SCBWI Eastern PA Fall Philly Part 2
I'm back to blog some more about Fall Philly...it was a long lunch *grin* but the tomato soup was really spectacular. Time for announcements from Marilyn Hershey, Regional Advisor for the SCBWI Eastern PA.
Marilyn made my day by giving me a shout-out for my conference blogging (no pressure LOL!). I, of course sat there with a big dopey grin on my face, feeling all warm and fuzzy. I know, I'm a dork, but its just how I roll.
Next up was Harold Underdown: Editor, the founder of "The Purple Crayon" and author of THE COMPLETE IDIOT'S GUIDE TO CHILDREN'S BOOK PUBLISHING. His session was on THE NEW CROP: CHILDREN'S BOOKS IN DIGITAL TIMES. I must confess that Harold has been very helpful in guiding this particular idiot over the years, so I was very excited to meet him in person. Little did I know that he was going to attack the digital age from multiple personalities...ehem...I mean perspectives.
Mr. P (aka Mr. Pessimist) and Mr. O (aka Mr. Optimist) Hashed out the benefits and risks of the digital book age, but in the end, the REAL Harold Underdown said, what I think we all know deep inside...
"They are both right and change is the only constant."
Erica Rand Silverman (from my morning critique session-thanks Erica!) talked about GERMINATING AN AGENT DEAL. Erica is with Sterling Lord Literistic, Inc. and is a former NYC school teacher. She gets a fist pump for that one WOOT! Erica was informative and very fun to listen to. Here are some of her highlights...
*Why you need an agent.
-Contracts
-Relationships
-Mediation (So you can focus on creativity)
*Short Synopsis = "This" meets "This"
*Looking for authors willing to do marketing legwork.
*Publishing houses are short staffed so your MS needs to be cleaner than ever to garner attention.
-Erica will personally help shape a MS but does not do line edits.
*After offer: You need to talk and know if you're compatible with each other.
Time for the Editor Panel.
BB-Beth Barton; Assistant Editor at Simon Spotlight.
JR-Jennifer Rees; Senior Editor at Scholastic Press.
MM-Martha Mihalick; Associate Editor at Greenwillow Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishing.
Questions from the audience...
Is there a market for poetry?
MM-Poetry is traditionally harder than fiction. Helps to be based on some kind of theme. Smaller market for novels told in verse.
JR-Poetry is traditionally shelved together and doesn't get a lot of traffic. Need an obvious hook. General poetry collections are not likely but a novel in verse is OK.
BB-Ditto
Do you ever meet a writer at a conference that you want to sign?
JR-Work with your agent if you have one.
MM- Let an agent know if you've made a connection with an Editor at a conference.
What are you looking for in work-for-hire?
BB-Published authors are better but not an absolute must. Send sample chapter. (This was for conference attendees)
What piles are on your desk between author and slush?
MM-Author, Agented Submission, Conference Attendee, Unsolicited. PS-Martha reads all the submissions herself.
JR-My own authors are my priority and she does have readers. :o)
Do you pass manuscripts in-house?
JR-It would have to be tremendous.
MM-Ditto...it's pretty rare.
What do you do when an editor is holding an exclusive for a long time?
MM-A request for an exclusive is a firm indication of interest but a gentle nudge is likely OK.
Of course every good conference should end with a little extra hero worship. :o)
Kim and Harold Underdown.
Kim and Nan Marino.
Kim and Jennifer R. Hubbard. *Don't forget to keep an eye out for the next Library Loving Challenge!
*Squee* Me and Wendy Mass!!!!!!
Lindsay Barrett George signing a book for the Fishkill Frogs at Fishkill Elementary.
Old and new friends!!!!! Jodi, Meghan, Paula, Kim and Michaele.
And last but not least, one of my fabulous writing partners and best friends, Jodi Moore. Don't forget to mark your calendars for the arrival of her awesome picture book WHEN A DRAGON MOVES IN (Flashlight Press) out in the Spring of 2011. Also coming is GOOD NEWS NELSON with Story Pie Press, pub TBD
I've got some new and different blog post swirling around in my think tank...more to come soon. Next scheduled conference SCBWI NY! In the mean time, I may self combust waiting to breath the same air as Lois Lowry! The GIVER is my favorite book EVER!!!!!
