II. SUBMISSIONS (QUERIES, SYNOPSES, MANUSCRIPTS)

General

Some editors give preferential treatment to conference attendees’ submissions for only one month after the event. How long after an event will you consider participants’ submissions?

Indefinitely.

What are your submissions guidelines?

Workshop attendees can send me a query and the first three chapters of their manuscript, along with an SASE. Unsolicited manuscript submissions (from writers who have not attended workshops with me) should follow our website’s official guidelines. In brief: I prefer a query that includes a short plot summary, and the first three chapters of the manuscript.

How many manuscript pages do you usually read before deciding to continue or decline a manuscript?

It varies, but usually I’ll read the first chapter (up to 10 pages).

What’s your usual time from manuscript submission to contract to publication?  

The timeframe varies. We often strategically schedule books on certain lists to tie-in with holidays, Black History Month, and so on, to capitalize on promotional opportunities. For example, I recently edited a book about a girl who joins the boy’s baseball team and we published it in early spring so that it could be used on spring training promotions at bookstores across the country. For a standard novel, it usually takes 18 months to two years from the time the contract is signed to publication.

Queries

What’s your usual response time to queries? Do you consider unsolicited queries or those submitted without a referral?

Yes, I consider unsolicited queries. Queries go in the same box in my office as manuscript submissions. It often takes six months or more for me to respond.

Some editors say they hardly read queries; others say queries are an important reflection on the author and the story. Which is true for you? 

I’m not the biggest fan of queries. I read them, but I’m more interested in the first three chapters of the manuscript so I know right away whether the story is for me.

What makes a query irresistible to you—or not? Should writers include a brief “pitch” (research about how their novel might fill a marketing niche), or will a succinct plot summary show you the story’s potential value?

From years of experience, I can usually tell in a paragraph or two if I will be interested in a manuscript. However, I will keep reading as far as I am still interested. And sometimes, if the story is really good—even if I’m not sure it’s for me—I will read until the very end to see what happens!

I like a brief summary of the story (up to three lines) before I begin reading, so I know what I’m getting into. The query should be matter-of-fact: “Enclosed please find my manuscript. It’s about a dog and his owner,” or some such. Please do not include your marketing strategies—if I like the story and want to sign it up, then we can discuss marketing. I’d also be intrigued to know (in a sentence or two) how you came to write the story.

Synopses
 
Please state your synopsis guidelines. Do you read the synopsis before or after reading a manuscript—or bypass the synopsis entirely?

I often bypass the synopsis; I’d much rather read the manuscript. Synopses should be a maximum of two succinct pages, double-spaced. I prefer a straightforward plot summary, written in a way that reveals the flavor of the author’s writing in the manuscript.

Manuscript Elements and Edits

What are common flaws in novel manuscripts you receive? 

The most common mistake I see in children’s book submissions is out-of-date references or vernacular. Another common mistake—and I think this is unique to children’s books—is didacticism. Children are very discriminating readers and are unlikely to continue reading a book if it feels dated or if they’re being lectured to in any way.

What are memorable, perhaps elusive, story qualities that hook you?

One quality I look for in submissions is the ability to transport the reader to another world. The best manuscripts make me miss my subway stop (this happens more than I’m willing to admit). I have observed my niece stealing away in the middle of family gatherings to read a book. When we call her to the dinner table, it’s as if she’s been woken up from a dream. I want to edit those books.

Our 2009 workshop theme is “Vision and Voice.” Voice is often touted as a desirable element in fiction, yet it’s difficult to define (“I know it when I see it”). What does voice mean to you?

To me, voice is a combination of plot, setting, characters, dialogue—all of the elements that make a book. If I connect with the voice of a novel, I’ll want to keep coming back to it again and again. I’m looking for a voice that will dazzle me with its imagination and necessity.

Voice is what I hear in my head while reading. Like most editors, I’m looking for something that will literally sing off the page. At the most basic level, it should be accurate to the story the writer is telling—a story about a high school football star should sound completely different from one about an overweight girl who is addicted to vintage clothing.

But beyond being true to the story, I’m looking for a voice that will stand out from the rest of the pack in its originality. It should feel necessary (I have to publish this story, I would be doing a disservice to readers if I didn’t). The Book Thief is a good example. There have been so many stories published about the Holocaust, but the voice of this book is unlike anything that has come before in its ability to tell a very dark story while maintaining a real sense of hope. It is also unforgettable and lives on long after you finish reading it.

Our workshop enrollee asks: Please give examples or anecdotes about your approach to, and degree of, revision involved in an accepted manuscript—or one for which you’ve provided an editorial letter and invitation to re-submit.

Some manuscripts come in extremely polished and I could put them out as is and be happy. Others require several revisions before they’re ready to be seen by the world at large. There’s no right or wrong method. A typical manuscript I edit will go back to the author for a revision or two to address larger issues—plot, character development, and so on. My last edit will usually be a more nitty-gritty line edit.

I often ask a writer with whom I’ve never worked to do a revision (sometimes the entire manuscript, other times just a chapter or two) before I sign up a book. I’m looking to see if they’re capable of improving the manuscript—in addition to seeing how we might work together.

Editors are not necessarily looking for writers to accept suggested edits without question. I would much rather work with someone who will take the time to think through whether the suggestion works for the story. Maybe my suggestion isn’t quite right, but it spurs the writer to think of another way to address the problem.

Are you a “hands-on editor,” a business-end editor, or both?

I consider myself to be both very hands-on and also mindful of the business of selling books.

Marketing

What does your house do to market its books?

We create bound galleys of our books approximately six months before publication, which our sales reps use when selling into accounts. Galleys are also sent to media outlets, librarians, and educators to generate buzz before the book is on sale. Additionally, the book  appears in our catalog, which is sent to hundreds of contacts and also used when selling in books to accounts.

