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By: Colleen Mondor,
on 11/6/2013
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Chasing Ray
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So, I will not be in Austin, Texas this weekend which is a shame because a lot of folks I would love to spend a weekend talking about books with will be there and I'm missing out. The 7th Annual KidLit Con is in Austin and there will be a keynote speaker and sessions on blogging and reviewing and not losing your mind (key to this whole thing we do) and mostly, if it is like the previous six conferences, there will be a TON of discussion on books.
This doesn't sound nearly as exciting as it should.
I co-hosted the 5th con in Seattle with the indomitable Jackie Parker and we had a blast. There was so much good important talk about literacy and the importance of reading and how to get more kids and teens excited about reading. These are all things worth thinking about and talking about and in ways both big and small they are world changing topics.
But also, and just as importantly, we talked about the sometimes insane nature of the blogosphere and endless emails from authors who don't seem to understand the best way to approach a potential reviewer and publishers who push certain books really hard while ignoring requests for others (which is really odd when the books pushed hard are often by famous authors and the ignored ones are not and thus could better appreciate the extra help of blog exposure).
In other words, the whole weekend was equal parts serious professional discussion and nonstop venting. Can you imagine a better way to regroup, recharge and reassess how you feel about books and blogging?
I really really wish I could be in Austin this weekend. I will be avidly reading the posts next week from all those who attend. In the meantime, see how excited Sarah is about going, and if you are local you can still register. All details on the con are here, check it out and if you can, be there and have a blast and make the rest of us jealous!
By: Colleen Mondor,
on 9/21/2011
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The topic of authors and bloggers and how they get along came up several times in multiple panels although I think Suzanne Young and Sara Gundell likely had the most fun with it. (They talked swag at one point which turned out to be way more interesting and helpful then you would expect.) I have been on the receiving end of hundreds of poorly crafted emails by authors over the years asking that I review their book. The worst are those which don't know my name, or spell it wrong, or simply refer to me as "Ray" thinking, I suppose, that "Chasing" implies I'm looking for myself. (I have no idea how they miss my name but they do.) The most cringe-worthy are the ones where authors invite me to join a blog tour for a book I've never heard of written by someone I do not know. The implication is always - always - that I am lucky to receive this invitation and this is, I think, the crux of the blogger/author problem. In the beginning a lot of bloggers were thrilled to pieces to do anything for an author and now, after being out here for so long, it is authors who need to consider themselves grateful for any blog attention.
I'm an author too, remember. I get how unfair this constantly moving teeter-totter game is.
As publishers look around more and more for how to work with the blogs and online reviewers, authors are finding themselves more and more having to reach out to bloggers themselves. Holly & Shiraz Cupala had an excellent presentation on the many things authors could do themselves to promote their books that included a lot of outreach and Suzanne & Sara talked about authors and bloggers teaming up to support each other and spread the word about books that had several fun ideas. But at the end of the day, the biggest thing is that the authors have got to know the bloggers - it's really hard to bond with someone online when they don't know you and even tougher when you are a debut author so they have never heard of anything you've written. Bottom line, you can't start thinking about how to promote your book online when it is a month away from coming out; you need to think about this a year before at least.
The one buzzword I kept hearing again and again from attendees when they talked about authors and bloggers was "relationships". You have to build relationships and if you want them to last you have to be willing to put time into them. That means you have to find bloggers you connect with, blogs you enjoy, online events you want to participate in. You have to comment and/or tweet and/or email. You have to show that you aren't just showing up to see what you can get ("Promote my book!!!") but what you can give to the greater literary conversation. You have to be in it for the long haul and that means, and you need to commit to this, do not just blog or tweet about your own book.
Ever.
If all you want to say is what you're selling and where you're selling it then don't be surprised when your requests to bloggers fall on deaf ears. I certainly told plenty of folks at the Con about my book and enjoyed hearing from authors about their titles. But when you start the conversation with "I'm looking for bloggers to be in my blog tour" or "Here is some swag for you about my book", the implication is that you think I should be grateful to receive your attention and that is where things tend to go awry. It's something authors need to think about a lot more than bloggers do - how to initiate these conversations. Publishers are not going to tell you how to do it (or honestly aren't going to know how to do it well - if they tell you just to blindly email bloggers then trust me they don't know what they are talking about), and there is no list of directions anywhere to follow. You have to make your own way and from the conversations I had this weekend, it is clear that a lot of folks are nervous about this (and I don't blame them). The thing
KidLit Con has launched a fundraising partnership with Reading is Fundamental (RIF).
Earlier this year, we reported that the federal budget for RIF has been reduced. With the new partnership, readers can donate to the childhood literacy program in the name of KidLit Con. Follow this link for more details about how to make a donation.
Here’s more from the announcement: “KidLit Con is seeking to make a more personal and direct contribution as the funds we raise will be coming directly from book lovers in the pursuit of creating more book lovers. Now is the time, quite frankly, where we need to put up or shut up. If you are a writer or a librarian or a bookseller or a book blogger or if you read blogs about books then this fundraiser is targeted directly at you … This is easy. You think books matter then you need to do something to help kids get books. Period.”
New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.
By: Colleen Mondor,
on 8/16/2011
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When Jackie Parker-Robinson and I sat down to plan this year's KidLit Con in Seattle one of the things that we spent some time thinking about was how to incorporate a fundraiser into the weekend's plans. This has always been a significant and enjoyable part of the conference and everyone looks forward to it. What we decided was to shift things just a bit, both by moving away from publisher donated ARCs as raffle prizes and also toward a long term partnership with one organization. Ultimately what we came up with made sense in so many ways that in retrospect it was one of the easiest things we decided. I am delighted to announce that KidLit Con is now entering into a partnership with Reading Is Fundamental which we hope will extend for many years into the future and make a powerful difference in the lives of many.
