 20 years of Master Class to Masterpiece |
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October 22-24, 2021 (Session 2 of 2)
FICTION WRITERS! We’re pleased to welcome Trisha de Guzman and Suzie Townsend to our virtual workshop’s second October session this year. Their lively, informative interview responses are a preview to the discussions we look forward to enjoying at the workshop. Thank you, faculty extraordinaire, for your generous contributions below—and yet to come! I. GENERAL TOPICS Why did you become an editor or agent; what do you enjoy most about the work? What’s your personal (and/or publisher’s or agency’s) philosophy or mission? TG: I wasn’t aware of book editing as a career path before my senior year of college, but have always been a voracious reader. Even though I was planning to pursue a career in psychiatry, I was passionate about children’s books and kept up with the market’s goings-on even as an adult. So when I applied to—and landed—a children’s editorial internship as a college student, it felt like a whole new world had opened up to me, and it clarified why I loved children’s books so much: young readers are so much more impressionable, which creates a certain feeling of responsibility in what books we publish; they’re also full of so much wonder, and that openness to possibilities, exploring what ifs, and going on adventures, is part of why I love children’s books. I would say the opportunity to work with authors and colleagues with a shared passion for good storytelling, craft, and children’s lit is a big highlight of the job! I love sitting in on acquisitions meetings and seeing what exciting projects my colleagues are bringing. Working with authors, agents, production editors, and designers to make books the best that can be is also a wonderful part of my job. I feel lucky that my work is about shaping and advocating for stories that I love and believe in. When it comes to my publishing philosophy, I think a lot about what I want young readers to take away. Books are there to entertain and enthrall, so it’s important to me that my books are enjoyable and well-told. But there’s also an underlying motivation to publish responsibly, to only usher books that bring good, and not harm, to the world. ST: I mostly “fell into” agenting only to realize that it’s the best job I could have pursued for myself. I grew up loving to read and write my own stories and there was a time that I thought I want to be an author. However, what I enjoyed most about my writing workshops in college and critique groups was getting to read and comment on other writers’ work. After several years as a teacher, I thought about what I always told my students: they should find something they loved to do and think about what career would pay them to do that, and I realized that if I followed my own advice I would want a job where I could read for a living. That plus how much I loved editing made me think that I should be an editor, but when applying to jobs, the first one I got was at a literary agency. I had no real concepts of what agents did but I figured it was a good foot in the door. When I realized that agents were early readers and editors and got to help authors strategize for their careers across multiple books that might be published with multiple publishers, I was hooked. Approximately how many MG and YA novels do you sell/edit/publish per year? What percentage (or how many) are debut authors? TG: I publish about 6 to 9 novels per year, and acquire perhaps 6. I probably edit about 12 novels per year, all told, since I’m working on books across several seasons—I have books in my current (Summer 2021) editing queue that are publishing in Fall 2022 and Winter 2023, for example. ST: I have 38 client books slated for publication in 2022. (2021 has 39 books publishing.) So far this year I’ve booked 40 domestic book deals. Please Google for more information about MG and YA novels. Name one MG and one YA novel that you’ve edited or sold.Which aspects of each appealed to you from the query and/or manuscript’s first lines? TG: One middle grade novel I’m very proud of is Cuba in My Pocket, a historical middle grade novel set in Cuba about a boy who immigrates to the U.S. by himself and leaves his family back home. It’s inspired by the author’s father’s story, and it’s an emotional, personal look at a very significant period in Cuban history. I feel very personally connected to this book, and the author and I joke that we can’t read through it without crying at least once. But we actually do! A YA project I’m proud of is What Big Teeth, which was the author’s debut and published in February 2021. This is a weird, twisty, gothic book that is, at its heart, a family drama about monsters. I loved it the moment I set eyes on it, and I was prepared to defend it to the death to my team when I brought it to our edit meeting—I knew they weren’t big horror fans! To my delight, it has gotten nothing but enthusiastic support from MCPG, which was very validating. It’s a gorgeous book and I’m super lucky to have worked on it. ST: Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard is one of my best known YA sales. When I first started reading the manuscript, it was a Sunday and I read the entire manuscript in one sitting with no food or bathroom breaks, which is how you know it’s really great. The moment I knew I was hooked was what’s now the end of the first chapter when the main character, Mare, is describing the world and her situation and she says: “In school, we learned about the world before ours, about the angels and gods that lived in the sky, ruling the earth with kind and loving hands. Some say those are just stories, but I don't believe that. The gods rule us still, they have come down from the stars. And they are no longer kind.” An upcoming MG release that I’m excited about is called Pahua and the Soul Stealer by Lori M. Lee. When I first read it, it was only a few chapters and an outline and I was dying to read more. It’s a wonderful fantasy adventure about a young girl who discovers that she’s a shaman warrior and she has to come into her own in order to save her brother. It’s so funny and sweet and it features a snarky spirit cat who reminds me of my own cats at home. What’s the outlook on MG and YA novel trends—or are there trends? TG: I’m not seeing trends in the marketplace so much as I’m taking in what accounts are eager for. Supernatural YA seems to be having its moment, as are paranormal romances. YA fantasy seems like it’s here to stay. For middle grade, the books that are on my radar seem to mostly be on the contemporary fantasy side, propped up by the wonderful and successful novels published by Rick Riordan Presents. ST: I don’t really think there are trends to point anyone to at this point. I think everyone is looking for a great book that they can escape into.
