Editor Panel Publishing Options in 2019 - Bethany Buck

Bethany has recently been named editor-in-chief for Pixel + Ink an imprint of Trustbridge Global Media, the parent company of Holiday House and Peachtree. You may remember her from her time as editorial director at Bloomsbury Children's or VP and Publisher of S&S's Aladdin and Simon Pulse imprints, as well as having been an agent at Sanford J. Greenburger.

Bethany talks a little bit about her new house: 

Pixel + Ink is bucking the trend, they don't acquire YA or non-fiction. "Our dayjob is to publish books, but we also are concurrently developing things for other media platforms like TV and apps."

"We acquire multiples in everything we acquire, we're also acquiring all rights because of our broad range of development."

Emma asks: Historically there's been the thought that if you submit a manuscript that you want to be a series, it's usually there's a waiting game on the publisher's part to contract for just the one title and see how it goes, and if the first one gets to the paperback, then they'll consider a series, so there's a waiting game, but Pixel + Ink is different?

Bethany says her new house is committed to long-running properties and because they put so much development into it from the very beginning, they'll take rougher pieces that other publishers might not take, they'll front-build for a long game, and want a lot of titles to be possible in a series, with those series titles already mapped out on their calendar til 2022.

What does Bethany want to see? 

A series proposal with a full manuscript. They're also looking for ghost writers as they are also creating their own intellectual property.

Last words from the editor panel from Bethany:

THINK BIG! UNLEASH YOUR EARLY, CARTOON-WATCHING SELF.

Bethany Buck: A Look Inside Bloomsbury

Bethany Buck is the Editorial Director of Bloomsbury Children's Books. She was previously the Editorial Director of Sky Pony Press, the children’s imprint at Skyhorse publishing, and a literary agent with Sanford J. Greenburger Associates, representing children’s book authors and illustrators. Buck began her editorial career in the trade division at Scholastic, and was also Vice President, Publisher, in the children’s division of Simon & Schuster for many years.

Bethany shares some of the history of Bloomsbury (their U.S. children's imprint is 15 years old), and cites some of their authors, best-sellers, and award winners. She speaks of some upcoming titles, including Carolyn Mackler's sequel to "The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big, Large Things" (and they acquired the rights to the original for the 20th anniversary of the original's release.)

They put out 175 books a year, with a "small, devoted team." They have offices in the U.K., Canada, Australia, and India. And their books cover the range, including: board books, picture books, readers, chapter books, middle grade, teen, nonfiction, activity, "new adult," and digital.

Bethany fields many questions from the audience, shares about their acquisitions process, and which editors in their house take the lead of which kinds of titles.

It's a unique, behind-the-scenes look at Bloomsbury Children's Books!

Editors Panel: Bethany Buck

Bethany Buck is the Editorial Director of Bloomsbury Children's Books. She was previously the Editorial Director of Sky Pony Press, the children’s imprint at Skyhorse publishing, and a literary agent with Sanford J. Greenburger Associates, representing children’s book authors and illustrators. Buck began her editorial career in the trade division at Scholastic, and was also Vice President, Publisher, in the children’s division of Simon & Schuster for many years.

Re: staying relevant, Bethany shares that she works to stay up to date on what kids are up to, keeping an eye on what she's publishing.

The panel touches on diversity -– and authenticity – of voice, on nonfiction, and on sensitivity (or "accuracy") readers, leveled readers, and more.

On many children's books ending with a sense of hope, Bethany says,

"Kids want to read the things that bring them up."

A final thought from Bethany for all of us in the audience:

"Be true to yourself. Be true to what you write."

The Editors Panel Begins!

Moderated by Ruben Pfeffer (not pictured in this close up)

With, left to right:

Bethany Buck, Editorial Director at Bloomsbury Children's Books
Zareen Jaffery, Executive Editor at Simon & Schuster
Kendra Levin, Executive Editor at Viking Children's Books
Arianne Lewin, Executive Editor at G.P. Putnam's Sons/Penguin Random House
Nancy Paulsen, President and Publisher, Nancy Paulsen Books/Penguin Random House
Sara Sargent, Executiv Editor at Harper Collins

And here's the long-view, with Ruben…