Liza's Journal 2008-08-08T19:43:24Z http://blog.lizaburby.com/atom.aspx Quick Blog Novelty Versus Quality tag:blog.lizaburby.com,2008-08-07:e6cd0d42-f109-406e-99a9-9b48d94bc2d3 Liza's Journal 2008-08-07T01:06:25Z 2008-08-07T00:16:00Z My 18-year-old daughter finally convinced me to read Stephenie Meyer's hugely successful series about the love triangle of Bella, Edward the Vampire, and Jacob the Werewolf.  It took me a while because I'm not a vampire-werewolf kind of person. I prefer the characters in the books I read to be wholly human. But I suppose because I happily expanded that limitation to embrace Harry Potter, it was only a matter of time before I stretched my boundaries. Besides, since following the children's book industry is one of the things I do for a living, I really had no other excuse. So, I've spent my free time reading the first three books in the series over the last two weeks. And now I can start the final book, Breaking Dawn, which every Meyer fan has already finished, though the book was only released on Friday. 

    But I'm not looking forward to it. That's because my resident book critic has already informed me that Meyer's latest is being called an "epic failure" filled with "WTF" moments by the readers who matter most: teens. Fans aren't happy with Meyer right now. They say her 754-page final installment is about 400 pages too long. Then there's the issue that makes the editor in me twitch: I've already noticed in the other three books that there are many typos, misspellings and some sloppy writing. Fans say this book is worse and even teens are questioning if she rushed through it. Now that's harsh. 

    Why do I mention this? Because I'm amazed at what I see as a growing pattern among popular mainstream, successful writers to get carried away with their work and get sloppy, to put it mildly. Libba Bray did the same with the last book in her Great and Terrible Beauty trilogy, another tome that is about 400 pages too long. In this case, as with Meyer, the novelty of the author's ideas and her ability to capture teen angst and love and to tell a thrilling story definitely earned her the hefty advances and bestseller spot. But somewhere along the line, the writers seem to have gotten caught up in their own success, forgoing the good writing skills necessary to sustain fans. Bray's third book registered barely a blip, and the reviews were harsh. Meyer is already suffering the same fate less than a week from the release date. I question where the editors were in the process. After all, as an editor I know my job is to smooth out my writers' work so they look good. If I don't, I'm failing them.  Has the publishing industry become so caught up in their writers' successes that they and the writers think they can do no wrong? You will find no harsher critics than the female teen reader.  Just read some of the latest blogs about Meyer to see what I mean. I wonder if Meyer is surprised and I also wonder what will happen next. She takes her fans very seriously, so I have no doubt at some point she'll respond to them. And I wish her every success because the story of her writing career so far is a writer's dream. (In fact, her first book, Twilight, came to her in a dream. You can read more on her site, www.stepheniemeyer.com.)

