Belletrinsic

I loved this idea from the Fuse #8 blog on the School Library Journal website: Picture Book Horoscopes! In honor of this fabulouness, I’ve created my own horoscope using the picture books published the year I was born as guides.

Jumanji + Outside Over There + Jump, Frog, Jump! + A Visit to William Blake’s Inn + On Market Street =

Tread carefully today as you must save your bookstore from goblins and a rampaging horde of beasts coming to life off the pages of the picture books within the store. But not to worry; a large frog will aid in your rescueas you travel on its back, jumping up Market Street and leading a parade of creatures to William Blake’s Inn, where you will all have tea and cookies.

The end.

With credit to these fabulous picture books for inspiration:

Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg (Houghton)

On Market Street, illustrated by Anita Lobel; text: Arnold Lobel (Greenwillow)

Outside Over There by Maurice Sendak (Harper)

A Visit to William Blake’s Inn: Poems for Innocent and Experienced Travelers, illustrated by Alice & Martin Provensen; text: Nancy Willard (Harcourt)

Jump, Frog, Jump! by Robert Kalan (Greenwillow)

I didn’t realize this post would be so long, so if you want to skip to the discussion on ethics, answer these questions in the comments or respond to others’ thoughts:

What are the ethics of publishing? Are they different for agents, editors, authors, publicists, and publishers? Does the Golden Rule not apply anymore, or is it now do whatever it takes to sell the most books?

—

As a journalism student in college, one topic was consistently drummed into our heads: ethics. The principle goes like this: if people are to trust the news you bring them as accurate, you must collect it in an ethical manner without distorting it or passing on known falsehoods. Makes sense, right?

Now that I’ve been working in publishing for the past six years, I’ve noticed that there isn’t as much emphasis on ethics. Though we hear of writers who plagiarize, lie, and do a number of other unethical (and sometimes illegal) things, it doesn’t seem as though there is as large an outcry as when a newsman (or woman) does the same thing. (An excellent example is the initial outcry against James Frey, but then a year later Oprah publicly apologized to him.)

I bring this up because last night a friend brought a very questionable “contest” on a writers blog to my attention. I’ll share the website and contest information not to humiliate the author, since I’m sure she did it with good (though selfish) intentions. More, I want to show the issue itself, as well as the public reaction.

NOTE: Please do not post any unkind or inflammatory comments on the blog. It will do nothing to further the conversation and will only stir up heated emotions.

I’ll let you read the details of the contest for yourself, though if the author decides to delete the post, let me know and I’ll add the text of it here. Read it here. My comment is on the second comment page near the bottom. I only named myself Michelle since I didn’t want to wake up to hundreds of angry/rude emails and tweets.

My initial reaction to this was disbelief. Why would a reputable agent agree to such a scheme? I checked and the agency is not a part of AAR, though that doesn’t mean they don’t adhere to the code of ethics. Also, previous to opening her own agency, she worked for several agencies that do belong to AAR, so she would be familiar with their canon. Here’s the text of the AAR Canon of Ethics relating to reading fees:

Reading charges. Members may not charge clients or potential clients for reading and evaluating literary works, including outlines, proposals and partial or complete manuscripts. Members may not benefit, directly or indirectly, from charges levied for such services by any other person or entity. There are two exceptions to this rule:

• Members may asked to be reimbursed for the actual cost of returning materials.
• Members may read or evaluate a writer’s work at a conference or other event where writers are charged separately for individual consultations.

The AAR believes that the practice of charging for readings is open to serious abuse and may reflect adversely on our profession. The exception for conferences is granted for these reasons:

• The agent is not acting independently but within the context of an independent writers’ conference.
• The potential benefit to writers cannot be duplicated in another manner.

This exception does not in any way dilute the AAR’s belief that literary agents should not charge clients and potential clients for reading and evaluating literary works in the ordinary course of business.

(http://aaronline.org/canon)

The author is obviously trying to sell books, and it may well be that she doesn’t realize the ethics involved in this situation, but the agent should know better.

After careful consideration, I decided to report this contest to Victoria Strauss at Writer Beware. That action wasn’t intended to tattle on the author/agent, but more to spread the word that these kinds of activities aren’t okay. If one author got away with something like this, I can easily see a flood of others duplicating the effort.

Of course, I knew the moment I acted that I would be lambasted and attacked by devoted followers of the author, as well as people who didn’t realize the implications of such a contest. The only comment I will make on this case is that, though many don’t see a problem with this contest, isn’t it the same as Fergie selling access to Prince Andrew? Money exchanged to gain access to an importan person?

—

Over the past year or so, I’ve realized that I can’t stay quiet when something I know is illegal or unethical. For a long time, I’d think about doing something, then deciding not to because it wasn’t my place to interfere. Each time I hoped a braver individual would step forward and call the person or group out for their actions. So this is where it brings me.

