Q: FEATURE TOPIC: Read Any Good Blogs Lately? The use of blogs is growing among teens, librarians, authors and the media. What is a blog as distinguished from other online posts? Evan Williams, creator of Blogger.com, says, “A blog is a web site that contains brief entries arranged in reverse chronological order. The blog concept is about three things: frequency, brevity and personality.” Jane Yolen makes the distinction between an online journal, like the one she keeps on her website, and a blog where readers comment, saying that, “blogs are interactive.” While many people are not regular readers of blogs, and even more are overwhelmed at the thought of maintaining daily postings for a blog they’d host, it’s interesting to speculate on the role blogs may play as marketing and media vehicles. A recent article in The New York Times quotes Jay Rosen, a journalism professor at New York University and himself a blogger as saying, “In this new world, the audience and sources are publishers.” This is particularly true in the political arena where some bloggers are blurring the line between news and opinion by treating reporters’ news stories as just one side of a debate — and then using a network of blogs to propagate the opposing views. To get a read on how closely blogs are being followed by individuals in our industry, my agency recently conducted two surveys. The first was part of a study on online marketing to teens, and the second polled several hundred reviewers, teachers and librarians asking the following questions: Are there blogs you read regularly –and how often?, Do you host your own blog?, and Do you feel blogs are useful? The teen market survey showed blogs to be one of several online mechanisms, including chats and interactive websites that can be used effectively to market books to teens. Podcasts, text messaging and other e-formats are increasingly important as ways of reaching teens who use technology as the base for entertainment and socializing. Author blogs also provide an informal and direct way for authors to communicate with their readers. As for those of us in the book industry, of the people who responded to our online survey, twenty percent did not follow blogs at all. Of those who did follow blogs, most were periodic readers of one or two blogs. The two blogs most frequently noted werethe Horn Book Editor’s Rants and Raves, www.hbook.com/blog, by Roger Sutton, and Cynsations, http://cynthialeitichsmith.blogspot.com, by Cynthia Leitich Smith. Both include views on industry news, award announcements and information on new books. Cynsations also features author interviews and reviews. Other sites that received several mentions were: It’s too early to say whether blogs will thrive in the long term as a review, news and marketing vehicle, but for now, they’re here and they’re spreading like wildfire. ******************************************** Q: I’d like to send review copies of the children’s picture book I’ve written and am having published to a number of popular children’s book authors. I would want to ask if they’d be willing to write a “blurb” type of review, which I could have published in the book itself. Some time ago I read (in one of those writers’ e-newsletters) that one should offer payment (of a few hundred dollars – if I’m not mistaken), to each author whom they ask to write reviews for their manuscripts. Can you please tell me whether or not this is true? And, as I wouldn’t want to insult or offend any of these authors by offering, or not offering to pay them, please also tell me what rules of etiquette should be followed when eliciting author reviews. I’ve spoken with an author and an editor who both agree that you should not have to pay for a prepublication blurb. Their reasoning, and I agree with them, is that an author quote is assumed to have come from a person who is unbiased and is willing to recommend your book, not someone who has been paid a reader’s fee to comment. I think many authors would find the offer of a payment inappropriate. It would also be better to have the book sent by your publisher with a letter saying why they (and you) would value the author’s opinion of the book and asking for permission to print their quote, if he or she does choose to provide one. If you are in a situation where you need to do all or most of the marketing and promotion for your book, then you can try making the request to the author directly. 11:12/03 ******************************************** Q: I was surprised and disappointed to learn that the publisher of a recent non-fiction title that I illustrated never submitted it to the traditional reviewers–Publisher’s Weekly, the Horn Book, School Library Journal, etc. When I questioned them about it, they said that they never do but prefer to go after the consumer magazines and radio interviews. They did in fact book many radio interviews for the author but only received a small mention in one magazine on parenting. Therefore there are no reviews to use for publicity. What can be done at this point to let bookstores, libraries and schools know about the book? I am also very surprised at what your publisher told you. Most children’s book publishers consider sending to the trade and review journals a standard part of publicity. The reviews generated by these key publications are very important in the school and library market. There are cases where a publisher would opt not to send books, such as original paperbacks published specifically for the mass market, series titles that follow the original launch and