Ask The Author - Children's Writing Resource Center

ANSWERS FROM LAST MONTH'S
"ASK THE AUTHOR"

BRUCE BALAN

Before Bruce Balan became a writer, he worked as a messenger, plumber, videotape engineer, sailing vessel crew, nanny, bartender, dishwasher, short-order cook, soda jerk, sous-chef, programmer, computer systems and software designer and consultant.

Bruce attended the University of California at Santa Cruz for 2 years where he majored in Physics. He finished his undergraduate degree at San Francisco State University where he graduated Summa Cum Laude with a BA in Radio and Television Production in 1981. He began writing for children in 1985 while living in London, England. His first book, The Cherry Migration, published in 1988, was inspired by the time he spent working as a soda jerk there. After returning to the United States, Bruce continued writing while pursuing a career in software design. This lead to his position as head of technical development at a small software development firm which he helped establish.

In 1993 Bruce left the firm he founded to spend more time writing. Because of his background in software design and his love of children’s literature it was natural that Bruce began working in the world of multimedia. He has written for a variety of multimedia titles including Reading SEARCH by Great Wave Software.

Bruce is the author of many books for children, including his picture books The Cherry Migration, Jeremy Quacks, What I Saw at Sea, The Moose in the Dress and Pie in the Sky. His middle-grade fiction series, Cyber.kdz, breaks new ground in children’s literature by combining high-tech adventure, international characters and real personal issues faced by children worldwide. The series is published by Avon Books. Buoy, Home at Sea, is Bruce's newest book. It is published by Delacorte Press (Bantam Doubleday Dell).

Bruce serves on the Board of Directors of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and The Read In! Foundation. He is Technology Advisor to the SCBWI and a requested speaker at conferences and schools.

Bruce Balan’s Office is a unique site on the World Wide Web and was the first site created by a North American author. For more information about the Cyber.kdz series visit Cyber.kdz.com.

1) I just checked out your web site. It only took me three tries to get
nine slang questions right. My question is, how important do you think web
sites will be as a marketing tool for children's books in the next few
years? How will editors and authors let kids know these sites are
available to promote books rather than letting them find out the sites are
available after they purchase the books (for example, by including the URL
in the book itself)?

Congrats on getting nine Cyber.kdz slang questions right. The real question here is, did you get nine right after reading the book or before. Also, to consider yourself a true Cyber Kid, you do need to them all right in only one try.

For all retail products — books included — Web sites are becoming important marketing tools. Right now, I don’t think a Web site will make or break the future of a book, unless it is a Web-related book (e.g., www.killersites.com). But a site provides a great link to your audience. And it is a communication channel that can reach the entire world. Something an author never had before the Net.

Remember that young readers hunger for more info about their favorite books, series, authors, etc. The Web is often the first place they will look. The wonderful thing about the Web is that you can create a connection with all your readers and let them know about you, your other books and the inspiration for your current books (which is what probably brought them to your site in the first place). I think it is very exciting that we have the channel. We should make good use of it and not just fill the Web up with a lot of blah, blah, blah. Try to give your Web visitors something that will enhance their visit; not just a marketing spiel. That’s when the Web really serves a purpose.

As you mentioned, the obvious way to let readers know about a site is to publish the address in the book itself. I did this in my Cyber.kdz series. That site currently has about 30,000 visitors a year. It is crucial that authors make sure their sites are listed in the major search engines (Yahoo, Yahooligans, Excite, AltaVista, etc.). If you don’t have your site listed with the search engines, you are wasting your time on the Web because it is the main resource for finding information (and when a reader finishes your book and says “I need more,” the search engines are where she’s going to go to find it). Besides that, it’s a matter of including your Web address on all of your marketing materials and mentioning it whenever you speak.

2) I am currently working on a children's fantasy. I understand that publishers are seeking stories that are different because they receive so many submissions nowadays. As a beginning writer I feel a little intimidated by hearing how difficult it is to get a children's book published. I have a copy of the 1998 Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market and understand what is required in sending queries and synopsis to publishers. Should I press on in this endeavor?

Yes. Definitely. Absolutely. For sure.

I know very few writers who didn’t get tons of rejection letters before making a sale. In fact, I still do. My most recent book, “BUOY, HOME AT SEA” was rejected 24 times. Remember, it’s just part of the game. If you have a good story, and write it well, it will find a home. It just may take a while.

(And never forget that Dr. Seuss’s first book received 26 rejections!)

3) I have a writer friend who would like me to help her with the
illustrating of her picture book on sphinx cats. She usually writes adult
fiction, but has branched out to children's fiction with this work. My
question: I know that publishers prefer to choose the illustrator for a
writer, and I have told her that. Is there any hope of us collaborating on
this and succeeding?

Editors often feel that it is infringing on their domain when you create an author-illustrator team before a sale. However, if you feel strongly that your work compliments your friend’s writing style, then it’s worth a shot. But follow this advice:

1. In your cover letter to the editor, include a succinct sentence or two letting the editor know why your art compliments this story.

2. Also make it clear that the art and writing are not irrevocably tied together and you are willing to sell one without the other.

3. Have a discussion with your friend BEFORE you submit. Agree together that you will still remain friends if the editor only buys the story and not the art, or vice-versa.

4) I am an artist with a desire to write children's story. I have completed
a story that I feel it would work well in the multimedia field. I am
interested in designing and illustrating my own story for the computer. I
would like to know if there is a program that will help me make this idea a
reality?