II. SUBMISSIONS Queries, Craft and Critiques a) Queries Many agents and publishers are closed to unsolicited submissions. Do you consider unsolicited queries; i.e., those without a referral (not a workshop attendee, etc.)? What are your usual response times to queries and requested manuscripts? TG: Farrar, Straus & Giroux's policy prohibits acceptance of unsolicited submissions, alas. My response time to queries and manuscripts averages 6 to 8 weeks. ST: I am not—and have never been—closed to unsolicited submissions. Over 90 percent of my clients came from the “slush pile.” I try to respond within 60 days to requested manuscripts. I only respond to queries if I’m requesting. Our agency has an autoresponse that confirms receipt and we respond within 30 days if interested. Are query letters peripheral for you, or are they an important reflection on the author and manuscript? What makes a query irresistible to you—or not? TG: Query letters are very important. They tell me what the author feels their book is about, and how they want others to see it. Positioning is a huge part of editing and publishing books, and being on the same page about what we want the story to accomplish is essential. ST: Query letters are crucial for me. A query with great characterization and great voice will usually stand out when I’m reviewing them. How many pages do you usually read in a manuscript before deciding to continue reading, request a full, or reject the manuscript? TG: There isn’t a specific page count that informs whether I will keep reading or not, but I do know that if my interest is piqued by the query letter, I’ll probably read at least 30 pages or so before I decide outright that it’s not for me. ST: I ask for the query and first five pages for all my submissions. In terms of how much I read before deciding to reject something, I’m going to steal the words of another agent who answered this question at a conference early in my career. He said: “I read the first line. If I love it, I read the second line. If I’m still hooked, I read the third line, and so on. The minute I’m not hooked, I stop reading.” I simply have so much to read so at any point, if I can put the manuscript down and not keep thinking about the characters or what might happen, then I will reject it.b) Craft and Critiques Our workshop enrollees critique peers’ full novels. However, many writers are experienced only in critiquing partials. What helps you keep track of everything in a novel; what practical tips can you offer for whole-novel critiques? TG: When I look at partials, I’m thinking mainly of whether a story hooks me with its writing, voice, premise, and character; when reading a full novel, I’m evaluating whether the rest of the book lives up to the promise of its opening pages. One of the things I’m most watchful for in whole novels are pacing/momentum—it’s easy to be excited in the beginning, when you’re first uncovering the story’s world, characters, and inciting incident. It’s harder to keep things tidy and brisk as it goes further, because there are more plot threads to juggle and continuity to maintain. So I recommend watching out for setups from the first act, and whether they deliver later on. On a similar note, I expect the conclusion to tie together everything that has happened before; not that a story has to be neatly tied up in a bow, but that the way the story ends makes sense in light of what came before it. Was there a discernible cause-and-effect between earlier events and how the story ends? Did developments naturally arise from what came before them? ST: I just take a lot of notes. I take notes as I read. Then afterward I try to organize my thoughts by character, world, plot, and pacing. What tip or exercise do you suggest for making scenes emotionally satisfying? Do you look for arcs? Conversely, what makes a scene fall flat? TG: I firmly believe that every story springs from its characters, and that a good story shows them going through some kind of transformation or change. Every scene is a microcosm of the conflict, inciting incident, catalyst, resolution structure of the book itself. So it should have some kind of conflict that the character addresses, whether that is emotional, mental, or external. ST: As an agent, I am lucky to be able to point out when a scene works and when it falls flat. My clients often do the hard work of figuring out how to fix it. That said, a common mistake that I see which causes scenes to fall flat are when an author doesn’t build a character’s emotions throughout a scene. In those cases it’s hard for a reader to experience the emotional resonance without feeling the escalation in the character. For instance if a character seems totally normal and then suddenly is sobbing, I am more likely to wonder why the character is so upset, than to feel whatever sadness they’re feeling. As the writer, you have to guide the readers’ emotions