books the publisher feels might not get a favorable review; but this is not the case for most individual books, particularly those published first in hardcover. My suggestion, if you plan to work with this publisher in the future, is to ask them to reconsider. If they still choose not to send books to these journals directly, you may want to consider working with another house. As for your current book, you can consider the direct mail options of mailing postcards to booksellers and library and school buyers. A mailing list of children’s booksellers is available to members of the Association of Booksellers for Children www.abfc.com. Authors and illustrators can join for $50/year. There is a list of members with partial addresses and email information on their website if you want to query bookstores in your area. School and library contact mailing lists can be ordered from Market Data Retrieval www.schooldata.com or Quality Education Data (QED) www.qeddata.com. Submitting for awards and getting involved with state conferences and activities is another option. You can get state information from the American Library Association website http://www.ala.org/ala/ourassociation/chapters/chapters.htm. On the site, link to “State & Regional Chapters,” then you can contact the state’s Executive Director and ask for the person in charge of youth services. That person should be able to tell you about the awards submission process and other activities. Awards generally apply to the year in which the book was published. Some awards are voted on by committee and others are voted on by children in the state. For educators, you can find a similar list on the International Reading Association website at http://www.ira.org/dir/councils/counusa.html. For a good listing describing state awards, you can go to http://www.cynthialeitichsmith.com/newreadingd.htm, a section of Cynthia Letch Smith’s site. A marketing director I spoke with said she planned to suggest her publisher send to fewer award committees in the future, rather than blanketing all 50 states, since the process can be costly, time-consuming and doesn’t translate directly into sales, except for bigger state and national awards. She did feel that focusing on state awards where the author and illustrator live and where the book is set, makes a lot of sense. There are also topical awards that can be beneficial in specific niches. 3:4/04 ******************************************** Q: PR from the adult point of view Children’s and young adult books are a tough sell to the media if you’re not a celebrity or haven’t just won a major award. So, what would it be like to be on the adult side, and what can we learn from someone who has a bigger ballpark to play in? Rick Freshman, president of Planned Television Arts www.plannedtvarts.com and co-author of Guerrilla Marketing for Writers: 100 Weapons for Selling Your Work and Guerrilla Publicity: Hundreds of Sure-Fire Tactics to Get Maximum Sales for Minimum Dollars, has handled campaigns for former Presidents, top newsmakers, Hollywood stars, and many authors – both famous and those aspiring to be famous. From his vantage point, it’s tougher than ever to get attention. “When it comes to the top national television shows, there are very few opportunities for anyone who is not a celebrity or a top expert in a given field. We often tell authors that, while they may have a terrific book and be very well-versed in their topic, they’re not likely to be chosen unless they have significant credentials (i.e. a top expert from Harvard or a medical expert on a hot news topic). The secondary shows like CNBC or Fox are sometimes possible but still very tough. We’re also very selective about whom we present to the media and what stories we pitch because it will cost us our credibility later when things don’t work out. We also recommend that most authors get media training and we do that for clients and on a project basis for others, in person or by phone.” Rick also runs seminars for authors and illustrators, and information can be found at his website at www.rickfrishman.com. ‘One of the big changes I’ve seen in recent years is that editors are recommending that authors hire their own PR firm because there’s a limit to what the publishing house can do. That’s fine as long as authors are realistic about their expectations and realize that, most of the time, one book is not going to make them rich and famous – more likely it will be a useful tool to add to their career.” The difference in children’s books is that this is the career (as opposed to a business book that promotes a larger business), and for us, it’s even harder. As with any media campaign, the tricks are to find the hook – what makes your story newsworthy? – and the audience – who will care enough about what you’ve written or illustrated to help spread the word? Rick Frishman sees radio, print media and the Internet as fertile territory for books of all kinds. In talking about common mistakes authors make, he pointed out that too often “smaller” media outlets are overlooked as not worthwhile in favor of book signings and other events. “Why go to the trouble of spending time at a signing when you can sit at home talking by phone with a local radio show and reaching 20,000 listeners? Sure it’s not a huge audience, but it’s far better than the 50-100 books you may sell and several hundred people you may meet at a successful event.” For children’s authors, the situation is a bit different when looking at school events, which can net an additional thousand dollars or more in honorarium fees. Surprisingly for the president of a firm called Planned Television Arts Frishman is a huge fan of print publicity. “It’s enormously important – like gold,” he says. “It’s as or more important than television.” Why? “Because you can read it, clip it, save it and then use it to sell books. And, like the Internet – which is our fourth medium – it lasts and it travels. “These are the places other media people will go to find sources, books and information.” 