Time to Play: Revision as a Practice of Creative Openness with Melissa Manlove

Melissa Manlove is an Executive Editor at Chronicle Books in San Francisco. She has been with Chronicle for 19 years. Her acquisitions encompass picture books, chapter books, nonfiction, graphic novels, and novels in verse. When acquiring, she looks for fresh takes on familiar topics as well as the new and unusual. An effective approach and strong, graceful writing are important to her. She has 22 years of children’s bookselling experience. 

Melissa invites us to stretch. Like, physically get up and stretch. And then consider this. That we want to stretch enough to feel it, but not cause us pain.

It's the stretch, the middle point of where we feel it (without pain) that there is growth. Stasis is what we are easily capable of, where nothing is changing. If there's pain, we are not capable yet. There is no growth in stasis or pain. Many of us were raised to think there are only these two places: easy on yourself and too hard on yourself. 

In the middle is compassion. Where you know you're worth the effort and capable of growth!

Melissa give us the equation:

Reading

Melissa expresses the value in reading mentor text, and lots of them. Read a lot, and then read a lot more. Ask yourself many questions about those mentor texts, including: What did I love? What did I hate?

Ideating

Melissa recommends keeping an idea journal--writing every kind of idea down. "The more ideas you write down, the more ideas you will have."

Drafting

Melissa recommends an hour of quick drafting. Starting with brainstorming a whole lot of "bad" ideas, reflecting and then drafting several of them, and then reflecting some more. 

Revising

Defamiliarizing can help us get past the trouble of seeing what we have written and what we want our manuscripts to be. Try recasting your story as a picture book, middle grade, graphic novel, a poem, etc. (as something it is not currently). 

Other things to try: Write the longest and shortest version of your story. Explore structure. Explore voice. In this stretching place, Melissa encourages everyone--explore, reflect, explore, reflect. 

And then Melissa shares something really powerful sends hearts flying on the screen. The opposite of play is not work. The opposite of play is depression. Play is practice! 

So, PLAY!

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If you want to view this session to hear the full content, along with the rest of the conference, register at https://www.scbwi.org/events/summer-conference-2023. Replays of the conferences will be available until September 10, 2023. 

The Editors Panel!

top row: moderator Lin Oliver, sign language interpreter Brian Truitt, and Carol Hinz
middle row: Emily Feinberg, Kandace Coston, and Melissa Manlove
lower row: Sydnee Monday and Farrin Jacobs

Moderated by Lin Oliver, the panelists discuss what they're publishing and why, and then answer some audience questions.

Highlights include:

Kandace Coston, Assistant Editor, Lee & Low Books:

Kandace is looking for "strong female protagonists...unapologetic women who have been overlooked by history" but "whose contributions to society cannot be ignored."

Kandace speaks of POC and native creators and other underrepresented communities, and how Lee & Low's New Voices contest has for the last 20 years worked to create a path to publication for those creators and stories. (One of her responsibilities now is to read the hundreds of submissions that come in for the contest.)

She discusses the demand for greater diversity, and how "writing nonfiction can become a form of activism."

She recalls watching Hidden Figures in the movie theater, and the impact the true story of a brilliant group of Black women mathematicians might have had on her if she'd seen it as a young person.

Nonfiction is "an opportunity to break stereotypes... and the story of how our country is more multifaceted than we know."

Emily Feinberg, Editor, Roaring Brook Press

Emily shares about some of the books she's published, starting with picture books, and considers the through-line of many of the books she's worked on.

If Sharks Disappeared is a series that started as an infographic that Emily saw online, and then contacted the illustrator.

She cautions that she doesn't do a lot of picture book biographies as they can seem "wikipedia-ish," but then speaks of "Secret Engineer: How Emily Roebling Built the Brooklyn Bridge" as an example of how to do it right.

For older readers, she encourages playing with how a story is told, like the transcripts of sourced quotes in “Bringing Down a President: The Watergate Scandal.” 

Emily says her goal with nonfiction is 

"To give young readers the tools they need to be part of the conversation... To impart knowledge in way that sticks."

Carol Hinz, Editorial Director, Millbrook Press & CarolRhoda Books at Lerner

Carol is looking for “books that spark my curiosity, and that I think will spark the curiosity of parents, educators, and most of all, young people.” 

Carol shares categories and titles she publishes, including picture books that address science concepts in fresh ways, topics that may be be unexpected or "difficult," and middle grade nonfiction picture books on environmental themes (especially highlighting scientists of color and underrepresented backgrounds.)

