Author/Illustrator Arree Chung tells us about his conference weekend:
Thanks, Arree!
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By: Lee Wind, M.Ed.,
on 2/3/2013
Blog: The Official SCBWI 10th Annual New York Conference Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: conference attendees, Arree Chung, #NY13SCBWI, Add a tag
By: Lee Wind, M.Ed.,
on 2/3/2013
Blog: The Official SCBWI 10th Annual New York Conference Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: conference attendees, #NY13SCBWI, Sara Woolley, Add a tag
By: Martha Brockenbrough,
on 2/3/2013
Blog: The Official SCBWI 10th Annual New York Conference Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Mo Willems, Meg Rosoff, Shaun Tan, Jane Yolen, Margaret Peterson Haddix, mark teague, Floyd Cooper, David Ezra Stein, Arthur A. Levine, autograph party, matthew kirby, #NY13SCBWI, Add a tag
By: Lee Wind, M.Ed.,
on 2/3/2013
Blog: The Official SCBWI 10th Annual New York Conference Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: conference attendees, #NY13SCBWI, First Time Attendees, RaChelle Lisiecki, Andrea Yerramilli, Add a tag
By: Lee Wind, M.Ed.,
on 2/3/2013
Blog: The Official SCBWI 10th Annual New York Conference Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: conference attendees, #NY13SCBWI, First Time Attendees, Kelly Thrasher-Brooks, Add a tag
By: Lee Wind, M.Ed.,
on 2/3/2013
Blog: The Official SCBWI 10th Annual New York Conference Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Mo Willems, keynote, #NY13SCBWI, Add a tag
By: Martha Brockenbrough,
on 2/3/2013
Blog: The Official SCBWI 10th Annual New York Conference Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: keynote, Julie Andrews, Emma Walton Hamilton, #NY13SCBWI, Whiskers on Kittens, Raindrops on Roses, Add a tag
Julie Andrews is one of the world's most beloved entertainers. She's Mary Poppins. She's Maria. She's the Queen of Genovia. She's also a tremendous writer whose books include MANDY and THE LAST OF THE REALLY GREAT WHANGDOODLES.
Along with her equally successful daughter, Emma Walton Hamilton, she has created The Julie Andrews Collection, a series of books designed to nurture a child's sense of wonder.
Together, the mother-daughter team has written 27 books together, including THE VERY FAIRY PRINCESS series, which became a No. 1 New York Times bestseller.
They gave a warm and wonderful presentation to an entirely packed house (indeed, it's standing room only in the back). Here are some highlights.
On how Julie Andrews got started
Julie's first published work was a "happy accident" forty years ago. She was playing a game with her kids that required a forfeit if you lost. Her stepdaughter asked her to write a story.
"I began to develop a little idea I had, and I got so carried away with the story, it turned into my first middle-grade novel, called MANDY," Julie said.
Their first collaborative work
She and Emma first wrote together when Emma was just five.
As Emma explained it, her parents had just divorced and were living on opposite coasts. She and her mom wrote a book and brought it to her dad, who illustrated it and bound it. The book became a symbol of their permanent connection. Later, they revisited the story and worked it into a book called SIMEON'S GIFT, illustrated by Gennady Spirin.
On their writing process
Julie talked about the process of writing DUMPY THE DUMPTRUCK, the first picture book they wrote together. "The learning curve was very steep," she said.
Now, though, they're experienced enough that Emma teaches children's writing (including through the online Children's Book Hub).
As they collaborate, they have learned to lean into each other's strengths. And if someone feels really strongly about something, she's probably right.
"This requires mutual trust and respect," Emma said. And it's not just because they're mother and daughter. "A great deal of it we've learned through the collaborative process."
Julie and Emma work with an outline. "We feel that structure gives us greater freedom."
They also write every line together. Emma types ("very fast," Julie said). She sends the day's work to Julie for review. They used to think they had to be in the same room to work, but their schedules made that difficult. So now they use Skype or other chat software--very early in the morning, before Julie has had her hair and makeup on (but she does stop to spritz herself with perfume).
On the challenges of writing a series
Consistency is important.
"With Dumpy, I had the idea of always beginning with a fanfare of sorts, heralding what's to come very much the way an overture might," Julie said. They had to find fresh ways to do that every time.
They also had to keep characters and their abilities consistent. For example, is Dumpy magic or is it just a coincidence when his lights flicker at a crucial moment in the story? That's a question left up to the reader to decide, and they had to make sure what Dumpy did in book six was consistent with what he did in books one through five to sustain this interest.
They even keep the architecture of the house consistent across books.
"It can be harder to track that you might imagine," Emma said. (She used spreadsheets to track.) And it helps having two sets of eyes on things.
Even so, they do try to leave space for surprise. "We've ... learned the value of flexibility and keeping our options open," Julie said.
Reader satisfaction
They had much to say on this, but one excellent point was Julie's--that an ending has to be satisfying and surprising at the same time.
But there's good news!
"The better you know your characters, the more they start to inform your ideas," Emma said. So it gets easier as you go.
By: Suzanne Young,
on 2/3/2013
Blog: The Official SCBWI 10th Annual New York Conference Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: contest, Bridget Zinn, #NY13SCBWI, Add a tag
But now is the time to celebrate for Bridget. Her first book, POISON, is due out from Disney/Hyperion on March 12th, and we invite you to help us spread the word. From now until Monday night we are running a contest for you to win Bridget's book! But first, here's the description:
So now for your part: When you share this blogpost, write your own, or tweet the hashtag #poison—come back and comment on this post. On Monday at midnight, we'll select one lucky winner to receive an ARC of Bridget's amazing book POISON!
I hope you take the time to help spread the word and support our dear friend, an amazing spirit, and our fellow writer--Bridget Zinn. Thank you.
Pre-order POISON:
IndieBound
B&N
Amazon
Powell's Books
By: Lee Wind, M.Ed.,
on 2/3/2013
Blog: The Official SCBWI 10th Annual New York Conference Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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By: Cuppa Jolie,
on 2/3/2013
Blog: The Official SCBWI 10th Annual New York Conference Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Margaret Peterson Haddix, keynote, #NY13SCBWI, Add a tag
Margaret Peterson Haddix is an award-winning author of more than thirty books for kids.
Margaret takes the stages in such a vibrant manner, opening with, "Someday I'll be able to say, 'I once opened for Julie Andrews." (Julie Andrews will give the next keynote.) Pretty cool.
Margaret questions what the doomsday-ers might have said when storytellers decided to write the story down, or when the printing press came about.
"Kids need our stories. I think that it's hardwired into all of us...Kids need stories to help them be empathetic to others...It's the stories themselves that matter, not the manner in which they read them."
"Kids are trying to make sense of the world, and they use stories to do it."
Margaret used to tell her daughter stories, reminiscing, and telling her events from her own childhood. During one rambling story, her daughter became quite angry with her and yelled at her mom to get to, "and then one day."It took Margaret a while to realize what her daughter was screaming for was plot.
