The road to getting a book published may have many potholes and twists. Sometimes it has a complete U-turn. It helps to have directions when you hit the road. Most aspiring writers for children and young adults, including this one, discover the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators for navigation along the way. Special events for SCBWI members include conferences with editors and agents. For a small extra fee, participants may send a sample segment of an almost publish-ready manuscript for a one-on-one evaluation from one of these experts.
Naturally, deep in her heart, the writer hopes to hear, “This is the best thing I have ever read, and I want to acquire it right now.” The fear is that one will hear instead, “What made you think you could write? Why don’t you take up golf or gardening or goofing off?” The truth usually comes somewhere in between with the professional critique beginning and ending with some positives, sandwiched with any negatives in the middle.
In 2017 at a weekend SCBWI JambaLAya Conference, before Covid shut us down, I had sent my well-polished draft of a middle grade biography of Ezra Jack Keats for assessment by Cheryl Klein, editor for Lee and Low Books. Since that publisher shares Keats’ passion for diversity, I just knew she was a perfect choice for my evaluation. When my turn came to enter the little room for my critique, Cheryl wasted no time on a positive start. She began, “You will never sell this manuscript for middle grade. These students have finished reading Keats’ picture books, and they are not interested in his life.” Before I could even think of those three other options that started with “G,” she continued with praise for my writing and a suggestion that I rewrite with teachers and librarians in mind and seek an academic publisher.
My consultation finished, I gathered in the hallway with my fellow wannabe writers in the waiting area. Like a bunch of schoolkids comparing papers after a major test, they chorused, “What did she say?”
Two of my friends from Jackson, Mississippi immediately said, “University Press of Mississippi! You need to talk to Carolyn Brown and get the name of her editor. Do you know Carolyn?” I had met Carolyn in a previous meeting when she signed one of her books for me, but I didn’t actually know her. I knew she did not know me.
However, by the following Monday, I knew what looked like a nasty U-turn was headed in a positive direction. My email inbox had a notice, “Carolyn Brown will be signing her new book The Artist’s Sketch:A Biography of Painter Kate Freeman Clark next week at Oddfellows Gallery in downtown Hattiesburg.” An offer to buy her supper after the signing at the pizza place across from the gallery resulted in some good advice, an editor’s name, and a pretty good idea that I was headed in the right direction.