Read how children's author Shaun David Hutchinson researched and hooked his agent, Chris Richman at Firebrand Literary. This is a great case study of how it can be done.
Quote of the Day: Ann Whitford Paul
"My adult students always want to know first of all how to get an agent and I tell them that their first question should be: How do I write a fantastic, one-of-a-kind picture book?"Read more of an insightful interview at Teaching Authors.
Getting to Know Elana Roth
Yesterday I wrote that James Rollins had given hopeful authors bad advice. (He said to ignore certain submission guidelines when pitching agents and editors.)I said a better approach is to get to know the agents and editors who interest you. This is so you can see whether you're a good match. The Internet makes this... Continue Reading →
Bad Advice from a Bestselling Author
The Seattle Times ran a profile of James Rollins that had some well-intended but terrible advice:Rollins advises writers to ignore directions to send a one-page query to agents summarizing their work (though that's exactly what many agents say to do, for fear of their mailboxes overflowing). Submit 50 pages of your book and a synopsis... Continue Reading →
Welcome to the Chinook Update
This is a blog for children's book writers and illustrators in Western Washington, but of course we welcome all readers. To contact the editor, please send e-mail to chinook AT SIGN marthabee.com (replacing the words "AT SIGN" with the appropriate symbol, of course. These spambots are so persistent).
Peter Brown signing
Peter Brown will be on our conference faculty, and here's a chance to see him in action beforehand on Tuesday, Jan. 16 at 6:30 p.m. at the Ballard Library.Here's what the folks at Secret Garden Books have to say about his latest:When a mind-reading monkey asks his audience to imagine the most spectacular thing in... Continue Reading →
Gail Carson Levine on unpredictability
Gail Carson Levine reimagines classic stories and still manages to surprise readers. How does she do it? Her thoughts: What's next?Erin Edwards asked me to expand on this from my post about revising: "Am I leading the reader along properly so that what happens is neither predictable nor too far fetched to believe?" Erin added,... Continue Reading →
Sales and rights roundup from PW
A lot of interesting stuff on Publishers Weekly: Japan's Studio Ghibli is adapting the 1952 classic The Borrowers by Mary Norton as an animated feature film, Variety reports. It will be directed by animator Hiromasa Yonebayashi under the supervision of Hayao Miyazaki, and will be titled Karigurashi no Arrietty (Arrietty Borrows Everything). The movie is... Continue Reading →
I really loved this blog post by Natalie Whipple, which is why I'm posting the whole durned thing here. Be sure to check out her blog, Between Fact and Fiction, for more inspiration and entertainment.New Year's seems like a good time to take personal inventory of writing, who we are, and what it all means--and... Continue Reading →