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December Critique Connection

December 12, 2011 in Site Stuff | 37 comments

Every once in a while, I open up the blog comments to a Critique Connection, a post where you can hopefully meet some new critique partners. To participate, leave a comment on this entry with the following information:

  1. Your genre (ie: fantasy, paranormal, realistic, historical, etc.)
  2. Your audience (ie: picture book, MG, YA, etc.)
  3. A little about your manuscript (practice your one-line “elevator pitch”)
  4. What you want out of the experience (a critique of your XX,000-word mss., someone to read your first 3 chapters, help with your query letter, etc.)
  5. Your email address for potential partners to contact you (I’d type it in the following format: mary at kidlit dot com, so that you avoid spam bots.)

Only post a comment for this entry if you are looking for a critique partner.

In other news, I am going to take a Blogcation the last two weeks of December and the first week of January, (Dec 19 to Jan 6) so there will be no new stuff on here during those three weeks on any of my blahblahblogs. However, I’ll ramp up my “From the archives” Tweets, so if you’re not following me on Twitter and Facebook, click those links and do so. I often pull out old articles that are still just as pertinent to writing and publishing as they were when I wrote them and broadcast the links to those who may not have been readers yet. I’ve got a blog full of material from early 2009 on, so there are a lot of posts to peruse!

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Writing Questions?

October 19, 2011 in Etc., Site Stuff | 44 comments

Every once in a while, I cast around for writing questions that my readers have so I can know what’s on your minds. With my trip to Japan and Hong Kong coming up, I want to pre-load the blog with some Q&A. So what’s going on? What are you dying to know?

Do we want to talk queries? Craft? Publishing? Getting an agent? Anything. Just ask away in the comments.

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Fall on the Blog

October 12, 2011 in Site Stuff | 17 comments

Hey readers! Sorry to skimp on the craft or industry post today, but I wanted to reach out and do some housekeeping. Thanks so much for all your comments and reads and questions and giveaway entries, as usual. I am so proud and happy to have such a loyal readership!

This fall, I’m embarking upon a bit of an adventure: in two weeks, I will be in Japan, and a little more than a week after that, Hong Kong. This trip is made possible by the amazing SCBWI organization and their international chapters, which are bringing me overseas to talk to their members. Holly, Mio, and the rest of the SCBWI: thank you so much for the opportunity of a lifetime!

Since it’s not every day that you’re invited to speak in such amazing places, I am making the most of my trip and taking about sixteen days to travel and explore. I’ll schedule blog posts for the entire trip — no worries there, it’s like I never left my apartment — but I won’t be able to moderate comments with any regularity.

You’ll still get Twitter and Facebook updates about new posts and featured content from the archives, but I won’t be able to check in via social networking much because I’ll be making the most of my travels and spending as little time online as possible. Email questions will also, as you can guess, go on the back burner.

That said, I should have some great articles for you in the pipeline, including an interview with a rogue author/innovative book marketer/dear friend. Stay tuned for that and more! And be nice…it’ll take me a few days to get back into the swing of things when I return in the first half of November.

Some of my more astute readers have probably also noticed that I’ve let my other two blogs, Chowlit and Kidlit Apps, grow weeds and gather dust. NO MORE! It turns out that juggling three blogs and blogging every day across all of them is something I’m terrible at. The more I try to shove myself into a hectic schedule like that, the more I start to resent blogging, and I never want that to happen.

So instead, I’m implementing the following (much more merciful) schedule:

Monday: Kidlit
Every even Tuesday: Kidlit Apps
Every oddTuesday: Chowlit
Wednesday: Kidlit

Now that’s something I can stick to! And let this be a lesson to all you blogging writers…consistency is better, even if your posts are spaced further apart, than flipping out and ditching your blogs altogether and leaving people to wonder if you’ve dropped off the face of the planet. The former looks classy — like you’re taking your time to come up with really good stuff — and the latter looks spazzy. See? Not even I’m immune to blogging blunders.

Finally, there’s a super secret, super awesome development afoot for most of the winter and into the spring. Cue the mysterious music and dramatic lighting. All shall be revealed in time! Dun dun DUN…

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Writing Book Giveaway: WRITING AND SELLING THE YA NOVEL by K.L. Going

October 3, 2011 in Site Stuff | 116 comments

I had so many responses on my post about giving away a copy of the 2012 CHILDREN’S WRITER’S AND ILLUSTRATOR’S MARKET edited by Chuck Sambuchino (I know only one of you won it…the rest should go out and buy it immediately, read it, love it, then leave glowing Amazon and Goodreads reviews), that I wanted to give away another craft book on the blog that I’ve recently read and really enjoyed. Clearly, you guys are craving some craft books!

