Dianne Bates's Blog, page 10

Getting Your Children's Book Reviewed

Reviews on children’s hardback picture books and novels are important for many reasons – but one of the most important is that it gets your books noticed by school and public librarians. Hardback book sales are not limited to libraries, but they are often the backbone that prepares the way for purchases by children and parents, as well as future paperback sales.

Many librarians go by the ‘rule of 3.’ They will only purchase a book from the many listed in publishers’ catalogues if they have been reviewed at least three times. When your books are purchased for libraries, the possibilities for school and library visits (and more sales) are endless.
It is less important that the reviews are positive or negative, more important that your book has been reviewed. A Starred review or special mention beyond the basic listing of your book is even a bigger coup.
Book reviews give your book an advantage to perspective parent buyers. If you are planning to promote your book through school programs and book signings, placing positive comments in reviews into your promotion packet, on a flier or on your website is an extra endorsement for your book
As an author, reading reviews of children’s books is helpful even before your book is sold and published. It is a way to find out what is liked, what is needed, or what is overdone. It is also a good way to gain ideas for writing a short ‘review’ of your book in your cover letter, as well as a jacket blurb if you are asked to provide one.
Since most print review publications print their reviews the quarter or month of a book’s publication, your book must be sent to the reviewer ahead of time. Some review sources must be done through your publisher, while others will accept books from authors. Check websites or call for information well ahead of your book’s publication date.
There are numerous magazines which review children’s book. Here some of the top ones:
BUZZ WORDS (THE LATEST BUZZ ON CHILDREN’S BOOKS) www.buzzwordsmagazine.com                                                                             This fortnightly online magazine publishes more reviews annually of children’s books than any other Australian publication. It has a voluntary reviewing staff, mostly freelance writers and children’s book authors.                               Vicki Stanton, Compiler/Editor                                                                                          
AUSSIEREVIEWSAussiereviews (http://www.aussiereviews.com) is an independently run, not for profit website which reviews Australian books of all genres, with a special focus on children’s and young adult titles. Reviews are written with a wide audience in mind, but many of its hits come from education-related hosts, suggesting that they are regularly read by educators and students. At present the site is averaging about 500 hits per day

The online website does review most books received, but stresses that receipt of a book does not guarantee a review – most reviews are written by the one reviewer, and so it is not possible to read and review every book published in a year. They are more likely to review a book if they first receive an email from the publisher (rather than the author) in the form of a media release, with details of how it can request a review copy. This allows it to select those titles it is most interested in. This contact between publisher and reviewer also removes the personal contact between reviewer and author which can make impartiality difficult. Review requests can be emailed to webmaster@aussiereviews.com
READPLUShttp://www.readplus.com.au

READING TIME
The official journal of the CBCA is a periodical called Reading Time. Published quarterly, its brief is to review all books for children and young adults published in Australia, many from New Zealand, as well as any other high quality international publications.Dr John Cohen
Editor
PO Box 4062
Ashmont NSW 2650
http://cbca.org.au/readtime.htm

MAGPIES MAGAZINE
Subtitled Talking about Books for Children, this magazine is available by subscription and is published five times a year. It has an online subject guide to children’s literature called The Source.Rayma Turton
Editor
Email proprietor, James Turton: james@magpies.net.au
PO Box 7128
Leura NSW 2780
www.magpies.net.au

THE READING STACK                                                                                         The Reading Stack is an on-line book review magazine distributed monthly to a free subscriber based mailing list. Review titles can be sent to The Reading Stack, PO Box 142, Bulli NSW 2516. Because we have limited space and we only print reviews for books we recommend, we cannot guarantee a review. Review copies are donated to local schools and libraries but return can be arranged if sufficient postage is included. For further information email thereadingstack@people.net.auor visit the website www.thereadingstack.com
BOOKSELLER+PUBLISHERThis is ‘the’ industry magazine subscribed to by most booksellers and publishers, and many others, including authors. It has a quarterly supplement JUNIOR BOOKSELLER+PUBLISHER which has a wide readership.
Editor
PO Box 101
Port Melbourne Vic 3207

VIEWPOINT: ON BOOKS FOR YOUNG ADULTSPam Macintyre
Editor
PO Box 4286
The University of Melbourne,
Parkville  Vic  3052

PRACTICALLY PRIMARY MAGAZINEDr Gloria Latham
Editor
RMIT School of Education
Building 220,
Level 3, Room 02
Bundoora Vic  3083 

GOOD READINGThe magazine for book lovers
Rowena Cseh
Editor
22 Booth Street
Balmain NSW 2041
www.goodreadingmagazine.com