Our publicity and school and library marketing departments send out press releases with finished books to media and educator/librarian contacts. They also submit the books for appropriate awards. We feature the book at school and library conferences we attend each year. Plus, we hand out galleys of forthcoming titles and display finished copies of our most recent books. We solicit local bookstore appearances from our accounts.

Our books are featured online at www.randomhouse.com/kids, www.randomhouse.com/teachers, www.randomhouse.com/teachers, and www.randomhouse.com/librarians. We have a wonderful new initiative for promoting novels by first-time writers called It’s a First, which includes advertising and targeted mailings to get new voices into the hands of readers.

In what ways should authors contribute to your marketing efforts?

Writers can do a lot online to get their books out there, including creating a website and Facebook or Myspace pages for the book. I would caution writers to avoid spending too much time creating an elaborate marketing plan (we have an in-house marketing and publicity department who are experts in getting our books exposure). School and library visits are another excellent way children’s book writers can promote their books. A number of writers are now joining marketing collectives with other area writers so that they can do bookstore and school appearances together. I think these collectives are a great idea.

III. NOVEL GENRES AND TRENDS

Which kinds of youth novels are selling well; what’s the outlook on trends for the next two years? How are raw, edgy, issue-driven novels faring now compared to those of recent years? Are there any un-PC topics?

Fantasy continues to sell well (anything with a dragon or vampire in particular). Clean fiction like The Penderwicks is also popular. I can’t predict the next trend. Given the current economic conditions, we’re all just holding our breaths hoping books continue to sell, period.

A workshop enrollee asks: Is YA as a genre evolving past trends, such as frequent use of first-person present POV and short novels, into a literary force defined not by page limits, age-ranges and content restrictions, but by quality of voice, complexity of story, and skillful use of language?

I’m a firm believer in the fact that some of the best, most creative writing out there is happening in YA literature. The days of publishers worrying about taboo subjects or incidentals such as page counts, age restrictions, etc. have passed for the most part.

Common teen-novel plots include the quest or journey, adventure and survival, coming of age, the underdog and bullied, romance, and mysteries—interwoven with themes of friendship and family. Are these elements are timeless? Others?
 
These are the tried-and-true themes of YA novels—all common to the teen experience, which is why they remain so popular.

In Writing for YAs, Sherry Garland notes a paradox: “The more unique and controversial your story and characters, the more likely the book will be acclaimed. Yet... the more difficult it will be to find a publisher, given the risk of censorship and resistance by schools.” Which kinds of controversial books, if any, are you likely to represent?

I don’t agree that controversial books have a more difficult time being published these days. The American Library Association celebrates Banned Book Week the last week of every September and many publishers are active participants. Last year we handed out copies of Judy Blume’s Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret in front of the Random House building. Every employee received a copy in his or her mailbox and was encouraged to give it away. Judy Blume often says that getting banned was the best thing that could have happened to her books—they became more popular as a result.

I’ve worked on plenty of books with potentially controversial components. My rule of thumb is to stay true to the story and the characters. I’m also careful to let my authors know, however, the potential consequences of controversial content, especially in regard to middle grade. Certain words or situations may prevent a book from being taken by book clubs, for example. But again, if no other word or situation will do, I’m all for leaving it as is.

A workshop enrollee asks: “We’re taught that novelists must balance narrative, dialogue, characters’ thoughts and action. Many recent acclaimed children’s books are heavy on narrative. Examples: E.L. Konigsburg’s The View from Saturday and A. LaFaye’s Edith Shay. Also, Karen Cushman’s The Midwife’s Apprentice and Catherine, Called Birdy (in diary form) are full of excellent period detail. The Midwife’s Apprentice had lots of narrative and almost a fairytale quality. I didn’t get a strong sense of the main character’s personality in these books, though I like them. Many acclaimed books seem to break the rules.” How effective is narrative that tells instead of shows the story?

Using the questioner’s definition of narrative, I think it depends on the book. If you’re writing immediate YA, you’ll probably want to use more dialogue to tell the story. If you’re writing historical fiction, period detail told through narrative is likely to be more necessary.

How do you judge if a novel with a teen protagonist is best suited for the adult or YA market? Should a writer decide this before submitting to an editor (you)?

The line between YA and adult is becoming more and more blurred. I have agents submitting certain projects to both children’s book editors and adult book editors. I have also edited a number of children’s books that have been published as adult books in other countries.

To be honest, I’m not sure it really matters into what neat little category we (publishers and booksellers) decide to put our books. The important thing is that the books find their readers. Good books rise to the top regardless of the official age range attached to them.

IV. PERSONALLY SPEAKING...

How has meeting writers at workshops or conferences affected you and/or your work?

I always come away from workshops and conferences feeling re-invigorated. I love meeting people who are as excited about children’s books as I am. It’s also thrilling to meet writers with whom I might work someday.

What do you like most about your job as editor?  

Fortunately, the positives far outweigh the negatives. I love working with incredibly talented writers and brilliant colleagues. Also, there is nothing better in the world than seeing a book you love connect with a young reader.

One of the things I love most about my job is that it allows me to work on books on a variety of subject matters. One week I’m editing a book about Civil War Reconstruction, the next a book about a teenage boy trying to escape life in the South Bronx, the next a collection of stories about fairies, and so on. Sometimes these subjects coincide with my own interests, but often they don’t. One of the most important things about being a good editor is having a keen thirst for knowledge.

Besides a thirst for knowledge, what other hobbies and interests do you bring to editing?

Running, history, food, travel, politics, music, hiking, and other sports, to name a few.

What else would you like writers to know about you, the individual who scrutinizes (and sometimes rejects) their literary labors of love?

Read testimonials from this editor’s authors.

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