As with my previous Ask the Editor posts, I humbly ask that you take my comments in the spirit in which they’re intended. The advice here is meant to be friendly and helpful; I sincerely hope that no one finishes reading this post feeling vulnerable or discouraged.
I’d also like to add a general disclaimer that my thoughts are my own; I do not speak on behalf of my publisher or the publishing industry in general. I would not be at all surprised to learn that you’ve heard an editor or agent say something that directly conflicts with my perspective. Everyone in publishing has their own opinions and preferences, and I can only be honest about my own.
If you have any questions about writing, editing, querying, or publishing that aren’t addressed here, please reach out to me anytime. I’m always happy to gather questions for my next post!
Thanks, and happy reading!
Do publishers/agents look at your social media following to determine your marketability?
The short answer: Yes. But how much your platform matters varies quite a bit depending on the publisher/agent. And while your social media stats are an important factor in determining your platform, other things play into it as well: your website, professional connections, e-newsletter subscribers, conferences and speaking engagements—it all counts toward your marketability.
While building a platform isn’t usually a writer’s favorite part of the process, demonstrating that you have a platform (even a small one, as long as it’s growing) can only ever help you when it comes to querying, and more and more it’s becoming the expectation rather than the exception.
But no matter how big or small your platform is, showing a willingness to market your book is key. It doesn’t matter if you have a million Instagram followers if you never post about your book! Agents and publishers want people who will do the bookstore events, podcast interviews, book club Zoom meetings, etc. A can-do attitude goes a long way!
What leads to a publisher rejecting a book once they have gone through several revisions with you?
Ooh, that’s a tough one. I know on the surface this sentence doesn’t sound encouraging, but there are so many reasons that books get rejected, and most of them don’t have anything to do with the quality of writing. It could be that their list has filled up, someone else just published something similar, the projected numbers aren’t working, the list goes on.
There is, of course, a chance that even after revisions, the publisher still doesn’t feel like it’s quite working. It’s never fun, but it does happen. The good news is that, regardless of the reason, your manuscript is strong enough to merit their time investment, and that’s no small thing!
If it were me, I’d put the project away for a couple weeks, then bring it to a critique group, get their honest feedback, then revise as necessary and send it out to someone new. Publishing is maddeningly subjective, so what doesn’t work for one house might be a great fit for another!
What are some ways self-published authors can get recognition for their works without paying to enter contests?
I’m afraid I’m not a good person to ask about this sort of thing, since I’ve only ever worked in traditional publishing. If you’re hoping to get an award for your book, I do know that there are several book awards that are open to self-published works, though all of the ones I’m aware of do charge a submission fee.
Of course, there are tons of other marketing tools to help get your self-published book more attention if that’s what you’re looking for. If your budget is limited, start with some things that are little to no cost to you: guest posts on blogs, sending out free review copies, offering bonus materials…I’m going to stop the list there because we could be here all day! Be sure to check out SCBWI’s resources, especially if you’re wondering where to start. There’s a free downloadable Essential Guide to Self-Publishing Books for Children on their website, along with tons of other great info.
What criteria do you use to match the story with the illustrator?
Sometimes you’ll have a particular illustrator in mind when you acquire a manuscript, but usually (in my experience, anyway) the text helps you determine what kind of palette, art style, medium, etc. you’re looking for, and then you find an illustrator whose portfolio suits that. If it’s a bedtime book, for example, you may search for someone who does really adorable animals with a touch of whimsy. If it’s a nonfiction picture book about the Civil Rights Movement, the art style’s going to be very different from that!
Collaboration between the editor and art director is key—usually there’s a long conversation right after acquisition about the book’s content, what kind of style could work, what comp titles to reference, etc. Then as the editor, I get to sit back and cheer when the art director finds the perfect fit!
I know that in general you are supposed to use comps that are fairly recent in a query letter to an agent or editor. But what if a well-known old comp works best? Is it okay to use it?
Great question! The strongest comparative titles will always be recent ones, meaning books that have been published within the last five years, ideally within the past two. The purpose of comp titles is to help agents and editors assess whether there’s a felt need in the market for this kind of book, and what kind of book sales they can reasonably expect. So anything older than five years isn’t going to be very useful to them in that respect.
Because of this, I’d say you should use familiar old comps sparingly, and in conjunction with another more recent comp if possible. Few children’s books have true staying power, so if it’s an old title that people remember, it’s most likely an award winner or a classic, in which case an agent or editor will know that they can’t count on that level of success with this new project.
If you are going to compare your book to one that’s withstood the test of time, I’d suggest doing so in terms of conveying your story’s content, rather than its potential performance. For example, you can say your story is moving and poignant like The Giving Tree, or it’s The Giving Tree meets The Rabbit Listened, but avoid saying, “This book will stand up well against books like The Giving Tree.” It’s impossible to compete with Shel Silverstein!
When an editor emails to tell me that my manuscript "is not right for their house," but includes compliments about the work, is it too pushy to ask to resubmit after reworking?
In my experience, if an editor thinks that a project could work for their list, but the manuscript isn’t quite there, they’ll be upfront about what they’d like to see change and invite you to revise and resubmit. Editors always want to find a great new project, so they’re not shy about asking for an R&R if it’s something they see potential in.
But if they’re saying it’s not right for their house, it’s probably speaking to something fundamental about the project that isn’t easily changed. I’ve gotten manuscripts that I’ve personally loved, but had to pass on, simply because it didn’t match what we published or what we were currently looking for.
Generally, I’d say that unless an agent or editor invites you to revise and resubmit, it’s best to move on and try them again with another project down the road. You want to find someone who’s as excited about your work as you are! At the very least, I’d wait six months and make substantial changes to the project—along with researching their list to make sure it fits in alongside what they’re currently publishing—before trying again.
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