Panel: Listening to Feedback with an Open Mind

Welcome to SCBWI TEAM BLOG coverage of the 2011 Annual Winter Conference. Check in often throughout the weekends as we offer live coverage of the conference as it happens.

Today offers a Writers' Intensive and an Illustrators' Intensive.

Before the Writers' Intensive critiquing kicks off, an agent and two editors are offering advice about handling a critique situation.

Edward Necarsulmer (McIntosh and Otis): Do your best to listen, but also understand that I'm just one guy. There are plenty of books out there that I've passed on that have become bestsellers. (He's found 3-5 novels through SCBWI events.) He gets that the idea of criticism in general can be hard to hear, but it's about turning off the defensiveness, and understand the critique for what it's worth.

Julie Strauss-Gabel (Dutton Children’s Books): The thing that surprises her most is when she asks, "What is this about." She find writers often don't really know what they're writing about--her assessment is very out of line with what the writer thinks she's putting on the page. Critiques are about being open--it's part of your professional process. There's nothing personal about it. At least stop to think about why you are hearing a particular critique or why certain questions were asked. If you're in a ccritique group, remember that they only work if they include honest discussion.

Liz Szabla (Feiwel and Friends): I find gold here. (She's currently working with two writers who she discovered at the SCBWI Winter Conference.) Remember that editors are thinking about your work in terms of the market. Go into a bookstore and really look at what the market is right now. She finds that a lot of writers are really surprised when she talks about market--but market is important. Critiquing with editors and agents, is a way to get another sort of compass as to where you are with your writing.

Edward Necarsulmer-The Exciting World of Contracts!

I walked into a packed room to observe McIntosh and Otis agent, Edward Necarsulmer's speech on contracts. And Jane Yolen was in the crowd too!

First Edward gave us a handout with contract lingo to help us stay on top of the conversation. Some of the finer points he made were to demistify and run us through the process. He talked about foreign rights, and that he thinks that they are an import part of your book contract. He likes to hold on to them because he said, "Other than you and your editor, who better to pitch your book than your agent? And I don't have thousands of other books to push like a publishing house does."

He said having a savvy, business minded agent is crucial. They should know about print runs and price points before going into negotiations.

To be honest, I was impressed with his knowledge of contracts!! I'd never really thought out all the small print before.

My favorite line was when he said that he felt that "matchmaking" in finding a publisher was a lost art. It just showed me how passionate and respectful his was of the industry.

-Suzanne Young

NY Conference Photos

SCBWI official photog Alan Baker (spouse of Executive Director Lin Oliver) always takes tons of terrific conference pics. I've picked out a few of my favorites. Click here to view the whole lot of them taking during the Friday intensives and VIP party; the Saturday keynotes and breakout sessions; and the Sunday panels, presentations, and autograph party. You'll almost feel like you were there.

(All photos: Alan Baker, Copyright ©2009, SCBWI.)

Writers exchanging work during the Friday intensive.

Illustrators and their glowing laptops during
the Friday intensives.

The crowd takes in an engaging speaker on Friday.

Listening to Jay Asher. (That's Bruce Hale in
the hat, Jarrett Krosoczka to his left.)

SCBWI Illustrator coordinator Priscilla Burris
congratulates portfolio winner Dave Ercolini.

SCBWI staff members manning the table on
Sunday morning.

Agents look to Lin Oliver as she offers a question
during their Sunday morning panel.

Agent Michael Stearns answers (Lin to his
left, Alyssa Eisner Henkin to his right.)

Michael Bourret smiles as Edward Necarsulmer
addresses the audience.

Michael B. talks with a group of writers
following the agents panel.

The multi-talented Bruce Hale sings.


Richard Peck and Lin Oliver happy after the
sneak peek of Peck's Master Class DVD.

SCBWI staff: Sally Crock, Aaron Hartzler, Kim Turrisi,
Liz Brown, Gee Cee Addison, Brandon Clarke.

Conference goers in line to meet Leo and Diane
Dillon during the Sunday autograph party.

Parting Shots from the Agents

Michael B: Hope. Remain hopeful and look to the future with eyes wide open.

Alyssa: You're all here to be writers and artists. Don't let the doom and gloom of the industry take away from your creative endeavors.

Michael S: Success comes for some writers and for some it does not, and it might strike by lightning, but it will never strike there person how isn't all consumed with writing. (I'm paraphrasing him quoting.)

Edward: Quoting Bob Dylan--if you know what you're doing in your heart and you don't stop and you're going to mystify a lot of folks. Keep writing. Write something superlative. And things will go your way.

Do Illustrators Need Representation and Do You Rep Them

Edward: He's expanding this part of his agency. He thinks is can be a home run.

Michael B: He doesn't represent illustrators.