The larger issue here is that of ethics within publishing. I can list dozens of cases of questionable ethics within the industry, and those are the ones I can think of immediately. There are surely thousands more like them. Situations like OJ Simpson’s canceled book If I Did It, James Frey’s “enhanced” autobiography, and Last Train to Hiroshima with (allegedly) fake interviews.

So here’s my question: What are the ethics of publishing? Are they different for agents, editors, authors, publicists, and publishers? Does the Golden Rule not apply anymore, or is it now do whatever it takes to sell the most books?

I’m really curious to hear what people think and how they decide how to act. There is so much potential for abuse within publishing, not just with author/editor/agent relationships, but those between the author/publisher and readers, as well as with the public in general. Are we responsible for everything we put out there, whether we know it’s a lie or not? Does it absolve us from responsibility if the action was made by someone else, even though we were concerned about the ethics/legality of the situation?

I have my own opinions, which I’ll hold off from sharing until others have joined the conversation. And please, tell me your thoughts on how I should have reacted to this particular case. Is it more important to let some things slide, or should questionable activities always be brought to light?

Please respond, but also remember to treat differing opinions with respect. And name-calling is never appropriate.

I’ve decided to embark on a new adventure, and it comes after years of semi-pondering the idea. I’m opening a bookstore.

Not just any bookstore, but one catering to children and teens. We’ll sell books, yes, but we’ll also sell community, support, and education. My plan is to create a place where conversations happen, whether through book clubs, story time, or a chat upon the couch. There will be classes on to show adults how to write for teens and children—but more importantly, classes where teens and children learn how to write.

I’m posting a widget here that will show how the worldwide reading and writing communities are supporting the idea financially. If you haven’t heard of Kickstarter.com before, I recommend visiting their website to see the incredible things people are doing to improve their corner of the world, and then support them as well.

If you’d like to receive updates on the project’s progress, I’ll be posting to the updates page on Kickstarter as well as the Fire Petal Books blog (http://www.firepetalbooks.com/blog), twitter account (@firepetalbooks), and Facebook page.

This is why I work in publishing:

The author of Pocketdoodles for Girls* was so excited when I handed her an advance copy of the book, she started screaming, and then began crying. Seeing her so excited made me so happy for her and so excited that we’d produced such an adorable and wonderful book. I absolutely adore this book, and I’m not just saying that because I was the editor. I plan on buying a copy for myself to doodle in, and then giving it (and the boy book) out to every kid I know as gifts.

*The book doesn’t come out until March, but you can pre-order several copies now on Amazon. There is also a sibling book called Pocketdoodles for Boys that is awesome. So whether you know boys or girls, giving them these books will guarantee you the title of Coolest Person Ever.

With all of the talk of Best Books of the Year, Best Books of the Decade, Best Books of the Century, I thought it would be interesting to reflect on publishing as it was ten years ago. I’ll refrain from analyzing for the moment and instead let you see how much things have changed in a decade and (arguably) a century.

Below are various topics that have had a large impact on publishing over the last decade. Visit the links to see just how much some of these areas have changed since 1999.

Harry Potter

Twilight

Oprah Book Club

e-books

electronic rights/royalties

e-book readers

drm

iPhone

POD

Scribd

Amazon

Google Book Settlement

IndieBound [Number of ABA members: 5,200 (1991) -> 3,300 (1998) -> 1,200 (2009)]

newspaper book sections

Twitter

book trailers

How have changes in the publishing industry affected you and your work?

(I’ll chime in with my thoughts next week.)

Yes, publishers are pushing more of the publicity efforts on authors. There are several reasons for this:

1) Shrinking publicity and advertising budgets (plus they generally focus on the “sure wins,” so midlist and new authors have a harder time getting any of the advertising pie).

2) In the past, publishers had several steps removing them from their readers.

Publisher -> Sales reps -> Buyers for bookstores -> Booksellers/Librarians -> Reader (and somewhere floating in there are professional book reviewers)

That’s still the basic format for publishing, but it is swiftly changing. People are buying their books from Amazon, often based on recommendations from friends or ratings ordinary people post on the site. That cuts out the three middle steps. Amazon stocks just about everything in print, so there’s no need for sales reps to decide which books to push on bookstore buyers, no need for bookstore buyers to select which books the store purchases, and no need for booksellers to hand sell or reviewers to review because readers are choosing their purchases based on recommendations from friends and strangers online.

