III. ON A PERSONAL NOTE…

Undoubtedly, you love many children’s books, both classics and contemporary. Please cite three middle-grade and YA favorites. What makes each unforgettable?

We Are Okay by Nina LaCour. This YA book gives me all the feels. It’s one of those slow burns that’s both intimate and thought-provoking. You know that you’re reading something magical as the story unfolds and it’s such an important look at female friendships and first love.

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson. I ugly cried when I read this as a kid, but what I love about it now is the classic feel it has. It’s timeless and an incredible story about imagination, friendship, and what it takes to survive in the wake of a tragedy. It’s basically everything I could ever want in a middle grade novel.

Lemons by Melissa Savage. This middle grade novel is packed with humor and heart. It’s a story of unlikely friendships, newfound families, and an epic adventure to find Bigfoot. It has a slight historical hook, but it’s the voice of Lemonade Liberty Witt that captures your heart and makes you want to stay in the story long after the final page.

How does meeting writers at workshops affect you, your perspective, and your work? What do you enjoy about participating?

I love meeting writers at workshops like this one! There is something invaluable about making a connection with someone in person and being able to talk about their work. It’s special to know that everyone is there for the common goal: to publish the best book possible and get it into the hands of young readers or teens everywhere. There is something very special about not only being able to talk about the nitty gritty of an author’s manuscript, but to also learn more about them as a person. I have met numerous authors at conferences that I’ve kept in touch with long after the event so we could try to find something to work on together (and one of them I’ve finally signed up after years of waiting!). When you find someone that you click with, and you love their work, you’ll do whatever you can as an editor to work with them—at least that’s my perspective!

For this particular workshop, PCCWW, I’m excited to dive into the full manuscript critiques with each author. We often only have the opportunity to read partials at other conferences and workshops, and I really feel like having the book in its entirely will provide for productive and creative discussions.

What would you like writers to know about you, the individual who scrutinizes (and may reject) their literary labor of love?   

Publishing is an incredibly biased industry and sometimes a manuscript one editor loves, another editor may not connect with. There are certain elements that different editors look for in a manuscript, and there are certain stories that will work for their specific needs. But usually, if we are rejecting your work we have put a great deal of thought into that decision. We know how hard rejection is—it’s hard on us too because the last thing we want to do is crush your dreams! But it’s important to remember that there are a lot of factors that come into play while making these decisions, and most of the time the decisions are out of your control. Sometimes they are even out of the editor’s control if the acquisitions board doesn’t see what the editor sees in a project (which happens often!). Don’t get discouraged and don’t give up. Know that there is the perfect editor and publishing house for your story, and even though it may seem like you’re never going to get your first deal, I promise that with hard work and patience you will find the right home for your book. 

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