I'm sure many of you are aware how RIF's budget was decimated by the elimination of federal funds this year. I'm not going to get all political with you because the hard truth is that there are few painless answers to our economic mess. But cutting RIF is particularly harsh as it exists solely to put books into the hands of children who otherwise can not afford them. RIF is an investment in our future in the purest and most direct terms. When you think about that way, it's hard to understand why anyone would ever put RIF on the chopping block but that is what has happened and now we just have to do what we can to make sure that future promise remains unchanged.
There are many generous groups and corporations who have stepped up to help RIF and for that we should all be grateful. KIdLit Con is seeking to make a more personal and direct contribution as the funds we raise will be coming directly from book lovers in the pursuit of creating more book lovers. Now is the time, quite frankly, where we need to put up or shut up. If you are a writer or a librarian or a bookseller or a book blogger or if you read blogs about books then this fundraiser is targeted directly at you.
So that's all of you, right?
We are living in the era of information overload and thus we don't get to say anymore that "there is nothing we can do" or "we just didn't know" or "we didn't have time to figure out how to help". This is easy. You think books matter then you need to do something to help kids get books. Period. This is your job, it's your political moment, it is your calling. And it doesn't matter what color state you live in or what little letter is next to your choice when you vote or who you think is to blame for where we are right now.
None of that matters.
The only thing you need to think about is the $1 or $5 or $10 or $20 or $50 (or more) that you can donate right this very second to RIF. You need to think about linking to this effort and you need to think about posting it to facebook and you need to think about tweeting it. You need to think about telling folks on your list serve. You need to think about how much you can give and how many other people you can spread the word to because at the end of the day the best thing about who we are is that we believe in the power of words and RIF is all about spreading that power as far and wide as possible. RIF does nothing less than change the world - that's its very mission - and if you don't think that's the most worthy thing any of us can be part of then you really are not the kind of book lover I know you to be.
Don't let us down, folks. Join KidLit Con's effort to raise money for RIF over the next thirty days as we count down to the conference. Help us show the power of booklovers; help us prove th
By: Colleen Mondor,
on 7/22/2011
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I've been fielding some questions on twitter about the conference and while I'm happy to respond in 140 characters or less, I thought I would expand here on why I think KidLit Con holds special merit. Today, I'm aiming my thoughts at people who are primarily authors.
1. If you are looking to increase your social media profile without sacrificing your writerly life, KidLit Con can help you figure out how to do that. We are not a tech conference, nor are we aimed at teaching attendees how to rake in cash from your blog. The panels where we discuss blog content or community participation are all conducted with the thought that blogging is not the primary focus of everyone's lives. It's something we do as supplement to our day jobs (as authors or librarians or booksellers) or an outlet for our creative interest or to share in the community of booklovers or, most likely, a combination of all these things. For authors KidLit Con will help you navigate the best way to have a viable and significant presence on the internet without having it take over your life. We get social media and we want to assist you in getting it too.
2. As someone going through the process right now of ushering my first book out into the world, I am well aware that publishers expect a lot more from authors than they used to when it comes to marketing. They all expect you to blog and be on twitter and be in facebook. The problem is that they don't really know what you should do there or how active you need to be there or who you should even reach out to there. They just want you to do....something. At KidLit Con you will hear all about blogs that are accessible and well written and popular and what makes them that way. You will also learn how to interact online with bloggers who care about books for kids and teens as much as you do. You can figure out what aspects of the community fit into your goals, both professionally and personally. And if you don't want to be part of a "community" then don't be afraid. The cool thing about the blogosphere is that you make your own community - you decide how much you want to commit and what you want to do to interact with others writers and readers. Your fellow attendees and the panels and presentations will help you figure out how to do what the publishers are saying you need to do.
3. The other thing authors are being urged to do is reach out to bloggers. After six (SIX?!) years of writing my column, one thing I have seen a lot of is authors doing the wrong thing when it comes to contacting bloggers. There have been hundreds of emails over the years from authors who have presented themselves or their book so poorly that I have no interest in responding let alone asking for a review copy. On top of that are those authors who contact bloggers that are wrong for their title - and the fact that authors don't take the time to figure that out is, to say the least, rather off putting. Basically, this is not a one size fits all blogosphere and if you want to know how to reach out then you need to meet the folks who are out there already. Come to Kidlit Con and meet KidLit bloggers, see what they do and find out how you can be part of it.
4. But don't think for a moment this is a five minute experiment. Social media takes time and that's something else you can get a handle on through the presentations and in the downtime we are working into the schedule. Find out how to use your time wisely when reaching out to bloggers so that you don't waste it and get zero return for all those emails. (And I'm sorry to everyone I have not responded to over the years but please understand - if you can't take the time to figure
Tragedy update: Thanks for all your good thoughts and suggestions to look under my car seats. I had already done so about 40 times over the weekend. Then last night, my daughter scooted the passenger seat back to reach something on the backseat. When she scooted forward again, my missing notebook ejected forward onto the floor. It was jammed up in there somehow that made them invisible to me when I checked. Yay!
This means I can add a few more things about the School Visits panel I recapped yesterday.
Authors, suggest written questions be done ahead of time in preparation for your Skype visit. You'll get more meaningful, thoughtful questions that way.
You don't have to do too much razzle dazzle. The things you're doing everyday are already interesting to your readers. [Laura's note: I think this is true in theory, but just like in in-person visits, you have to present things well and in a fun way to keep kids engaged.]
During your visits or in archived materials (i.e., video clips on your site):
Camille Powell would love to see more authors share details about their revision process.
Also, the story behind the story is of interest to kids and grownups.
Think: what do you most want to show kids?
Illustrators have it easier, since their work is visual. But even as a writer, try to bring kids into your process.
Integrate electronic tools like Skype and video into the things you're already doing.
Online archived materials give kids a chance to learn at their own pace.
Trend might be toward authors as advisors. For example, rather than traditional school visits, through Skype or blogs, authors might actually be critiquing student work, giving feedback.
On posting images from school visits:
Camille: If it's a public event (library, bookstore), you can take pictures of it. If not, you can't take pictures and post them without permission.