This one is WRITING AND SELLING THE YA NOVEL by novelist K.L. Going, out from Writer’s Digest Books, but it’s also great for writers of middle grade. One of my favorite small things in this book is a list of fantastic considerations when writing historical — it’s a checklist of all those small things you don’t necessarily think about immediately when world-building. She also does a great job of putting you in the head of teen readers and including feedback from real teens on the books they like, the characters they bond with, etc. It’s a great resource by a very talented fiction writer.

It’s the usual drill for book giveaways. Leave a comment on this entry to win. No international shipping, so if you live outside the US, enlist a buddy who can receive the book on your behalf. Don’t worry about an email address, just enter it in the comment field that asks for it and know that it will be for my eyes only…it won’t be published on the site. Deadline for entries is October 5th at midnight, Eastern time. I’ll announce a winner on October 6th!

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Critique Connection and Webinar

August 31, 2011 in Revision, Site Stuff | 34 comments

Howdy, readers! Summer has been a bit slow on the blog. Do not fear. After Labor Day, starting next Wednesday, September 7th, the posts will once again be full steam ahead. In the meantime, I’ve been meaning to open the blog up to another critique connection post since early summer, and here it is.

Before I do, let me tell you about the latest Writer’s Digest webinar I’m doing. In July, I offered a picture book craft intensive, focusing very specifically on writing for the youngest readers. It was my first “specialized” webinar and it was an overwhelming success. (Thank you so much to everyone who listened to that one! I’m digging into critiques for it right now!) On September 15th at 1 p.m. Eastern, I am offering a Middle Grade and Young Adult Craft Intensive webinar.

This 90-minute webinar will focus exclusively into the craft of writing fiction for the middle grade and young adult audience. I’ll talk about the marketplace, strategies to really make your novel stand out in the slush, character, plotting, tension, description, setting, voice, submissions, queries, and much more. It’s the first time I’ll be focusing exclusively on MG and YA, so even if you’ve taken one of my webinars before, you will be getting brand new content. You can sign up by clicking here.

The bonus of my webinars, as many of you already know, is that they include a critique from me for every registered student. For this one, I will read and critique the first 500 words of your MG or YA novel (one project per student, please). Instructions for submitting will come when you register for the webinar.

If you’re having scheduling issues with the time or date, don’t worry. By signing up, you will receive a recording of the webinar (emailed about one week after the original webinar date), you will have the same chance to ask questions as the other students, and you will still get your critique. So sign up even if the time or date doesn’t work for you!

This brings us to Critique Connection. I’ve done these posts in the past and leave the comments open so that you can connect with potential critique partners. Here’s what you need to post:

  1. Your genre (ie: fantasy, paranormal, realistic, historical, etc.)
  2. Your audience (ie: picture book, MG, YA, etc.)
  3. A little about your manuscript (practice your one-line “elevator pitch”)
  4. What you want out of the experience (a critique of your XX,000-word mss., someone to read your first 3 chapters, help with your query letter, etc.)
  5. Your email address for potential partners to contact you (I’d type it in the following format: mary at kidlit dot com so that you avoid spam bots.)

Only post a comment for this entry if you are looking for a critique partner. I will leave it up until after Labor Day to get the most exposure for it. And while you’re thinking of getting critique, do sign up for my webinar!

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Blogs, Get Your Blogs!

February 23, 2011 in Etc., Site Stuff | 24 comments

I’m sure some of you could see this coming. Long story short: I’m going to be branching out with not one but two new blogs. One now, one next month. I don’t expect a lot of my Kidlit audience to transfer over, because of the new blogs’ (in one case) slightly related and (in another case) not-at-all-related subject matters, but I’m writing about them here so that you know what I’ve been up to lately and so you can see some new directions in my career. I’m also telling you about my other online dalliances so you’ll come visit me and tell your friends.

The first blog, which I’m launching right this second is an extension of the Kidlit site but for digital children’s books and story apps, called…drumroll please…

KidlitApps.com!

An obvious choice, right? You’ll see and immediately recognize the playful matching header by my client Josh Ferrin. Here, I’ll be posting app reviews, tech news, developer thoughts, industry insights, and the things I learn from diving headfirst into the digital book side of publishing, both as an agent as as a former dot-commer from the Silicon Valley. My goal for this blog is to ask a lot of digital book questions from the publishing/client advocate perspective. I’m breaking it out into a separate site because I think some of you guys would quickly tire of all the tech blah blah blah in favor of my usual writing/publishing/agenting tips.