She mentions science literacy, saying "the pandemic has made it clear what a poor job we've done with this in the US." She would love to see some novel approaches to help young people become more scientifically literate.

Overall, Carol says that about nonfiction, she loves "just how much is possible, in terms of topics and approaches," with Point of View and voice.

Farrin Jacobs, Editorial Director, Little Brown Books for Young Readers

Farrin discusses how Malala's story lent itself to spinning off to other formats, taking an anecdote from Malala's autobiography and making a picture book, and now even a chapter book. 

She speaks about how if its not a "big person with a big platform" then they're "looking for a story that will be picked up" for things like all-school reads and state lists and "have that long tail."

It's "all about stories and characters," and she talks about big idea books, and telling underserved stories.

Farrin says, "we're reaching readers when they're still developing" so she wants stories that help develop empathy, with "characters who feel and think."

Melissa Manlove, Senior Editor, Chronicle Books

With nonfiction, Melissa tells us that "you can do so many things."

And Melissa challenges us to ask ourselves, "What can I do that is new? What can I do that is surprising, and inspiring to kids?"

Sydnee Monday, Assistant Editor, Kokila/Penguin Random House

Sydnee explains that she's "Focused on publishing subversive, entertaining narratives" and especially the stories of Black, Indigenous and Queer people.

One example Sydnee mentions is the upcoming "Not Everyone Is Going To Like You" by Rinny Perkins

She speaks of self-sufficient marginalized communities, and using her list to celebrate underrepresented subjects and audiences. She's looking, in particular, for YA nonfiction.

Thanks to all the editors!

Panel: Publishing Options in 2019: Melissa Manlove

Melissa Manlove is a senior editor at Chronicle Books in San Fransisco. She has been with Chronicle for fifteen years. Melissa acquires books for all ages in nonfiction and ages 0-8 for fiction. When acquiring she look for fresh takes on familiar topics as well as the new and unusual. An effective approach and strong, graceful writing are important to her.

Chronicle is an independently owned published, but a traditional publisher.

"Being an editor is a really great job." It's very clear Melissa love to be part of the book creation process.

"There's a lot to understand about publishing." When it comes to self-publishing, you need to know how do a lot of things very well. But there are also a lot of times when self-publishing makes a lot of sense. "It's a decision to make with all of the information...and you know why you're doing which form of publishing you are doing."

Emma Dryden (moderator) offers that she often sees self-publishing in order to "hurry-up" the process and this not the reason to choose self-publishing.

As a midsize publisher, what do you offer that one of the bigger publishers might not do?

There's a lot of creativity and a lot of trust at Chronicle. They've changed the way they do acquisitions, with sales now absent from those meetings. (Though Melissa says their sales people are amazing.) But for acquisitions, sales often would say, "We can't sell that." But, they found that when they took them out of acquisitions (allowing them to take bigger creative risks), the sales team could sell "that." This is all so much of what Melissa loves about Chronicle, with them there is a lot room to take risks, follow passion, and they are a really tight team.

Final thought: "We are here for the passion of making art...and getting it out to people...find your way. Your way is going to be different from everyone else is. Your work isn't go to be like anyone else's. That's part of the fear of it, but that's also part of the magic."

Editor Panel - Melissa Manlove

Melissa Manlove is a former bookseller, current senior editor at Chronicle Books. She's the product of two teachers and therefore grew up surrounded by books, loving to read.

About her publisher, Melissa says, "Chronicle is an independently owned company in San Francisco. It's nice working someplace where this is a lot of creative freedom and no stockholders to answer to."

She edits mostly picture books, but Melissa also publishes chapter books, including one of my favorite series, CHARLIE and MOUSE.

Lin asks: What is it emotionally and intellectually that gets you to pick a submission?

Melissa says she acquires books for a lot of different reasons. But in general they are the submissions that move her in a certain way, and she is sure it will move other readers/audiences.

The magic is the bridge of knowing what moves you, and being able to translate that 'moving' to someone else, that is what will get you published."

What's a book you've published that was an unusual acquisition that defies your natural predilections?

Melissa says a 7,000 word manuscript about Josephine Baker would have never occurred to her to publish until it crossed her desk. An author made her interested in the amazing JOSEPHINE, and Melissa knows that sort of new-found interest/reaction is going to be the same for a child audience, too.

Melissa Manlove: Facts Meets Feelings - Narrative Nonfiction

Kate Messner (L) and Melissa Manlove (R)

Melissa Manlove is an editor at the legendary Chronicle Books in San Francisco. She acquires nonfiction for all age groups, and fiction for ages 0-8—mostly visual books.