AUSTRALIAN BOOK REVIEWPeter Rose
Editor
PO Box 2320
Richmond South Vic 3121

THE AGE
Ken Merrigan
Editor 'Education Age'
GPO Box 257C
Melbourne 3001


KIDS BOOK REVIEWTania McCartney
tania@kids-bookreview.com
15 Nugent Close
Jerrabomberra
NSW 2619
www.kids-bookreview.com

Don’t forget also to submit your review copy to the Education Editors of major newspapers, such as Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian, Canberra Times, Newcastle Herald and West Australian. Local newspapers and magazines can help you promote the word about your book, especially in your area. Many times a review may be picked up by another newspaper. You might also consider submitting copies of your book to writers’ centres around Australia for review in their newsletters.
AMAZON.COM:                                                                                             The online mega-bookstore has become an important tool for writers and publishers. Not only can book reviews from print review magazines be placed on the site with your book, but readers can also review and rate your book. For information on how to put your reviews on your site, go to the Help menu at Amazon.com. From there click Send Email. In that menu go to Author & Publisher Services. Here you can list your book in the Amazon.com catalogue, correct information on your book’s page, and enhance your book’s detail page in many ways.
WRITINGFOR CHILDREN                                                                                    This blog site you are currently viewing also showcases new Australian children’s books. Contact dibates@outlook.comif you’d like your book reviewed or to take part in a blog tour.
Dianne (Di) Bates is the author of over 120 books, mostly for young people. Her website is www.enterprisingwords.com.au 
 

Writing for Children: A Game of Keeps

Writing for Children: A Game of Keeps: It arrived today and I was as thrilled as I was when my first book for young people ( Terri ) was released by Penguin Books in 19...

A Game of Keeps

It arrived today and I was as thrilled as I was when my first book for young people (Terri) was released by Penguin Books in 1980. ‘It’ is my latest book in a long list of publications – A Game of Keeps, published by a small, proactive publisher, Celapene Press. To unwrap the parcel, pick up the book for the first time and check out whether or not the publisher has printed on good quality paper after many months of waiting for its publication, is an author’s joy.
The book, to suit readers aged 8 to 11 years, is based on a child whom my husband and I informally fostered for a few years while her drug-addicted (single) mother got her act together (which she did eventually, hooray!) In the book Ashley is often left alone by her mother; the child has a pet guinea pig for company and sometimes, when she becomes distressed, she visits an elderly woman in the block of flats where she lives. Under a program known as ‘Aunts and Uncles’, Ashley goes to stay for weekends with a retired couple who introduce her to activities she’s been denied. Ashley is a cheerful, resourceful eight year old who wants nothing but more of her mum’s time. And for her divorced parents to reunite – but to her dismay, Mum finds a new boyfriend whom Ashley detests.
The last book that Celapene Press published of mine was Nobody’s Boy, which last year was awarded a CBCA Notable Book sticker. I sent this manuscript to the publisher, Kathryn Duncan on 12 July 2010 and it was published in September, 2012. A Game of Keeps had a short gestation; submitted on 5 May 2013, and released August 2014.
I’m always interested in the process of submission; how long it takes for a publisher to respond to a manuscript submission, and then how long it takes for an acceptance to lead to publication. As you can see from above, Nobody’s Boy took 25 months, A Game of Keeps 15 months. (Meanwhile, I have written teachers’ notes for both books.) Last year I submitted 71 manuscripts to publishers (books, short stories, articles). Of this number I had 24 rejections and 34 publishers to whom I submitted did not bother to reply. Overall I had 13 acceptances, which is a success rate of 18%.
And yes, I’m still writing! At the moment I have two junior novel manuscripts with publishers and I’m working on a third. Some new writers ask about multiple submissions – should they or should they not send the same manuscript to publishers simultaneously. I generally submitted to multiple publishers because of the ‘no reply’ problem. Also, one can be left waiting for many months for a response for a publisher. Whichever publisher offers me a contract first is the publisher I chose.
I’m so pleased about A Game of Keeps. I think it’s every bit as good as Nobody’s Boy, and I have high hopes for it. Now the publisher and I have to work as hard as we can to draw attention to its release – and hope that the awards’ judges give it a short-listing or two!

