even if you're not) check out Publishers Weekly's report, What Do Teens Want?, a survey of teen über readers. Lots of statistics and charts! (I tweeted a link to this yesterday and was retweeted like crazy.)
Now back to the tough/fun job of deciding who to interview.
I noticed that Carolrhoda isn't on the list. It does welcome new authors--and unagented submissions (although the submission period is not year 'round). I think great things are happening at Carolrhoda.
Thanks... just knowing this is what you do out there gives me focus as I work on my own material. Thank you for posting here. It gives inspiration for those of us who are persevering in STARTING a career at any age.
My debut novel for middle grade readers Dead Frog on the Porch was published by a newer publisher Gumboot Books out of Vancouver. Check out their submission guidelines.
Interesting and helpful. Although they mentioned 53% didn't like podcasted INTERVIEWS, it didn't say anything about podcasted NOVELS. I'd be interested to know what teens think about that.
SCBWI TEAM BLOG Reunites for the SCBWI Annual Winter Conference in New York...
I'm very excited to announce that I will once again serve as captain of SCBWI TEAM BLOG as we offer exhaustive coverage of the SCBWI Annual Winter Conference in New York City which takes place January 29th-31st at the Hyatt Grand Central.
Conference info (faculty, schedule) is now up on the SCBWI website, and online registration will open Wednesday, October 28th at 10 a.m. PST. But whether you attend or not, TEAM BLOG will keep you posted on every session and keynote on the Official SCBWI Conference Blog.
Here are the Winter Conference TEAM BLOG bloggers and links to their blogs and Twitter pages. (Look for exclusive pre-conference content on our blogs between now and conference time):
Become a Writer's Digest VIP (and Join Our New WD Community)...
I'm a shopper and I love a bargain, especially if it's for something I wanted to buy anyway (like books and shoes). That's why I think our new Writer's Digest VIP program (which just kicked off yesterday) is a pretty sweet deal--lots of good stuff for not much money.
For $49.95 you get a one-year subscription to both WritersMarket.com (which now includes all the info from CWIM) and Writer’s Digest magazine, plus you also get a free webinar recording (which is usually $99), 10% off WOW courses, and 10% off all WD Shop purchases.
If you do the math, it could normally cost up to $198.80 so you can save $148.85. (The best part about finding a bargain is figuring out how much you save.)
Here's something else new: We've also just launched the Writer's Digest Community on Ning. Stop by, join, and become my friend. (I only have 79 so far. I want more. One can't have too many friends, too many books, or too many pairs of shoes.)
I signed up yesterday. It is a really good value and I'm sure I'll learn a lot. I've always trusted Writer's Digest since the strictly magazine days when I was a young aspiring writer.
Last week I was working on an article on Twitter for the SCBWI Bulletin and ask my Twitter followers to answer this question:
@alicepope: I’m writing an article on Twitter (aimed at writers and illustrators). What’s your best Twitter tip (in 140 characters or less, of course)?
In a matter of minutes my question had been retweeted several times and I’d gotten more than a dozen tips (from writers, editors, and other publishing professionals) which you’ll find below. This served as a great demonstration of how one's Twitter community can be useful. I suggest you follow each of the wise tweeps who replied to me—and follow their advice as well.
@HeatherMcCorkle: Twitter tip: Never write anything you don’t want to read on the front page of the newspaper. Could hurt your career later!
@GirlsSentAway: Follow 80/20 rule: 80% professional tweets, 20% to show your personality. Interact.
@EyeOnFlux: Avoid TMI (overly personal information). This begs the question: what DO most people use their Twitter accounts for? Professional? Personal? Should the two mix?
@glecharles: Be relevant, always add value and remember, it’s SOCIAL media, not just an alternative RSS feed.
@loniedwards: Tip: Download an add-on like tweetdeck to help sort. Especially during kidlit chats!
@KateMessner: Just aim to be a friendly, helpful human being online. It’s much better self-promotion than shouting about your book.
@Lynne_Griffin: I found this helpful “RT @EliseBlackwell @thefictiondesk “Be yourself, not your book.”
@RuthSpiro: My tip: Connect w/folks OUTSIDE the writing/publishing world; they don’t encounter authors daily, and think you’re really cool!
@wendy_mc: If you want your funny stuff to be retweeted, shorter tweets are better (leave room for your name)
@BrianKlems: Be honest in what you post, be it personal or promotional. If you wouldn’t read it, don’t post it.
@mitaliperkins: Strive for the same integrity, vision, and authentic voice on Twitter that you pursue in your vocation as a whole.
@WriterRoss: Keep it tight. Omit connecting words. Twitter is a wonderful tool for learning to edit extraneous information.