    What does all this mean to the rest of us? I think it proves that as writers we need to be steadfast about our writing skills and not be swept up by the promise of stardom, because sometimes even our editors can fail us. Ultimately what wins out with our readers is the quality of our writing. Well-written books stand the test of time and aren't considered novelties.  Sure I'd like the $750,000 advance Meyer got for Twilight. But I also want to make sure that the books I write--and the books my children read--aren't produced solely for profit. I think it's our job as writers to take the quality of our work seriously at all times. In the end, those are the books that win the awards. ]]> New Book for Writers tag:blog.lizaburby.com,2008-06-12:71462e59-e08d-4a01-9e2c-2a4163b955ca Liza's Journal 2008-06-12T22:23:55Z 2008-06-12T22:18:00Z Sixty Candles: Reflections on the Writing Life. My excerpt is on page 112. But it's filled with comments and advice from many writers whose names you may recognize. If you want to learn more about how to be a writer, it's always a good idea to read our take on it. You can order a copy at www.iuniverse.com or 800-AUTHORS. ]]> The J.K. Rowling Trial tag:blog.lizaburby.com,2008-04-17:2dc7f664-398f-4247-b7ac-b8382ac363eb Liza's Journal 2008-04-17T10:09:14Z 2008-04-17T09:59:00Z A Chat With Author Marc Brown tag:blog.lizaburby.com,2008-04-16:fbca5d98-cab1-4797-8800-58e114e3ccf1 Liza's Journal 2008-04-16T11:45:34Z 2008-04-16T10:15:00Z         Brown says he wrote his first book, Arthur's Tooth, in response to his oldest son's worry that he was the only one in second grade who hadn't lost a tooth. That was 30 years ago. Brown says it's not like success for him occurred over night. As a matter of fact, this author/illustrator also worked as a truck driver, soda jerk, actor, chicken farmer, TV art director, short order cook and college professor. He joked, "I got fired from most. Nothing else stuck." That resume alone can serve as inspiration for all the writers who work to pay the bills and write on the side in the hope they can one day support themselves solely as an author. 
        Regarding specific how-to tips, Brown reiterated what I tell writers all the time: read as much as you can and study how other people use words for kids. He also suggested keeping a journal or trying the Truman Capote method: Go to a public place and listen to conversations, training yourself to remember them, and then record all the dialogue later. Seems like a valuable lesson to try. 
        Brown also said that talented writers will find their way if they really want it. "It is a little harder to make it then it used to be. Beginning writers might benefit from having an agent who can help them get beyond the slush pile. Editors are very discriminating about who they take on. But success all depends on your drive in the end. I've watched people who had more talent than I do who gave up." 
        To learn more about Marc Brown, visit his Web site at www.marcbrownstudios.com.

         

]]> YALSA Needs Teens' Input tag:blog.lizaburby.com,2008-03-21:5eae469f-1ca8-42a3-8783-055f11b8c87d Liza's Journal 2008-03-21T18:15:01Z 2008-03-21T18:09:00Z My friends at the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) asked if I could spread the word about the following message for teens: 