Demands on Authors

So much is demanded these days of book creators, more than ever in the history of publishing. Once all a writer had to do was to write his book and submit it to a publisher. Most publishers ‘in the good old days’ responded to submissions within a reasonable time, usually from six to eight weeks. When his book was accepted, the author would correct two sets of proofs – the galley and the page proofs -- and then wait for his book to be published, at which time he usually joined with his publisher to launch his book, such expense being borne by the publisher.
The author did not have to worry about his book’s blurb: even his back cover biographical blurb was done by his editor. Back then all publicity was handled by the publisher. Usually the author was paid a 10% royalty on recommended retail price and received an advance in excess of $3,000. And, too, most commercially published books were reviewed within a short period of time, most likely because there were fewer publishers which meant fewer published books.
Nowadays it is simply not enough to write and/or illustrate one’s book and hope that reason will prevail and that one’s book will be treated with respect. First, there is the question of submission: with most publishers sitting on manuscript slush piles for many months, sometimes years it behooves the author to make multiple submissions. Even then it can seem like forever before a publisher actually reads and responds to one’s submission, even if one has already published extensively. Acceptance is made difficult in these days by the plethora of writers, many graduates of university and college writing courses and by the high standard of submission required. Once editors would work with new authors, helping to shape and reshape promising manuscripts: nowadays it is practically expected that one’s manuscript has been professionally assessed and/or edited prior to submission.
If one’s work is accepted, then begins the difficult task of negotiating one’s contract with many publishers pushing for net receipts or less than 10% RRP receipts. Advances are generally poor and there's none at all for e-books. However, when the book is published is the time of the hardest work – helping to market and publicise one’s work. Most publishing houses expect authors – even established authors – to fill in multi-paged documents that reveal every personal detail, as well as any contacts, especially media contacts, made during their careers. Sometimes – and this has been my experience – publicists ask the author to fill in the media document every time a new book is accepted, even when he has already done this previously for that company.
Then there is the expectation that the author will work relentlessly to publicise his book. It is essential he has a website. It is also expected that he should use all electronic gadgets to promote himself and his work – with a blog, and on Facebook, U-tube, Linked-In, Twitter, and so on. There is also the expectation that the author be available for interviews, conferences, seminars, workshops. All of the above is usually at the author’s expense. More recently my publisher expected me to fly interstate – at my own expense – to launch my latest book. No mention was made of who was to handle accommodate and other travel that would be involved. This for a book which attracted an advance of only $500!
It is rare, especially in the children’s book industry, for there to be launches – unless the author not only organises but pays for one. One first time author I know spent all of her $3,000 advance catering for her launch: the publisher’s only contribution was to help with sending out invitations! This is not unusual in the industry.
When authors publish book series, it is not uncommon for the publisher to expect them to set up a series’ website. In any case, if the publisher plans to promote the book or series via its own website, the author is expected to provide plenty of material to be downloaded onto that site – including photographs. One author I know paid for a professional team of actors, dancers and camera crew to create a video to go on to U-tube to promote her book – at her own (very considerable) expense, of course. Other authors I know have paid for their own bookmarks, stickers, even posters to promote their books. Authors are also asked to be speakers at conferences, but rarely are they paid for their appearances – unless they are media personalities or from overseas.
These days the energy required for an author to promote one’s book doubtless costs more in energy, anxiety and out of pocket expense than the creation of the book in the first place. When will it all ever end?

Dianne (Di) Bates is the author of 120+ books, mostly for young people. Her most recent (junior novel) is A Game of Keeps (Celapene Press) Di’s website is www.enterprisingwords.com.au  

 
 