@vboykis: Don’t overpromote yourself. Reach out to other writers and champion the ones whose writing you love.
@inkyelbows:Twitter tips: Follower count should NOT be your main goal. Support other writers. Make every character count.
@rachelsimon: My best Twitter advice is to act on here as you would in real life. You are essentially “meeting” the same people.
@nialleccles: Re: call for Twitter tips... Do not allow it to distract you from writing or illustrating. Tweet during scheduled breaks.
@marisabirns: Twitter tip: It’s a great place for linking writers to online resource material.
@leewind: Twitter does 3 things well: 1. drive traffic to links. 2. real-time discussions via “#” 3. under 140 trivia/wisdom—like this!
@CynDraws: My tip—Be of service to others and avoid complaining or negativity at all costs. Our art should inspire others and so should our tweets.
@joanna_haugen: Tip: Make sure tweets are relevant, interesting and concise to your audience.
@KarlShoemaker: Twitter = watercooler. Remember Water Cooler Politics Guy? WC Medical History Girl? WC Nosy Questions & Advice Person? Don't be them.
Alice, great post! Twitter is such a fantastic tool! My tip @HilaryWagner1 Don't be a stranger! If you forget about others, they will forget about you! Ask people how they're doing and answer their tweets. :)
Starting today on the Readergirlz blog and continuing through October 23rd, the divas will host nine YA authors and end the week with "an online gala celebration where Sylvia Engdahl, a pioneer in young-adult science fiction, will be hosted and honored for her contributions to the literary landscape."
Monday, October 19th: Beyond Imagination rgz diva Justina Chen Headley (NORTH OF BEAUTIFUL) Alyson Noël (EVERMORE) Zoe Marriott (DAUGHTER OF THE FLAMES)
Tuesday, October 20th: Beyond Hardship rgz diva Lorie Ann Grover (HOLD ME TIGHT) Elizabeth Scott (LIVING DEAD GIRL) Lynn Weingarten (WHEREVER NINA LIES)
Wednesday, October 21st: Beyond Daily Life rgz diva Holly Cupala (TELL ME A SECRET) Lisa McMann (WAKE) Cynthia Leitich Smith (ETERNAL)
Thursday, October 22nd: Beyond Our World rgz diva Melissa Walker (LOVESTRUCK SUMMER) Cassandra Clare (CITY OF ASHES) Patrick Ness (THE KNIFE OF NEVER LETTING GO)
Friday, October 23rd: Into Our Beyond rgz diva Dia Calhoun (AVIELLE OF RHIA) Sylvia Engdahl (ENCHANTRESS FROM THE STARS)
And if you celebrate Teen Read Week, the divas want to hear from you.
Do you love YALSA's Teen Read Week? Post blog or vlog (video blog), then send the link to [email protected] with the subject line set up like this: Your name, TRW Tribute. Tell us about your recent release, or a book you love dearly, and then give a shoutout for Teen Read Week. We'll collect all the contributions and post them at the rgz blog in a 24 hour time span on October 23rd, 2009.
Scbwi.org went through quite an overhaul this year. Tell me about new features members may not be aware of.
Thanks for noticing! I've spent two years now working very closely with Lin Oliver and Steve Mooser to develop the new site, and we're really thrilled with the way it's taking shape.
Best new functions available now:
The "Find A Speaker" page: Educators and librarians can now search for SCBWI members and even see video clips from classroom presentations. PAL members can click on "Speaker Profile" on their member home page to add video and information.
The Illustrator's Gallery: Illustrator members of SCBWI no longer have to pay a separate service or web site to host an online portfolio. Just log in and click on "My Portfolio" to upload images. Once you've uploaded an image, your name will appear in the searchable index of SCBWI illustrators.
"Search Members": Our old "Member roster" search has been given a much-needed 21st-century update. Click on "Search Members" in the upper right-hand corner of any page on the site, and you can find other members by name, email address, location, even book title.
Regional Home Pages: When you log in, click on the “Regional Chapter” icon and you’ll be taken to your Regional Home Page. This is sort of like a Facebook group page where you’ll be connected with all of the other members in your region. You can see the regional events that are upcoming, details for your next regional conference, and read the latest from your Regional Advisor’s news blog. You can quickly browse members in your region and send a message or a friend request. Connecting with other SCBWI members in your area has never been easier.
Member Neworking: We're calling this function "SCBWInc." "INC" stands for "Insider Networking Community." You now have the ability to send messages to other SCBWI members and add them as a friend right at SCBWI.org. Also, click around on your friends’ profiles and see their latest publishing news, pictures and contact information.