Ask the school librarian/media specialist ahead of time.
Nancy: I like to take pictures of the cute bulletin boards they do displaying student work or welcoming me or whatever and post those.
Also, and this isn't, strictly speaking, a Kidlit Con event, but it was Thursday night and it all blurs together for me! I got to hear Christopher Paul Curtis speak at a Book Week event at the U of Minnesota.
Getting there was an adventure. I assumed the talk was at the Kerlan Collection at the U. Susan Taylor Brown and I hoofed it there from her hotel. Long story short, I took us to the wrong place. We rode a jam-packed student bus (think bus in India on The Amazing Race) to the right venue, though, and didn't miss the talk!
Christopher Paul Curtis
I thought his talk was superb. Funny, appealing, guaranteed to make book people buy his book in droves. It was more story than scholarship, and one writer I talked with wanted more meat from his presentation, especially given its rumored cost. But it was a talk open to the public, though most attendees were education students at the U, I think. Still, it was a bookselling event and a celebration of books, and I thought it was great. Of course, I'd personally love to hear him talk more about his writing process, but maybe someday.
A few highlights:
What happened to his dreadlocks? "I was the only black man in America with a combover."
"Moms are right 99% of the time.
On the cover of The Watsons Go to Birmingham--1963, all the pictures are of his real fami
After a tasty lunch eaten in a quiet room while chatting with Lisa Bullard, I had perhaps stopped spewing nonsense words (or perhaps not). But I was somewhat calmed down, at any rate, and ready to tackle the afternoon. What else would I find out?
The Publicity Panel mostly addressed those bloggers who want to review books and how to have a good relationship and thus get those books from publishers. The panelists were Laura Lutz, in charge of school and library marketing for Harpercollins; Lindsay Matvick, senior publicist at Lerner; and Steven Shoot-Why-Didn't-I-Write-His-Last-Name, who handles publicity at Flux/Llewellyn. The upshot was:
1. Have your email address and a very straightforward (not cutesy and trendy) bio RIGHT THERE on your blog. Make it as easy as possible for the publisher to find you and know what kind of books you review. Laura and Lindsey both talked about how they personalize what they send to bloggers, but that info has to be easy to find.
2. They realize you will schedule your reviews or interviews or whatever for whenever suits your blog and your purpose. But in their minds, one month before the book's pub date is ideal for online interviews, reviews, etc. Someone in the audience, maybe Mother Reader?, made a good point that her readers often won't look for a book until it's already in the library, so her reviews/features are more useful a few months after the pub date, once libraries have acquired the books and her posts remind readers that they were going to look for that book. There was an interesting mini-discussion about the different times book posts can appear and the different purposes those times serve.
Of interest to authors: Llewellyn/Flux has a SNAP Committee (Social Network Action Plan). They pick one title per month for some kind of social media project. So, hey, if I were a L/F author, I'd express my enthusiasm about supporting that kind of marketing! Lerner also talked about loving social media promotion. It's a conversation with readers, said Lindsay, and gives them freedom to try new things. All the publicists agreed that social media's low cost make them more willing to take risks and try new things. Of course, it costs in man-hours, but not in printed materials, etc.
This has me wondering whether they do social media stuff just for titles for older readers? Or whether they have these marketing initiatives for, say, picture books and poetry collections as well. Anybody know of any cool social media campaigns for picture books that I could take a look at? Thanks.
And, I'm going to broach this topic with both Clarion for my Fall 2011 book and Lerner for my Spring 2012 book. Can't hurt to ask!
Well, I thought I'd finish my recap today, but this is already long enough. Tomorrow and Friday are poetry-filled, so the Kidlit Con 2010 recap will continue--and finish, I swear!--next week.
My head was still spinning with terms like HootSuite and frameworks and theme providers when I headed to the Pro Blogging for Media Organizations and Publications session presented by Liz Burns and Jen Robinson. Honestly, I didn't even know what pro blogging was. I knew Fuse #8 moved to School Library Journal's site way back when, but that was the extent of the thought I had given it.
Jen and Liz
Andrew Karre moderated the discussion.
Liz blogs about ya books for School Library Journal, and Jen was the kidlit blogger for PBS' now-defunct Booklights.
They were both passionate bloggers about children's and ya lit before they "went pro."
Jen had done a guest expert gig with PBS, where she answered reader questions. Eventually, PBS got a grant to create Booklights, and Jen blogged there. She posted once a week, per her contract, and PBS owned her content. So, just like I do work-for-hire writing for educational publishers, Jen did work-for-hire blogging for PBS.
Liz, I believe, approached SLJ because they had Fuse #8 covering the younger end and she felt they had an open niche for a ya blogger. Her contract sounds entirely different from Jen's. Clearly, there are a range of rights organizations can buy, and you need to think about what you're committing to, what rights you're comfortable selling, how that affects the content you create, etc.
It sounded like the transition from independent blogger to sponsored blogger was quite long, maybe a year or more for Liz, in fact. You think of blogging as so immediate, but there are issues to work out, art to decide on, contracts to negotiate. So, like anything in the children's publishing world, it moves pretty slowly, apparently.
I've never thought about pro blogging, but this session actually gave me an idea for approaching a couple of organizations with a proposition. My idea isn't about blogging for money--it's about trying to reach a larger number of people in my target audience. Hmm...going to have to think about this some more.
After Pro Blogging, it was lunchtime! HarperCollins sponsored (hey, were we pro lunching?) a nice spread of sandwiches, soup, salad, chips, cookies to die for, etc. Sadly, I was near the end of the line.
This is just the lunch line in the hallway. I should have taken a pic of the nice lunch, to be fair, but I had my hands full of food by that time! Plus, we picked it over pretty good.
Sometime during the morning, I snapped a few pix of blogging friends.
I recapped Maggie Stiefvater's keynote last week, so now I'm going to share all the morning sessions in one fell swoop!