11:12/04 ******************************************** Q: Do mass mailings really do any good? I prefer personal contact and pre-pitching when working with the media, rather than mass mailings. Editors and reviewers are deluged with books and products and will tend to look first at the ones they are either expecting to receive, or at boxes sent by publishers whose books they particularly like. I’m referring here to the consumer media contacts you’re likely to try to reach, not to book review or trade journals like Publishers Weekly, Booklist, Kirkus and others that should only be contacted by the publisher. The times that I’ve found mass mailings to be productive are when making a specific offer. For example, you might allow newspaper feature editors to reprint a craft activity or tips taken from your book. In that case, it’s productive to buy a mailing list on labels and send the sheet out with a cover letter to feature editors and allow them to reprint the activity or tips with your permission and attribution. 12/97:1/98 ******************************************** Q: How important are school visits? While not for everyone, school visits are very beneficial to many children’s authors and illustrators. They also provide a wonderful way to get children excited about books. On a practical level school visits provide supplementary income in the form of honorarium payments to authors and illustrators who may need these fees to enable them to make their work in children’s books a full-time career. These visits also build a loyal following among children, teachers and librarians, who appreciate getting to know an author or illustrator personally. The visits can also provide opportunities to meet others in the field and to share information about your career. It’s an area well worth pursuing. 11:12/98 ******************************************** Q: What’s in a press kit? Is it necessary to send one with a book when pitching a story to the media? A basic press kit publicizing a new book generally consists of a pitch letter designed to get an editor excited about the book, a press release explaining why the book is newsworthy, and an author biography. With illustrated books the illustrator’s biography may also be included. More elaborate kits are likely to include these elements plus additional material of interest to a particular editor or producer. For example, discussion questions in a Q & A format can be helpful to television and radio producers for on-air conversation. Tip sheets and trivia are ideal for smaller magazines and newspapers who work on a tight schedule and like to have extra material on hand in case they need to fill space at the last minute. Surveys, topical articles and statistics can provide media contacts with the angles they need to build an interesting subject into a feature story. While a press kit can provide an editor or producer with a variety of story angles, a well-written pitch letter explaining why a book and author should be of interest to a particular editor can go a long way. If it is the only item going out with the book, the pitch letter should include a paragraph that explains why the book is newsworthy and at least a few sentences about the author’s and/or illustrator’s background. In either case, keep in mind that the best results are achieved when telephone contact is done after the mailing to follow up on the materials sent. 7:8/92
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Q: I have the chance to be interviewed on a local talk radio show. What can I do to prepare for this type of interview?
Since the show is local, listen several times in advance to learn more about the show’s format and the host’s style of interviewing. Consider the following: Does the show focus on a single issue, or on the guest’s career? Are guests allowed time to expand on points they’d like to make, or will you be expected to give brief responses to questions? Does the show leave time for call-ins from listeners? Are guests interviewed alone or with other guests? Is the host prone to stirring controversy or asking tough questions? Who are the listeners at that time of day and what will interest them?
When you schedule the interview, ask whether it will be live or taped and find out what topics they expect to cover. If it is live, try to arrange to talk with the host for a few minutes in advance to establish a rapport before you go on the air. For a taped interview, keep in mind that portions may be cut. Tell the host which points you feel are most important either during the interview, or at the conclusion of the taping.
Before going on the air, review your material and make notes of key points you want to make. Flag pages of your book that you may want to refer to or quote from. Have someone quiz you in advance to help prepare for tough or tricky questions. Prepare a reply for questions you don’t have an immediate response for, or cannot answer. Have a watch handy so you can pace yourself during the interview and keep a pad and pen within reach in case you want to make notes during the discussion.