WHAT PUBLISHERS ARE SAYING

Lately I’ve been dipping into a new book on the market titled The Adaptable Author: Coping with Change in the Digital Age by Sophie Masson (Keesing Press, 2014). Masson has interviewed many authors and some publishers and literary agents asking them about issues that make it difficult in these changing times to stay published and asking what’s happening in the publishing industry.  It’s fascinating and illuminating reading and ought to be on the reading list of any author wanting to make it in the publishing industry.
In the ‘Staying Published’ interviews, Masson interviewed Australian and international authors with long (commercial publisher) careers, as well as a few Australian authors, all of whom give their reasons why they have continued to publish for many years. Interestingly, most of the authors (including a few anonymous authors) write for the children’s and YA market. In the third part of her book, Masson summarises practical, successful strategies for a long career as a published author.
Today I thought I’d repeat some comments made by publishers in the book. An (anonymous) multinational publisher says, ‘the market is very tough at the moment... we rely more and more on key retailers (such as Big W) to sell in volume. This in turn puts an emphasis on tried and tested authors – i.e. brand names – who are seen as more predictable and less of a risk to a retailer.’ Asked how he saw the publishing industry in the future, he said, ‘I think the move towards the DDS (Big W, Kmart, Target) as book retailers will continue. But hopefully independents will find a way to survive as they are key to spotting and building new authors.’
Digital only publisher Joel Naoum from Momentum gives the following advice to writers having trouble maintaining publisher interest: ‘Get better at self promotion and try to make your book available in as many territories as possible. Many writers don’t like promoting themselves, but most traditional publishers (especially in Australia) are squeezed thin just trying to stay afloat.’
Answering the above question, small specialist publisher (of Pitt Street Poetry), John Knight says, ‘Change publishers. Just as people with mortgages are notoriously reluctant to change banks, some writers are reluctant to change publishers, even when they are not being treated particularly well. But it seems to us that it is perfectly reasonable to shop around, for both mortgages and publishers, to stimulate demand and create a little competition for your work. If the work is of real value and there are readers out there for it, then market forces mandate that there will be a publisher for it somewhere.’ Incidentally, John’s wife is Linsay Knight, former children’s publisher at Random House.
Author of 120+ books, mostly for children, and writing for over thirty years, Dianne (Di) Bates is interviewed in The Adaptable Authorwhich is available through the Australian Society of Authors.

PItching to Publishers

Years ago I used to network widely, attending conferences, workshops and festivals. But more recently, as I no longer live in Sydney (now Wollongong), I tend to network online. However, last weekend I attended the Kids and YA Writers' Festival held at the NSW Writers' Centre in Rozelle as I particularly wanted to catch up with manuscript assessment and course clients face-to-face, as well as to see author friends old and new.

About 120 people attended, most of whom I didn't know which indicated that many were would-be writers. The publishers' panel session was packed with writers hanging on to every word. 'We'll know it when we get it,' was the message about how publishers accept manuscripts, which confirms what I've always suspected. I think that publishers looking in the marketplace for books are like a woman in a dress shop knowing what the occasion is but not knowing exactly what she wants until she sees it.

Someone asked why publishers couldn't reply to manuscript submissions. 'We send out automatic acknowledgements,' one publisher said. The questioner continued, 'Why can't you do the same with rejections?' (which I think was a reasonable question) but she was fobbed off. Once in publishing, when an author submitted a manuscript not only was there an acknowledgement letter, but always there was a rejection (or an acceptance) letter. What has changed over time but manners?

The  most interesting aspect of the day for me was the picture book pitch. All writers were invited to write their names on slips of paper earlier in the day. Three publishers sat on a podium as names were drawn one at the time from a hat. Those whose names were called were then given three minutes to pitch their picture book manuscript. About eight were chosen. All but one of them talked about their picture books. The odd person out did what seemed to me to be the most logical thing -- she used her three minutes to read her text. As a result, the audience (and the publishers) knew exactly what the book was about and how it was written. And the author had time left over.

I cannot understand how anyone with a picture book text does not read it when given the valuable opportunity to pitch. For me it's the difference between telling and showing. I highly recommend this method if you are ever given the opportunity. And then give a copy of the manuscript (with your contact details) to the publisher.

