Editors & Agents Panel: Tiff Liao

Tiff Liao is executive editor at Zando's Young Readers initiative. Prior to joining Zando, Tiff worked at Henry Holt Books for Young Readers, where she edited the instant #1 New York Times Bestsellers Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley, Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi, and its sequel Children of Virtue and Vengeance. 

As we come off Dhonielle Clayton's inspiring keynote, the panel weighs in on the challenges the pandemic brought to the industry.

Tiff echoes the thoughts of her colleagues and notes that she's been thinking about flexibility and the way it creates uncertainty, but that it also creates a lot of possibility. 

On supply-chain issues:

Tiff has some reassurances here. She shares that there are so many people working on this issue around that clock! Also, know that your readers are still going to find your books, even if the pub date changes. 

How does BookTok fit into your thinking and marketing? Is it impacting sales?

Tiff acquires YA and notes that BookTok is a very powerful tool right now. Many top selling YA books are popping back up because of BookTok. Zando does incorporate it as a marketing tool, and into campaigns. But as a writer, Tiff says that if the idea of TikTok gives you hives, don't engage because it won't work right. Writers need to be writers first.

On centering stories and voices that have been historically marginalized and what authors should be considering: 

Tiff wants to address marginalized writers directly. "You as a writer have a much more direct line to what readers want as the creator of the story that speaks to them." Tiff also notes that as the industry shifts towards opening doors, you should also be judicious about searching not only for the right editor, but advocates and allies--partners in the process. 

Final thoughts:

Tiff says: Be kind to yourself....we're all in it together. And it's great that you found this community. 

Tiff Liao:

Tiff Liao is an editor at Henry Holt Books for Young Readers. She has had the pleasure of editing authors including New York Times bestselling author Tom Adeyemi, Jess Rothenberg, Margaret Owen, K.D. Halbrook, Henry Lien, Kristin O'Donnell Tubb, and Tochi Onyebuchi, among others.

First impressions matter.

Young readers are very exacting. They aren't going to slog through a book. Young readers need to be engaged right away.

Not only are young readers exacting, so are editors and agents.

Treat your opening lines very carefully.

What makes a good opening line?

• voice
• action (momentum)
• character
• mystery (questions) 

Don't make a promise in the beginning if you're not going to keep it.

Front-loading the opening of the story is a common mistake. Start with the character. There are many more pages for readers to get the rest. Start with a characteristic moment.

Characteristic moment should...

• introduce key details
• create instant empathy and/or interest
• create a memorable scene
• introduce the strength and the flaw
• kick-start the plot

A first line that has stood the test of time:
"It is a truth universally acknowledge, that a single man in possession of a good future, must be in want of a wife." -Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Some other great beginnings:

Editors' Panel:Tiffany Liao

Tiffany Liao is an editor at Henry Holt Books for Young Readers.

"What I love most as an editor is discovering stories that I would have loved as a kid and stories I wish I would have had."

In terms of acquisitions, Tiffany has a "subway test." If she's on the subway and misses her stop, or if she's waiting for her train and misses it, it's a book she has to try to acquire.

When reading manuscripts, Tiffany is looking for a transformative experience. She reads to escape. Sometimes it's a great voice that creates that escape. Tiffany has a term for it: a velcro voice, because it sticks to you.

If a manuscript is close but not ready, Tiffany will often ask for a "revise and resubmit." It doesn't happen often. It requires a leap of faith from both sides. There's no guarantee that the agent/writer won't take the manuscript elsewhere, or that the writer will receive an offer.

Even though editors say no, it doesn't mean a book is bad. Tiffany uses a dating analogy. If one is looking to date and a particular person ticks off all the boxes, it still requires sitting down with that person and having that right feeling for it to work.

It takes a lot of time to create an author/editor mind-meld, and as an editor, Tiffany says she doesn't want to lose that. The relationship is important.

The Editors Panel Begins!

Moderated by Emma Dryden (at podium), from left to right the editors are: Caitlyn Dloughy, Jill Santopolo, Tiffany Liao, and Daniel Nayeri.