SCBWI Recap 2

Tip of the Snow: there's a very strong possibility tomorrow there will be a snow day here. That makes me very happy!

Just to continue on with my post last week about the SCBWI conference, here's some more information I learned.



Francesco Sedita, Vice President & Publisher at Grosset & Dunlap and an author of the Miss Popularity series:

1.) If you are writing a series, it's important to focus on writing a character that a child wants to return to. And make sure they are as 3-dimensial as possible.

2.) To get a handle on what kids want try to stay up-to-date on pop culture and know the celebrities the age range you are writing for likes and why they like them.

3.) They take submissions that usually fall into 3 categories: young middle-grade (1st, 2nd, 3rd grade), middle middle-grade (4th and 5th grade), and older middle-grade (6th and 7th grade)

Ben Schrank, Publisher at Razorbill:

1.) Common mistakes writers make include: writing for the market, trying to talk like a teen and not creating your own voice and language, windmilling (using lots of words with nothing happening), starting a story at the wrong place instead of in the middle of something, and not telling a story in a unique enough way that it stands out from all the other submissions.

Libba Bray, Author Extraordinaire:

1.) Make characters less than perfect and allow them to make mistakes. Allow for growth. And don't fall in love with characters, because you will miss their faults and maybe their strengths.

2.) Make the work matter to yourself!

3.) That Libba is hilarious and really sweet to talk to, and she has great picture ideas!


Susan Raab of Raab Associates, Inc. talked about "What's Selling, What's Not?"

1.) Types of books that publishers currently want: books like The Wimpy Kid series, fantasy is still selling, mystery & ghost stories are growing, inspirational or uplifting books are also growing in popularity, and funny books.

Suzanne Young, Author:

1.) She's completely charming and her new book series The Naughty List looks incredibly fun. Plus, she and her team at the SCBWI Team blog have way more in-depth and excellent information about the conference. You should definitely check it out.



If you get a chance to go to a conference, I highly recommend it!

--Emily, Miss Querylicious

Hashing Out Hashtags

CONGRATULATIONS to the winner of a signed copy of Lisa Schroeder's FAR FROM YOU ... Kimberly Job! Kimberly, our email address is author2author.blog [at] gmail [dot] com if you'd like to send us your mailing address to get the ball rolling.

Today I'm going to talk more about my growing addiction to Twitter or, as my husband calls it, the imminent Twittervention. (I personally blame my MigWriters partner in crime, Debbie Ridpath Ohi, for creating her essential and phenomenal Writer's Guide to Twitter web page. Thanks Debbie!)

Twitter is very confusing at first but it doesn't take long to get as addicted as I am. Of course, I mean to get as much utility from Twitter as I do. As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, the first step is to follow the right people. The second step is to figure out hashtags.

A hashtag is just like a blog post label. It's a way to index your tweet while you post it. Then you can use the search box to search by hashtags such as #yalit. That will call up tweets where the writer appended the hashtag #yalit. People are so creative, though, that it didn't take long for hashtags to be used for more than simple indexing:

1. Scheduled chats. Tuesday night (starting 9 p.m. EST) is #kidlitchat. Wednesday night (starting 9 p.m. EST) is #yalitchat. To get into chats, that's all you need to know at first. Get on Twitter on one of those nights, search the chat hashtag, and read. Once you want to join in the fun, the web site tweetchat.com will show you only tweets from your chosen chat AND add the hashtag automatically to your tweets. I always forget to add the hashtag!

2. Anytime chats. #amwriting is popular. It's like a watercooler of people who are currently writing and need to express their frustration or elation on their works in progress. It's virtual coworkers available around the clock.

3. Conference updates. #scbwiny10 was the tag used for updates from the recent SCBWI conference in New York. There are usually administration type tweets circulating before a conference where everyone decides what hashtag to use.

4. Spontaneous conversations. Check out #genderinya. A couple of people started talking about gender in YA on Twitter using that hashtag, and soon lots of people had joined the conversation.

5. Meta-humor. For example, I could tweet this:

Looks like the fifth candidate has turned down the head coach position in Buffalo. #WowtheBillsSuck

There isn't an actual hashtag in general use named #WowtheBillsSuck, but it's funny because there should be.

So, should you add #yalit to all of your YA-related posts? All I know is that I always forget to use the hashtag. Even when I mean to add #yalit, it slips my mind. Maybe that's for the best. Some people think that adding hashtags to all of your tweets clogs up the hashtag stream, makes you look spammy, makes you a minor servant of the devil, etc. I have never thought less of anyone for using hashtags myself.

What do you think? Have you ever been irritated by hashtags?

-- Kate, Miss Perfecting the Pages

Birthday Giveaway!!!

Tip of the day: It's my birthday! Please, have a cupcake (or two or three) in my honor!

What am I doing to celebrate, you ask? Well, tonight my family is taking me here for dinner. And yes, I fully intend to have this for dessert:

I have a present waiting for me already on the kitchen counter, but like a good little girl, I haven't peeked. Yet.