Once you’re on, be enthusiastic and informative. Take your cues from the host and be sensitive to their concerns. Don’t treat their show as an advertising vehicle, but work mentions of your book into the conversation and tell them in advance if you’d like to mention an “800” number on the air. 9:10/92
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Q: I have a new book that’s controversial. How can I promote it to get radio and television interviews?
One cost-effective way to try to get radio and television coverage is to place an ad in Radio/TV Interview Reports (135 E. Plumstead, Lansdowne, PA, 610-259-1070). For $350 you can have a half-page write-up on your book appear in their newsletter which mails to more than 4,000 producers at radio and television stations. They’ll even help write the copy.
The format allows for a headline, a black and white photo of you or your book, a descriptive paragraph about the book, and examples of topics you can discuss. Entries also include a brief author biography and information on whether you are available for telephone or in-person interviews.
Before deciding when to run the ad, consider the timing and the subject of the book. You can either have the ad run when the book is first published, or time it to a month when the topic will attract attention. For example, you may want to hold a book about baseball until just before the season starts. 2:3/93
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Q: Do you recommend that authors keep their own mailing list of contacts? If so, what information should it include?
I think it’s important to have a mailing list and to keep notes of previous conversations. You can keep this on a computer database, but an index card file can also work fine.
The basics are the contact’s name, job title, organization name, address, phone, fax and e-mail numbers. In addition, you could include the type of audience the publication or station reaches, its circulation or audience size, the kind of books your contact does and doesn’t want to see, the books sent in the past, the date of the last time you spoke with that person, and when you want to contact the person again. Our own list also holds personal information that may be relevant, such as whether the contact has young children.
You may want to keep some of the same information on contacts you’ve spoken to at associations, on booksellers, people you’ve met at industry conventions, and on individuals at your publishing house. Publishing is a tightly-knit industry and people move around frequently, so past contacts can often be useful in the future. It’s also good to help contacts by putting them in touch with others who may be interested in what they are doing and by relaying information they may find useful. 4:5/93
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Q: What’s the best way to prepare for television interviews?
Robin Cohn, president of Robin Cohn and Company, a media consulting company in New York City offers these tips:
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Q: Is it useful to send producers videotapes and audio tapes of interviews I’ve done? Do they use these to select guests?
Unless you’ve specially produced a video press release or professional audio of a performance, it is unlikely that a producer would take the time to view or listen to an unsolicited tape. I do think, however, that it’s always a good idea to collect video and audio tapes from shows you’ve been on to use for publicity.
I suggest using the videotapes and audio tapes you’ve described to producers when they have expressed interest in your work and are willing to consider you as a guest. At that point, a tape can show them that you are comfortable on the air and won’t freeze up in front of a camera. It can also help them become more familiar with topics you can discuss.
In my experience, producers are more likely to respond to a telephone query and a follow up letter, press kit and book, than to a tape as a means of selecting guests. I think it’s because sending a tape requires them to take the extra step to commit time to viewing or listening, rather than quickly scanning written material. Low tech, but true! 4:5/94
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Q: What can authors do to promote their books on-line?
One of the most exciting new areas on the Internet for children’s authors is “Authors Online”, a part of Scholastic Network. “Authors Online”, which has featured Paul Zindel, Katherine Patterson, Avi, Jane Yolen, and R.L. Stine, among others, provides students and children at home with the opportunity of an on-line visit with a favorite author. Special events sometimes center around popular characters or themes, as when Jane Yolen did a Women’s History Month appearance in character as a women pirate from one of her books.
“Authors Online” will host 15 to 20 authors this year. Each is invited to spend 2 to 3 weeks responding on the network to kids’ questions. Segments are scheduled far in advance.
While “Authors Online” has concentrated its attention on very well-known authors, Senior Producer Felicia Halpert says they are open to suggestions from authors with creative ideas. Mac or PC-equipped authors can send queries with biographical and any award information, and book samples to: “Authors Online,” Scholastic Network, 555 Broadway, New York, NY 10003.
There are also two prominent children’s book reviewers on the Internet. They are Wendy Betts, who can be contacted at WEB@armory.com, or P.O. Box 401, Santa Cruz, CA 95061; and Steve Brock who is at BROCK@ucsub.colorado.edu, or 2323 Mapleton, Boulder, CO 80304. 6:7/95
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Q: My first book (a picture book) will be published this fall and I am planning to volunteer at a local school or library to do a reading. While I have attended story times as a listener, I have never done the actual reading. Should I practice reading aloud to children before I volunteer?