When did the SCBWInc feature launch? What’s the advantage of creating a profile and making friends on the SCBWI site as opposed to, say, Facebook or Jacketflap? Any tips for using it?
SCBWInc, our member networking platform, just launched October 13th. Co-founder and Executive Director Lin Oliver was very specific when I was developing this part of the site that she wanted this function to be more than just "social networking." Writing and illustrating can be solitary work. SCBWInc is designed as a place for members who are often isolated in their own studios or hunkered down editing a manuscript to come and surface for a creative recharge. Without leaving your seat at the computer or the drafting table, we wanted to provide a little taste of the community aspect that is often felt at our regional events and annual international conferences in New York and Los Angeles with the click of a mouse.
Being a member of Facebook or other sites is a great way to market your work and get the word out, but there’s nothing like the community sense of the SCBWI. Those letters in our name (and we do spell it out—we don’t pronounce it as a word that sounds like “squeegee”!) have come to be synonymous not only with professional support and advocacy, but also with the true community of artistic peers who rely on one another for encouragement that goes far beyond marketing and visibility.
Are there any more changes in store for scbwi.org?
Yes! Now that the major functions are in place, we’re embarking on a round secondary additions. So stay tuned for more info on:
Blogs/RSS Feeds: Look for news soon on a blog from the SCBWI Illustrator Committee, a legal questions blog, and a tech blog with an emphasis on marketing your work—all with RSS feeds so you can get an instant update.
Redesigned Discussion Board Forum, hosted on our site (that doesn’t require a secondary login!)
The all-new SCBWI Store: A brand new shopping experience for T-shirts, SCBWI Master Class DVDs, and other great merch!
The Online Publication Guide: While members may currently download a PDF copy of the annual “Pub Guide,” all of our Market Surveys and Directories will soon be fully searchable.
The SCBWI Bulletin Archive: Over 30 years of SCBWI Bulletins have been scanned in and are currently being indexed for easy searching and reading online!
More video! We’ve got years and years of conference footage and we’re working on clearing some rights issues to be able to use some of that video on the site!
You better believe it! There’s this really great SCBWI member—Alice Pope? You may know her. (She’s got a killer SCBWI Member Profile here.) Anyway, she’ll be heading up another all-star team of bloggers to bring you hits and highlights from the upcoming 10th Annual International SCBWI Winter Conference in New York. Conference brochures will be in the mail by the end of next week, and we’re aiming to go live with registration online October 28th!
National Books Award Finalists Named (and I'm back from vacation)...
After a six days of vacation in New York, I was not excited about the prospect of weeding through my email inbox. (It was bursting.) After a few hours of wading through, I was rewarded with today's Publishers Lunch featuring the National Book Award finalists. In case you haven't seen the list, here are the 2009 National Books Awards Finalists for the Young People's Literature caegory:
Special shout out to Laini Taylor, who is a 2010 CWIM contributor along with her husband Jim Di Bartolo, illustrator of Lips Touch. (Check out his amazing cover art below along with the other NBA finalist books.)
I've got one: don't be shy. Talk to people in the hallways and a lunches and attend all the networking/mingling events and networt/mingle. (And if you see me, come over and say hello.)
Great tips! I would also suggest not always talking about your book or manuscripts - especially at lunch. Strike up a conversation about the city you're in, hobbies, great bookstores, etc. which will allow you to connect with people on a more comfortable and personal level.
I'd follow up on your tip, Alice, by saying "talk to anyone and everyone" - you never know what might come from it, but you know from the start that you're talking with someone who shares your love of children's literature. You've got something in common - a great place to start.
I'd also say that if you're at a multiday event with breakout sessions, try to find a mix of topics... and include one that just sounds interesting even if it's not exactly on "your" specialty area. I've found inspiration and knowledge that way many times.
I give a third nod to Alice and Greg's tip, don't be shy.
I would also suggest making a realistic goal (or setting an intention) for the weekend, not the thought that this one conference will make it all happen. But if you go in weekend wanting to make one new writing/illustrating friend, to take home one new craft technique, or learn something about your process/work etc. it will be a successful and wonderful conference. AND, sometimes those more realistic successes lead to big ones!
Developing the pitch in 30 second and 2 minutes versions is definitely a must (not just for conferences, but for a lot of reasons I've found!)
And for printing, BTW, I use GotPrint and they're even cheaper but still really good.
http://gotprint.net/
those were excellent comments!! I love the pitch comments. :-)
wish I were going..........
Good advice. My advice is to be prepared and network your asterisk off!
I'll be at the SCBWI winter conference in New York and hope to meet Alice, Jane and lots of other SCBWIers!
Cheers, Jan