When You Need an Editor...
I belong to two critique groups - one in-person and one online, and they are both fantastic.
Nothing can take the place of a good critique group, but sometimes you find yourself with a manuscript that you
know is good but it just isn't getting the response you want - whether that's being picked up by an agent or editor or getting more readers.
It may be time to consider hiring a freelance editor. One who comes with a great deal of publishing experience and knows the current market for your genre.
Here are a few I've worked with, and I would recommend them all whole-heartedly. I am not receiving any financial benefit for recommending these folks to you. I just know that when it comes time to make a big investment in your work, you want to go with someone highly qualified and trustworthy. Even if you are not in need of an editor at the moment, I suggest you tuck this email away so you can come back to it when and if you do.
Here are freelance editors I recommend, listed in the order that I have worked with them:
Laura Backes -- Laura is the publisher of
Children's Book Insider Newsletter, has worked in the field of children's writing since 1986 and has held positions with several publishers including Ballantine and Farrar, Straus & Giroux. She is a former literary agent and freelance editor. Laura has critiqued over 2000 manuscripts, picture books through young adult, fiction and nonfiction, from all levels of writers.
I worked with Laura on a storybook app proposal. The raw manuscript was one I loved but that had fatal flaw I could not figure out how to fix. Laura saw the problem right away, the proverbial lightbulb went off, and I knew immediately what to do. That app proposal - for
A TROOP IS A GROUP OF MONKEYS - went on to get a contract with
Little Bahalia Publishing.
Laura also helped me understand why another of my picture book manuscripts really needed to become a chapter book.
Tamson Weston - Tamson is a published children's author and editor with over 15 years experience at pubishing houses including HarperCollins, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and Disney Hyperion. She has edited many acclaimed and award-winning books for children of all agents. The authors she's worked with include Adam Rex, Mac Barnett, Anne Rockwell, Marilyn Singer and more.
I first "met" Tamson when she joined my
12 x 12 in 2012 picture book writing challenge. She applied her generous talent to a
pitch contest on my blog, and wrote one of the bests posts I've ever read on
what constitutes a good pitch.
Later, I had a consultation with Tamson where she looked at three of my manuscripts, gave me wonderful editorial advice on all three and helped me evaluate the marketability of each. Her feedback was invaluable as I developed a submissions strategy for my completed work.
Emma Dryden -- Over the course of her twenty-five year career in publishing, Emma has edited nearly 500 books for children and young readers in all genres. Emma worked as an Associate Editor for Margaret K. McElderry at Macmillan Children's Books and later became Vice President and Publisher of two Simon & Schuster imprints -- Atheneum Books for Young Readers and Margaret K. McElderry Books. Many of the books Emma edited hit the bestseller lists in
The New York Times,
The Washington Post and
Publisher's Weekly and received numerous awards and medals.
I was first able to tap into Emma's wealth of experience when I interviewed her for a couple of
articles on digital publishing. I was impressed not just by her knowledge, but also her generosity with her time.
Later, I hired Emma to help me work on a manuscript that was, "close, but no cigar." She helped me see some big picture issues that were holding it back. I told her, at the end of our time together, that I felt like I'd just taken a "creative vacation." What's more, she gave me an excellent roadmap to improve my manuscript. I felt more excited to get back to work after our session than I had in at least a year.
Emma Walton Hamilton --
Emma is a best-selling children’s book author (6 times on the NY Times Bestseller list, including twice at #1). And, as Editorial Director of the Julie Andrews Collection publishing program, she has shepherded dozens of books by other authors through the publication process. Because she is an author as well as an editor, Emma uniquely understands the challenges and nuances of creating a successful children’s book. I had a consultation with Emma at a time I was experiencing "feedback fatigue" on a couple of manuscripts I'd been working on for a while. I felt discouraged and uninspired. Emma, as an author, understands perfectly the angst, frustration and, yes, elation that comes with the writing process. She was able to bring that empathy along with her editing skills to get me sufficently excited about my work again. I came away with a clear view of what to do next and the anticipation of sitting down to write.
Simone Kaplan -- Simone has been editing children's books and magazines for over 20 years. She was formerly an editor at Henry Holt and Company and then a Senior Editor at HarperCollins Children's Books. Simone has worked on many critically and commercially acclaimed books, including the Bill Martin Books series and the Growing Tree line.
I have not worked with Simone personally, but several of my friends have and reported back being very happy. I do, however, subscribe to Simone's newsletter,
Picture Book People, and it is my
favorite of all the newsletters I subscribe to (which is a great many). At a time when every third person you meet tells you you're crazy if you want to write picture books, in each issue, Simone talks us off the ledge by providing encouragement from someone who obviously loves the genre, combined with solid advice for improving your craft. If you don't yet subscribe and you're a picture book writer, go do so
RIGHT NOW! I hope these references are helpful to you, and if you work with any of these fantastic editors, drop me a line and let me know how it went for you!
Ciao for now,
Julie
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