When Margaret starts to think she's going on too long in a scene, she asks herself if what she's writing matters, and her internal editor starts telling her to get to the and then one day.
She worries about people who are asked, "When are going to write a real book?" at a vulnerable time in their writing life. What if some books have not been written because a writers confidence was taken away from the question?
When looking back at books that mattered to her as a child, Margaret asked what it was about those books that made them so great. Those were the elements she wanted in her own books. Those books had:
Making this list helped Margaret know what she wanted in her own work.
When revising it's not a bad idea to imagine the reluctant and picky reader that might be looking for any reason to put your book down. "You want your book to be so great that even the most finicky reader will eat it up."
"Fail big if you have to, but go try trying."
"Tell the story you're afraid of. Tell the story that surprises you. Tell the story you care about more than anything else because that's what kids need."
By: Suzanne Young,
on 2/3/2013
Blog: The Official SCBWI 10th Annual New York Conference Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Art Showcase, #NY13SCBWI, Add a tag
By: Martha Brockenbrough,
on 2/3/2013
Blog: The Official SCBWI 10th Annual New York Conference Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: #NY13SCBWI, Emerging Voices Award, Add a tag
By: Suzanne Young,
on 2/3/2013
Blog: The Official SCBWI 10th Annual New York Conference Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Jane Yolen, LGBTQ, Ellen Hopkins, Bruce Coville, Lee Wind, #NY13SCBWI, Add a tag
By: Lee Wind, M.Ed.,
on 2/3/2013
Blog: The Official SCBWI 10th Annual New York Conference Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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From Right To Left: Joshua Smith, Brandon Clark, Gee Cee Addison, Kayla Heinen, Kim Turrisi, Sarah Baker, Sara Rutenberg and Sally Crock
By: Martha Brockenbrough,
on 2/2/2013
Blog: The Official SCBWI 10th Annual New York Conference Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Shaun Tan, twitter, #NY13SCBWI, Add a tag
By: Martha Brockenbrough,
on 2/2/2013
Blog: The Official SCBWI 10th Annual New York Conference Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: editor, Jennifer Besser, #NY13SCBWI, What Hooks Me, Add a tag
She gave us a lot of great perspective on the craft and business of writing books for children.
In picture books, she likes humor and things that are slightly irreverent. She also likes books with a lot of heart. "Anything that feels unexpected," she said.
By: Lee Wind, M.Ed.,
on 2/2/2013
Blog: The Official SCBWI 10th Annual New York Conference Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Shaun Tan, keynote, #NY13SCBWI, Add a tag
Shaun Tan grew up in the northern suburbs of Perth, Western Australia, and currently works as an artist, author and film-maker in Melbourne. Books such as The Rabbits, The Red Tree, Tales From Outer Suburbia and the acclaimed wordless novel The Arrival have been widely translated and enjoyed by readers of all ages. Shaun has also worked as a theatre designer, feature film concept artist, and wrote and directed the Academy Award winning animated short The Lost Thing. In 2011 he received the prestigious Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award in Sweden for his body of work. His most recent publication is The Bird King.
Shaun prefaces by saying that ultimately the truth of what he wants to say is in his actual work.
He shares flashes of insight...
he's interested in migration, crossing borders, transitions, the idea of a strange encounter, like in his amazing book, "The Arrival"
He reads us one of his stories, "Eric" (from "Tales From Outer Suburbia")
The room is captivated, and there's a huge AWWW... at the end.
Now he's discussing the themes of the story and how he followed the thread, saying
He's talking (and showing slides) of other artists who captured seemingly unimportant things and found the beauty (and stories) in them, photos of his own studio that reveal much about his process, and images of close-to-his-home domestic scenes that inspire him. (We're seeing paintings and drawings, and even his sketchbooks!)
He's speaking now of exploring otherness and showing sketches he's done from museums of things foreign to him, saying:
The most delicious part of his talk are his captioned illustrations that crack us up, explaining a 'typical' day. One drawing reads "stumble across my own consciousness in the kitchen - what time is it?"
It's whimsical, mystical and fascinating, just like Shaun!
There's so much more, and this moment still resonates from Shaun's keynote:
Want to hear more of Shaun's remarkable thoughts? You can check out our pre-conference interview, and his great website, and see some of his sketches yourself in his new "The Bird King and other sketches" but it was a delight to be able to hear him in person.
We're even getting a preview of his current work in progress...And we end with a standing ovation!
By: Lee Wind, M.Ed.,
on 2/2/2013
Blog: The Official SCBWI 10th Annual New York Conference Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Art Directors, #NY13SCBWI, What Hooks Me, Isabel Warren-Lynch, Add a tag
Isabel Warren-Lynch has worked in children's books since 1980 starting as a designer at E.P. Dutton where she passed by the original Winnie-the-Pooh in the lobby every day. In 1985 she was introduced to mass market formats and became the Art Director at Grosset & Dunlap. In 1991 she returned to trade publishing at Random House as the Art Director for Crown Books for Young Readers. Her job has grown over the last 20 years and she now oversees a group of 11 designers work on over 300 books a year on the Random House imprints including Knopf, Delacorte, Wendy Lamb Books, Ember, Bluefire and Dragonfly. As Executive Art Director, she has worked with the best editors and some of the most exciting authors and illustrators in the business.
Isabel wants us to consider emotional connection through illustration.
She's showing us some images that grabbed her early on - among them Garth Williams (like the ones for Charlotte's Web) and E. H. Shepards' "Winnie The Pooh" and Maurice Sendack ("Higglety Pigglety Pop! or there must be more to life") - and unpacking how each composition lets us know what the story is about at heart.
And now she's sharing what's new that she LOVES. Among the examples are"I Was A Rat" by Philip Pullman, a MG illustrated by Kevin Hawks,
and Leo and Diane Dillon's ilustrations of "The People Could Fly" by Virginia Hamilton.
She's discussing subtleties of expressions, foreshadowing, interactions between characters, body language and position, hair, clothes, movements, muscles, shapes, economy of line...
She worked on Barack Obama's Of Thee I Sing: A Letter To My Daughters, illustrated by Loren Long, and tells us the story behind that book and its remarkable illustrations.
Isabel discusses how to best present your work as an illustrator (she's sharing that last night at the portfolio review she collected many dozens of postcards!) She's holding up examples of smart promotion and explaining why she liked them. She's also talking about how book dummies reveal your understanding of pacing and layout, answering if you can you carry through a story and characters.
There's an eager Q&A, and from that this comment that summed up Isabel's session nicely:
Thanks, Isabel!
