This comes from the super-useful blog of Kathy Temean:1. Who is the readership for this book?2. Does this story surprise me and take me to places I didn’t expect?3. Is this a main character I care about?4. Am I personally moved by this story or sitituation?5. I this a theme/emotion/concern that a lot of kids... Continue Reading →
Does your title matter?
Editorial Anonymous had good advice on the topic:I'm wondering if it's important to have a super great title for my manuscript when I submit it to the slush pile. Should I spend a great deal of time and energy to get it just right, or do the majority of titles get changed along theway anyway?Great... Continue Reading →
The definition of edgy
Elizabeth Law, one of the editors coming out for our spring conference, defined "edginess" this way on Twitter: EgmontGal: Guys, if anyone cares, characters having sex does not make a book edgy to me. Edgy is boundary pushing in literariness or plot #yalitchat
What you know to be true
Molly O'Neill, an editor at Harper Collins, blogged about certain beliefs we might have. You'll want to read the whole post, but here are her questions for how we might enrich our characters by understanding their beliefs.Here's part of the post:So if you're in the mood for a writing exercise, take the main character(s) in... Continue Reading →
Patricia Lee Gauch: a class act
Carole Estby Dagg sent along this anecdote and I had to share: Anyone who attended last fall’s Weekend on the Water knows what an inspiring teacher Patricia Lee Gauch is. I received evidence yesterday that she is also one of the most conscientious editors on the planet. Three years after submitting a query and chapter... Continue Reading →
Submitting without an agent
This Nathan Bransford post is a few days old, but perennially useful--especially when we are permitted to submit to an editor who attends one of our conferences.Here's the top:So I thought I'd tackle the topic of submitting to editors without an agent. And I'll start by saying something you might not expect to hear from... Continue Reading →
An editor decodes her ‘decline’ letters
Alvina Ling, editor of such books as North of Beautiful and Nothing But the Truth (and a Few White Lies) by our own Justina Chen, explains what her rejection, er "decline" letters really mean.
Betsy Lerner on bad business lunches
I read Lerner's THE FOREST FOR THE TREES years ago and enjoyed it (an editing guide). But I might like this roundup of worst-ever business lunches even more. Here's a taste: “Hm, oh god, worse lunch date ever, but there are so many to choose from! Probably my first one. I was a baby editor... Continue Reading →
What’s ‘high concept’?
Editorial Anonymous is back with the useful definitions, this time explaining what agents editors mean when they say "high concept."Basically, it means she wants a hook. She wants to be able to describe what will appeal to consumers about the book in just a sentence or two.I, like many editors, wish more writers had a... Continue Reading →
Authors: an invitation to hold your horses
Editorial Anonymous gives us a nice reminder not to get too YESYESYES when an editor makes an offer.You can, you know, ASK FOR MORE MONEY.Read the post.