First, I attended Blog Platforms and Best Practices, a talk by Ryan Bickett, Lerner's Internet Marketing Manager. He talked about the pros and cons of 8 different blogging platforms (like Blogger, Wordpress, Livejournal, etc.). So. Many. Details.
I think his Powerpoint will be available online soon. I'm hoping so! I couldn't scribble fast enough to get every detail on threaded comments, hosted blogs, ads, plug-ins, spam blocking, etc.). But one thing I took away from this presentation is: Livejournal bad. Other platforms good.
Something about the sign-in process and its perception as exclusionary make it offputting to many folks outside the industry. And since I ideally want this blog to reach those people, especially teachers and librarians, then I have to listen. And I heard this about LJ from several people throughout the day, so it wasn't just Ryan's opinion. In fact, Andrew Karre, one of the conference organizers and a Lerner editorial director, said, "As a publisher, it's not acceptable to me for an author to only be on LiveJournal."
I don't really understand, because there are Wordpress blogs I have to sign in on just to comment, which is a real pain. Oh well. It's like listening to science concepts that are beyond your true understanding, and they make sense when the professor discusses them, but you get back to your apartment and you can't explain them.
A few parting thoughts from Ryan:
You're a brand. Act like it!
Know your topic area, know what you do, and stay focused.
Then I went to Blogging in Learning Communities, presented by Valerie Struthers Walker from Gustavus Adolphus College. I didn't know what that meant. Turned out it was for educators who want to use blogs in their classrooms. Cool! I wasn't the intended audience, but as I teach online writing classes, I picked up some useful stuff. And it was interesting to hear how teachers from college on down to primary grades are using blogs in their classrooms. Sparked some ideas for me on the online classes I teach and also ways for me as an author to interact with classrooms who might read my books. Valerie recommended the Blogs in Plain English video as a good introduction to people who have no idea what blogs are.
Oops, this is getting long. Forget that I promised all the morning sessions in one swoop. Will continue with the recap tomorrow!
In honor of Halloween, I'm sharing this poem from Something New Begins, an out of print Lilian Moore collection that Elaine Magliaro, I think, first recommended to me. Love, love, love this book!
This poem is originally from Moore's collection, See My Lovely Poison Ivy.
The Witch's Garden
In the witch's
garden
the gate is open
wide.
"Come inside,"
says the
witch.
"Dears,
come inside.
No flowers
in my garden,
nothing mint-y
nothing chive-y.
Come inside,
come inside.
See my lovely
poison ivy."
--Lilian Moore, all rights reserved
Isn't that fabulous? The witch saying, "Dears,/come inside," gives me the creeps!
I also wanted to share just a bit about our Poetry Friday panel at kidlit con 2010 last weekend! This presentation was the brainchild of Mary Lee Hahn of A Year in Reading--yay, Mary Lee! She emailed a bunch of poets/poetry lovers asking if we'd like to participate, and we ended up with five of us. Here we are meeting for breakfast at 6:30 on the morning of kidlit con.
Mary Ann Scheuer, Laura Purdie Salas, Mary Lee Hahn, Amy Ludwig Vanderwater, and Toby Speed
Huh. I've got to figure out the flash settings on my camera! Anyway, the five of us worked in an enthusiastic and somewhat haphazard manner (sort of like Poetry Friday itself) to hammer out the main topics we'd share and came up with a Powerpoint (again, thanks to Mary Lee, without whom this panel wouldn't have happened at all).
While emailing back and forth, we acknowledged that we had no idea if we'd even have an audience or just be talking to ourselves. Well, the other session offered concurrently was canceled at the last minute. I felt bad that family issues kept the presenters from participating, but I admit to a guilty excitement that we could tell more people about Poetry Friday!
During the session, we talked about the history of PF, what we get out of it, how to participate in it, issues of copyright and trying to sell original poems that you've posted on a blog, poetry exercises in the blogosphere, and more. It was a lot of fun, and I'm hoping we got a few new participants!
Photo: Andrew Karre via Flickr (Is it kosher to share Flickr photos? I've never--gasp--used Flickr before)
Our Poetry Friday Powerpoint is public. Of course, you're not hearing any of the discussion, b
So, Maggie Stiefvater and her two writing buddies had done a session the night before, and I was looking forward to what she'd have to say in her keynote Saturday morning.
She said lots. Here's my three-word description of Maggie: opinionated, witty, charismatic. And she perhaps has plans for world domination. Here are some highlights (of her talk, not of her world domination plan).
Maggie talked about trying to build a career living in rural Virginia (apparently not suburban Virginia, but truly rural Virginia). "There are more difficult places to make a living as an artist, but I think they're all in Arkansas."
(Photo to right is from Maggie's website. Can't find a photo credit, and right now, LJ won't even let me place this text under the image. Grrrr.)
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So she felt that building her career online was a necessity, not just a savvy marketing move.
And here are 8 things she's learned:
1) The world doesn't need another blog. If you're going to do it, to make it work you need to keep the focus narrow, have personality, and balance promotional non-promotional content.
2) "Boring people offline are boring people online. And sometimes interesting people offline are boring people online." Speak clearly, simplify your message, and make sure your humor translates.
3) Blogging is a conversation. Readers can tell which bloggers truly want conversation and invite feedback.
4) People will learn your cat's name. Even if you never mention it on your blog. Yikes.
5) People make a connection with you. It can't be just you shouting into the void. (I've met numerous older authors, especially, who say they want to blog. They don't. They just want to talk/rant and have you listen.) For your blog to work, you have to connect. And that has its good and bad sides.
6) People can find out everything about you. In 5 minutes. Online. Be careful about what you share. Maggie's kids are off-limits, and she refers to her family in a very stylized way to protect some tiny bit of privacy.