4) Getting a great review in The New York Times does not guarantee a large increase in sales—not anymore. Press attention does not have the persuasive buying influence it once did. Media attention is nice, of course, and should be sought, but it isn’t a golden ticket. What does help is getting great buzz in online communities, great reviews on Amazon and similar sites, and high sales rankings on Amazon. The reason for this is because it creates buzz and word of mouth.

The biggest example of this in recent years is Twilight. I realize everyone and their poodle has been talking about Twilight lately, but that is precisely it—people are talking about it. When the first book came out, it was relatively unknown. When the second book appeared on the market, I started hearing a more about it. I was attending the same university that Meyer graduated from, so we heard word of the books a little earlier than many. By the time the third book pubbed, teenage girls and middle-aged moms were shouting its praises. Now, I’m not sure if there’s anyone on the planet who hasn’t heard of these books. (This may be a slight exaggeration, but still.) What got this momentum going was word of mouth. Girls telling friends, their moms, their hairdressers, their teachers about these books. Now it’s an international phenomenon.

It’s hard getting published. Take it from me, someone who works both sides of the fence as an editor during the day and a writer at night. I’ve been actively trying to get published for more than a year now, and I’ve yet to get an agent or a contract. I’ll even tell you a secret: I’ve pitched ideas to my own house, and I’ve been rejected there too. Being an editor doesn’t guarantee publication.

Why do we do it? Day after day, we toil so hard to write, placing pieces of ourselves in the stories, bleeding across the page. It’s not easy—not if you’re doing it right. And yet we keep on, praying someone—anyone—will like our manuscript enough to give it a chance.

Is it worth it?

Working in publishing, I think a lot of us are asking this question as the future of publishing appears a little bleak. The answer I hear from editors, agents, writers, and readers is a resounding YES! Most people don’t get rich working in publishing, and yet so many of us work in this industry because we love it. We need books as much as we need air. Stories, words upon paper, give us strength to live. The magic that happens between the covers of a book surprises, delights, and fulfills. It gives our lives meaning.

Still, it can be discouraging. Months and years struggling to make these stories come alive only to be told no. It’s not good enough—not yet. And so we try again. Revise. Rewrite. Write another story.

I imagine non-book people think us crazy. Why give your life over to a labor of love that often doesn’t bring large financial rewards? They don’t understand. It’s part of us. We can no more deny who we are than deny our need to create books.

To answer the question “is it worth it,” I have one thing to say: the moment you see a finished book for the first time—glossy cover, thick pages, glorious images—it’s like seeing your child for the first time. All of the years going back and forth between editor, agent, writer, and illustrator. The discussions, disagreements, and frustration all had one goal—to create a book. It is beautiful and it is yours.

I have a confession to make. I read children’s books—and I like it. I also have a penchant for fantasy and—dare I say it?—romance novels.

Whew! Now that I’ve got that off my chest, let me explain.

When I was younger, my dad pushed me to read at a higher level than all of my peers. In the fourth grade I was given a reading list of literary classics that I was supposed to read. Titles on the list were at least high school level, though many were college material. (Those I remember included Huckleberry Finn, Johnathan Livingston Seagull, Man’s Search for Meaning, Brave New World.)

As you might suppose, I balked at being forced to read certain books because my dad said so. It wasn’t that I couldn’t read those books at that age since I’ve always been an advanced reader; it was more that I wasn’t allowed to choose the books I wanted to read. Plus, I was forbidden to read the popular series for my age group: Sweet Valley High, The Babysitters’ Club. So publicly I read his books, but at school and in secret, I read what I wanted to read.

Years later, I still felt the stigma of reading children’s books or those not considered serious literature. Fantasy, romance, and science fiction were frowned upon, though my mother was a devoted reader of all three. But since I showed such promise in school and reading, I wasn’t given the choice.

And then came an epiphany. Right before I graduated from college, I realized that I can read whatever I want, and no one has the right to judge me for it. If I want to browse the children’s section to revisit the stories I deeply loved as a girl, I can. If I want to pick up a purely escapist fantasy novel, I can. And if I want to submerge myself in a story solely involving romance, I can. No one has the right to tell me what I can and can’t read.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I love literary fiction, classics, and poetry. I often delve into them and enjoy it. But I take umbrage at the implication that I was less of a reader and wasting my time by reading fluff. I’m now at the point where I love reading all kinds of books and share recommendations for books encompassing all genres—without feeling guilty.

I don’t worry anymore about people giving me weird looks when I buy children’s books for myself. It still happens, but I don’t worry about it anymore. Instead, I feel sorry that they’ve limited themselves to “proper” or “adult” books. They are missing out on some of the most beautiful and poetic stories I’ve ever read. What does it matter who the intended audience is so long as the book is engaging, well-told, or just pure fun? It doesn’t, so enjoy whatever books you will without embarrassment. Reading is reading, and that’s the most important part.

