Entries are open for the Bartleby Snopes 8th annual Dialogue Only Contest. First prize: $300 minimum (higher if 50+ entries received). Compose a short story entirely of dialogue — no narration — that delivers a powerful and engaging story. Length: 2000 words max. Entry fee: $10 for unlimited entries. Deadline: September 15, 2016.
University of Regina Press and poet Sue Goyette are asking poets to submit to a collection that addresses the issue of sexual assault, victim-blaming, slut-shaming, rape culture and the ongoing quest for justice. Open to international submissions. Pieces can be sent by mail (University of Regina Press, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK, S4S 0A2) or emailed to [email protected]. Deadline: September 15, 2016.
Lauren Rille is an Associate Art Director at Simon & Schuster, where she works with the Beach Lane, Atheneum, and McElderry imprints. Before joining S&S, Lauren was a designer at Sterling and Harcourt Children’s Books. Some books she’s designed include Are You There God, it’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume; Baby Bear Sees Blue by Ashley Wolff; Scraps by Lois Ehlert; One Big Pair of Underwear by Laura Gehl, illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld; and the New York Times best-selling Bear Says Thanks by Karma Wilson, illustrated by Jane Chapman. Lauren loves the collaborative process of working with editors and illustrators, and she’s always on the lookout for new talent.
What do you look for in a portfolio?
In a broad sense, I look for a consistent level of quality throughout. Are all the pieces at the same level of finish? Does the style carry through from beginning to end? I look at technical things, too: Are the drawing and the perspective sound? Is there a good sense of composition and good use of value structures? Sometimes I scan for hands; hands can be tricky to draw, and if I see none, or if I see them hidden throughout, I worry it’s a red flag! But within those technical parts, and just as much as those technical parts, I’m looking for a point of view, a sense of humor. I want to see your personality! We hire you for your technical skill, of course, but also for your interpretation of the world and the way you bring words to life.
Where do you find artists? Any tips for how artists can promote themselves?
I look for artists everywhere! I’ve found them anywhere from agents’ websites to Pinterest to Etsy to Tumblr to Instagram—you name it. I am not concerned with the context of the art, just the work itself. There’s no magic to how you present it—I don’t mind if you have a simple blog or the fanciest website in town. Good work shows through. Sometimes I’ll start at an artist’s personal site and then click through the links of other artists that follow them, and so on and so on, just to see where it takes me and what I might discover. So I think having a social media presence is smart—even a basic blog or Tumblr in lieu of a website (I’ve never been a big fan of websites–templated blogs and the like are so easy to use and update!)—anything to get the work out there. I’m mixed on postcards—I sometimes think a more-targeted mailing of something slightly more special than a postcard (read: harder to discard) to a handful of specific ADs or editors whose work you’ve researched and really like is perhaps a better use of time and resources.
How do you pair artists with manuscripts?
It varies! Sometimes it’s as simple as matching the age range and feel of the text with art that complements it—for example a young and sweet text will call for an illustrator with a similar vibe. With quirky or unusual texts, we can reach for something unexpected and different. Sometimes an author will offer a suggestion that really works. Sometimes we’ll decide to pair a big-name artist with a first-time author to help launch them, or we’ll pair two heavy hitters to create a book with a lot of buzz behind it. Mostly though, it starts with a conversation between me and the editor about his or her vision for the book. We’ll discuss what they saw in it that made them want to acquire it and what shape they imagine the illustrations taking. Then I’ll do the research to find some artists that match that vision as well as one or two others that could push it in a slightly different direction. Occasionally a text will come to me already paired with an illustrator—that can be part of the initial proposal from the agent or it may be that the editor has found an illustrator.
What happens if an author/illustrator submits but you only want to acquire their text and not their illustrations?
I get this question a lot, and my answer is always the same: Throw a party! You got a book deal! If you have aims to illustrate, keep working on your art and use the contacts you establish through your manuscript deal to try to get more feedback and perhaps an opportunity to show other people in-house your work. Conversely, if you are so tied to your text that you can’t fathom anyone else illustrating it, then perhaps you’re too close to your work for the commercial market. Making a children’s book is a huge collaboration, and there are a lot of cooks in the kitchen, so you’ve got to be ready to hear feedback from any number of people, which means not being too precious with your work. IF you’re open to it, all those voices help push you to be an even better writer, illustrator, and ARTIST than you already are!
By: Edna Cabcabin Moran,
on 8/28/2015