throughout the novel. Please define “own voices,” explaining why these stories are important and why the focus is shifting in this direction. Which factors do editors and agents generally consider when deciding whether a work is authentic and representative? TG: This is a discussion that can’t really be summed up in a few sentences. I don’t believe in an absolute judgment on whether a work is authentic and representative; if an author is writing something, it’s safe to assume that it is authentic and representative of their thoughts and experiences. Books that are written by authors who haven’t had a seat at the table are important because they introduce different perspectives and ways of occupying the world, and they assert that their voices deserve space. The more authors from underrepresented identities there are in kidlit, the richer and more vibrant our community becomes. ST: I cannot define this term. Rather, I’m going to direct you to We Need Diverse Books post this year about why they’re no longer using the term. Do you read the synopsis before or after reading a manuscript—or do you bypass the synopsis? (Why?) How and when might a synopsis prove useful to you? TG: I definitely read the synopsis! The opening chapters of a book aren’t always guaranteed to hook me right away, but if I know that there’s an exciting concept within it from the synopsis, I’ll be motivated to keep reading. It’s also a good way to know whether there are possible triggers in the manuscript that I should watch out for, or warn possible second readers about. ST: I do not read a synopsis—I read the query so I know the core of what the novel is supposed to be able, but I want to read the novel without knowing what’s coming to accurately judge how it unfolds. What kinds of craft flaws do you commonly see in otherwise well-written manuscripts? In general, what self-editing tips do you suggest? TG: It’s a cliché, but an unwillingness to kill your darlings. It’s easy to get attached to beautiful passages and certain turns of phrase, because creation is such a labored process that producing gems is always worth celebrating. But it’s also an easy route to meandering thoughts, unrelated subplots, and unfocused characters. Realizing that a piece of writing can be good, but not necessarily good for your book, is a difficult but necessary part of the process. ST: The most common flaw I see in manuscripts is when writers will sometimes use a character’s physical actions to “show” the character’s emotion. For instance, writing that a character “gritted their teeth” to show that they’re angry. I believe this is a misinterpretation of the “show don’t tell” writing advice that we often hear. I often find this description of action to still feel telling and also feel distancing. I would much rather get more in the character’s head and know why they’re angry rather than what they’re physically doing. (For agent) You’re satisfied with a client's revisions, then pitch the manuscript to editors who request a submission. How soon do you respond? How many editors might you pitch or submit to—and over what time frame? ST: Timelines and pitching really are completely individualized based on the author and the manuscript. I will say that if I’m satisfied with a client’s revision, I am going to have a conversation with them about the strategy before I’m every submitting anything to editors. That’s the time that we’ll talk about imprints we’re submitting to and the timeline for those submissions, etc. How would you describe your working relationship with your authors? How often are you in touch; how ”hands-on” are you? TG: I’m a very collaborative editor, and strive to be transparent with my authors about what’s going on with their books on the publishing side. Editorially, I work very closely with them, whether it comes to conceptual edits and reworking whole plotlines, even scrapping and then creating plots from scratch, and line editing. I love the process, I love seeing the heart of a story and making it shine brighter, and I love helping authors realize their full creative vision. I check in with them on other developments, too, chiming in on exciting marketing opportunities or attending events, schedule willing. Publishing is a very relationship-oriented industry, and we are friendly but professional. ST: This really depends a little on the client. Some of my authors want to hear from me frequently and they want me to weigh in on what they're thinking about writing right from the start. One author once joked that she wanted my opinion on everything except maybe cheese shopping since she was already an expert in that. But some of my authors find that level of involvement to actually be intrusive to their creative process. Sometimes they want to write a whole manuscript and then send it to me with a note that says "Here I wrote a thing, tell me what we can do with it." I'm happy to work either way.