*Disclaimer: My dad isn’t a bad person, but he did make a lot of mistakes doing what he thought was best for his children. He has since relaxed his stance and even encourages me in writing for young adults.

What is a book worth?

That’s a question often discussed at work when trying to decide how much a reader is willing to pay for a book. Sometimes we go back and forth, thinking and rethinking the perfect pricepoint for a title. Not too much that people won’t be willing to purchase the book, but enough that the publisher and author can get a good return on the product.

More than price, though, is the idea of value. For people to willingly spend their money on an item, it must have value for them, either perceived or real. So what do you value in a book?

I value quality content and writing, especially in fiction. I value quality photography in visual books. I value quality recipes (and an adequate number of them) in cookbooks.

So let’s look at books where (in my opinion) value exceeds price, and on the opposite spectrum, where price exceeds value.

The Notebook Girls by Julia Baskin, Lindsey Newman, Sophie Pollitt-Cohen, and Courtney Toombs. 2006, Warner Books.

I purchased this book tonight, though it had caught my eye before this. The reason for my hesitation in purchasing was the price tag: $22.95 is a bit steep for a paperback young adult book, though it is admittedly hefty at 352 pages. The main reason I broke down and bought the book tonight was content. As the shared journal of four teenage girls, I have yet to find another book (either fiction or, like this one, nonfiction) that has anything close to this content. So, in the end, there was enough value in the book for me to purchase it despite my earlier reluctance to spend that much on a book.

Flight of the Phoenix by R.L. LaFevers. 2009, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

This book attracted my attention immediately. I’ve read and enjoyed other books by this author, and the topic feels fun and interesting. The problem? I cannot bring myself to pay $16 for a 144 page book. The price is increased slightly because it is hardcover. And though there are illustrations, they are black and white, which doesn’t cost nearly as much to produce as if it were color. For me, this book is overpriced, and I will not purchase it. Instead, I will likely request it from my library so I can read it without spending anything.* Then, if I really enjoy the book, I might consider buying it.

My last example is a book at the extreme end of the spectrum. The Wine Opus, scheduled for release in 2010, will sell for $1 million. That’s right. A book is selling for more money than I’ll probably ever see in my life. But—and this is a big but—included with the book’s purchase is a case of wine from each of the 100 vintners listed in the book. As of August, 25 of the 100 books have been preordered. For the buyers of this book, the value meets or exceeds the incredible price tag. So although no one I know would consider such a purchase, there are people who find this worth the cost. (For more details on the book, see this article.)

So what does this mean for publishers, for writers? That is the big debate at the moment. With the price wars the big box retailers are currently fighting, the price of popular new hardcover titles have been reduced to $8.99, which is significantly below the cost of producing the book. The retailers are taking a hit on this one, but who knows how this will affect book pricing in the future. (For a more detailed analysis of the battle, see this article in Time.) That and the increasing prominence of e-books are causing everyone in publishing to evaluate how much a book is worth.

Realistically, writers have no control over the price of their book, but it is important for them to consider the implications of a book priced too high or too low. The bottom line on this affects everyone who will benefit financially from the book’s success.

*Admittedly, Amazon has changed much of the way we think about cost and value with its deep discounting. In the example of Flight of the Phoenix, the book is priced at $10.88. I would willingly pay that much, and a few dollars more, for this book.

I’m obsessed. Whether this is a healthy thing, I’m not sure. All I know is that every time I hear about a new book, my toes tingle. Then when I see it sitting elegantly upon the shelf, I want to run my fingers across the silkiness of its spot gloss lamination. I’m really in trouble when I slowly slip off the jacket to reveal the stark beauty of the case. The endsheets are like icing on an elaborate three-tiered cake. By that point I know—I’ve fallen in love with another book.

I try not to be promiscuous with my reading, but there are so many exquisite books to choose from. I dabble a bit in self-help then take a nibble on some cookbooks, though my ultimate passion lies with fiction. I’ve had many a love affair with Mr. Darcys and Mr. Rochesters, though I could never deny the distinct attraction of a Heathcliffe.

Working for a publisher, it’s like book porn day in and day out. I get to help choose the lovely wrapping that will encase all those words. Words I have labored over, adjusting and polishing until each syllable cries out, “Read me!”

You probably wouldn’t understand, not unless you’re a fellow book person. Only those of us who savor each word on the page like chocolate, tasting and sampling one morsel at a time, can truly understand the ecstasy of diving into the untold pleasures of reading a book for the first time.

But maybe you do. Maybe you’re like me, always after a new fix of the heroin called reading. So the next time you’re at the bookstore, peek at the tongue-tingling delights surrounding you. Bask in the glory of all those words. And maybe—just maybe—those books will love you back.