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Adventures in PubSmart (part six) by Kate Tilton

by Adventures in YA Publishing

Today is the last article in the PubSmart series! It has been a long journey. I am so pleased I have been able to share all these tips and insights with you from some of the greatest minds in publishing today. Below you’ll find a few short notes on a popular topic, but don’t let the length scare you these insights have massive effects if used correctly.

If you are new to this PubSmart series please take a minute to check out the first parts of the series; IBPA’s Mini Publishing University, Social Savvy & Media Mastery, What Does It Mean to Publish? by Jane Friedman and Insights from Bestselling Author Hugh Howey and Authorpreneurship: From Cost-Planning to Funding to Reinvestment. Each session has valuable insight for authors of all stages in the publishing journey.

Session

Cultivating Influencers: Reviewers and Book Clubs
Speakers: Eric Liebetrau (Kirkus), Kiffer Brown (Chanticleer Book Reviews & Media), Lynn Bettencourt (Book Club), Shari Stauch (Where Writers Win), Tarah Theoret (NetGalley)

  • There are many professional outlets available to authors such as NetGalley, Kirkus, Winner Circle (from Where Writers Win), and Chanticleer Book Reviews & Media.
  • Authors can also look for reader reviews on sites such as Goodreads and BooksILove (a new app for Apple).
  • You can find live book clubs on sites like meetup.com.
  • You can find virtual book clubs on sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Goodreads.
  • Skype is a powerful tool authors can use to attend book clubs that are reading their books that may be a bit too far to travel to in person.
  • Authors should put in their press release that they are willing to attend book clubs.

I hope you have enjoyed this inside look into the first PubSmart conference. You can find out more about the conference on pubsmartcon.com. Videos of the sessions are available for purchase for those who are interested. If there is one thing I have taken away from this conference, it is the word “research”. As professionals we must do our research before we do anything else, whether it is writing, marketing, or publishing. We are blessed to be part of an industry full of people who are giving and willing to help each other on this shared journey. If you have any questions about this article, publishing, or social media please leave a comment below or connect with me on my website, katetilton.com. I look forward to going on this adventure with you!

About the Speakers:

Eric Liebetrau is the managing editor and nonfiction editor of Kirkus Reviews, the premier destination for pre-publication book reviews.

Kiffer Brown is the founder of Chanticleer Book Reviews & Media, today’s best books with editorial reviews and international writing competitions.

Lynn Bettencourt participates in multiple book clubs, including a club she runs located in Savannah that includes more than 300 members.

Shari Stauch is the creator of Where Writers Win, the team’s newest collaboration is The Winner Circle, vetted book review directories, book clubs and other cultivated resources for emerging authors.

Tarah Theoret is the Reader Concierge at NetGalley, a service to promote publishers’ (of all sizes) titles to professional readers of influence.

Related Articles:

About Kate Tilton:

Kate Tilton has been in love with books for as long as she can remember. Kate believes books saved her life and strives to repay authors for bringing books into the world by serving as a dependable author assistant. A cat-lover and fan of many geeky things, Kate can likely be found curled up with the latest Doctor Who episode, plotting world takeover, or assisting authors and readers in any way she can. Kate is also a self-proclaimed Twitter addict. You will find her hosting #K8chat, her own creation, every Thursday night on Twitter from 9-10pm Eastern.

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Adventures in YA Publishing

This is the user name for posts from Adventures in YA Publishing that did not have a specific author.

Post © Adventures in YA Publishing. All rights reserved.
Posted: May 24, 2014
Category: Imported from AYAP
Tags: Promotion

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The first slide is an animation of a science/magic room in a castle. A cartoon character of a mad-scientist looking man in in the foreground says: “Hello! Dr. Frankenstein here to say, Well Done on kid lit zombie week! I’m an expert at reviving the dead, and let me assure you, with a little spark, you can bring dead projects to life. Especially if you dig up parts from other dead things. I’ll even let you have a sneak peek at my laboratory’s store room to consider potential parts for your dead project. If you see something with a yellow glow, that means you should click it. Have fun!”

He points to the right side of the screen and a new scene slides in of a castle science/magic storage room. There are various cartoon Frankenstein body parts scattered around. Some of them have a yellow glow. If you click on them, the images below appear (I’ve added alt text to them, so I hope it works).

The Heart of your story is the main character. The protagonist is the beating core that truly brings your story to life. If your MC doesn't make kids (and their grown-ups) care within the first few pages, your story will flatline. </p> <p>Your main character needs to be:<br /> • Relatable enough for kids to see themselves<br /> • Unique enough to stand out in the slush pile<br /> • Active enough to drive the story<br /> • Memorable enough to survive multiple readings at bedtime</p> <p>Where do you find this amazing donor heart? It might be the very thing you loved so much about the manuscript you want to revive. It might be the younger sister from your shelved YA novel. Or maybe it’s the hilarious kid you blogged about meeting at a school visit. Find a character beating with potential and place it in the center of your story.<br />
The Brain of your story is the theme or central message. The theme is the big idea that controls everything else. Picture books are more than stories - they're tiny life lessons disguised with humor and heart.</p> <p>But your theme needs to be:<br /> • Subtle enough not to trigger the dreaded "didactic" rejection<br /> • Clear enough for a four-year-old to grasp<br /> • Universal enough to speak to both kids and adults<br /> • Fresh enough to prevent agents and editors from responding with "Not another sharing/bedtime/first-day story!"</p> <p>Check your other dead manuscripts to see if there is a recurring theme, something that really seems to be speaking to you. Find the bit of poetry you scribbled on the back of a receipt to see what theme inspired it. Reread the pep talk you texted your critique partner at 1am. Pick the theme that will drive your story, giving it purpose, direction, and deeper meaning.<br />
The Legs of your story is the plot. Not to be confused with a grave plot.🤪 The plot is what keeps everything upright and moving, as well as providing support for all the other elements. You have very few words to use in a picture book, so you need to do a lot with each plot point.</p> <p>In general, your plot should:<br /> • Hook readers fast<br /> • Build tension that a child can follow<br /> • Create page turns that feel natural<br /> • Wrap up in a way that satisfies</p> <p>You can borrow a plot twist (a leg) from one manuscript and the opening (the other leg) from a different manuscript. Consider if the subplot of the middle grade novel you trunked would work better as a picture book. Or maybe your Facebook post about a disastrous camping trip could become a story for kids. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other until you have your storyline.
The Arms of your story are the side characters.
The Torso of your story is the setting. Setting helps a story breathe and connects all the elements of the story. It isn't just where your story lives, it's what makes your story ALIVE. It's the difference between "this happened in a park" and "this happened in that park, the one with the twisty slide that burns your legs and the creaky swing that sounds like a baby crying.”</p> <p>Your setting should:<br /> • Make your character's world feel real<br /> • Contain your story in a way that makes sense to young readers<br /> • Connect different scenes and moments organically<br /> • Give your illustrator enough room to add visual subplots</p> <p>Half-finished manuscripts are a great place to dig up settings, since you worked out the place details before the plot petered out. Or maybe you had to cut a second fantastic location from your chapter book. You can also revisit the detailed caption from your Instagram carousel documenting your tour of that delish candy shop. Disinter a robust setting that can house all of your story's vital organs.

After you press the Click When Done circle button, the lights flash with the sound of electricity buzzing. Then the screen goes black and lightning zaps across the screen with the sound of thunder.

The screen then lights up to show the storage room, and all the Frankenstein pieces have been assembled into the whole monster. An upbeat song plays in the background. Then a speech bubble pops up with the words, “I’m alive! I’M ALIVE!” Then the screen goes to black. 

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