When it comes to writing, there are several programs that can help you think through, design, plot and organize your project. Check out The Writers’ Computer Store for more information on these: http://writerscomputer.com

If you want a program to actually create the multimedia project, I would look at MacroMedia Director (http://www.macromedia.com). It is an excellent product that is highly regarded in the industry.

5) I was wondering if you find a publisher who does want to buy your story,
is there anything in the contract that you should watch out for before
signing?

Avoid the clause about “first-born child.” It will get you every time.

There is a lot to watch out for. In fact, too much to go into in a short answer. But here are a few things:

1. Reversion of Rights: How does this happen and does it happen in a timely manner if the book goes out of print?
2. Reversion of Sub-rights: If you sell sub-rights to the publisher (e.g., electronic, foreign, theatrical), they should revert to you if the publisher does not exercise them in a specified period (say, 3 years).
3. Avoid clauses that include selling electronic rights including “technologies which do not exist.” It is wrong for the publishers to make authors do this and they should be ashamed of themselves.
4. If they offer you “clams” instead of “dollars,” look elsewhere to sell your work.

6) If all I get from publishers are rejections, how will I ever be able to
tell if my work is any good?

Good is a bit subjective, isn’t it? Do publishers want to publish only good books? If you go to the bookstore and look at the newest publications, you will see instantly that that cannot possibly be the case.

So here’s what you need to do. First of all, give yourself some distance from your work. Don’t finish it and mail it instantly. Let it sit for several weeks (or months), then read it again and judge for yourself (honestly): Is this a well-written, interesting, publishable story? I fool myself all the time. I finish banging out a story, read it before I go to bed and fall asleep with a smile on my face thinking I’ve just written the next Newbery award winner. When I re-read it In the morning… bleccchhh!

Also, you can join, or create, a critique group. Choose your group members carefully. Make sure you work with people who are sensitive, have aesthetic values you trust, and are familiar with books of the genre you write for. (Joining the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators — http://www.scbwi.org — is a great way to get in touch with other writers who want to form critique groups).

Finally, I have some stories that have received nothing but rejections. They live in my computer where someday I may rewrite them. I think a few of these stories are great, but I haven’t convinced any editors. At this point, it doesn’t matter who is right. The fact is, I’ll need to rewrite if I want them published. Remember, everything you write—even if it is good—doesn’t necessarily belong in a book. Sometimes we need to finish a story just to clear it our of our heads to make room for the next one. And everything we write helps to improve our skill at our craft.

7) How do you know if the length of your manuscript is sufficient? Is
there a minimum number of words a manuscript has to be in order to be
considered an actual book or novel? I have written a manuscript for middle
readers that is 50 pages typed, double-spaced and fear it might be too short to be considered a book. Thanks for your input!

How do you know if your legs are long enough? If they reach from your body to the ground. Same goes for a book. If your manuscript is long enough to tell your story so it touches your reader and keeps them engrossed, it is long enough. Look at Sarah, Plain and Tall. Hardly a long book — but certainly very powerful.

There are some rough guidelines available on the SCBWI site (http://www.scbwi.org) under the publications section (click on “From Typewriter To Printed Page… Facts You Need To Know”).

8) I can't seem to get any information on the sensitive subject of advances
and royalties. I'm interested in knowing what kind of a living a successful
author or illustrator can make. I would appreciate any information.

Frankly, it is difficult to make a living as a children’s book author. Only the top few best-selling authors make a lot of money. Many mid-list authors make a large percentage of their income from speaking engagements at schools (most authors charge between $200 and $1,000 per day).

Standard royalties in the industry for a picture book are 5% for the author and 5% for the illustrator (on the retail price). Advances vary a great deal depending on the publisher and the author or illustrator’s track record. It seems that advances for first-time authors are in the $3,000 - $6,000 range (but you can always ask for more — not that you’ll get it). A typical print run for a first time picture book is 7,500 - 12,000. You can do the math. At $15.00 retail you’ll get $7,500 if the first run sells out (which does not always happen). So unless you have a lot of books published, or have a hit, it is difficult to make a living. I’ve heard various authors or agents say that you really can’t make a good living on royalties until you have 30 books in print. But of course that depends on how well your books sell.

You can make a living from speaking at schools but this usually requires a lot of travel. Some authors like it and some don’t. You can also teach courses, speak at conferences and sell your books to increase your income.

Sorry for the grim news. But the reality is, you should write children’s books because you love to write, not because you are going to get rich. That’s what most authors do and that’s why there are a lot of wonderful books written for young people.

9) I have written a children's book and illustrated it more to keep my
focus on the physical appearance of the main characters -- which is
important to the story. I am no artist but think they make the story come
alive. Should I include some of them in my query or not?

You said it yourself, you are no artist. Sorry to be so blunt but I don’t know that bad art ever helped sell a story. Work on your writing so that it creates a wonderful image of your characters in the editor’s eye. Your words should make the story come alive, not your art.

10) We received several questions from young adults (mostly 13 or 14 years
old) who said they wanted to become writers, and wondered if you had any
advice on how they could get started, or how to get adults to take their
dreams seriously.

It’s tough that young adults need to ask how to get adults to take their dreams seriously. If you ask me, that’s what adults are for! But here’s something to remember. If you send in your work to an editor, you do not have to tell them your age. Just remember to write well, rewrite a great deal, do your research on the correct publishers to submit to, and submit your materials in a professional manner. Check out the CBI site for tips how to accomplish this. An editor will buy a great story whether it is written by someone 13 or 73.

And finally, regardless of what adults say or do, hold tight to your dreams. They are what make life worthwhile.