Alyssa: She represents author-illustrators.

Michael S: He represents two illustrators, one who started doing covers. It's different for him and learning to do it has been difficult

How Do Feel About Mutiple Submissons to Agents?

Michael S: It can be frustrating for agents, but he understands why writers want to do it. But by all means say so.

Alyssa: We definitely need to know if it's a multiple submission.

Micheal: He hates hearing from someone whose work he's reading that they are going with someone else. He encourages writers to talk to agents to make sure they're a good fit before you agree to work with them.

Edward: No problem with multiple subs with full disclosure. It's heartbreak when you don't know and hear someone got representation elsewhere. He hates when a client has sent his or her manuscript to every editor in town before he gets to it.

The rule: full disclosure with your agent. Always be above board when you approach agents.

Are You Seeing Differences in the Advances Today?

Edward: We will see fewer acquisions. The days of super high advances is behind us. They are correcting and are "earn-outable." Buzz-worthy books will remain but won't be so off the charts. Where the smart money is is royalties.

Alyssa: Remember advances are advances. In the ideal sence, your book will earn out and make money in royalties.

Michael B: We're going to see advances going down and royalties and profit sharing going up. This will trickle down to children's publishing.

What's Involved in Signing Someone?

Alyssa: She signs clients on a term-by-term basis with yearly contracts. It gives the agent ample opportunity to work with the client editorially then sell. There's a written agreement.

Michael S: They have a contract that's not on a term basis. It's not binding forever, just as long as we're both happy. It gets the business out of the way and let's them focus on the revision and selling of manuscripts.

Edward: He works on a handshake. He doesn't want to be held hostage and doesn't want to hold people hostage. Some clients want some sort of outline of terms in which case he'll write a letter. (Adults side of his agency does use contracts.) Finding a real book is like falling in love, he says, and this applies more in 2009 than ever.

Michael B: They sign an agreement for first book, then work on a handshake after that. They want to lay out how the buisness aspects of the agreement works.

What are the Effect of Layoffs?

Micheal S: It doesn't mean the end of the market

Michael B: There are a lot of problems in publishing that need to be fixed. But in times like this it's more important to have an agent than ever. We know what's going on and we can work to make sure you have the best editor out there. He said: Children's books are fairly helpful.

Edward: It's scary that there are so many talented people let go, but he acknowledged that there were sames changed needed. This does not signal the end of publishing in any way. The publishing houses in the end will be stronger. But it's more important to have an advocate than ever.

First Question for Panel: Large vs. Small Agencies

Lin Oliver (reading question from the audience): What do you thing the advantages and disadvantages from smaller vs. larger agencies?

Michael B: There are 8 people at his agency. The advantage of a small agency is the personal attention you can get. There's discussion and collaboration possible. He handles all his own clients without assistants and interns. We have a personal touch and a different philosophy.

Edward: If you get him as an agent, you get him. He tries to read everything that comes accross his desk. The advantage of a larger agency--fully functioning film/TV/stage dept. inhouse. The more proliferation of choices, there's more opportunity for writers to find the right fit. Interview your agent, he recommends.

Allyssa: About 35 people at Trident. One great things about being part of big agency is that since she has a full audio and foreign dept., it frees us her time to devote to her clients. Also, they don't use sub-agents for foreign deals in most territories.

Michael S: At Firebrand he is the dedicated foreign rights person. The great thing about a small agency is that everyone in the office is weighing in. They are all editorially minded and do a lot of editorial work. They pool their wisdom.

Edward Necarsulmer

McIntosh & Otis is the second oldest literary agency in the U.S. He started working as an intern at Random House, and then went into agenting, working at McIntosh for 5 years. He had a success story at last year's conference, finding an author at a first-page reading.

Things are cyclical, he says. When he first started, you couldn't sell YA. When he took over McIntosh & Otis, it was "picture books are dead." But things bounce back. These times of crisis are also times of great opportunity. I think we'll be resilient.

When he sends out a manuscript, he wants the editorial assistants fighting in the hallways to open his manuscripts because of his reputation.

He things parents will buy book for children before they by books for themselves.

There's a lot of streamlining, but at the end of the day, we'll see leaner, meaner, and houses getting behind known commodities but also take chances on new authors without track records.

Agents Are Assembling

Next up: Agents Panel: Selling Your Work in These Economic Times. Here are the agents who will address this topic and take questions from the audience:

• Michael Bourret, VP/Agent at Dystel & Goderich Literary Management
• Alyssa Eisner Henkin, Agent with Trident Media Group
• Edwards Necarsulmer IV, Director, Children's Dept., McIntosh & Otis
• Michael Stearns, Agent, Firebrand Literary

They are taking the stage and will begin in a few minutes...