7) Blog readers are real people. With real bodies. When she was touring for Linger, she assumed it would be a fall tour, like most ya book tours are, and that her publisher would send her off to talk to schools to drum up interest in the teens who would then show up that night at her bookstore events. No. They sent her in summer and relied on her blog to drum up that interest. She was nervous (at least she says she was--she seems so confident that that's hard to conceive!), but hundreds of teens showed up at her readings, and her blog was basically the only way she got the word out. Now, I'll say that if you're a NYT bestselling author, that's an easier task than if, say, you're a poet who's struggling with sales. But I digress.
8) Blog writers should be blog readers. Again, it's the connection.
A few other notes:
Regarding narrowing your voice: Think of your blog like a magazine. You want your readers to know what to expect just by knowing it's your blog.
Regarding privacy, genuineness, and voice:
My own celebration of Kidlit Con began Thursday night with a Book Week event, which I'll blog about later. But the real conference started Friday night with a wine and cheese reception at the Open Book,
followed by a panel session with The Merry Sisters of Fate about their critique group and how it works.
These are two of the Merry Sisters, Brenna Yovanoff and Maggie Stiefvater. The third is Tessa Gratton.
Honestly, I mostly went to connect to other people, because I have my crit groups in place (more than I have time for) and I don't read much YA nor fantasy. I've read Maggie's Shiver and Linger and enjoyed them a lot. But I wasn't there as a fangirl.
At least, not at first.
I don't know whether I'll read more of their books or not. But they were so witty and funny and entertaining. And smart. I had a great time listening to them interact.
Here are a few tidbits:
1) When asked what they're looking for when they critique each others' work, Brenna said 1) what I think you're trying to say, and 2) whether I think you're saying it clearly; Tessa said she 1) reads it as a reader first and asks where am I being pulled out? and 2) what isn't working; and Maggie said she 1) reads it purely as a reader first, not analytically, and she 2) tries not to try to turn it into HER novel.
2) They each write one short story a week and post it on the Merry Sisters of Fate blog. Wow. A short story every week, that I don't think they're aiming to publish. What a great idea. Maggie talked about how she did Picture a Day as an artist for two straight years, and how much her art improved in that time. So she thought they'd try it with writing. They've been doing it since 2008. I love this feeling of abundance and that it's ok to practice your craft, share it with readers, and you both get something out of it (even if that something doesn't involve a book sale directly). Involving readers in your process came up over and over again at Kidlit Con, and I think this is a great example. I'm going to read some of those short stories and see what exactly they're up to, those Merry Sisters! And this sparked some ideas for my own blog!
3) It sounds like they live and critique on Google Chat, which they love because they have a written record and it's searchable. I don't know how they're so prolific when it sounds like they're talking to each other so much. They have an obvious and intense bond, and I'm a little jealous! They really get each other's work, and even though they each have distinct voices and writing styles, they share reading tastes and are focused on the same niche of the marketplace, so they're able to really immerse themselves in that world. That must be a cool way to work.
4) Favorite quote: "Time spent critiquing one of their manuscripts is time spent critiquing one of my own." -- Maggie Stiefvater
5) D
Kidlit Con 2010 is officially over. I have to confess, I was expecting dry sessions, most of which didn't apply to me due to audience (perhaps meant for librarians, teachers, or whatever) or expertise level (too basic? too advanced?). I didn't even really know what some of the workshop session titles meant. Blogging in Learning Communities? Pro Bloggers? Huh?
But the whole experience was like a giant tangle of exposed power lines after a creativity storm. Sparks flying. Dangerous ideas. Electric debates.
Some sessions had more to offer me personally than others. But I found myself constantly scribbling notes as fast as I could. No single session that left me with a clear to-do list. Dang. Instead, I gleaned tidbits that applied to various parts of my career (my online classes, school visits, blogging, working with publishers, etc.).
And I met people! Real 3-D people (as blogger Amy Ludwig Vanderwater of The Poem Farm called us). The energy in downtown Minneapolis on Friday and Saturday was un-blogging-believable! In particular, I spent a lot of time pondering big career questions with my friend Susan Taylor Brown (before the Kidlit Con even officially started).
I was in this constant state of "Hey—I could—cool!—but what—how do I—will anybody pay me to—who do I really--" I have so many questions and ideas. And now I'll need several thinking sessions to figure out which ones I can embrace without electrocuting myself!
I'll share a few quotes, tips, and pictures over the next few days! Meanwhile, if you were here for Kidlit Con, thank you for being part of the brainstorm!
The countdown is on for Kidlit Con 2010 here in Minneapolis! I'm so excited! I've never been before, and I can't wait to meet so many cool people in person.
And before that kicks off, we kidlit lovers are having a little get-together this Thursday night. I hesitate to label it a Kidlit Drinks Night, since I don't know if there's an official proposal process one must go through to host an approved event:>) But this Thursday in the Lobby Bar at the Holiday Inn Metrodome in Minneapolis, around 8:15, anybody who loves kidlit (writers, illustrators, agents, teachers, editors, librarians, parents) is invited to drop in and hang out. It's a Thursday night, and I'm guessing it will be a small group, but I know we'll have fun relaxing and talking.
I hope you'll come! Just let me know if you have any questions.
Much thanks to Liz B for reminding me that Kidlitcon 2010 is on its way! I'm still trying to make the dates work, but I hope I'll be able to be there.
The organizers are looking for presentations, still, if you have an awesome idea about presenting stuff...
I don't have any awesome ideas on what to present, but I do have an idea of what I want to see--
I'd love to have a session or two about the nitty-gritty technical stuff. Like, here's how to use some basic CSS to tweak your template to make it look the way you want it to look without paying anyone else to do it for you. Here are things to keep in mind when designing your blog-- no white text on dark background, etc. Or, here are things you need to know to make your posts appear ok across browsers and for people who read your blog directly, or on an RSS feed, etc. Or 10 widgets you should consider using and why, and how to add them to your blog.
Does anyone have those skills? Because I'd love to take that session!
Pamela Coughlan, Conference Organizer
In KidLitCon 09 Part One, I featured some of the brilliant and amazing authors and book reviewers I met, because they were really my primary reason for going. It's always fun (and sometimes surprising) to finally see the people behind the blogs.