A NOTE TO PUBLISHERS

As an author, the most frequent complaint I hear from fellow authors about a publishing house is ‘nobody tells me anything’ so my first suggestion to any publisher is to send authors a list of where their book has been sent for review and what promotion has been planned for it.
The best, most proactive and communicative publisher I have ever worked with is Paul Collins (Ford Street) for my most recent YA novel, Crossing the Line (*see note at foot of this article). We worked hard and productively as a team. First, Paul asked me to send my contracted but unpublished manuscript to two people who we hoped would give us quotes to help promote the book. I chose two high-profile authors whose work I admire – Margaret Clark, whose books are for the same demographic as mine, and Elizabeth Fensham because her HelicopterMan deals with mental illness, as does Crossing the Line. In the first few weeks that the book came out, thanks to publisher and author working as a pro-active team, I had at least 17 book reviews and 12 interviews/articles (radio and newspapers).
SUPPORT YOUR AUTHORBasically all PR comes from the author and so he/she must be motivated. Quite often an author, especially a new one, has no idea of how they can promote their latest title, so it behoves the marketing and publicity department to provide authors with a promotion pack. This could include the press release that is sent out to the media and a high resolution copy of the book cover. I use the press release Paul Collins prepared for my book again and again
Publishers, ask your author to contact all of their local media with the press release and their contact details. Recently I contacted a number of other proactive children’s authors for their take on promotion in the educational market. Here is what they said:
Jan Latta (a highly successful self-published author) Today, for 5 hours, I have been emailing every principal, or librarian, about my books for my next visit to Hong Kong. If the timing is too tight for the school to book me for a presentation, I send a set of books for their approval. I've only had one book returned! In HK I never charge a speaker's fee as I have great success with book sales. Usually over 1,000 books sold a week.
Hazel Edwards: Offering discussion notes is a way of value adding to your book and publicising it long term by word of mouth.
Edel Wignell: One of her strategies is to write articles for a whole range of magazines in Australia and overseas that in some way link with her current publication.
Susanne Gervay, Tristan Bancks, Paul Collins (and numerous others): They make themselves available and actively promote themselves as being available for writers’ conferences and festivals all over Australia.
Sandy Fussell: For her Samurai series (Walker Books) she has created an interactive website. She offers competitions and continually updates the site. Her launch party, which she organised, was the best I’ve ever been to. She sold over 80 books on the night.
Patricia Bernard and DC Green: Both of them travel extensively around Australia offering author talks and writing workshops, and both sell many thousands of dollars worth of their self-published booksduring their travels. Patricia once paid to have an advertisement placed on Sydney buses!
PUBLISHERS’ WEBSITES On looking at some publishers’ websites nowhere did I see links to their authors’ and illustrators’ websites. Nor did I find any indication whether or not their book creators  are available for school visits, festivals, etc. However, one publishing house which does this very well is Allen & Unwin: their website is very easy to navigate.
I would advise publishers’ marketing departments to make a clear distinction between their adult and the children’s authors. Teachers and teacher librarians don’t have the time to work their way through publishers’ websites: they want the information at their fingertips.
BOOK AS MARKETING TOOLOne way in which any book itself can be a marketing tool is for the publisher to print on the back inside pages website details where teachers can find teacher notes, or print the teacher notes in the book itself as well as printing the author’s website address and the publisher’s website address. DC Green of Barrel Books makes full use of his books to show the above details.
If the book’s content is linked in any way to the school curriculum, it is a good idea for publishers to provide teaching resources that are appropriate for immediate classroom use (e.g. web quest, worksheets, word searches). This can even go on the blank pages at the end of the book!
WHAT TEACHER-LIBRARIANS WANTWhen I asked a group of primary teacher-librarians about how to make children’s books school-friendly, they said:
1. Publish portrait books, not landscape. (The latter stick out from the library shelf and are difficult to shelve)
2. Publish books that link with the HSIE
3. Offer free author talks to schools
4. Arrange pre-publication talks
One teacher-librarian wrote to me: “The thing that stands out for me above all others is someone who knows their books and knows (enough) about education to make connections and answer intelligent questions. If I get an email or flier that just has the publishers’ blurb about the product and the price, then the consultant rings and says “Hi did you receive….do you want to buy…” I always say NO. It’s been filed in the recycling long ago. I need to be able to TALK and LOOK and TOUCH (failing this, to return if unsuitable). There is a limited library budget and we need to take care that what we get is great not just OK or even good, for our educational purposes.”
LINKING WITH THE AUTHORWhat publishers can do to promote their authors is to first establish a relationship: find out what the author wants or is willing to do, for example:
- school/ teacher talks
- author tours
- book fairs
- promotional tour
- sending press releases to local media
- presenting at festivals and/or conferences
- presenting at Staff development days, at Regional librarian meetings
- talking to local organisations, for example VIEW clubs
The publicist can ask the author to write articles for industry magazines e.g. Scan, Magpies, The Literature Base, Practically Primary, and Buzz Words about aspects of their new book. The author can also write articles that link with special days, (for example, I wrote a number of articles for Mental Health Week, which linked with my book Crossing the Line). Arrange a 'connection' with an excursion destination (once again curriculum link is great). The best example I can think of here is a big one (but it doesn't need to be this scale): to promote her book, author Felicity Pulman organised a tour of the Sydney Quarantine Station, the setting of her children’s book Ghost Boy. Make sure books are available for sale where the author is presenting. Link up with another of your publishing house’s authors in the same education area/topic: this way you can provide a 'dual package' to schools, i.e. two authors on one school visit.
Target special interest groups e.g. English as a Second Language or Gifted and Talented Children. Be aware of any special focus or special projects the Department of Education is undertaking – check their websites all the time and make contact at any opportunity. Be part of initiatives by education-related groups such as PETA - once again, check their websites all the time and make contact at any opportunity.
 AUTHOR KITSPublishers ought to prepare an author kit giving advice on where to go for publicity and how they can represent their book. One of the very best things publishers can do for an author is to arrange for him to speak briefly to their book reps. This gives the reps some anecdotal information and enthusiasm they can pass on to teacher-librarians. The reps can also give the TLs a sheet which provides information on how to contact the author for a school visit and where to look for teaching notes. On the day the author visits the publisher’s office to talk to the reps, it’s advisable to have the publicist and author sit together so that between the two of them they organise strategies for promoting the book. So often publicists work independently of authors: they usually don’t even get to meet those whose books they are paid to promote!