        Calling All Teens: Want to have a say in how technology is used at your library or school? Log on to a survey posted at www.ala.org/yalsa and answer 15 questions about how you use computers, the Internet, gadgets and more at home or at school. The survey closes March 31. Teens can also have a hand  in choosing the theme for next year's Teen Tech Week, a campaign sponsored by YALSA. The three potential themes are: Be InterACTIVE @ your library, Go Digital @ your library, and Get Your Game on @ your library. YALSA will release findings from the survey in June.
    
]]> Harsh Realities tag:blog.lizaburby.com,2008-03-05:2a290311-6661-42a2-ad36-2f40cf9d92d1 Liza's Journal 2008-03-05T11:25:08Z 2008-03-05T10:55:00Z I have the great good fortune to have a career that is diverse, but in all ways encompasses writing. I worked hard to get here, and I enjoy most every moment. But it is that diversity that sometimes brings me to uncomfortable situations. For instance, I'm an adjunct professor at a local university where I teach magazine journalism and I take very seriously my role as mentor to the many students I've had over the years. Which is why yesterday, when I was asked about the recent lay offs and buy-out offers at the newspaper for which I've been freelancing for 13 years, I wanted to both reassure my students and prepare them for the harsh realities of the industry they hope to be a part of. 
        I'm saddened on many levels that editors I have worked with for years will no longer be at Newsday and I hope they have new and fruitful opportunities. But here's one reality that I was able to use to reassure my students, while also reminding myself that I'm vulnerable as well: The media is a technology-driven force in which only those who have both good writing skills and a facility with new forms of disseminating information will succeed. My students, ages 18 to 23, are comfortable with blogs, Web videos, podcasts and the like, so they have the advantage over older journalists who straddle the old ways while trying to adapt to the new. 
        Isn't the old advice about investing to diversify? I think the same holds true with writing careers. It's perhaps the only way that one can guarantee (as much as that is possible) that there will always be some work available. That, and forcing yourself to get comfortable with all the technology that's so easy for kids to negotiate. 
        And I was feeling so proud that I now know how to blog!]]> Interesting Web Site tag:blog.lizaburby.com,2008-02-14:967525d6-11b9-41d1-a391-af44b495460f Liza's Journal 2008-02-14T23:49:38Z 2008-02-14T23:47:00Z www.jacketflap.com. It's another helpful resource for children's book writers. You can register, search their database, and just read their blogs. If you visit, let me know what you think. ]]> What I Like to Read tag:blog.lizaburby.com,2008-02-02:b3d353f3-5f76-480e-bd84-64ba4e203ed0 Liza's Journal 2008-02-02T00:52:48Z 2008-02-02T00:32:00Z        People often ask me what children's and young adult books I like to read. This is always a fun topic of conversation for me because though I'm an avid reader of all manner of fiction (and among my favorites in the mainstream category are Anne Tyler, Sue Miller and Margaret Atwood), whenever I'm in the car (and that's often as I'm a suburban mom and do work that often takes me out of my office), I listen to young adult books on tape. The latest I enjoyed were Dairy Queen by Catherine Murdock (www.catherinemurdock.com) and A Brief Chapter in My Impossible Life by Dana Reinhardt (www.danareinhardt.com). Both have main characters who struggle with what they believe is their inability to effectively communicate with the adults and peers in their lives. Yet both girls are poignant in their capacity to tell more than they think they do. I thoroughly enjoyed both and want to learn more about these authors.