By: Cuppa Jolie,
on 2/2/2013
Blog: The Official SCBWI 10th Annual New York Conference Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: editor, charlesbridge, Yolanda Scott, #NY13SCBWI, What Hooks Me, Add a tag
2. Compelling Characters
3. Riveting Pot
4. Strong Voice
5. Interesting Structure
6. Exceptional Art or Visual Potential
7. Filling a Hole on the Charlesbridge List
8. Skillful, Fluid Writing
9. Personal Interest of an Editor
By: Suzanne Young,
on 2/2/2013
Blog: The Official SCBWI 10th Annual New York Conference Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Molly O'Neill, #NY13SCBWI, Add a tag
I think the best advice came when she talked about the key to writing: Authenticity, heart, respect for the experience and key moments of being a child, tween, teen.
By: Lee Wind, M.Ed.,
on 2/2/2013
Blog: The Official SCBWI 10th Annual New York Conference Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: editor, Rosemary Brosnan, #NY13SCBWI, Andrea Martin, Add a tag
Rosemary Brosnan is executive editor of HarperCollins Children's Books, where she publishes mostly fiction for middle-graders and teens. She publishes Neil Gaiman, Lauren Oliver, Gail Carson Levine, Rita Williams-Garcia and many more - writers who have won LOTS of awards and are all over the New York Times bestseller lists. Which makes sense as she explains to us that her sweet spot is between literary and commercial (which she explains as literary being well-written with well-rounded characters, and commercial being a story with wide appeal.)
But even though she continues to publish her established authors (working with one author for 26 years so far!) she explains that
She's telling us about a few of her debut authors and sharing about (and reading sections from) some of the books she's published - explaining to us and showing us what's she's acquired (mainly MG and YA) and why she acquired it.
Two of the debuts she shares are:
"The Vengekeep Prophecies" by Brian Farrey
and
"The Cabinet of Earths" by Anne Nesbet
Rosemary reminds us that publishing is really subjective, saying that she often sees on the Publishers Lunch list of weekly recent sales books that she herself declined. If your manuscript is rejected, it doesn't mean it's not good, it just doesn't fit their list.
She shares some craft book recommendations and talks about the importance of discipline, telling us that Lauren Oliver wrote "Before I Fall" on her blackberry while riding the subway between jobs and school!
Andrea Martin worked in sales at the publisher for three years, then become an editorial assistant three years ago. She's now an Associate Editor working with Rosemary, and is building her own list.
Andrea shares about how their editorial team works together, giving the example of "The Wig in the Window," a middle grade mystery by Kristin Kittscher.
Andrea defines voice as being like a person who has charisma, and you just want to spend more time with them. She also shares about some of the books she's acquired and why.
Rosemary and Andrea answers questions from the attendees, covering the difference between the level of hands-on editing in children's lit versus adult lit, finding self-published authors, covers, the future of short stories, submitting a friend's illustrations with your manuscript (don't do it), writing in a native language if it's not English, first person narration, the challenge of being a mid-list author, and much more.
But the most touching moment of the session was when Rosemary called out one of the attendees - Courtney Stevens (the ARA from Mid-South!),who was standing against the wall listening - and spoke about acquiring HER debut novel, "Faking Normal," telling us how she loved it so much, bought it in a pre-empt, and is so excited about the book coming out and the author's career ahead.
A lovely moment of SCBWI success.
By: Martha Brockenbrough,
on 2/2/2013
Blog: The Official SCBWI 10th Annual New York Conference Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: editor, candlewick, kate fletcher, #NY13SCBWI, Add a tag
Kate Fletcher is an editor at Candlewick Press, an independent publisher in Somerville, MA that focuses entirely on the children's market.
They're a small company so editors can work on the projects that interest them: fiction, nonfiction, picture books, young adult novels.
"It's really nice," Kate said. "You're not really pigeonholed into working on certain things."
They also don't have acquisition meetings, as many other publishers do. They can sign books without getting committee approval.
Generally, she takes projects to her boss and can usually make an offer afterward.
"I just really have to love it," she said.
Some books with bigger offers or series would need more consideration. This allows Candlewick, an employee-owned company, to take risks and "be creatively led."
Kate focuses about half her time on picture books and half on novels (with slightly more YA than MG). She focuses on fiction, but not science fiction.
On picture books: She wasn't originally interested in rhyme but has come around. "Good rhyme can add a lot," she said. "Bad rhyme is horrible." She does prefer shorter text and really thinks about the read-aloud experience.
On YA novels: One of her titles is YAQUI DELGADO WANTS TO KICK YOUR ASS. The book isn't out yet but has two starred reviews already. The author, Meg Medina, started out in picture books. (More info here.)
On MG: You need strong enough writing and characters to draw a reader in.
She's also a fan of humor, even in serious books.
She also shared her wish list with us--what she wants and doesn't. (One thing on her not-for-her list: paranormal.)
By: Lee Wind, M.Ed.,
on 2/2/2013
Blog: The Official SCBWI 10th Annual New York Conference Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Amazon, Booksellers, JON FINE, #NY13SCBWI, Add a tag
In terms of the changes happening now in publishing, Jon is optimistic, saying
And gives a shout-out,
Yet putting it all aside, he reminds us that the core issue is to tell a great story.
The panel is a fascinating view of the side of the business AFTER your book is published!
By: CocoaStomp,
on 2/2/2013
Blog: The Official SCBWI 10th Annual New York Conference Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Booksellers, Scholastic Book Fairs, Robert Brown, #NY13SCBWI, Add a tag
My favorite part of Bob's intro: How important it is to him to help children find the books that are right for them. Bob did this at his bookstore, and now with Scholastic he helps 35 million (!) kids via school book fairs find thousands of fiction and nonfiction titles.
Bob's answers to some of Lin's bookish questions:
Lin asks the panel to take the market's temperature:
Bob is upbeat about the children's book publishing industry. The biggest challenge is to get kids to read more. The book fairs provide unfettered access for kids to be in direct contact with new books, not only the bestseller listers, but wonderful midlist titles as well. In addition, it's a community event, families come to the fairs and the events continue to be well attended, with robust sales and enthusiasm on all sides.
How are Scholastic Book Fairs getting into the electronic book world?
Bob recommends checking out Scholastic's Storia, an app for Windows, iPads and Android designed for kids learning to read as well as readers and parents looking for a a curated set of great books.
Dream book type for Scholastic Book Fairs?
Contemporary multicultural!
By: Lee Wind, M.Ed.,
on 2/2/2013
Blog: The Official SCBWI 10th Annual New York Conference Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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By: Lee Wind, M.Ed.,
on 2/3/2013
Blog: The Official SCBWI 10th Annual New York Conference Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: conference attendees, Arree Chung, #NY13SCBWI, Add a tag
By: Lee Wind, M.Ed.,
on 2/3/2013
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JacketFlap tags: conference attendees, #NY13SCBWI, Sara Woolley, Add a tag
Illustrator (and now writer/illustrator) Sara Woolley tells us about the impact the weekend has had on her:
Thanks Sara!