Otherwise, I will spend some of my morning working out, and then the rest of my morning writing. As for the afternoon - maybe I will splurge and spend it reading!!

Most importantly, because it's my birthday, I've decided to give away a book in three different places - my personal blog, the Author2Author blog, and twitter. Enter to win in all three places if you'd like - I don't mind at all!! You know, because they say it's much more fun to give than to receive!

Okay, I admit, there's another reason. I'm trying to get people to get over their fear of reading a novel-in-verse. It makes me very sad when I hear someone is afraid to try it. You don't want me to be sad on my birthday, right?

See, there is nothing to fear, I promise! There are characters you can relate to. There is a story that will keep you turning the pages. It may be told in a bit different format and somewhat poetic, which in my books helps bring out the emotions, but it is still a NOVEL!!

To enter to win a signed copy of FAR FROM YOU, all you have to do is tell me you've read one of my books and why people shouldn't be scared OR that you are excited to read one of my books, which will make me SO happy on my birthday.

I'll have Kate announce the winner on Monday! (Sorry, contest open to US residents only. You have until midnight EST Saturday, 2/6 to enter.)

So go. Comment, please! It's my birthday - make my day!!!!

"I don't care who's wrong or right, I don't really wanna fight no more"

Tip of the Day: Click HERE for the Be Our Valentine Giveaway! You have a chance of winning three autographed romance YAs (The Espressologist, Stupid Cupid, and A Match Made in High School), handmade Valentines from the authors and yummies. And happy release day to A Match Made in High School today!

One thing you may not know about me is that I hate fighting. And I suck at holding a grudge. Really, it's almost a negative quality sometimes because people can do really nasty stuff and I'll totally forget and I'll be all, Hi! How are you! the next time I see them. I've got relatives that can hold a grudge for a good 30, 40 years so I have no idea where I get this from.

Anyway, the whole Amazon versus Macmillan thing of last weekend-- ay yi yi yi yi. That really had my head spinning. I'll admit, when I saw the buy button for my book disappear off of Amazon I was freaking. The A2A girls got a panicky note from me. I saw people on twitter saying I don't get why authors are freaking out and really? We were freaking out because a major distributor wasn't going to be carrying our book anymore. That sucks. When you are a new author and not a bestseller, your book doesn't have a long shelf life in the stores. They say the typical book has 90 days before getting sent back to the publisher. Now this isn't a hard fast rule or anything-- if a book is doing well at certain stores they'll keep it longer. Lots of books do see 6, 9 months etc. But the 90 day thing does happen. So from there your book is sold at independents (hopefully) and online retailers. And if Amazon goes away, well, that's not so great.

The whole situation was confusing, especially to me as a newer author because I don't totally get all of the book publishing world yet. I know a heck of a lot more than I did last year but it's constantly a learning process. Luckily there were some really articulate people ready to put the problem into more comprehensive terms. Like Scott Westerfield here. When he explains it, it makes sense.

Anyway, what were your thoughts on the whole fiasco? I'm glad they stopped fighting (for now) and hopefully things end up where both sides are content (maybe?). I 'm not so sure we've seen the end of it though-- as of now the Buy button is still not back on my Amazon page. Hmph.

Kristina, Miss Delighted to Debut

Libraries are Money! (or Arrrr, Matey!)

Tip of the Day: If you are subbing for pubbing, it's a great idea to meet your agent in person if you haven't before. So much fun, even in a rushed weekend of SCBWI-ing and sight seeing! More updates on the conference with pics next week, once I have a chance to organize my thoughts.

Laurie Halse Anderson recently posted her thoughts on how book piracy sucks. Also here. Her answer to the naysayers who shout, "But I can't afford books! And you want me to read your book, right?" is to go to the library and check the books out there. And if the library doesn't have the book, find a librarian and make the suggestion that they purchase it.

As a librarian, I say YES, PLEASE DO!

And to the naysayers who shout, "What's the difference between checking out a book from the library and downloading it from a pirate site online for free? I'm not paying for either one!" I say the following regarding public libraries:

1) Every time a patron comes into my library, it counts as a statistic. And good stats = good fodder for keeping good budgets so we can keep buying lots of materials.

2) Every time a patron recommends a book and we purchase it, and then the book is checked out, each check out counts as a good stat. See above.

3) Every time a patron recommends a book and we purchase it, us librarians can then recommend it to more and more patrons. Each patron who checks it out is another good stat.

Then on the author's income side...

4) If the recommended book is enjoyed by library patrons, word of mouth between the readers can cause more and more peeps to buy the book themselves...

5) Which can cause the library system to buy more books...

6) Which can cause more royalties for the author.

So in summary, checking a book out from the library DOES provide potential "income" for both the library (in the form of stats which can support the library's year-to-year budgets) and the author (in the form of more book sales to libraries and patrons).