        Meanwhile, for those of you who don't share my passion for YA fiction, here are some of my other favorites you may want to experience:

        The Scrambled States of America (a picture book that's a clever take on geography);
        Officer Buckle and Gloria (another picture book that will make you laugh);
        Junie B. Jones (because her voice is so perfect); and 
        anything by Lois Lowry, Karen Hesse or Jerry Spinelli in the middle grade category. 

        That's just a few for today. Happy reading!
]]> In the Zone tag:blog.lizaburby.com,2008-01-17:e04542dd-d57b-4bde-b8ae-b480d2795e0c Liza's Journal 2008-01-17T21:46:24Z 2008-01-17T21:23:00Z        The problem with that course of action is that, well, the book will never get written because I'll always have more deadlines and work to do (hopefully!).  I realized this week that the more time I let slip away, the more I was losing my confidence that I was capable of writing another YA book. 
        So, I took myself in hand this week and forced myself to ignore all my other work and get beyond chapter one. And a wonderful thing happened. In two days I had written 10,000 words. I now feel like I'm back in the zone, that exhilarating place in which writers find themselves where they can't stop thinking about their characters and plot, when no matter where you are you have to write notes about some new idea that comes to you. For instance, as I watched an eighth grade basketball game today (my daughter is a cheerleader) I imagined my characters playing basketball, as well. And now they will, while I still have the sounds and movements in my head. 
        And I'm reminded of the joy of writing as well. I prefer not to have an outline, though I know many writers who do. For instance, Walter Dean Myers once told me in an interview that he has a bulletin board above his computer on which he posts photos he's torn from magazines and even birth certificates he creates for his characters. And he's a lot more famous than I, so I wouldn't doubt his methods. But for me, I enjoy not knowing what my characters are going to do next. Yes, I have a basic plotline. But my characters tend to emerge as if from clay, and they shape themselves with my guidance, and truly, they're not obliged to do what I want them to.  Sort of like being a parent. 
        Another thing I do when writing is to start each day by rereading what I wrote the day before. In so doing, I'm always editing, but I'm also getting back in the zone so I can carry on, hopefully seamlessly. 
        So now that I'm re-addicted to writing my YA novel, I hope my children don't mind my distraction. Fortunately, they're as anxious to see what happens next as I am. So I hope that buys me a few passes to avoid driving them to the mall.    ]]> Award-Winning Authors tag:blog.lizaburby.com,2008-01-14:c6417a3d-0de1-42d4-8741-9da1e7603660 Liza's Journal 2008-01-14T14:01:17Z 2008-01-14T13:55:00Z The Invention of Hugo Cabret (Scholastic Press), a 533-page novel that he also illustrated. According to Publisher's Weekly, it’s the first time that a novel has won the country’s top prize for illustration. Laura Amy Schlitz won the 2008 Newbery Medal for Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!: Voices from a Medieval Village, illustrated by Robert Byrd (Candlewick). For more winners and information, paste this link into your browser: http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6522362.html?nid=2286&source=title&rid=839111476]]> My Article on Reluctant Readers tag:blog.lizaburby.com,2008-01-13:b7d47bb3-780d-417e-bc9d-d0bbb025d723 Liza's Journal 2008-01-14T12:41:04Z 2008-01-13T16:49:00Z
http://www.newsday.com/features/booksmags/ny-lfkidsmain5533038jan13,0,772786.story
]]> Seize the Moment tag:blog.lizaburby.com,2008-01-04:feaede1f-8931-4042-9c73-b0608deffed8 Liza's Journal 2008-01-05T00:04:47Z 2008-01-04T23:54:00Z Newsday called to ask if I could pull together an article quickly and offered me the chance to write what I want. Serendipity. So, I'm writing the piece now after speaking with Jon, children's librarians and a representative of the National Endowment of the Arts (which published the study, To Read or Not to Read in November, www.nea.gov/news). My article will appear in Newsday on Jan. 13th, so I'll provide the link that day. But can I just say how exciting it is to be involved in the world of children's books? All that we do has the power to positively impact children, and that's heady stuff.]]> Children's Book Ambassador tag:blog.lizaburby.com,2008-01-03:f390bf03-e08d-4edb-8adc-31731ee7e6b8 Liza's Journal 2008-01-03T14:33:47Z 2008-01-03T14:16:00Z      Librarian of Congress James H. Billington announced today that children's book author Jon Scieszka has been named the inaugural National Ambassador for Young People's Literature. In accepting this post, Scieszka has chosen to advocate for and focus on reaching reluctant readers. During his two-year tenure as children's laureate, he will reach out to parents and educators helping them identify reluctant readers, those children who are capable of reading but are not interested in doing so. As part of his platform, Scieszka will offer suggestions on how to turn reluctant readers into avid readers. His suggestions include:

    1. Letting kids choose what they like and want to read.
    2. Expanding our definition of "reading" to include nonfiction, humor, graphic novels, magazines, action adventure and Web content.
    3. Being good "reading" models for our children.
    4. Avoiding demonizing TV, computer games and new technologies.

    Scieszka is the author of several bestselling children's titles, including The Stinky Cheese Man, which won a Caldecott Honor medal, The True Story of the Three Little Pigs and the Time Warp Trio, a chapter book series. He is the founder of Guys Read (www.guysread.com), a nonprofit literacy organization.     
        Check out his Web site and pay attention to this issue of reluctant readers. You as a writer have the potential to break down that resistance for kids. 

            

]]> Happy Holidays! tag:blog.lizaburby.com,2007-12-27:7479bd00-2497-4632-b3b4-04852e293de8 Liza's Journal 2007-12-27T16:03:03Z 2007-12-27T15:58:00Z New Info About YA Books tag:blog.lizaburby.com,2007-12-11:030e9e01-5e6a-423c-9f6f-e38253f36d9b Liza's Journal 2007-12-11T13:06:51Z 2007-12-11T13:02:00Z

In this week's issue of Publisher’s Weekly, author Michael Cart is quoted as saying that “over the past decade and a half, as the number of YA books has exploded, the average age of the protagonists has risen from 14 to 17 and the term `young adult’ has expanded to include readers `as old as 25.’ Keep that in mind when you’re creating your characters.