Maureen Kearney blogs at Confessions of a Bibliovore. What secret is Cornelius sharing?
Speaking of brilliant and amazing, a big thank you to Pam Coughlan (MotherReader) for making the conference possible through all her hard work, perseverance, good humor, patience, and ingeniousness. In addition to setting up all the inspiring and informative panel discussions, she pulled off the coup of all coups by inviting a representative from the FTC to address our widespread panic concerns about how their new Endorsement Guidelines will affect book bloggers. Suffice to say, a collective sigh of relief has now blanketed the kidlitosphere because of Mary Engle's reassuring words.
The bywords of the conference were Purpose, Passion, Professionalism, Participation, Perseverance -- and Connection! Here is how I reacted to the three conference events that resonated with me the most:
♥ THE BLOG WITHIN: AN INTERVIEW WITH YOUR INNER BLOGGER
To start things off, Pam asked us to jot down answers to a few probing questions related to Purpose. Every blogger should reflect on these questions from time to time -- reassess, re-prioritize, and re-energize. What's working? What needs improvement? Don't let things get stale and rote. Here are my responses:
Why are you blogging?
Writing practice, engage in dialogue with other kidlit enthusiasts, research topics of interest, gain confidence, learn how to write more spontaneously for a "public" readership on a regular basis, discover more food-related books, develop critical thinking skills (book reviews), support fellow writers, explore blogging as an art form.
What is unique to you that you can bring to your blog?
Though I share with most other bloggers a love of reading, writing, art, poetry, and music, I most want to document that love as it relates to my passion for food. Special or unique content? The fascinating things I learn from culling through literary cookbooks and studying culinary history. Quirky discoveries related to my alphabet obsession. Pub Day Celebration Soups. Fun posts featuring some of the teddy bears from my personal collection.
Who are you blogging for?
Fellow writers, parents, teachers, librarians interested in me and/or my books, picture book, alphabet and bear fans, anyone interested in food-literature connections. Anyone who eats to live or lives to eat.
Where would you place your blog within the larger community?
I find it difficult to categorize my blog. I guess it's equal parts author blog, review blog, foodie blog.
When will you revisit your mission?
I'm constantly doing this, but will take an even harder look once a year, on my blog birthday.
How do the answers to these questions support or change what you are doing now?
This blog will always be a work in progress. I will remain open to refining my focus and adding new features when good ideas come along. My mantra is simple: "take the reader by the hand and show him what you love."
IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT YOUR BOOK: WRITING IDEAS FOR BLOGGING AUTHORS (A panel discussion featuring Wendie Old, Sara Lewis Holmes, Caroline Hickey and Laurel Snyder)
Wendie, Sara, Caroline and Laurel.
Like Wendie Old, I never thought I would ever blog, but once I screwed up the courage, I was excited at the prospect of being free to write whatever I wanted, to create a blog that would allow me to share my passions (writing-related or not), and to take full responsibility for what I posted. I think everyone on the panel agreed that the best kind of author promotion is to simply be yourself, be consistent, and blog about things that truly matter to you.
Mary Bowman-Kruhm and Wendie Old show off their books.
Like Sara, I read various blogs for different reasons -- some for daily inspiration, some to learn about other writers' processes, some for industry news, some for book reviews, still others for entertainment or sheer love of the blogger's writing style or voice. It's all good.
Author Pam Bachorz smooches with Cornelius.
When considering one's own content, it's important to maintain professionalism and mind boundaries. Sara cited the example of discussing at the outset how much she and her editor (who also blogs), should reveal about their work together during the revision process.
Then there's the whole issue of authors reviewing books, which can sometimes be a little tricky. Caroline decided to stop reviewing because once she said a few negative things about a book, only to find herself in the awkward situation of serving on a panel with the author. How objective can an author/reviewer be when many of the books are written by friends? Sara posts responses to what she reads, rather than reviews. Most agreed that it's also good to post responses to reviews of their own books, good or bad (use common sense and discretion). Never blog when you're angry and never bad mouth your publisher!
The importance of disclosure and transparency came up on several occasions throughout the day, and naturally this is good advice for authors who review books. It's crucial for any blogger to gain the trust and respect of readers by disclosing special relationships or conflicts of interest.
Laurel brought up the interesting point of children's book blogs feeling a little too safe and careful. Again, a tricky issue for
authors -- should we avoid controversy at all costs or bravely stand up for our convictions? Because a book reflects not only the work of the author -- but also the editor, most likely an agent, ultimately the publishing house as a whole, authors have to be careful about what they say on their blogs. It's so easy for a seemingly harmless remark to be misconstrued, and then it's out there for all eternity. Laurel shared funny stories about some of her past blogs. She's been quite fearless about revealing aspects of her personal life. It's good to keep in mind your own comfort level -- good author blogs are accurate reflections of personality.
Cynthia Cotten blogs at Writing It Down.
Caroline stated the importance of showing both the ups and downs of a writer's career, using the example of a book she'd written that her agent didn't like. She ended up abandoning the project altogether. Struggle, disappointment, and frustration are all part of the process -- things fellow writers can identify with and the general public may find interesting and/or surprising. As always, use discretion about how much you share and how you present the situation.
When all else fails, post pictures of dogs, cats, and Alan Rickman!
Most authors blog with the underlying purpose of promoting their work. My own preference is for those author blogs that are not totally about school visits, bookstore appearances, awards and starred reviews. I am more apt to pick up a book by someone who has taken the time to share who they are as human beings, engage with others, voice honest opinions, and express an interest in something other than "me, me, me." Insights about writing process are interesting only if they go beyond daily word counts, whining, and details which are too specific to have any meaning for someone not familiar with a current WIP. A blog that candidly and consistently displays the passions of its writer is the most effective promotional tool.
(Sara Lewis Holmes has extended this conversation at her blog, Read*Write*Believe.)
SOCIAL MEDIA WITH GREGORY K. PINCUS
Greg blogs at GottaBook and The Happy Accident.