I was young once. I had my days of Napster "free" music downloads and bootlegged PC software in the broke college years. But for real, now that I know better I wish I'd checked out more music from my public library and used the software at the computer lab. OK, OK, I still don't think Bill Gates needs my money, but think of all the people who work for BG, or for those who work for BG's workers, or who work in PC software sales and marketing and and and....well, you get the idea. It all trickles down.

Some day I'd like to work as a librarian part-time and as a writer full-time (instead of the present opposite ratio). In order for that to happen, I'll need royalties! And I'll need a library budget! Please don't steal, matey!

Deena, Miss Subbing for Pubbing

SCBWI Recap 1

Tip of the Day: didn't get to attend the SCBWI conference in New York, but want to feel like you did? Then check out the wealth of information at the conference blog. It's like you were there, but didn't have to pay the admission price. Win, win!!

So I'm back from New York and my first time attending the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators conference. I'm still trying to process all the information and I have this thing called work (boo) that I have to go back to this morning, so this post will be short and sweet. But pictures and a fuller recap will be coming next week. Including the awesomest pic with the delectably lovable and recent Printz-winning author Libba Bray.

Had the best time meeting people, talking about writing, and seeing The City. I HIGHLY recommend attending a conference if you get a chance. You'll walk away feeling inspired and anxious to get home and write.

The top 5 things I heard repeated at the conference include:

• Creating 3-dimensial characters is so important.
• You need to find your own voice--not anyone else's--and that's how you can seperate yourself from every other story out there.
  
• It's good to keep reinventing yourself as an author and constantly trying new concepts, ideas, and ways of writing.
  
• Go back home and forget everything you've learned. Rules are meant to be broken (within reason), and everyone is in search of an unusual book that graps them and stands out from all the rest. Just stay true to yourself and your own voice.
  
• To be a writer the most important thing you have to do is WRITE!

And finally, one of the most valuable pieces of information I took away from the conference was that editors and agents are real people. Who would have thought?

Living in a virtual world you kind of forget editors and agents are approachable. Much like the celebrities of the writing world that hold your future in their hands. Meeting some in person makes them transform from pictures on a screen to real life people. And most of them are really nice, down to earth, and pleasant to be around! All of them just want to find a great book and a great author. They are on your side and rooting for you. I think that's an excellent thing to be reminded of.

--Emily, Miss Querylicious

Six Things I Learned from Online Pitches

Tip of the Day: Check out the interestingly worded letter from Amazon to its customers regarding the Macmillian pricing dispute. (Yes, Amazon, customers will pay for books if we think the price is reasonable and we won't pay for them if we don't. We do that. Really, you didn't need to spell that out for us.)

I had a busy weekend, including a museum sleepover with my Girl Scout troop, which is good because it kept me away from the internet. I was dying to follow the tweets and blog posts from the SCBWI New York conference; I was trying to keep up with the Amazon/Macmillan stand off. But I was completely entranced by the Caren Johnson Literary Agency's online pitch session. Basically, agents Caren Estesen and Elana Roth held a pitchfest on their agency's web site. Anyone could submit a pitch to their online forum. Elana Roth is the YA/MG agent and you can read all the pitches with her responses in this forum thread.

So many pitches--Elana's thread is seven pages long. Seeing them all in one place like this is a great example of what an agent sees on a regular basis. Elana's responses are polite, thoughtful, and realistic. If you're getting ready to query agents, take a look. I didn't pitch myself as I had queried this agency the regular way recently, but here's what I learned:

1. Agent responses are subjective. Yes, I know, you may have heard that before. But it's affirming to see it in action. Sometimes an agent just doesn't cotton to a particular genre or subject.

2. Wow, it's surprising which subjects came up in multiple pitches. I had no idea Neanderthal books were common. I guess by sheer volume, any random subject might come up in more than one query. So just naming interesting story elements doesn't work in a pitch.

3. A hook is not a story. A main character is not a story. A setting is not a story. Even the most fascinating setup is not a story. None of those things by themselves will sell a book.

4. Your story pitch should inherently convey which age group will want to read your story. Read a bunch of these pitches and you'll see what I mean. If I can't tell if it's a middle grade or adult book, I don't know, it seems too vague and undefined to be interesting.

5. Use concrete, specific nouns in your pitches. In pitch world, lots of people discover things too late, uncover secrets, make fatal mistakes, and want things that come at a heavy price. After dozens of pitches, anything stripped of concrete nouns makes the eyes glaze over. Every other kid in pitch world is a vague troublemaker at school--the kid specifically suspected of cafeteria theft is the most interesting.

6. If I were an agent, I'd be in trouble. I'd want to request enough pages to give me 100 hours a week of work. I suppose I'd learn to be very, very selective in order to survive. "Nothing personal, your pitch sounds great, but I have to eat and sleep sometimes."

Check out the pitches and play agent for the day. I'll bet you learn something too.

-- Kate, Miss Perfecting the Pages