2 Comments on Sara Woolley's #NY13SCBWI Conference Experience, last added: 2/8/2013
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By: Martha Brockenbrough,
on 2/3/2013
Blog: The Official SCBWI 10th Annual New York Conference Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Mo Willems, Meg Rosoff, Shaun Tan, Jane Yolen, Margaret Peterson Haddix, mark teague, Floyd Cooper, David Ezra Stein, Arthur A. Levine, autograph party, matthew kirby, #NY13SCBWI, Add a tag
Almost the moment Mo Willems' keynote speech ended, people started lining up to get their books signed and we kid you not, the line ran the length of a football field (that's 100 yards, for those of you unfamiliar with the sport, or 91.44 meters if you're Canadian).
It's no wonder people are so excited to have their books inscribed, when you share the room with the likes of Julie Andrews, Mo Willems, Shaun Tan, Jane Yolen, Tomie dePaolo ...
We could and should go on, but we'll let the pictures speak for themselves.
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| Mo Willems |
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| Shaun Tan fans standing in a queue (do they say that in Australia?) |
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| Shaun Tan |
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| Mark Teague and Floyd Cooper |
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| Meg Rosoff and David Ezra Stein |
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| Lin Oliver and Theo Baker |
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| Tomie DePaola and Jane Yolen |
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| Margaret Peterson Haddix and Matthew Kirby |
 |
| Arthur Levine is a full-service editor. Here, he's opening the book to the right page for an inscription. |
1 Comments on The Autograph Party, last added: 2/11/2013
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By: Lee Wind, M.Ed.,
on 2/3/2013
Blog: The Official SCBWI 10th Annual New York Conference Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: conference attendees, #NY13SCBWI, First Time Attendees, RaChelle Lisiecki, Andrea Yerramilli, Add a tag
Andrea Yerramilli and RaChelle Lisiecki share with us how the New York SCBWI Conference went for them...
Thank you!
0 Comments on Andrea Yerramilli and RaChelle Lisiecki - Their #NY13SCBWI Experience as of 2/3/2013 8:02:00 PM
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By: Lee Wind, M.Ed.,
on 2/3/2013
Blog: The Official SCBWI 10th Annual New York Conference Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: conference attendees, #NY13SCBWI, First Time Attendees, Kelly Thrasher-Brooks, Add a tag
Kelly Thrasher-Brooks is a first time conference attendee!
Thanks, Kelly!
3 Comments on Kelly Thrasher-Brooks: My #NY13SCBWI Experience, last added: 2/6/2013
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By: Lee Wind, M.Ed.,
on 2/3/2013
Blog: The Official SCBWI 10th Annual New York Conference Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Mo Willems, keynote, #NY13SCBWI, Add a tag
Don't let the pigeon drive the bus, but do let Mo Willems give the closing keynote at a conference weekend full of icons and inspiration!
 |
| Mo Willems! |
Mo has six Emmys, Three Caldecott honors, three Geisel medals and as Lin says in her introduction, "He is the phenom of our business"
He cautions us that writers are filters, not spigots. "Be a filter, don't be a spigot." So here are a few of the filtered highlights of Mo's keynote:
Three of his 9 tips:
For Illustrators,
Mo is funny, irreverent, insightful, sharing advice and stories, showing us the difference between a hook and a story - while people are crying/laughing, laughing/crying - telling us which is his most personal book, the truth about 'write what you know' (don't do it - write to discover what you don't know), giving us a bunch of great illustration tips and career tips, and so much more...
And perhaps most magically, this is the filtered line that's resonating for me...
We're riveted...
and on our feet, cheering!
Mo is amazing!
He cautions us that writers are filters, not spigots. "Be a filter, don't be a spigot." So here are a few of the filtered highlights of Mo's keynote:
"We're not trying to make stories that are going to be read, we're trying to make stories that are going to be read a millionty billionty times."
Three of his 9 tips:
*Be succinct. 'Nuff said.
*You may own your story's copyright but you don't own its meaning
*Be Superlative
"I've dreamed that everything I write will change the world for the better." If you're just dreaming of being published, dream bigger.
For Illustrators,
Always start your illustrations in the middle (to kind of warm up) and save the cover and opening spreads for the end (when you're in the zone and it's flowing) - because those are the first ones people will read!
Mo is funny, irreverent, insightful, sharing advice and stories, showing us the difference between a hook and a story - while people are crying/laughing, laughing/crying - telling us which is his most personal book, the truth about 'write what you know' (don't do it - write to discover what you don't know), giving us a bunch of great illustration tips and career tips, and so much more...
And perhaps most magically, this is the filtered line that's resonating for me...
"Your job is to be [through your books] some child's best friend."
We're riveted...
and on our feet, cheering!
Mo is amazing!
 |
| What a finale! |
3 Comments on Mo Willems' Keynote: "Writing in 4 Easy Steps, 4 Kinda Harder Steps, and 1 Impossible Step", last added: 2/4/2013
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By: Martha Brockenbrough,
on 2/3/2013
Blog: The Official SCBWI 10th Annual New York Conference Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: keynote, Julie Andrews, Emma Walton Hamilton, #NY13SCBWI, Whiskers on Kittens, Raindrops on Roses, Add a tag
Julie Andrews is one of the world's most beloved entertainers. She's Mary Poppins. She's Maria. She's the Queen of Genovia. She's also a tremendous writer whose books include MANDY and THE LAST OF THE REALLY GREAT WHANGDOODLES.
Along with her equally successful daughter, Emma Walton Hamilton, she has created The Julie Andrews Collection, a series of books designed to nurture a child's sense of wonder.Together, the mother-daughter team has written 27 books together, including THE VERY FAIRY PRINCESS series, which became a No. 1 New York Times bestseller.
They gave a warm and wonderful presentation to an entirely packed house (indeed, it's standing room only in the back). Here are some highlights.
On how Julie Andrews got started
Julie's first published work was a "happy accident" forty years ago. She was playing a game with her kids that required a forfeit if you lost. Her stepdaughter asked her to write a story.
"I began to develop a little idea I had, and I got so carried away with the story, it turned into my first middle-grade novel, called MANDY," Julie said.
Their first collaborative work
She and Emma first wrote together when Emma was just five.
As Emma explained it, her parents had just divorced and were living on opposite coasts. She and her mom wrote a book and brought it to her dad, who illustrated it and bound it. The book became a symbol of their permanent connection. Later, they revisited the story and worked it into a book called SIMEON'S GIFT, illustrated by Gennady Spirin.
On their writing process
Julie talked about the process of writing DUMPY THE DUMPTRUCK, the first picture book they wrote together. "The learning curve was very steep," she said.
Now, though, they're experienced enough that Emma teaches children's writing (including through the online Children's Book Hub).
As they collaborate, they have learned to lean into each other's strengths. And if someone feels really strongly about something, she's probably right.