Congratulations on your first book contract! Speaking and storytelling at schools, libraries and bookstores are excellent ways to spread the word about your book and to build name recognition as an author.
It’s definitely a good idea to practice in front of children before making a formal appearance. The first few times, start with small groups of varying ages to see which kids are most receptive. Then work your way up in size and move from volunteering to being a paid speaker.
As you become more established, consider enhancing the reading with props, sound effects, gestures, dramatic voices, and other performing techniques. While none of these are required to do a good job, a lot of authors and illustrators have benefitted from adding dramatic effects to their presentation, and have been sought after as guest speakers. Some have even taken voice or acting lessons to hone their skills.
This investment in time (and sometimes money) can be worthwhile over the long term, especially if you plan to make a living as a children’s book author. Many established authors have earned a substantial amount of their income appearing at schools and libraries and earning honorariums for their work. In a recent survey of 20 children’s authors (from some who are moderately well-known to some big-name authors), I found that the going honorarium rate ranged from $500-$2,000 per day.
Even beginners on the lecture circuit should ask for some compensation for their time, as most seasoned speakers will agree. The reason is that in asking for a fee, an author or illustrator will be perceived as a professional, and treated accordingly.
When you’re ready to start charging for your work, you may want to check SCBWI’s Sample Lecture Contract, since formalizing the agreement in writing is also important. 4:5/96
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Q: Do reviewers review original paperbacks?
Coverage of original paperbacks varies depending on the type of book and the specific publication. The children’s book editors at Booklist, School Library Journal and Publishers Weekly all review original paperbacks. According to Ilene Cooper, children’s book editor for Booklist, “We try to treat original paperbacks as we do original fiction, but they tend to be more ephemeral, so we don’t do as many. However most original paperbacks are looked at by a reviewer and considered.” Trevelyn Jones, Book Review Editor for School Library Journal agreed, saying “If individual titles are submitted, we’ll consider them as we would hardcovers, but if it’s yet another book in a series, we most likely wouldn’t do it.” Diane Roback, children’s book editor for Publishers Weekly stressed that they don’t base the decision to review on whether the book is a hardcover or paperback. “We do make an effort to review a lot of the paperbacks we’re sent because we don’t see a lot of paperback reviews elsewhere,” she said. She added that Publishers Weekly does not review a lot of young adult horror novels or subsequent books in a series.
None of these publications will accept direct submissions from authors, so review copies are sent by the publisher. Judith Haut, Associate Director of Media Relations at Bantam Doubleday Dell, said that authors can be assured that publishing houses do pay attention to the original paperbacks they publish and will promote them with the rest of the season’s list.
Authors who want to invest time publicizing their original paperbacks should focus on consumer media. Newspapers, regional parenting papers and radio shows are often particularly receptive to paperbacks because the cover prices are lower than for hardcovers and books are often more widely available in stores. 6:7/96
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Q: I would like to approach a children’s radio show in my area about using my books on air. Do you think this is a good idea?
Providing books to be read aloud on-air should not be done without checking your publisher’s contract regarding broadcast rights. Many publishers are retaining these as part of electronic rights and permission would have to be obtained from the publisher before a book could be read in full on-air. Keep in mind that most children’s radio shows will not pay a fee for the right to read children’s books on-air, so publishers often will not allow this type of use.
There are, however, other ways of working with children’s radio programs. Some will consider reviewing children’s books, mentioning them in topical roundups, or using books as give-away prizes for on-air contests they run. If you would like to contact one or more children’s radio stations, talk first with your publisher to be sure they aren’t already making these contacts and to ask if they have any concerns about you pursuing this area. If not, call the station to find out whether they are interested in interviewing authors or in showcasing children’s books. Another option, according to P.J. Gudmundson, director of news, information and education for Radio-AAHS, is to encourage your publisher to send a catalog and checklist so the station can choose titles from the list.