The second blog is one I won’t talk about yet. It will keep the “…lit.com” branding of the other two blogs, but it will be about a totally different area of publishing and, gasp, one that lies outside the children’s book realm. (No, don’t worry, I will never, ever leave children’s books!) This will be about a special niche that is a sweetheart love of mine, and that I am going to start working on in the near future. This change isn’t inspired by anything major, really, or anything bad. My career in kidlit is going really well. I’m super happy. I love my kidlit contacts. So why this change? I’m sick of ignoring my life’s other great passion. More on that soon. Cue the mysterious music…

Out of wild curiosity, I’d love to know what my readers think this area of publishing might be. It’s something I have mentioned on this blog before. And, no, it’s not Green Day publishing. (Though I did go see American Idiot with Billie Joe Armstrong last night… I still hate the “story” of this one, but seeing Billie Joe on a stage again gave me crazy teen flashbacks.) Or Stephen Sondheim publishing. (I wish!) There’s not a large enough market sector of books about Green Day or Sondheim to keep a literary agent productive, unless you’re Green Day’s or Sondheim’s agent, though Sondheim’s Knopf books (FINISHING THE HAT is the first) are gorgeous. Please leave your guesses in the comments! :)

How does that change things here at Kidlit? You’ll hardly notice. But it will change my schedule, effective immediately. Before this, I blogged at Kidlit on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. In order to make these new blog ventures work, I’ll have to take one Kidlit day away. My new blogging schedule will be:

Monday: Kidlit

Tuesday: KidlitApps

Wednesday: Kidlit

Thursday: KidlitApps

Friday: Secret Project of Mystery and Wonder / The occasional article round-up, conference post, or random thing over at Kidlit

Plus, I have about two years of older posts here on Kidlit that are evergreen. I’m going to do a better job of highlighting those for my new guests while still adding content for my loyal, longtime readers. This way, I also won’t run out of things to talk about! More soon. In short, I’m ambitious and maniacally excited, as usual, and can’t wait to see what other mischief I can cause on “teh interwebs.” We’ll see how it goes, and you’ll hear more soon. In the meantime, check out my latest over at KidlitApps.com!

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Holiday Break!

December 24, 2010 in Site Stuff | 4 comments

Hey readers! Hope you’re having a fantastic holiday season so far. For those of you celebrating today and tomorrow, Merry Christmas! In the spirit of unplugging and getting away from the computer a little bit, I’m going to take next week off from writing new posts. Instead, I will repost some of my favorites from last December, when I did Revision-o-Rama on the blog. These will be really meaty novel craft posts that I still love. I will be sending links to them on Twitter and Facebook, so if you aren’t friends with me on either one, now’s the time! (Click the links to go to my pages.) Come back for those or, better yet, turn off your Internet and do some writing.

Happy late 2010 and early 2011 and…see you next year!

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What Are Your Writing Resolutions?

December 15, 2010 in Site Stuff | 28 comments

I’m a huge believer in setting goals and declaring intentions, especially during the holidays, when the whiff of impending change is in the air. This has been a fantastic year for me, and I’m happily looking back at all my travel, at all the great new books that I’ve gotten under contract this year, all the fantastic new clients, and all of the wonderful editor contacts I’ve made.

What’s on the plate for 2011? A lot more sales! New clients, new friends, new contacts, new business opportunities. New travel, too. As of today, I’ve been to 27 of 50 states (plus Puerto Rico and Washington DC). In 2011, I’ll be speaking in new states (Indiana, anyone?) and new countries (the SCBWI has invited me Japan and Hong Kong!!!!!!!!). See my events page for what I’ve booked so far.

In 2011, I’ll also have a new marketing intern, I hope. Don’t forget…I’m still actively looking at applications! If you want to apply or know anyone who’s perfect for the job, read all about this opportunity here.

I’ve spent some time these last few weeks thinking and journaling about my goals. I even want to start writing again next year, after about six months off. What about your goals? What do you all want to learn, do, and achieve in 2011? Pour them out! What questions are still nagging you? Ask them! With 2010 wrapping up, what would you like to share? I’m so blessed and grateful to have this great community of readers on the blog. Get to know each other. And if anyone is still looking for a critique partner for the holidays, don’t be shy!

Check back here on Friday for my Holiday Gift Guide…books I recommend for the writers, readers, and kidlit enthusiasts in your life. (It’s totally cool to get these books for yourself, of course!)

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Marketing Intern Wanted

November 29, 2010 in Etc., Site Stuff | 7 comments

I’m very excited to put out feelers for a part-time publicity intern, and I hope my faithful network of blog readers will play a big part in helping me find the right candidate. Please forward this post to all the young and talented marketing minds you know! (Unfortunately, this is not an internship for a slush or manuscript reader, though you will be the first to know if I ever need one.)