In my opinion, Greg's one hour slideshow talk was the highlight of the conference. He offered a wealth of practical information via an entertaining, dynamic, compelling presentation. It was fascinating listening to how he started his blog, GottaBook, and steadily built his audience, extending his reach far beyond the kidlit world to other communities who might be interested in his personal passions.
It's all about connection: reading and commenting on other blogs, becoming emotionally invested in what others are experiencing, assigning proper credit, exchanging links, and selectively using Twitter and Facebook as tools to amplify your blog posts. He stressed the importance of not becoming overwhelmed but remaining in control -- making the various social networking tools work to help you achieve your goals, whether they are to establish a platform for yourself as a writer, kick up your promotional efforts, or pull in new blog readers.
I like the idea that he tracks where his visitors are coming from, and then goes back to their blogs. Each gesture, no matter how small, can build towards something bigger. He takes every opportunity to connect, and is living proof that "happy accidents" (in his case a two-book deal with Scholastic) can indeed occur if the stage is properly set.
FINAL THOUGHTS
With thoughts of Search Engine Optimization, Avatars, Gravatars, Technorati Authority, and Anchor Links swirling around my brain, I know there's probably a lot more I can and should do. I fully agree that one should blog as part of a community, give back whenever possible, and strive to offer content (regular features) that can't be found elsewhere.
I also believe in reading other blogs on a regular basis and commenting whenever possible (with the best comments being those that offer something of value, whether it be an informed opinion or expertise).
Having said that, and envisioning what an ideal blog could be, I do know that one important issue, a crucial factor for all bloggers, wasn't mentioned at any of the panel discussions I attended --TIME. Creating interesting, entertaining, and informative content takes time. So does trying to keep up with hundreds of blogs and leaving comments of value that might prompt others to seek out your blog in turn.
Authors, in addition to their real-life jobs, parenting, writing their books, speaking at conferences, leading workshops, doing school visits, etc., must somehow maintain their blogs, too. Many on Live Journal have abandoned their blogs in favor of Facebook and Twitter, seemingly because of time constraints, and the need to keep abreast of industry news with an eye out for opportunity. In an ideal world, there would be time to negotiate all the different forms of social media to our best advantage. Greg inspired me to consider all the possibilities. But he also said to remain in control.
I think this is the main reason I've poured most of my "networking" time into writing this blog. I can't control the vagaries of the publishing world any more than I can meaningfully establish any semblance of "popularity" on FB or Twitter. But I can control what and how much I write here, which is probably more accurate a picture of who I am than a hundred FB updates put together. Ironic that I started out trying to blog about my passions, and after two years, blogging itself has become a passion.
Truthfully, I find it hard to understand those writers who are not taking advantage of this unique opportunity. It's a kick to discover that some of your readers are not part of your so-called "intended audience." It's a kick to know that a review or essay you wrote two years ago is still accessible to anyone around the world at any time. Not the same as keeping a private journal, not the same as writing a book or story for print publication, not the same as emailing, and a whole lot more personal than a Tweet, the blog's full potential has yet to be realized. I think kidlit bloggers, who are just a bit more willing to embrace and support each other through thick and thin (and who, for the most part, remain among the most polite and "civilized" of bloggers), should be the ones to lead the charge, don't you?
Anamaria Anderson blogs at BooksTogether.
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For more about KidLitCon 09, check in with Pam at MotherReader, who is posting her own series of reports (Part I, Part II), as well as rounding up links from around the kidlitosphere.
Click here for Jenn Hubbard's guest post about the conference at Shrinking Violet Promotions.
Greg has posted the KidLitCon Twitter Chat transcript at his Social Media blog, The Happy Accident. He also has a nice post about the Value of Community -- Online and Offline.
Copyright © 2009 Jama Rattigan of jama rattigan's alphabet soup. All rights reserved.
So, Cornelius and I spent Saturday hobnobbing at the Kidlit Conference in Arlington, Virginia. Here he is greeting the one and only Ellsworth of Ellsworth's Journal. This was a rare pleasure, because we've been fans of Ellsworth, her co-blogger, Winchester the Cat, and The Writer (Candice Ransom) for quite some time.
Candice (prolific author of more than 100 books!) and I had met before, but hadn't seen each other for many years. What fun it was to compare notes about the many ups and downs of blogging and trying to keep abreast of the whole social networking thing. And, there are some uncanny similaries between us: we're about the same age (28) ☺, bear collectors/antique lovers, long-time residents of Virginia, we both had gotten up at 4 a.m. that morning, ate the very same thing for lunch, and left the conference at the same time. Oh, and, you know the woods around our house I always talk about? They just happen to be the very same ones Candice grew up in, where she collected chestnut acorns, sat on big logs and made up her first stories! How cool is that?
Other Decidedly Awesome People I Met:
Fellow VA author Moira Donahue (whom I had met previously
at Kristy Dempsey's booksigning) and Tricia (holding Cornelius).
Tricia Stohr-Hunt: *swoon* Yes, I already knew how brilliant and talented and amazing she is (case in point: Poetry Makers interview series for National Poetry Month this past April), but I didn't expect her to be so dang adorable (and she's a good hugger). When she greeted me at breakfast, all my pre-conference jitters vanished. I'm big on first impressions and trust my intuition when it comes to new people -- from her I got very warm, positive vibes. I guess you could say I experienced firsthand The Miss Rumphius Effect!
Mary Lee Hahn: What a pleasure to see Mary Lee there. I know her from Poetry Fridays and her blog with Franki Sibberson, A Year of Reading. Can you say, "cool purple glasses"? Can you say, "I wish I could be in her class?" Mostly, I wish there had been more time to just sit down and chat with her some more.