There are an increasing number of children’s radio programs on stations throughout the country. Some of these radio programs are independently produced and segments are done locally. One excellent locally-produced show is “Kids Corner” on WXPN-FM in Philadelphia. Others are part of national networks that provide programming from a main studio. Two of the largest are Radio-AAHS in Minneapolis and Kidstar in Seattle. Affiliates carrying these shows can choose to confine their programming to material provided by the syndicate, or they can produce additional material to add local interest to segments the syndicate provides.
When contacting children’s radio shows or networks, make sure that your books are appropriate for the target audience’s age range. According to Robert Drake, producer of WXPN-FM’s “Kids Corner” show for ages 7-14, authors sometimes try to convince him that their book will fit the show’s target age range when it doesn’t. Check first to find out the core age of the listener the show is trying to reach, and what kinds of books the show uses, then be realistic in deciding whether your book might be a good fit. 12/96:1/97
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Q: What advice can you give for publicizing young adult fiction?
The first thing to do is to look for non-fiction elements in the novel. Where does the story take place? Does it fit a special interest category? Can it be considered timely, controversial, or topical? Is the format unusual? Is there a non-fiction foreword or afterward that provides a factual component to the book?
Consider the book in the context of the author’s body of work or background. Is it a departure from previous books? Does it relate to events in the author’s life? Was there a particular event that prompted the writing of this book? Was it a particularly difficult book to write?
Then consider the questions that help position the book in the marketplace. How does this book compare with others that have been written on the topic? What feelings will it evoke in readers? What have advance reviews said about the book? Why do you as the author feel it is special? 2:3/97
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Q: How can authors who live in large cities get local media to payattention to their books? For me, local is New York City and it’s hard to get media attention here.
Authors and illustrators who live in large cities have a hard timeestablishing themselves with their local media for several reasons.First, there are a lot of other locally-based celebrities vying forattention. There are also a lot of visiting celebrities to compete with.
My suggestion is to stress unique angles for the book and yourparticular areas of expertise, so if they need an expert on a particulartopic, your name will be on file. You can also stress the benefits ofbeing local. One benefit is that you can be available on short notice(consider a New York TV show that has to fill a slot when a scheduledguest can’t fly in because of a winter storm). Another is that you maybe doing local events that are publicizable (for example, we did NewYork publicity for an author’s school visit because the students were staging a play based on the author’s new book). Establishingrelationships with local media in these cases will take longer, but youhave the additional advantage of having more media to work with. 3:4/99
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Q: I’m a new author who published a young adult book that has received one award nomination, a few endorsement quotes, and some good and bad reviews. The story is set in the Balkans and may have disturbed some reviewers because of its dark moments, but I think these are part of the book’s strength. How would you suggest handling future books of this type to get a better response?
I think getting endorsement quotes in advance, as you’ve done, is good for a book that has dark or complex themes. These can come from authors and could also, in a book that addresses current affairs, come from journalists. In the future, you may also want to ask the publisher to include an author’s letter with the books they send out to the consumer media explaining what inspired the story. This would not be appropriate for review journals, like School Library Journal and Booklist, but might be helpful with others. You could also furnish the latest current statistics or news articles on the foreign country or information on a current event for a book with a contemporary setting. If the book is set in the past, you may want to provide an historical overview. These can help provide a context for your story.