"This requires mutual trust and respect," Emma said. And it's not just because they're mother and daughter. "A great deal of it we've learned through the collaborative process."
Julie and Emma work with an outline. "We feel that structure gives us greater freedom."
They also write every line together. Emma types ("very fast," Julie said). She sends the day's work to Julie for review. They used to think they had to be in the same room to work, but their schedules made that difficult. So now they use Skype or other chat software--very early in the morning, before Julie has had her hair and makeup on (but she does stop to spritz herself with perfume).
On the challenges of writing a series
Consistency is important.
"With Dumpy, I had the idea of always beginning with a fanfare of sorts, heralding what's to come very much the way an overture might," Julie said. They had to find fresh ways to do that every time.
They also had to keep characters and their abilities consistent. For example, is Dumpy magic or is it just a coincidence when his lights flicker at a crucial moment in the story? That's a question left up to the reader to decide, and they had to make sure what Dumpy did in book six was consistent with what he did in books one through five to sustain this interest.
They even keep the architecture of the house consistent across books.
"It can be harder to track that you might imagine," Emma said. (She used spreadsheets to track.) And it helps having two sets of eyes on things.
Even so, they do try to leave space for surprise. "We've ... learned the value of flexibility and keeping our options open," Julie said.
Reader satisfaction
They had much to say on this, but one excellent point was Julie's--that an ending has to be satisfying and surprising at the same time.
But there's good news!
"The better you know your characters, the more they start to inform your ideas," Emma said. So it gets easier as you go.
3 Comments on Julie Andrews and Emma Walton Hamilton: 'It Takes Two' Keynote, last added: 2/8/2013
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By: Suzanne Young,
on 2/3/2013
Blog: The Official SCBWI 10th Annual New York Conference Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: contest, Bridget Zinn, #NY13SCBWI, Add a tag
In 2011 we lost one of our own—Bridget Zinn. At 33, Bridget had just sold her first book to Disney/Hyperion, and she was also bravely fighting cancer. I was lucky enough to be friends with Bridget, but we all feel her loss. Her agent Michael Stearns had a beautiful post about her passing, along with a video that really captures her beautiful spirit HERE.
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| Bridget and her husband, Barrett Dowell |
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| (left to right) Cyndi Koon, Suzanne Young, and Bridget at their "rockstar lunch." |
Sixteen-year-old Kyra, a highly-skilled potions master, is the only one who knows her kingdom is on the verge of destruction—which means she’s the only one who can save it. Faced with no other choice, Kyra decides to do what she does best: poison the kingdom’s future ruler, who also happens to be her former best friend. But, for the first time ever, her poisoned dart…misses.
Now a fugitive instead of a hero, Kyra is caught in a game of hide-and-seek with the king’s army and her potioner ex-boyfriend, Hal. At least she’s not alone. She’s armed with her vital potions, a too-cute pig, and Fred, the charming adventurer she can’t stop thinking about. Kyra is determined to get herself a second chance (at murder), but will she be able to find and defeat the princess before Hal and the army find her?
Kyra is not your typical murderer, and she’s certainly no damsel-in-distress—she's the lovable and quick-witted hero of this romantic novel that has all the right ingredients to make teen girls swoon.
So now for your part: When you share this blogpost, write your own, or tweet the hashtag #poison—come back and comment on this post. On Monday at midnight, we'll select one lucky winner to receive an ARC of Bridget's amazing book POISON!
I hope you take the time to help spread the word and support our dear friend, an amazing spirit, and our fellow writer--Bridget Zinn. Thank you.
Pre-order POISON:
IndieBound
B&N
Amazon
Powell's Books
6 Comments on Remembering Bridget Zinn, last added: 2/4/2013
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By: Lee Wind, M.Ed.,
on 2/3/2013
Blog: The Official SCBWI 10th Annual New York Conference Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: #NY13SCBWI, Add a tag
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| Grabbing titles before Julie Andrews and Emma Walton Hamilton's Keynote! |
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By: Cuppa Jolie,
on 2/3/2013
Blog: The Official SCBWI 10th Annual New York Conference Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Margaret Peterson Haddix, keynote, #NY13SCBWI, Add a tag
Margaret Peterson Haddix is an award-winning author of more than thirty books for kids.
Margaret takes the stages in such a vibrant manner, opening with, "Someday I'll be able to say, 'I once opened for Julie Andrews." (Julie Andrews will give the next keynote.) Pretty cool.
"You don't get to be an author without a certain amount of persistence."
Margaret questions what the doomsday-ers might have said when storytellers decided to write the story down, or when the printing press came about.
"Kids need our stories. I think that it's hardwired into all of us...Kids need stories to help them be empathetic to others...It's the stories themselves that matter, not the manner in which they read them."
"Kids are trying to make sense of the world, and they use stories to do it."
Margaret used to tell her daughter stories, reminiscing, and telling her events from her own childhood. During one rambling story, her daughter became quite angry with her and yelled at her mom to get to, "and then one day."It took Margaret a while to realize what her daughter was screaming for was plot.
When Margaret starts to think she's going on too long in a scene, she asks herself if what she's writing matters, and her internal editor starts telling her to get to the and then one day.
She worries about people who are asked, "When are going to write a real book?" at a vulnerable time in their writing life. What if some books have not been written because a writers confidence was taken away from the question?
When looking back at books that mattered to her as a child, Margaret asked what it was about those books that made them so great. Those were the elements she wanted in her own books. Those books had:- adventure not found in normal life
- cliff-hanger chapter needing
- spunky main characters
- characters that felt like friends or the friends she wished she had
Making this list helped Margaret know what she wanted in her own work.
When revising it's not a bad idea to imagine the reluctant and picky reader that might be looking for any reason to put your book down. "You want your book to be so great that even the most finicky reader will eat it up."
"Fail big if you have to, but go try trying."
"Tell the story you're afraid of. Tell the story that surprises you. Tell the story you care about more than anything else because that's what kids need."
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By: Suzanne Young,
on 2/3/2013
Blog: The Official SCBWI 10th Annual New York Conference Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Art Showcase, #NY13SCBWI, Add a tag
The winners and honorees were announced for the Art Showcase Awards. The portfolios were judged as a whole, and the grand prize winner will be flown back to NYC to meet with art directors. Here’s the list with samples of their work:
Honor awards:
And the Grand Prize Winner is……
The judges had a tough time deciding between all of the outstanding portfolios. Congratulations to all the winners!
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By: Martha Brockenbrough,
on 2/3/2013
Blog: The Official SCBWI 10th Annual New York Conference Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: #NY13SCBWI, Emerging Voices Award, Add a tag
The SCBWI On-The-Verge Emerging Voices Award was created in 2012 to foster the emergence of diverse voices in children’s books. It's given to any writer or illustrator from an ethnic and/or cultural background that underrepresented in American literature.