III. ON A PERSONAL NOTE… Please cite two of your favorite classic and/or contemporary children’s books, including at least one MG/YA novel. What makes each unforgettable? TG: One of my favorite books of all time is Holes by Louis Sachar. It’s almost perfect in every way; a master class in plot, foreshadowing, characterization, and voice. It somehow tells the story of a multitude of characters, across generations, while maintaining an exciting and suspense-filled mystery. I enjoyed it when I first read it as a child, but I didn’t completely understand its genius until much later. As an editor, I’m blown away by the skill it took to write a story of such complexity. A recent favorite is Pet by Akwaeke Emezi. I went into it not knowing a thing about the plot except that it was set in a dystopian future, and I’m so glad I did. I relished the way that its story unfolded, and how you as the reader put together the pieces just ahead of the main character. I am a big fan of using speculative fiction as a way to examine issues in the real world, and this did it beautifully. ST: When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead is a fabulous MG novel that I fell in love with upon my first read. It’s both a coming of age story and a speculative mystery and I love how everything ties together in the end. Similarly, Chime by Franny Billingsley is such a compelling novel. The world is so creatively drawn and the main character’s voice is exceptionally distinct. How does meeting writers at workshops affect you, your perspective, your work? What do you enjoy about participating in writers’ events? Which aspects of this PCCWW event appeal to you? TG: Working with authors is one of the best perks of the job. I don’t consider myself a creator, so it’s a gift to be able to play a part in helping them craft their stories. I’m always appreciative of the bravery it takes for writers to share their work with me. It’s a very vulnerable thing to do. So I like meeting creators who are working on their craft, and I also enjoy being able to give a glimpse, however small, of what it’s like to work “on the inside.” I feel that a lot of how the industry works is opaque, and it doesn’t have to be. I don't often have the opportunity to interact with uncontracted authors on whole manuscripts as I will at this workshop, and it's exciting to be able to delve deeply into manuscripts of writers outside of the context of editing and publishing a book. It's a distillation of the editing process that I so love, without the (necessary and important!) work of pitching the work to third parties, creating sales materials and other assets, and handling micro details like correcting Barnes & Noble metadata! Of course, I will also relish the opportunity to connect with PCCWW authors and put faces to names, as so much of our communication relies on technology. ST: I enjoy meeting writers at events and talking through their manuscripts. Conversations with writers at the beginning of their careers is something that I find that I do less of as I progress in my own career and it will be fun to come back to that at this workshop. What would you like writers to know about you, the individual who scrutinizes (and may reject) their literary labor of love? TG: It always makes me laugh that editors are considered these venerated gatekeepers in the community, because we get rejected all the time! I bring manuscripts to our edit meeting, and 8 times out of 10, it’s rejected for one reason or another. Or maybe I do get approved to make an offer, but it becomes a heated auction, and I lose the project to another editor. Every single day, I’m pitching possible and contracted books to subrights associates, account managers, marketing, publicity, financial directors, publishers, librarians, sales reps—all in the name of convincing them how special and unique and sensational those books are. At the end of the day, publishing is an industry of people who love books. But the reasons we love certain books over others vary. (For example, one of my colleagues did not enjoy Pet at all, even though it was one of my favorite reads of the year.) Because we’re all different people with our own unique perspectives, just as authors all have voices and stories that only they can tell. We say we’re just not the right editor for a book in our rejections because it’s true. Maybe there’s something about the content that I just don’t have the editorial vision for, or I don’t have experience with that kind of book. Maybe it’s because the writing style is not for me (I don’t gravitate toward purple prose). It can also be that I just acquired a book with a similar premise and can’t support them both in one list! There are a million and one reasons why it might not be the best editorial match, but it isn’t necessarily a knock on your work. It just means it wasn’t the right fit at this time. Thank you, Trisha and Suzie, for your responses! |
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Like our workshop, these faculty interviews focus on youth novels. To read all years’ faculty interviews, see our 