]]> A Great Read tag:blog.lizaburby.com,2007-12-09:9688b268-8ef9-4cf3-ba3e-71c26e93b728 Liza's Journal 2007-12-09T23:37:22Z 2007-12-09T23:32:00Z So, I finally had a chance to read this year's National Book Award Winner in the YA category. I loved Arthur/Junior. Talk about an author creating a voice. Immediately a reader is drawn in to the story because you can't help but root for Junior. I've recommended the book to my husband, an English teacher in an economically-challenged community. I think many of his students can relate to the desire to get out of their current situation, as well as the conflict that arises when you do so. It's a wonderful story, not only to read, but to learn from as a writer. If you haven't already done so, take a few hours to read "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian."]]> YA Literature Winner tag:blog.lizaburby.com,2007-11-15:7834d917-2fbb-4c4c-a5f1-19c248fbde02 Liza's Journal 2007-11-15T12:55:43Z 2007-11-15T12:48:00Z


    The National Book Foundation announced that among its 2007 winners, Sherman Alexie won the Young People's Literature Prize for The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (Little, Brown & Company). The story is based on the author’s own experiences. The description is "a heartbreaking, yet funny story that chronicles the adolescence of one contemporary Native American boy as he attempts to break away from the life he seems destined to live."  I haven't yet read it, but I plan to. As a YA writer, it's always a good idea to learn what quality literature is being published for teens. Besides, I have found that some of the best books out there are written for middle grade and young adult readers.

]]> Writers Strike Back tag:blog.lizaburby.com,2007-11-12:3655ddab-c78e-4633-b61d-199948fdfec3 Liza's Journal 2007-11-12T15:26:32Z 2007-11-12T15:08:00Z         For anyone who thinks the Writer's Guild of America is in the wrong to ask that writers be paid additional money for their works that are turned into DVDs I ask them to remember about 12 years ago when journalists were facing a similar problem. At the time, the Internet was new and exciting territory (hard to believe there was such a time). Those of us who wrote for such publications as the New York Times signed work-for-hire contracts indicating that once we wrote the article and were paid for it, the company owned the article. That's not particularly fair, but there wasn't much at the time they could do with our published articles anyway, so most of us signed away. Then someone discovered that they could resell our articles on the Internet. Suddenly articles we wrote for one-time publication were appearing on line, and we weren't being compensated. To counteract complaints, new contracts were generated indicating that we were giving the NYT and other companies all rights to reprint our articles on the Internet and in any other new media yet to be discovered, or similar words that always galled me. The Author's Guild sued, and eventually won. Contracts for magazines and newspapers were amended so that depending on the company, writers to this day get a portion of any resold articles, regardless of the medium. For a while I made a nice amount of money from resales without having to lift a finger to the keyboard. Now that I think about it, all that seems to have dried up. But then now you can write directly for the Internet and make money that way, as well. 
       So it's not surprising to me that those who write for TV want their piece of the pie. After all, though it may look easy to those not in the know, writing is challenging. And it comes from your own knowledge and skill. Why shouldn't you be compensated any time someone else makes more money from something you created? 
        I wish the writers who are striking good luck in their fight. A win for them helps us all. 
        What do you think? Have you been impacted by unfair contracts as a writer? ]]> 15 Tips From Children's Book Editors tag:blog.lizaburby.com,2007-10-28:32f5dd77-0448-4646-9f3a-e84c861bf8c2 Liza's Journal 2007-10-29T00:13:48Z 2007-10-28T23:42:00Z         This weekend I attended a local writers' conference sponsored by the Long Island Children's Writers and Illustrators group at which we had the chance to have our work critiqued by four editors from top publishing houses. I won't say which houses because I learned that some of the people making decisions about whether or not our children's books get published aren't that much older than my high school senior. 
       But aside from that, what they had to say about why manuscripts get rejected echoes all that I wrote about in How to Publish Your Children's Book, and what I say whenever I speak to writers' groups. They also offered other random, but helpful tips. So, it was clear that they know their industry. 
    Here are 15 of the tips they shared, in no particular order of importance. May they be of use to you and lead to a major book contract.