Martin and Sue Schmitt of the 455 Foundation provided the funding for this generous grant. Each winner receives an all-expenses paid trip to the SCBWI Winter Conference in New York to meet with editors and agents, a press release to publishers, a year of free membership to SCBWI, and an SCBWI mentor for a year.
The award this year went to Mary Louise Sanchez, Alex Brown, and Sandra Headen, PhD.
Learn more about their projects on the SCBWI blog.
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| Sandra Headen |
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| Mary Louise Sanchez |
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| Alex Brown |
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By: Suzanne Young,
on 2/3/2013
Blog: The Official SCBWI 10th Annual New York Conference Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Jane Yolen, LGBTQ, Ellen Hopkins, Bruce Coville, Lee Wind, #NY13SCBWI, Add a tag
Since 2008, SCBWI has hosted an invaluable LGBTQ&A at their national conferences. Hosted by Lee Wind (I’m here. I’m queer. What the hell do I read?), the LGBTQ&A is a great place for writers and illustrators to talk with editors, agents, and authors about issues and the current market for stories with gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, gender non-conforming or questioning youth characters and themes.
This year the panel was honored to welcome Jane Yolen, (author of over 300 books for children and teens), Bruce Coville, Ellen Hopkins, and editor Michael Strother. In the opening remarks, Jane was asked about her book SISTER LIGHT, SISTER DARK where she offered insights into the matriarchal society in the story. She was followed by Bruce Coville who when talking about AM I BLUE? said that some people didn’t think humor had a place in LGBTQ. But Bruce pointed out that laughter could be an entry point on the topic.
It was a great segue into Ellen Hopkins’s comments about normalizing through books. There was a heart wrenching moment when she talked about the struggle of some kids and teens, about suicide and depression because of bullying or confusion or lack of acceptance. And Ellen said that until we get to a place where kids are no longer killing themselves, we as authors need to keep writing about LGBTQ topics. Normalizing through books.
The panel got into a discussion on craft, and Jane told the attendees that their characters should come about organically. Let them tell you their story. Michael, an editor at Simon Pulse, told the group that it’s important that their characters have other attributes, and that they’re not just gay. Make them real, fleshed-out people.
Towards the end, a great Q&A session helped the large group of attendees get specific answers to their writing questions. It was comfortable and exciting, and writers and illustrators were able to stay after to talk privately with the panel.
For more information and book recommendations, visit:
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By: Lee Wind, M.Ed.,
on 2/3/2013
Blog: The Official SCBWI 10th Annual New York Conference Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: SCBWI Staff, #NY13SCBWI, Add a tag
Lin starts off the Sunday of the conference with introductions and applause for the amazing staff of SCBWI that makes conferences like this one happen!
From Right To Left: Joshua Smith, Brandon Clark, Gee Cee Addison, Kayla Heinen, Kim Turrisi, Sarah Baker, Sara Rutenberg and Sally Crock
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By: Martha Brockenbrough,
on 2/2/2013
Blog: The Official SCBWI 10th Annual New York Conference Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Shaun Tan, twitter, #NY13SCBWI, Add a tag
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| Our conference was the No. 1 trending subject on Twitter today... |
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| Until Shaun Tan spoke. No one's bigger! |
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By: Martha Brockenbrough,
on 2/2/2013
Blog: The Official SCBWI 10th Annual New York Conference Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: editor, Jennifer Besser, #NY13SCBWI, What Hooks Me, Add a tag
Jennifer Besser is the publisher at G.P. Putnam’s Sons, an imprint of Penguin’s Young Readers Group.
She and her team publish everything from picture books through young adult. She’s the editor of Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series, and has also worked with Jonathan Stroud, Brian Selznick, Ann Martin, Laura Godwin, and John Rocco, among others.
She talked about her editorial process and vision, outlining what appeals to her when she’s reading submissions.
She also read from books she’s edited, including Rick Riordan’s much-beloved THE LIGHTNING THIEF. (It was the first book she acquired—“I thought it was special, terrific, wonderful, of course.” But she had no idea how huge it would become.)
There’s a lot of word of mouth in children's books--from kid to kid, from librarian to kid. "In the adult market, the book comes out and it hits or it doesn’t. In the kids’ book market, there are many more avenues," she said.
She gets submissions from agents. Editors spend time building relationships with agents, and this is a vital part of her process. “You want to see all the good stuff,” she said.
If an editor likes a submission, they bring it to an editorial meeting. Putnam has these once a week. At this meeting, they talk about why they think it’s special and what vision they have for it.
They do financial paperwork on sales projections, how much they’re going to pay the author. "It’s best guess at how it’s going to perform in the marketplace," she said.
They don't have an acquisitions board. The president of company wants publishers to design their own lists. “It’s great because it makes us that much more nimble," she said. "It's one less meeting.”
Her advice to aspiring writers: "Read. Read. Read. Read everything. Read often. Read every genre, even stuff you don’t like. Know the marketplace. Know your competition. All of that informs your writing."
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By: Lee Wind, M.Ed.,
on 2/2/2013
Blog: The Official SCBWI 10th Annual New York Conference Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Shaun Tan, keynote, #NY13SCBWI, Add a tag
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| Shaun Tan |
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| We, his audience, listening with a growing sense of wonder |
Shaun Tan grew up in the northern suburbs of Perth, Western Australia, and currently works as an artist, author and film-maker in Melbourne. Books such as The Rabbits, The Red Tree, Tales From Outer Suburbia and the acclaimed wordless novel The Arrival have been widely translated and enjoyed by readers of all ages. Shaun has also worked as a theatre designer, feature film concept artist, and wrote and directed the Academy Award winning animated short The Lost Thing. In 2011 he received the prestigious Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award in Sweden for his body of work. His most recent publication is The Bird King.
Shaun prefaces by saying that ultimately the truth of what he wants to say is in his actual work.
He shares flashes of insight...
the truths that I'm most interested in are the ones you can't speak about directly
we work in little bubbles, bumping into each other
he's interested in migration, crossing borders, transitions, the idea of a strange encounter, like in his amazing book, "The Arrival"
we forget our everyday world is really exotic, we see it so much we're sort of blind to it - the dark side of familiarity, where we stop appreciating the ordinary.
He reads us one of his stories, "Eric" (from "Tales From Outer Suburbia")
Now he's discussing the themes of the story and how he followed the thread, saying
Again, some things can't be communicated directly.
He's talking (and showing slides) of other artists who captured seemingly unimportant things and found the beauty (and stories) in them, photos of his own studio that reveal much about his process, and images of close-to-his-home domestic scenes that inspire him. (We're seeing paintings and drawings, and even his sketchbooks!)
He's speaking now of exploring otherness and showing sketches he's done from museums of things foreign to him, saying:
"Drawing is the process of figuring out why I like things."
The most delicious part of his talk are his captioned illustrations that crack us up, explaining a 'typical' day. One drawing reads "stumble across my own consciousness in the kitchen - what time is it?"