The internship is part-time, with a weekly commitment of about five hours. It is also unpaid, but I will sign for university credit, if applicable. The ideal candidate for this internship is a current student or recent graduate who is a Communications or English major and wants to go into marketing, PR or publishing. Recent graduates of publishing programs, MA programs or MFA programs could also be a great fit, as long as they enjoy the practical and business aspects of the industry. This internship will not focus on the writing, agenting, or editorial, but rather on what happens after a book is published: the marketing, PR, touring, and readership-building aspects of what authors have to do every day in order to keep their careers alive.

Why is an agent looking for a marketing intern, in particular?

My clients’ books are going to start hitting shelves soon and I want to do as much as I can to help these books get attention, garner sales, and gather readers. Getting that book sold is just part of my job. Supporting my authors as they launch their careers is a huge slice of the work.

What tasks will the marketing intern do?

This internship will be research and outreach heavy. Initial projects will focus on researching media outlets (blogs, podcasts, magazines, etc.), people (librarians, teachers, booksellers, etc.), and venues (festivals, conferences, bookstores, etc.) that showcase children’s and YA books and authors. Then the intern will develop marketing plans, strategies, ideas, and more, all while learning about publishing, especially book marketing. The intern will take a leadership role on press releases, outreach to key marketing outlets, follow-up, and more. This is a great way to pick up practical, real-world experience and play publicist, all while working toward a PR or marketing career. The ideal intern will be very, very skilled with the Internet, social media, and web 2.0.

How long will the internship last? Where is it located?

I’m looking for a six month commitment from my intern, from January to July 2011. The internship could last longer and turn into other opportunities for the right candidate and the right fit. The intern can live anywhere and work remotely, as long as they have computer and phone access. Most work will be done via email, with some phone or Skype meetings, when necessary.

How to apply:

Write a letter (one page maximum, be succinct) that emphasizes why you’re interested in publishing, marketing, and/or children’s books. Tell me what experiences you’ve come from, what you’re doing right now, and, most importantly, your goals for the future, both short-term and long-term. Give me a sense of your schedule and how much free and flexible time you have. Finally, what qualities do you have that you make you a great, outgoing, rigorous and self-motivated intern?

The letter should be pasted into the body of an email. Please include a work, education and publication (if applicable) resume, also, and attach it in Word doc format. Address your letter to me (Mary Kole) and email it to mary at kidlit dot com with the subject line “Marketing Internship.”

Applicants who don’t follow the above instructions will not receive consideration. Serious inquiries only; don’t apply if you have no time to devote to this experience. No flakes, excuse-junkies, drama queens, or whiners, please. If your application catches my eye, I will follow up with a practice task to test your marketing savvy.

Deadline for application: Friday, December 17th (candidates I’m seriously considering will be chosen and given further instructions by Friday, December 31st)

I can’t wait to hear from potential interns! Readers, please forward this to the brightest and most motivated future PR rock stars you know!

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Fall on the Blog

October 8, 2010 in Site Stuff | 13 comments

The leaves are turning, the spicy smell of pumpkin-flavored coffee is in the air, and I’ve finally moved the sweaters to the front of my closet. Fall is one of my favorite seasons. And this fall, I’ll experience it in eight different states!

Let’s just say that I have a pretty intense travel schedule coming up, starting this weekend. The good news is, all my travel will be for conferences or for pleasure with friends and family. As you know, I adore going to conferences, traveling, and meeting people! The not-so-good news, though, is that I’m going to be very busy.

For a complete list of my conference schedule, visit my Events page. I’ll be visiting Ohio, Wisconsin, Florida, and South Dakota to meet new writers and give talks. Mixed in with all that, I’m going to Boston and New Orleans (twice!) with friends and family, then back home to California for Thanksgiving and Big Sur. I’m on the road every single weekend through the first weekend of December.

I love traveling, don’t get me wrong, but it’s a huge time vacuum. Running to and from the airport, flying, speaking, doing critique, and still keeping up with, you know, my job and my clients…I tucker myself out just thinking about it! As a result, I’ll be easing up on the blog a little bit.

It’s still my goal to post on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, but I’ll also be featuring some guest posts throughout the fall. I’ll also share a bit more about my travels. You know I don’t usually like to post about me and my life that much, but I’m really excited to feature write-ups of the conferences I’m participating in. So expect to hear a little bit about the conferences, the questions asked, the things I learn, and anything else that catches my eye. People love to live vicariously, so I really want to give you more of an in-depth peek into these events from an agent’s perspective.

I hope you’ll still continue to read and Tweet and comment and email me. I love hearing from you all. And I hope you’ll forgive me if I have to miss a day here or there. I know it’s going to be a crazy yet exciting fall. Stick around!

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