ONLINE NEWSLETTERSAllen & Unwin  send me great online newsletters every month with details of their new titles, as well as news such as author tours, author interviews, competitions and giveaways. I often order books as a result of reading these newsletters. Ford Street also sends out a very good online newsletter promoting its recent titles.

TEACHER-LIBRARIANSTeacher-librarians love to be signalled out for the work they do. Every region has a teacher-librarian network. In the Illawarra there is the Illawarra School Librarians Association with 120 members. It would be a worthwhile exercise once a term for a publishing house to offer a night highlighting: invite an author, illustrator or designer along to talk about their work. Offer refreshments and discounts. These nights can be held in bookshops and serve a double function, making the bookshop a profit and strengthening the bookseller/publisher bond.

Publishers could have a ‘meet the children’s authors’ event. This is an excellent way for a publishing house to get their writers to meet the general public (including teacher librarians and book reviewers, as well as the publishing house’s staff, e.g. marketing and publicity people).
BOOK LAUNCHESIt is a good idea to support book launches in schools. Richard Harland’s launched the Wolf Kingdom series in a Wollongong school. Richard organised a bookseller for the day who in turn contacted the school and sent order forms. On the day of the launch, 350 copies of the book were sold. At a second launch, at another school, 300 additional copies were sold.

If they are proactive, authors can sell a lot of books; therefore it seems sensible to allow them to do so, so make provision for this in their contracts. Give them the same discount as booksellers. When my author husband Bill Condon and I worked in schools as performers, Bill would speak in the morning to infants’ students, I’d speak to primary. At lunch-time we sold our remainders, usually for $3 or $5 each. It was not unusual to sell over $1,000 worth of books in the one hour lunch-time period.
FESTIVALS AND CONFERENCESPublishers, encourage your authors to attend functions such as literary lunches, festivals and conferences. Publisher Paul Collins writes to each of his Ford Street authors asking them for a few lines of biography and then sent them collectively to all writers’ festivals around Australia saying these authors are willing to appear at your festival. There are dozens of festivals and conferences and all of them have large audiences.
Publishers, make a list of all of your children’s authors, along with their Send this list out to CBCA regional branches, conference & festival organisers, and regional teacher librarian groups indicating that the authors are available for visits. When authors speak at conferences, provide bookmarks and promotional material. Give the author a list of local media (and contact details) when they are to appear at a festival, conference or literary lunch. The author can organise interviews – or, if you are accompanying author, you can organise them
AUTHORS’ EMAILS & WEBSITESWhen authors send emails, encourage them to have a signature on each email which includes not only contact information, but the name of their latest books. A website is an author’s best investment in PR as it is that author’s shop front. Hazel
Edwards recommends that authors give added value. ‘Have ready on your web site well-labelled activities which relate to that book title. This can be sent to schools, libraries or bookshops which have newsletters or events to which the author is invited.’ Publishers, give teachers' notes or additional resources to the author to put on his website. Encourage the author to have a generic 'How to'' or “How this book was written”, a 1,000 word article for easy sending to interested parties. As well, have a hi-resolution author photo on your publishers’ web site so it can be down-loaded by festival organisers and save you e-mailing.
WHERE TO PRESENT YOUR AUTHORS:· School visits or writing camps (talking to children)
· Staff development days
· Regional librarian meetings
· Conferences and festivals
· Articles in teaching industry magazines
· On your website
Will publishers implement many – or any – of these suggestions? Hard to tell. However, every author I’ve discussed these ideas with has been fully supportive, and a happy author ought to be one of the main aims of every publishing house.
*This article was published elsewhere some time ago. My most recent publisher is now Elaine Ouston of Morris Publishing Australia who has been absolutely splendid in marketing my book, The Girl in the Basement. I have written more about Paul and Elaine in my article, Working with Small Publishers on this blog (see July 2013).