It's whimsical, mystical and fascinating, just like Shaun!
There's so much more, and this moment still resonates from Shaun's keynote:
"I know a story is good when I can't entirely explain what it's about"
Want to hear more of Shaun's remarkable thoughts? You can check out our pre-conference interview, and his great website, and see some of his sketches yourself in his new "The Bird King and other sketches" but it was a delight to be able to hear him in person.
We're even getting a preview of his current work in progress...And we end with a standing ovation!
1 Comments on Shaun Tan Keynote: "Internal Migrations", last added: 2/5/2013
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By: Lee Wind, M.Ed.,
on 2/2/2013
Blog: The Official SCBWI 10th Annual New York Conference Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Art Directors, #NY13SCBWI, What Hooks Me, Isabel Warren-Lynch, Add a tag
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| Isabel Warren-Lynch speaking at her "What Hooks Me" Session |
Isabel Warren-Lynch has worked in children's books since 1980 starting as a designer at E.P. Dutton where she passed by the original Winnie-the-Pooh in the lobby every day. In 1985 she was introduced to mass market formats and became the Art Director at Grosset & Dunlap. In 1991 she returned to trade publishing at Random House as the Art Director for Crown Books for Young Readers. Her job has grown over the last 20 years and she now oversees a group of 11 designers work on over 300 books a year on the Random House imprints including Knopf, Delacorte, Wendy Lamb Books, Ember, Bluefire and Dragonfly. As Executive Art Director, she has worked with the best editors and some of the most exciting authors and illustrators in the business.
Isabel wants us to consider emotional connection through illustration.
When you're going through portfolio after portfolio, there has to be some emotional connection to pull you in.
She's showing us some images that grabbed her early on - among them Garth Williams (like the ones for Charlotte's Web) and E. H. Shepards' "Winnie The Pooh" and Maurice Sendack ("Higglety Pigglety Pop! or there must be more to life") - and unpacking how each composition lets us know what the story is about at heart.
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| How he could take two of the ugliest animals "...but the love you see there." |
And now she's sharing what's new that she LOVES. Among the examples are"I Was A Rat" by Philip Pullman, a MG illustrated by Kevin Hawks,
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| How something could be sweet and funny and sad all at the same time... |
and Leo and Diane Dillon's ilustrations of "The People Could Fly" by Virginia Hamilton.
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| How the composition is like dance |
She's discussing subtleties of expressions, foreshadowing, interactions between characters, body language and position, hair, clothes, movements, muscles, shapes, economy of line...
She worked on Barack Obama's Of Thee I Sing: A Letter To My Daughters, illustrated by Loren Long, and tells us the story behind that book and its remarkable illustrations.
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| An interior spread |
Isabel discusses how to best present your work as an illustrator (she's sharing that last night at the portfolio review she collected many dozens of postcards!) She's holding up examples of smart promotion and explaining why she liked them. She's also talking about how book dummies reveal your understanding of pacing and layout, answering if you can you carry through a story and characters.
Some Advice:
Before you submit, visit the publishers' websites and look at their books - and ask yourself, could I see my illustration style sitting next to their books?
There's an eager Q&A, and from that this comment that summed up Isabel's session nicely:
"It can be beautiful beautiful beautiful... but we're visual storytellers. It has to tell a story."
Thanks, Isabel!
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By: Cuppa Jolie,
on 2/2/2013
Blog: The Official SCBWI 10th Annual New York Conference Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: editor, charlesbridge, Yolanda Scott, #NY13SCBWI, What Hooks Me, Add a tag
Yolanda Scott is editorial director at Charlesbridge. She has edited over one hundred and fifty titles. Charlesbridge is a smaller, independent, family-run publisher based in Boston. They publish about 50 titles a year. About 60% is nonfiction, 40% fiction. Charlesbridge keeps most of their books in print for a very long time.
What is it that makes Yolanda take notice of a book? She shares 9 specific hooks, along with an example of each.
1. Unique, innovative premise.
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| After the Kill by Darrin Lunde |
2. Compelling Characters
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| The Day-GloBrothers by Chris Barton |
3. Riveting Pot
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| Mosquito Bite by Alexandra Siy |
4. Strong Voice
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| Pirate Bob by Kathryn Lasky |
5. Interesting Structure
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| The Cazuela that the Farm Maiden Stirred by Samantha R. Vamos |
6. Exceptional Art or Visual Potential
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| Last Laughs: Animal Epitaphs by J. Patrick Lewis and Jane Yolen |
7. Filling a Hole on the Charlesbridge List
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| Alphabet Trucks by Samantha R. Vamos |
8. Skillful, Fluid Writing
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| Pigmares by Doug Cushman |
9. Personal Interest of an Editor
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| Grin and Bear It by Leo Landry |
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By: Suzanne Young,
on 2/2/2013
Blog: The Official SCBWI 10th Annual New York Conference Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Molly O'Neill, #NY13SCBWI, Add a tag
Editor Molly O'Neill works at Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins where she publishers picture books, middle grade, and Young Adult novels. Molly's breakout session came with a handout (my favorite!) about the types of manuscripts she's looking for, as well as some upcoming titles she's excited about.
Inside the Editor's Head
When reading a submission, Molly asks herself several questions when determining whether to acquire:
* Do I love it as a reader?
* Am I fascinated by it as an editor? As an editor, Molly has to commit to reading a book (or series) for years to come. Would she want to?
* Who is the audience for this book?
* Can I publish this book successfully?
These questions lead to a discussion on timing, and Molly stated that she looks for high-quality writing with an interesting plot and compelling characters. They publish books, not just ideas.
It was also interesting to the hear the publishing stories of several of her authors, and see the different paths to publication. Inspiring workshop!
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By: Lee Wind, M.Ed.,
on 2/2/2013
Blog: The Official SCBWI 10th Annual New York Conference Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: editor, Rosemary Brosnan, #NY13SCBWI, Andrea Martin, Add a tag
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| Rosemary Brosnan (left) and Andrea Martin, answering questions during the session |
Rosemary Brosnan is executive editor of HarperCollins Children's Books, where she publishes mostly fiction for middle-graders and teens. She publishes Neil Gaiman, Lauren Oliver, Gail Carson Levine, Rita Williams-Garcia and many more - writers who have won LOTS of awards and are all over the New York Times bestseller lists. Which makes sense as she explains to us that her sweet spot is between literary and commercial (which she explains as literary being well-written with well-rounded characters, and commercial being a story with wide appeal.)
But even though she continues to publish her established authors (working with one author for 26 years so far!) she explains that
"Editors are dying to find new authors - it's the lifeblood of the business."
She's telling us about a few of her debut authors and sharing about (and reading sections from) some of the books she's published - explaining to us and showing us what's she's acquired (mainly MG and YA) and why she acquired it.