Beyond that, it’s important to keep in mind that a controversial book is likely to generate mixed reviews, especially when its for children. But, if a book is good, it can provide young readers with important information. Hopefully, you’ll continue to find publishers willing to take the risk. 11:12/99
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Q: Is there a list of all the months or days that have special designations that I can use to find out if a subject or theme mentioned in my book has a day or month honoring it? Chase’s Calendar of Events is a book, updated annually, that provides a day-by-day listing of special birthdays, anniversaries and festivals worldwide. You can reference information chronologically to find out which anniversaries might coincide, or be near your book’s publication date; or you can reference dates or events topically. You can check for it at your local library, or can order a copy for $59.95 + shipping and sales tax from NTC/Contemporary Publishing Group, Inc., 4255 W. Touhy Avenue, Lincolnwood, IL 60712, 847-679-5500. 5:6/00 ********************************************
Q: I’m setting up a web site to help promote my book. I want to display the cover art on the home page and be able to offer viewers the opportunity to send e-cards of the book cover to friends. Do I need my publisher’s permission? Since a book’s cover art is widely used to represent it in publisher catalogs, promotional ads, and marketing materials (such as bookmarks, sell-sheets and posters), it should be fine to use it for other promotional purposes, such as the e-card you describe. However, I would notify your publisher about your plans. I expect that they wouldn’t have a problem with the book’s cover image being disseminated, but they might want to make sure the image was not going to be copied or altered for use in other forms. 5:6/01 ********************************************
Q: I want to offer a free signed copy of my book in a contest where viewers enter their names and email addresses for the drawing. Are there legal problems I should worry about? Author web sites often offer autographed copies of books as prizes for contests. Doing so should not be a problem as long as the books are yours to sell. 5:6/01 ******************************************** Q: GETTING TO KNOW: Julie Just, Children’s Books Editor for the New York Times Book Review Julie Just has held some of the most coveted jobs in journalism. She’s been an editor for the New York Times Op-Ed page and New York Times Magazine. She’s written for the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times and Newsday. Most recently, she’s moved from being Deputy Editor of the New York Times Book Review to being its Children’s Books Editor, replacing Eden Ross Lipson who retired late last year. ******************************************** Quick – what’s the correct way to say Tomie dePaola, Erzsi Deak, Jarrett J. Krosoczka, Nicole Monastirsky, and Wendelin Van Draanen? As we can see from SCBWI alone, this industry is rich with names that can be challenging to pronounce – and that we all want to get right. ******************************************** It’s good to be thinking about this early. In terms of questions to ask the publisher, I’d suggest asking about special marketing it does in this area. There are conferences, media outlets and book festivals, such as the Latino Book & Family Festival http://www.latinobookfestival.com/home, that can be pursued. There’s the website, Colorin’ Colorado, and the review journal, Criticas, that cover children’s books in this category, which you may want to familiarize yourself with as a start. ******************************************** Q: What’s the state of the news today, and how does it affect authors and illustrators? In 2004, the Pew Research Center issued a report on where people get their news. Fifty-five percent reported watching local news, 41% read a daily newspaper, 41% reported listening to radio news, 29% read weekly news magazines regularly, and 25% went online for news at least once a week. By 2006, Pew researchers found that in the under 36 age group, the local newspaper, local TV and national TV newscasts play lesser roles in news gathering. At the same time, with the increase in numbers of people having high-speed Internet access, online media in the form of TV.coms, newspaper.coms and other online media are growing as preferred news information sources. In fact, a report from the Newspaper Association of America indicated that “a record number of readers visited U.S. online newspaper sites last year, indicating that it was one of the few bright spots for the newspaper industry. ********************************************
At a time when many newspapers are cutting back or cutting out coverage for children’s books, Just’s perspective on her newly adopted industry are refreshing and encouraging. “I had never thought about that job until heard that Eden was retiring. I had admired what she’d done in creating a serious, broad-minded section, and I realized I wanted to build on that. I had always had the guilty pleasure of rereading books from my childhood and I thought that this job would enable me to combine my journalism background with my delight in reading these books.” Julie Just is the mother of two small children. She says, “these books are part of my life.”
“So many had an influence on me as a child, and I’m introducing them to my own children, Just adds. “Sometimes they’re not quite ready, like when I tried to read them The Phantom Tollbooth, which was a favorite of mine and a wonderful book that is a kind of an extended joke about language.” It’s about a boy who is bored with life and gets a gift of a tollbooth, which is the gateway to a fantasy world. To get through the journey, he has to pass a kind of a vocabulary test given by fantastical characters. “I remember the feeling it gave me of another world existing, just around the corner. That story is a metaphor for what you’re looking for in a book,” says Just.
“In terms of the industry, I think it’s a terrific time to be a young adult author,” says Just. “I’ve been very struck by the sophistication of YA books, and have been reading a lot to catch up lately. I’ve been reading the Printz Honor books, the National Book Award winners and others, and I’ve been bowled over by them. I’m finding that there are very good teen books in a lot of genres that are easily as good as adult novels.”
