My second novel for young adults, Remix, came out last week, but before I became an author, I was an editor, working in children's publishing for a decade. Strangely enough, I learned a few lessons along the way… so here's a tip for every year I worked in the industry:
Non Pratt
- Straight out of university my sentences were so long they could last for a page. Writing non-fiction aimed at seven year olds soon sharpened up my sentence skills and taught me that direct is best.
- Writing for adults means you are writing for an audience whose experience and interests often align with your own. Editing books for children forces you to think beyond what you find interesting - no teenager ever wanted to read dialogue about house prices.
- Be patient. Not specifically with the process of being published, but with yourself. The stories I wrote ten years ago are not as good as the ones I write now: some people find their voice immediately; some people do not. There's no point rushing out the wrong book.
- Do not patronise. Ever. Children and teenagers get enough of that in day-to-day life, they do not need to find it in the pages of a book.
- It is entirely acceptable to submit to multiple literary agents at the same time, so long as you adapt your cover letter to each one and inform them that you've submitted to others. It is also acceptable to ask an agent who has offered representation if you can take some time to think about it. This is the first of many big decisions, don't make it lightly.
- Working as a fiction editor taught me that rejection isn't always about the manuscript you're reading. There are many factors at play and the quality of the book is only one of them, so try not to take rejection to heart.
- Once you have a deal, there's a lot to care about: editorial changes - from deleting a character to deleting a comma; cover design; cover copy… As an editor I cared incredibly deeply about these things, and your editor will too. This means you can be more relaxed!
- No two readers see the same story and there's no way of knowing what they will take from yours. Embrace the fear… but think twice about reading reviews. (Your editor or publicist will send you the best ones anyway.)
- Many authors' dreams fade to black after they've imagined seeing their book on the shelf. This is not where the story ends!!! In children's and teen - even more so than in adults' - you must be prepared to go out and talk about it to your intended audience. This means visiting schools, libraries, festivals, running competitions and writing articles. Be prepared!
- Write for adults and you are preaching to the converted; write for children and teenagers and you are not. Not every young person has found the book to make them a reader for life… maybe yours will be that book?
Remix by Non Pratt is available in stores nationwide from 4th June
Join the festival fun with Remix - read a sample chapter here - http://bit.ly/1B7bMi6 and head here to buy REMIX in full from Amazon - http://amzn.to/1cPvrHi