Marilyn made my day by giving me a shout-out for my conference blogging (no pressure LOL!). I, of course sat there with a big dopey grin on my face, feeling all warm and fuzzy. I know, I'm a dork, but its just how I roll.
Next up was Harold Underdown: Editor, the founder of "The Purple Crayon" and author of THE COMPLETE IDIOT'S GUIDE TO CHILDREN'S BOOK PUBLISHING. His session was on THE NEW CROP: CHILDREN'S BOOKS IN DIGITAL TIMES. I must confess that Harold has been very helpful in guiding this particular idiot over the years, so I was very excited to meet him in person. Little did I know that he was going to attack the digital age from multiple personalities...ehem...I mean perspectives.
Mr. P (aka Mr. Pessimist) and Mr. O (aka Mr. Optimist) Hashed out the benefits and risks of the digital book age, but in the end, the REAL Harold Underdown said, what I think we all know deep inside...
"They are both right and change is the only constant."
Erica Rand Silverman (from my morning critique session-thanks Erica!) talked about GERMINATING AN AGENT DEAL. Erica is with Sterling Lord Literistic, Inc. and is a former NYC school teacher. She gets a fist pump for that one WOOT! Erica was informative and very fun to listen to. Here are some of her highlights...
*Why you need an agent.
-Contracts
-Relationships
-Mediation (So you can focus on creativity)
*Short Synopsis = "This" meets "This"
*Looking for authors willing to do marketing legwork.
*Publishing houses are short staffed so your MS needs to be cleaner than ever to garner attention.
-Erica will personally help shape a MS but does not do line edits.
*After offer: You need to talk and know if you're compatible with each other.
Time for the Editor Panel.
BB-Beth Barton; Assistant Editor at Simon Spotlight.
JR-Jennifer Rees; Senior Editor at Scholastic Press.
MM-Martha Mihalick; Associate Editor at Greenwillow Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishing.
Questions from the audience...
Is there a market for poetry?
MM-Poetry is traditionally harder than fiction. Helps to be based on some kind of theme. Smaller market for novels told in verse.
JR-Poetry is traditionally shelved together and doesn't get a lot of traffic. Need an obvious hook. General poetry collections are not likely but a novel in verse is OK.
BB-Ditto
Do you ever meet a writer at a conference that you want to sign?
JR-Work with your agent if you have one.
MM- Let an agent know if you've made a connection with an Editor at a conference.
What are you looking for in work-for-hire?
BB-Published authors are better but not an absolute must. Send sample chapter. (This was for conference attendees)
What piles are on your desk between author and slush?
MM-Author, Agented Submission, Conference Attendee, Unsolicited. PS-Martha reads all the submissions herself.
JR-My own authors are my priority and she does have readers. :o)
Do you pass manuscripts in-house?
JR-It would have to be tremendous.
MM-Ditto...it's pretty rare.
What do you do when an editor is holding an exclusive for a long time?
MM-A request for an exclusive is a firm indication of interest but a gentle nudge is likely OK.
Of course every good conference should end with a little extra hero worship. :o)
Kim and Harold Underdown.
Kim and Nan Marino.
Kim and Jennifer R. Hubbard. *Don't forget to keep an eye out for the next Library Loving Challenge!
*Squee* Me and Wendy Mass!!!!!!
Lindsay Barrett George signing a book for the Fishkill Frogs at Fishkill Elementary.
Old and new friends!!!!! Jodi, Meghan, Paula, Kim and Michaele.
And last but not least, one of my fabulous writing partners and best friends, Jodi Moore. Don't forget to mark your calendars for the arrival of her awesome picture book WHEN A DRAGON MOVES IN (Flashlight Press) out in the Spring of 2011. Also coming is GOOD NEWS NELSON with Story Pie Press, pub TBD
I've got some new and different blog post swirling around in my think tank...more to come soon. Next scheduled conference SCBWI NY! In the mean time, I may self combust waiting to breath the same air as Lois Lowry! The GIVER is my favorite book EVER!!!!!