Authors of young adult books will be glad to know that Just’s plans include expanding what the Book Review is doing with teen books. “I expect to be doing a lot of that online. I’m planning to provide opportunities for critiquing, responding to reviews, posting their own reviews, and giving them chances to weigh in,” she says, “since word-of-mouth is really crucial for teen books, which means young readers need to be involved.”
“Because we only have limited space in the Book Review, we of course need to use it to let parents know about outstanding new picture books and chapter books. I also want to remind them that there are fantastic older books that their children would enjoy, and I think we can do more in that area. I do also hope that older kids and teens sometimes see the Book Review, and I’d like to make the children’s section more visually dynamic, so that it’s clear that it’s not just about young children’s books,” she says. There are also plans for other features online. This will include author and illustrator profiles, art features and pieces on news about children’s book publishing.
On a personal front, Julie, whose children are ages 3 and 8, is married to Tom Reiss, author of the highly acclaimed book, The Orientalist. Together, she and her husband are writing a guidebook to classic films for children, which will be published by Ballentine in 2007.
“We wanted to do this because kids and parents are often not watching great movies these days, says Just. “They watch Disney and they watch other kids movies, which are fun, but there are a lot of wonderful films that families can enjoy together, and a lot of people don’t know about them, “ she says. “My husband comes from a family of film nuts, and we found that our children would stay and sit with us quite happily, when we watched a lot of older movies. And there are terrific films in many categories, like adventure films, musicals and even documentaries if you know which to try. I think this is particularly important at a time when there’s often a disconnect in families, and many don’t have shared hobbies or activities.”5:6/06
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Thanks to a new, simple and elegant solution from TeachingBooks.net, we’ll be able to do that. TeachingBooks.net is collecting audio files of authors and illustrators saying their names, and all published children’s authors and illustrators are invited to participate. The TeachingBooks Author Name Pronunciation Guide will be the first online audio collection of authors and illustrators pronouncing their own names. By simply saying “Hello, my name is ___,” you’ll be able to make sure people can get it right! To participate, call their toll-free voice message system: (866) 243-2314, and your message will be digitally recorded and made available this Fall from TeachingBooks.net.11:12/06
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So, what does that mean for authors and illustrators of children’s and teen books? Clearly, it emphasizes the importance of having a strong online presence and making a concerted online marketing and publicity effort. Having a website has become a basic requirement, and there are online template tools that make this work much easier. Many authors are also using social networking sites, particularly MySpace because it reaches a younger demographic than Facebook (though that’s being used too) and YouTube as ways to connect directly with fans. Hosting blogs and participating on listservs offer ways to connect with teachers, librarians, booksellers and others. Publicity to online news venues is also increasingly important and can be pursued by issuing news stories and developing relationships with individual websites that may have an interest in your books.
Publishing Trends www.publishingtrends.com, a newsletter about the book industry, has just released results of two surveys conducted with publicists and online content providers about how online publicity is being used to promote books.
On the PR side, when asked what percentage of company publicity resources went to online marketing, 39.8% said “a little” and 31.3% said “most.” Publicists said that the biggest obstacle to doing more online publicity was, according to 67.1% of the respondents, that it was “too time consuming to explore.” At the same time, blog tours were reported to be on the rise, while traditional author tours were declining. Visit www.publishingtrends.com for more information.
Large publishers have the advantage of having staff to dedicate to online media and hosting online events. The difficulty can be getting the publisher to devote time to your work when there is a large list to promote. Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing just announced its first Simon Pulse Blogfest, which will be a two-week online event March 14-27 featuring more than 100 of their teen authors. The objective, according to Paul Crichton, director of publicity for Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, is to “involve as many of the Pulse imprint authors who were interested in participating and to give teen readers the chance to connect with favorite authors and be introduced to other Pulse authors they may like.” The company expects a range of participation among the authors, depending on their own comfort level with online media and the time they plan to devote to the event itself.
Susan Salzman Raab is the author of An Author’s Guide to Children’s Book Promotion. She is the marketing advisor for SCBWI and President of Raab Associates Inc., a marketing and public relations agency. An archive of “To Market” columns can be found at www.raabassociates.com. “To Market” questions can be sent to her at sraab@raabassociates.com. Raab Associates Inc. is also home to www.reviewerschecklist.com, a search database site showcasing more than 20,000 books for children, teens and families.
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