 A NOTE TO PUBLISHERS FROM MARKET SAVVY AUTHORS 

An article 
2, 140 words 

© Dianne Bates
 
PO Box 2116Woonona East NSW 2517Ph (02) 42716168
dibates@pacific.net.au www.enterprisingwords.com.au

 

WAITING FOR PUBLISHERS

Sometimes, even if you are working every day and being productive, being a writer can be troublesome. It’s nothing to do with rejection slips arriving – they are part and parcel of the author’s life. For me, it’s knowing that publishers are sitting on manuscripts that I am convinced are publishable. When you’ve been writing for thirty plus years, and you’ve had over 120 books published, and you have positive feedback on your final draft from your writers’ critique group, it’s frustrating when months and months pass by and you hear no word from publishers -- even when you email them and remind them that your manuscript was submitted last year (or X number of months ago) – and they still don’t acknowledge you.
My husband (prize-winning author Bill Condon) has given me a saying that helps when the wait becomes painful. Bill says that ‘No answer is the answer.’ So what I’ve decided in future is that if the publisher does not respond to a submission within six months, they are not interested. In fact, they are just plain rude in not responding. In no other industry, in seems to me, are suppliers treated so badly. If I was in the building industry, for instance, and submitted a tender for a project, there would be a timely reply – favourable or unfavourable. (Last year, of the 139 manuscript submissions I made, there were 56 manuscripts which were not replied to -- even when I had supplied SSAEs).
Now that I have established a good publishing track record, I can afford the comfort of knowing that I am capable, that my manuscripts are (generally speaking) marketable. But how difficult it must be for the new writer who has spent sometimes years crafting a work, often in isolation, and then submitting with a heart and soul full of heart? And then never having the courtesy of a reply? I really feel for such a writer.
The thing to do if you are waiting eternally – and maybe also receiving rejection slips, is to develop a thick hide -- and to keep on keeping on. Nothing, but nothing, it seems to me, is a more important ingredient in creating success, than the fact of persistence. Of course you need talent and skill as a writer and self-editor, and you need to know your market – which publisher is ‘right’ for your manuscript -- but persistence ranks so highly I know that if I didn’t have it by the truckload, I’d never have been as successful as I have been for all the decades I’ve been writing.
In spite of the self doubts, the stumbling blocks, the eternal waits and the rejection letters, the sometimes pitiful income – the numerous hardships of being a writer -- there are many benefits. Here are some of my reasons for enjoying being a writer:·      I am my own boss – I have control over what I write and how I write it·      I can work from anywhere! For me, the best place is home where I am lucky enough to have my own office·      Working from home, I don’t need to commute to work, and I don’t have to worry about reporting to a superior. I work the hours I choose to work, including having days off when I want·      I can wear my daggiest clothes all day if I so choose·      I never get bored; I always have a project on the go and can escape to other worlds of my own imagining simply by tapping keys·      I can influence the lives of children through the types of stories I tell·      I can enjoy my own company but go out to socialise whenever I wish·      I can weave scraps of my own life – my emotions and experiences – into my stories, so writing becomes a kind of catharsis·      I make money from doing what I love – and get to meet and make friends with some wonderful people in the book industry
Do I have days when there are road-blocks – when I can’t think how to develop the plot of a story I’m working on, for example? Of course I do. But I don’t a chain to my computer: I can go for walk, do the shopping, hang out the washing and so on. I can take time off, as much as I need, and let my conscious (or subconscious) do its thing. And of course, I can always go check out my mail box – just in case a publisher (or two) has decided to send me an acceptance letter with a contract!Dianne (Di) Bates works as a full-time writer from her home near Wollongong NSW which she shares with her prize-winning YA author husband, Bill Condon. She founded the Illawarra-South Coast CBCA six years ago and runs a proactive blog, Writing for Children, http://diannedibates.blogspot.com.au as well as a Australian Children’s Poetry blog http://wwww.australianchildrenspoetry.com.au In 2008, Di was awarded The Lady Cutler Award for distinguished services to Australian children’s literature.  Currently Di works as a freelance writer and manuscript assessor. Her website, which she shares with Bill, is www.enterprisingwords.com.au
 




 
 
 

QUESTIONS EDITORS ASK

© Rebecca Newman

 For over four years I had the pleasure of reading story and poetry submissions fromchildren’s writers. Every day my inbox was overflowing with manuscripts. While reading them was one of my favourite parts of working on a magazine, it was also the most frustrating because so many submissions didn’t meet the submission guidelines. These days I have more time for writing and submitting my own work to children’s magazines — and I know from experience that editors opening my emails are ridiculously busy. It helps to know some of the questions the editors will be asking when a submission is in front of them. Here are five:

 1. Is this appropriate for our audience?
I always read the publisher’s submission guidelines before I submit work. If I’vesubmitted manuscripts to them before I make sure to read them again — guidelines can change. At the magazine I lost count of the number of submissions I received that were for younger (or older) readers than the guidelines stated. Other manuscripts were 200 words (or 2000 words) longer than the word limit. There’s often a long wait between submitting and getting an answer (did I mention that editors are ridiculously busy?) so I don’t waste my time (or the editor’s) by sending work that doesn’t meet guidelines.