Two of the debuts she shares are:
"The Vengekeep Prophecies" by Brian Farrey
and
"The Cabinet of Earths" by Anne Nesbet
Rosemary reminds us that publishing is really subjective, saying that she often sees on the Publishers Lunch list of weekly recent sales books that she herself declined. If your manuscript is rejected, it doesn't mean it's not good, it just doesn't fit their list.
She shares some craft book recommendations and talks about the importance of discipline, telling us that Lauren Oliver wrote "Before I Fall" on her blackberry while riding the subway between jobs and school!
Andrea Martin worked in sales at the publisher for three years, then become an editorial assistant three years ago. She's now an Associate Editor working with Rosemary, and is building her own list.
Andrea shares about how their editorial team works together, giving the example of "The Wig in the Window," a middle grade mystery by Kristin Kittscher.
Andrea defines voice as being like a person who has charisma, and you just want to spend more time with them. She also shares about some of the books she's acquired and why.
Rosemary and Andrea answers questions from the attendees, covering the difference between the level of hands-on editing in children's lit versus adult lit, finding self-published authors, covers, the future of short stories, submitting a friend's illustrations with your manuscript (don't do it), writing in a native language if it's not English, first person narration, the challenge of being a mid-list author, and much more.
But the most touching moment of the session was when Rosemary called out one of the attendees - Courtney Stevens (the ARA from Mid-South!),who was standing against the wall listening - and spoke about acquiring HER debut novel, "Faking Normal," telling us how she loved it so much, bought it in a pre-empt, and is so excited about the book coming out and the author's career ahead.
A lovely moment of SCBWI success.
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| Courtney Stevens, moments after the session concluded, still glowing |
1 Comments on What Hooks Me: Rosemary Brosnan (With Bonus Associate Editor Andrea Martin!), last added: 2/2/2013
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By: Martha Brockenbrough,
on 2/2/2013
Blog: The Official SCBWI 10th Annual New York Conference Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: editor, candlewick, kate fletcher, #NY13SCBWI, Add a tag
They're a small company so editors can work on the projects that interest them: fiction, nonfiction, picture books, young adult novels.
"It's really nice," Kate said. "You're not really pigeonholed into working on certain things."
They also don't have acquisition meetings, as many other publishers do. They can sign books without getting committee approval.
Generally, she takes projects to her boss and can usually make an offer afterward.
"I just really have to love it," she said.
Some books with bigger offers or series would need more consideration. This allows Candlewick, an employee-owned company, to take risks and "be creatively led."
Kate focuses about half her time on picture books and half on novels (with slightly more YA than MG). She focuses on fiction, but not science fiction.
On YA novels: One of her titles is YAQUI DELGADO WANTS TO KICK YOUR ASS. The book isn't out yet but has two starred reviews already. The author, Meg Medina, started out in picture books. (More info here.)
On MG: You need strong enough writing and characters to draw a reader in.
She's also a fan of humor, even in serious books.
She also shared her wish list with us--what she wants and doesn't. (One thing on her not-for-her list: paranormal.)
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By: Lee Wind, M.Ed.,
on 2/2/2013
Blog: The Official SCBWI 10th Annual New York Conference Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Amazon, Booksellers, JON FINE, #NY13SCBWI, Add a tag
As Lin explains in her intro,
"Jon has been a great friend of the SCBWI" and oversees a lot of the philanthropic aspects of Amazon (and they've become a key player in children's publishing.) He's the liaison between Amazon and the author/illustrator community, serving as Director of Author & Publisher Relations.
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| Jon Fine |
In terms of the changes happening now in publishing, Jon is optimistic, saying
"I view this as an incredible time of opportunity for writers and readers."He speaks of the biggest challenge we writers and illustrators face,
Tell your stories as well as you can and then
the real key is discoverability - how can people find your books?
And gives a shout-out,
"There is no group more supportive of its aspiring members than SCBWI."
Of independent bookstores, Jon says,
"A robust independent bookselling community is absolutely crucial. What a bookstore looks like will change over time." And there's a discussion across the panel of the resurgence of the bookstore, and a growing appreciation and understanding of the importance of the community around books.
He talks about transmedia, subscription services, serials, interstitial works, keywords and other tools to get the word out, his take on current trends and the age at which it's okay for your kid to read "Hunger Games" (it's dropping), skype author visits, and even predicts some trends yet to come..."A robust independent bookselling community is absolutely crucial. What a bookstore looks like will change over time." And there's a discussion across the panel of the resurgence of the bookstore, and a growing appreciation and understanding of the importance of the community around books.
Yet putting it all aside, he reminds us that the core issue is to tell a great story.
"It's all about the story. It's all about reading."
The panel is a fascinating view of the side of the business AFTER your book is published!
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By: CocoaStomp,
on 2/2/2013
Blog: The Official SCBWI 10th Annual New York Conference Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Booksellers, Scholastic Book Fairs, Robert Brown, #NY13SCBWI, Add a tag
You maybe also plan your vacations around places to visit that have awesome bookstores? One of my dream roadtrips involves a stop at Books, Bytes, & Beyond in New Jersey, and Robert Brown is one of the reasons it's such a great, independent bookstore. Now Bob is shining up Scholastic Book Fairs, get to know him a little with Martha's great, pre-conference interview.
My favorite part of Bob's intro: How important it is to him to help children find the books that are right for them. Bob did this at his bookstore, and now with Scholastic he helps 35 million (!) kids via school book fairs find thousands of fiction and nonfiction titles.
Bob's answers to some of Lin's bookish questions:
Lin asks the panel to take the market's temperature:
Bob is upbeat about the children's book publishing industry. The biggest challenge is to get kids to read more. The book fairs provide unfettered access for kids to be in direct contact with new books, not only the bestseller listers, but wonderful midlist titles as well. In addition, it's a community event, families come to the fairs and the events continue to be well attended, with robust sales and enthusiasm on all sides.
How are Scholastic Book Fairs getting into the electronic book world?
Bob recommends checking out Scholastic's Storia, an app for Windows, iPads and Android designed for kids learning to read as well as readers and parents looking for a a curated set of great books.
Dream book type for Scholastic Book Fairs?
Contemporary multicultural!
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By: Lee Wind, M.Ed.,
on 2/2/2013
Blog: The Official SCBWI 10th Annual New York Conference Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Booksellers, #NY13SCBWI, Add a tag
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| From Left to Right: Mary Brown, Robert Brown, Jon Fine and standing Lin Oliver. (Peter Glassman has been delayed.) |
0 Comments on The Booksellers Panel Begins! as of 2/2/2013 11:30:00 AM
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Thanks Lee!
Nice exit interview Sara! You articulated what a lot of us felt I think, especially those feelings of intimidation one minute and inspiration the next. Agree, Shaun Tan's presentation was exceptional, just like his work. Anyway, I thought I saw you from afar at the "social", but I got sucked into the whirlwind of elevator pitches ;)