Writers must face up to the reality of the publishing marketplace, is what Random House UK senior editor Kelly Cauldwell told a group of writers at a SCBWI professional series talk one June evening in London.
Cauldwell discussed how the acquisition decisions of today's children's editors are affected by economies of scale, cutthroat competition and a publishing culture that is becoming more like the adult market. She also talked about the rise and rise of writing to order - with companies like Working Partners pitching series ideas and then commissioning writers to produce the work. One could see this as bad news because such companies are BIG competition for the unpublished. Or one could see this as good news and try to get yourself discovered by such firms!
You can read the complete article on my blog: Notes from the Slushpile
Also based on the talk:
How to look at your work with commercial eyes:
Eoin Colfer got editors to read his ms with the blurby "Die Hard with Fairies". Beat that.
Trends in the children's book market 2005
"Fantasy is still going strong even though the market is saturated and the publishers can't face reading another trilogy about a dragon"
Happy writing!
Candy Gourlay
Cauldwell discussed how the acquisition decisions of today's children's editors are affected by economies of scale, cutthroat competition and a publishing culture that is becoming more like the adult market. She also talked about the rise and rise of writing to order - with companies like Working Partners pitching series ideas and then commissioning writers to produce the work. One could see this as bad news because such companies are BIG competition for the unpublished. Or one could see this as good news and try to get yourself discovered by such firms!
You can read the complete article on my blog: Notes from the Slushpile
Also based on the talk:
How to look at your work with commercial eyes:
Eoin Colfer got editors to read his ms with the blurby "Die Hard with Fairies". Beat that.
Trends in the children's book market 2005
"Fantasy is still going strong even though the market is saturated and the publishers can't face reading another trilogy about a dragon"
Happy writing!
Candy Gourlay