Jennifer Hubbard: I was especially glad to meet her, as she was the only other Live Journal blogger on my friends list there. I first spotted her from across the room. It was one of those surreal moments when a photograph comes to life -- and she was just as warm and friendly as I had imagined. We both missed Kelly Fineman, who had to cancel because of illness. (Hugs to Kelly -- feel better soon!) Don't miss Jenn's excellent post about what Mary Engle (FTC Associate Director for Advertising Practices), said regarding the new Guidelines and how it affects independent book reviewers/bloggers. And don't forget: Jenn's debut novel, The Secret Year, will be out in January 2010!
Justine Rowden: During the Meet the Author session I had a lovely chat with Justine, author of Paint Me a Poem (Wordsong/Boyds Mills Press). Who could resist a picture book featuring poems about famous paintings? We shared our love for words, art, England and Brussels! I hope to feature her book on a future Poetry Friday.
Brief Encounters Where Cornelius Got Hugged, Kissed, Whispered to and Cooed Over by Old Friends and Perfect Strangers:
Here he is with tween author Caroline Hickey (Cassie Was Here, Isabelle's Boyfriend). Can I just say how wonderfully photogenic kidlit peeps are?
It's always fun to run into Sara Lewis Holmes (Cornelius has been crushing on her because of the Little Green Army Men in her new book, Operation Yes):
Met Laurel Snyder for the first time (she's had mucho restaurant experience, so I'm doubly anxious to read her books, Inside the Slidy Diner and Any Which Wall):
Here's Bill from Literate Lives,
(He's a fellow Barbara O'Connor fan!)
and three totally delightful authors with personality plus (Varian Johnson, Diana Peterfreund, and Paula Chase Hyman). BTW, hearing Varian Johnson's laugh was worth the price of admission (besides authoring, he's a civil engineer who works for the same company as Len)!
Varian bonded with Cornelius instantly.
There were many others whom I didn't have a chance to meet (since we were kept quite busy with panel discussions throughout the day and I didn't stay for dinner). Glad I was able to say hello to Jen Robinson, though, and was tickled to run into Minh Lê of Bottom Shelf Books, who came at the last minute. The master of picture book satire was much younger than I imagined (I think he said he was 29) -- a breath of fresh air who is actually quite sweet (I know this probably isn't good for his reputation so don't tell anyone). ☺
Is that a great smile or what?
In Part 2, I'll share a few of my thoughts related to Pam's "Interview with Your Inner Blogger," the Blogging authors panel, and Greg Pincus's talk about social networking. More pictures, too!
Copyright © 2009 Jama Rattigan of jama rattigan's alphabet soup. All rights reserved.
Are you super-duper excited for the 3rd Annual KidLit Conference? I am!
What conference you say? DUDE! THE KIDLIT CONFERENCE! Bloggers! Authors! Other Awesome People! With panels and talks and lots of just hanging around and talking to all of these people we know from the internet. It's going to be AWESOME. At least, that's what I'm told, because it's my very first one. I cannot wait. You should come, because then I can meet you.
Also, because MotherReader asked me to be on a panel with some other awesome bloggers (shhh-- they're all much more awesome than me. I'll be the imposter, but don't tell.) We'll be talking about issues in blogging and possible solutions. To make things easier (and to give us time to really think about our answers) we're soliciting questions before hand. Like, now.
So, lay 'em on me. We've had lots of good discussions lately about things like accountability and arcs and what constitutes a review and should we use ratings and what to do about all the bloggers that are cooler than you and how do you organize everything and should we focus more attention on the books that aren't getting a lot of mention and on and on and on and on. Or you could just ask me about my insanely large TBR pile. Or my insanely cute dog. I'm open.
What do you want us to discuss?
Also, if you can't come, feel free to submit questions anyway. I'm sure someone blog it, so you'll still get your answers!
Where will you be on Saturday, October 17, 2009?
I'll be at the Sheraton Crystal City Hotel in Arlington, Virginia, attending my very first Kidlitosphere Conference!
In the two years I've been blogging, I've only been able to meet a handful of the many people I've connected with online. It'll be fun to compare online personas with in-person personalities. What do their voices sound like? Do any of them have accents? Are they really as nice as they seem online? And how do some of them manage to read and review so many dang books and still lead normal lives?
Yes, I'm quite curious about the attendees, but I'm also excited about the great sessions Pam (MotherReader) has lined up. There's still time to register and lock in the discount hotel rate of $109/night, so if you'd like to join us, please do!
Here's more from Pam:
For authors, illustrators, editors, and publishers in the area of children’s and Young Adult literature, the KidLitosphere Conference on October 17th in Arlington, Virginia, offers an incredible opportunity to learn more about online reviewers, blog book tours, blog writing, and social media. Participants will also talk to forty book reviewing bloggers one-on-one about their books in a Meet the Author session. The dinner gives everyone a chance to socialize, talk, network, and collaborate. And all for a low $100 registration fee that includes breakfast and dinner.
Featured sessions for authors/illustrators include:
- It’s Not All About Your Book: Writing Ideas for Author Blogs
- Social Networking for Fun (and Profit?)
- Building a Better Online Presence with Blogging
And several more sessions in the 8:00–5:00 p.m day. Attending authors will have the opportunity to set up a table and show their books to bloggers and promote fall titles. The small conference size allows for more chances for interaction among attendees.
Registration has been extended, so for more information and to register visit the conference page. Discount hotel rates are also available.
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I really hope you're going. I would love to meet you!!
Click here for a more detailed post about the conference from MotherReader.
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You're not the only imposter on this panel...
I need to get my post out there!
I'm sorry, I can't comment on the KidLit Conference, but OMG DOGGIE IN A FASCINATOR! Now I wish I had larger animals.
What if I asked what your dog thought of your TBR pile?
Thanks for the link and the picture. And I'll see you at Kidlitcon (where I will grill you MERCILESSLY on questions I refuse to ask in advance :-) Or not. Just don't want you getting relaxed or nuttin')
The Clear-Off-Your-Shelves challenge is up at S. Krishna's Books. Join me!
All right, here's a question that you mentioned to me and now I'm throwing in back in your face:
Can you take experience book reviewing on blogs to paying print journals? How?