2. Is this story trying to hammer home a message?
Editors are always looking for a good story and today’s readers are not after stories with a moral. Children are smart. If there is a natural lesson in the outcome, they will get that. There is no need to hammer home a message. (If a publisher is specifically looking for stories with a moral they will state this in their guidelines.)
3. Is this well-written with no spelling or grammatical errors?
A manuscript is not ready to submit if it is riddled with spelling mistakes and sectionsthat don’t make sense. Even if the plot is brilliant it’s likely that the editor will choose
another manuscript that is equally as entertaining but doesn’t require a lot of work before it’s ready for publication.

4. Is this original? Have we published something like this already?
Editors are looking for fresh material and a good story. A few years ago Alphabet Soup magazine published a well-known fairytale in verse and a few months after that another author submitted their own version of the same fairytale and even though it was beautifully written, we weren’t able to accept it. (Sometimes this is just plain bad luck and out of a writer’s control but it can help to be familiar with the publisher/publication before submitting.)
5. Has this been published elsewhere?
Some magazines will accept material that has been published before, others won’t. Ialways check the guidelines before submitting. It’s important to remember that even if you have followed the submission guidelines to the letter, your manuscript may still be rejected. It could have the perfect home elsewhere — check the next set of submission guidelines and send it on. Persistence is vital in the journey to publication!
 The former editor of children’s literary magazine, Alphabet Soup, Rebecca Newman is now the editor of Alphabet Soup’s blog http://www.alphabetsoup.net.au . In her spare time she writes children's fiction and poetry, runs writing workshops for children, and tends a tiny kitchen garden. The School Magazine has purchased two of her poems for future publication.

Pa Joe's Place, a Review

Pa Joe’s Place by Clancy Tucker (Clancy Tucker Publishing, 2014)
Based on real-life characters, Pa Joe’s Placeis a novel about an unpretentious yet extraordinary Thai girl, Boo Nawigamune, who survives remarkable events and influences many lives. Aged seven, Boo leaves her family home when her father is diagnosed with a terminal illness and travels alone over 1,000 km to an orphanage in Songkhla where she is to live. She carries little with her – food, clothes and an unopened letter of introduction. On the way, however, the train journey is interrupted by a crash, following which Boo assists stricken passengers. And, too, the girl meets strangers – influential men who aid her at the time and later when she has reached her destination. Later, she is instrumental in capturing a known criminal, for which she receives substantial reward money (that goes to her family).
Pa Jo of the book’s title is an American Jesuit priest, Father Joe Carey, known simply as ‘Pa Jo’. Despite missing her own family, particularly her dying father, Bo comes to love the priest who is ‘father’ to 156 children in the orphanage he runs. There is much that happens to Bo which defies the odds – she is bitten by a snake, survives a tsunami, meets rich and influential people, and manages to establish a jam-making business which pours money into the orphanage’s coffers. All of her adventures point to what a remarkable, enterprising and inspirational child she is.
Told from the first-person point of view, Pa Joe’s Place, reveals a child who, for her age, is at once naive yet extraordinary. Boo believes in the power of an amulet gifted to her, but the power – of course -- is in her own character which is always trusting and faithful. While she is homesick and fearful for her father, Boo nonetheless quickly adjusts to her foreign surroundings, easily makes friends, including adults, and seems to bewitch all she meets. Sadly, Boo eventually succumbs to cancer and dies, still young, her potential not fully realised. One cannot imagine what she could have achieved had she lived, given she had achieved so much as a young child.
This is a highly readable, yet simply written book which manages to incorporate much about Thailand, its scenery, customs and people, though one only ever sees its good, never its ugly side. It would have been interesting to find out more about the backgrounds of other orphans/children who lived in Pa Joe’s place and to know more about Pa Joe himself (perhaps there’s another book). Having said that, it must be admitted that only so much could be told through the eyes of a seven year old, even if she is wise beyond her years. The book, too, needed a much stronger edit and closer proof-reading.
Despite this, Pa Joe’s Place deserves a wide readership if only to showcase two remarkable people, Boo Nawigamune and her surrogate father, Pa Joe Carey. Reviewed by Dianne Bates