Thursday, August 27, 2009

Fabulous Friday!

Well, there's been some interesting discussions going on in the blogosphere. Here are a few, if you haven't come across them already:

1) On her blog Brooklyn Arden, senior editor Cheryl Klein of Arthur A. Levine Books posted this Open Letter to Agents. The comments, by both agents and bloggers alike were very interesting. Also, Michael Bourret posted a very thoughtful response on his agency's blog here. As for me, while I can clearly see cases for both sides, I think I lean a bit more toward Cheryl's perspective as I said on her comment page that giving ALL interested editors sufficient time to read a manuscript & get their respective houses on board would really be the best means of matching the right editor to the right manuscript. Because working with an editor is usually a long-term realtionship, isn't it? A good 18 months or more, right? I know, personally, that I'd rather be hooked up with someone who was compatible, both editorially & personality-wise.

What do you think?


2) Elizabeth Bluemle of Publishers Weekly's online column Shelftalker: A Children's Bookseller's Blog posed a question yesterday, garnering a multitude of thought-provoking comments. The question (and article) was Where's Ramona Quimby, Black and Pretty? And in light of the recent Bloomsbury cover controversy, I don't think it could have come at a better time. Although I LOVED reading the Ramona series growing up, this is something I really didn't wonder about until years later. I guess at the age 8 & 9, I mainly read stories that interested me, not really taking note of the main character's race. I mean I read Judy Blume, Beverly Cleary, and Louise Fitzhugh as easily as I read Alice Childress and Rosa Guy. All I cared about then was a good story. It was only till years later when I really paid attention to the craft & business of writing for children that I wondered about this issue. And even now, with the arrival of such chapter books as Ruby and the Booker Boys and the Keena Ford series, I still think there is room for much more. Who know, I may even try one, one day . . . :)


3) And finally, last month I read an enlightening letter (to all kids' book publishers) by a school librarian in the online issue of School Library Journal. I found it quite interesting. here's the link.

Enjoy your weekend everyone!

7 comments:

MG Higgins said...

Thanks for these links! I'm going to check them out.

Tabitha Bird said...

yeah I read that one from the librarian and being a teacher who works with kids I have to say, i agree.

Tess said...

I found the editor/agent discussion very interesting this past week. I mean, publishing houses make this entire process last forever and a day as it is. And now they want more time? I say you snooze, you lose.

Of course, I'm a writer who has been writing, pushing, trying, submitting for SEVEN years, so I might be a little less inclined to encourage longer response times (hehehehe)

Unknown said...

Great blog, Crystal. I particularly liked the librarian's letter.

Crystal said...

Glad you enjoyed the links, everyone!

Wow, Tess, 7 years? I feel like such a newbie (I've only been serious about writing for maybe 4 years or so). i can see why you favor the shorter response time!

Robyn Campbell said...

I wonder why the houses want more time. They take forever as it is. I don't think they need more time. Every ones time is valuable. :)

I mean I've been writing a looong while. I've paid my dues and I'm ready to hold my PUBLISHED book in my hands. WOOHOO!

When the time comes I don't want to wait months on a publishers red tape way of doing things.

I'm thinking of what my older sister always said to u kids. "Patience is a virtue, and a virtue never hurt you." UGH! :)

Crystal said...

Hey Robyn!

Thanks for stopping by! Yep, I agree, too, that the waiting will be TORTURE & probably the worst part of the publishing process. But I guess it's simply one of those things we must endure to see our dream come alive. :)