    1. Don't sacrifice the story for a rhyme. Using a word just because it sounds like it fits is not good writing. And by the way, a lot of editors won't even look at books that rhyme anymore because they say it's too difficult for writers to do well.

    2. Grammatical and spelling errors are an immediate turn-off and reason for rejection. Editors don't have time to correct mistakes you should have looked at before sending the manuscript to them.

    3. If your book sounds too much like something that is already published and well known, publishers won't want to repeat it. And don't try to compete with a children's classic. Your work will immediately be compared to it.

    4. Make sure your picture books have characters who are children. (Despite a few critical responses I received for saying this myself in my last newsletter entry, there are writers who forget this.)
 
    5. Mysteries for children are slightly different than that for adults, and the only way to learn the distinction is to read the genre. A good series to look at right now are the Kiki Strike books by Kirsten Miller.

    6. Trends are fine to pay attention to. The hottest now are vampires, pirates and environmental or "green" books. But just as soon as the trend is met in the industry, it can quickly turn into enough already. So beware the rush to write to a trend.

    7. In a picture book manuscript, sometimes it's not the number of words you write, but the message they convey. Every word has to matter. They have to give insight into the main character and move the story along.

    8. The book's conflict should be clear within the first two pages.
    
    9. Familiarize yourself with the correct genre terms or you give yourself away as someone who doesn't quite know what you're sending an editor.

    10. Author Judy Blume once said you should start your manuscript on the day that everything changes for your character.

    11. Books need problems and resolutions.

    12. Kids love their grandparents, so as a topic, it's a great relationship to explore.

    13. Read the dialogue aloud once you've written it so you can hear if it has a natural rhythm and sounds realistic. To that end, listen to how kids speak so you get it right.

    14. Don't bother writing an alphabet book for the time being. They only sell if they have a big name attached, like Steve Martin's.

    15. Pay attention to all the details you write to be sure they make sense. If the family is moving furniture, can a four-year-old main character move a sofa by herself? If she can, the author has to explain why she has strength beyond her years. 

   

    ]]> Some Basic Writers' Tips tag:blog.lizaburby.com,2007-10-23:7a3735b9-de6b-479e-92b8-470890d9389a Liza's Journal 2007-10-23T11:23:59Z 2007-10-23T11:07:00Z     Last week I had the opportunity to be a panelist at two very different events. One was the Fair Media Council Connection Day on Long Island and the other was the Women in Communications Annual Student Career Conference in New York City. At the first, my panel critiqued story pitches from public relations people and other representatives of companies and organizations. At the second, I was one of four journalists who talked with journalism students about our career paths. While the audiences were different, in both cases some very fundamental questions were asked and situations were raised that I commented about. So I wanted to share them with you, because no matter what writing path we choose, there are some basic rules that apply to book, magazine or newspaper writing. So here's what I had to say that is solid advice for all of us to follow.
    1. When pitching (querying) to an editor, present only one idea. Frontloading your pitch only makes both ideas get lost.
    2. Don't try to trick the editor into liking your idea. A catchy headline or phrase is great, but not if it ultimately turns out to be different than your actual story idea. It works for the National Enquirer, but not most publications and book publishers.  
    3. Have a clear and brief statement that outlines your story. If you have to preface your idea with an explanation, you've lost your chance at selling it.
    4. Go for the human interest angle. In other words, what would make an editor take your idea now? Is there an upcoming event to promote? Someone who has overcome a problem that illustrates what you want covered?
    5. This is particularly important for those who don't yet have clips: Do not mistake a published blog entry as a writing sample. Unless it was an assignment from an editor, it doesn't count as a writing sample. But if you are going to use blogs as your opportunity to practice being published, make sure the writing is dynamite. Once it's on the Web, it can't be retracted. Oh, and as I told the students, employers do check Facebook and My Space pages to see what kind of person you really are. Make sure you represent yourself well.
    There's much more to say on all of these topics, but I have a magazine deadline to meet. So stay tuned.
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