Often nonfiction writers want to portray a clear view of the world with logic. The problem is that human beings respond to the world with their emotions.

Good nonfiction speaks to the heart and to the head.

We need to learn to jump from fact to feeling. As soon as your gut recognizes something that's important, the brain remembers it. "As humans we are very different from each other in the facts of our lives. But we are alike in our feelings."

"Narrative arc is about the journey from one state to another. It is about transformation." Sometimes it's about the character, and sometimes it's about the narrator who's transformed by information.

She gave us a few examples of how this works in books.

"Fear comes from knowing something terrible is happening but not seeing all of it," she said. That's dread—so that's how you'd make something scary. (See Katherine Roy's NEIGHBORHOOD SHARKS for a glorious example of moving from fear to wonder.)



Don Brown's DROWNED CITY, about New Orleans, takes us from dread to frustration to resolve.

JOSEPHINE by Patricia Hruby Powell and Christian Robinson, takes us on Josephine's transformation from fear and anger to hope and pride and triumph. There is a universality in her reaction as well as a uniqueness.



OVER AND UNDER THE SNOW by Kate Messner and Chris Silas Neal explores the isolation of being on top of snow and builds connection to creatures keeping safe in pockets beneath it.



Nonfiction helps us understand ourselves and the world around us—and can change the world. "Humans are good at thinking," she said. "The thing we're even better at is caring."

Happy Hour Hangouts

A new opportunity at the SCBWI Summer Conference, these informal conversations with faculty members including agents and artist reps (Ginger Clark, Erica Rand Silverman, Tina Wexler, Kirsten Hall and Brooks Sherman) and editors and publishers (Krista Marino, Neal Porter, Sara Sargent, Melissa Manlove, Stacey Barney, Kat Brzozowski, and Reka Simonsen) are a big hit!

Attendees with agent Ginger Clark

Attendees with Publisher Neal Porter

The Editors Panel: Alvina Ling & Melissa Manlove's Books They Loved Publishing

A dive into what the editors really love (and acquired!)

Alvina Ling is VP and Editor-in-Chief at Little, Brown Books for Young Readers where she’s worked since 1999. She oversees Little, Brown’s core publishing program (including picture book, middle grade, and young adult), and edits children's books for all ages. She has worked with such authors and illustrators as Peter Brown, Bryan Collier, Ed Young, Grace Lin, Wendy Mass, Justina Chen, Chris Colfer, Laini Taylor, Libba Bray, Barry Lyga, Holly Black, and Matthew Quick. She is the co-founder and former chair of the CBC Diversity Committee. She is on Twitter as @planetalvina.

The books Alvina shares about are:

For Picture Books, "Thunder Boy, Jr." by Sherman Alexie, illustrated by Yuyi Morales



for middle grade, "The Year of the Dog" by Grace Lin



And for YA, "Daughter of Smoke and Bone" by Laini Taylor





Melissa Manlove is an Editor at Chronicle Books in San Francisco. She has been with Chronicle for 12 years. Her acquisitions tend to be all ages in nonfiction; ages 0-8 for fiction. When acquiring, she looks for fresh takes on familiar topics as well as the new and unusual. An effective approach and strong, graceful writing are important to her. She has 17 years of children’s bookselling experience.

Melissa's books she shares with us - and the stories behind them - are:

"Picture This" by Molly Bang



"President Squid" by Aaron Reynolds, illustrated by Sara Varon

The Editors' Panel Begins!

Moderated by Emma Dryden (standing, far left), the panel shares three books that they acquired (and why):

Seated, from Left to Right:

Stacey Barney, Senior Editor (G.P. Putnam's Sons/Penguin)

Kat Brzozowski, Associate Editor (St. Martin's)

Alvina Ling, V.P. and Editor in Chief (Little, Brown)

Melissa Manlove, Editor (Chronicle)

Neal Porter, Publisher (Neal Porter Books)

Matt Ringler, Senior Editor (Scholastic)

Sara Sargent, Executive Edtior (Harper Collins)

Reka Simonsen, Executive Editor (Atheneum)

Kate Sullivan, Senior Editor (Delacorte)

Melissa Manlove: A Kick in the Gut: How We Discover the Emotional Core of Stories

Melissa Manlove is an editor at Chronicle Books.

"If you tell a story that has that emotional core, that has truth buried in it, it will feel real to your reader."

A story is most successful when its interior conflict is related to its exterior conflict.

Melissa shares a few examples with the room. Who doesn't love to hear a great book? Especially since she starts with Maurice Sendak's WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE.

Up next: LITTLE RED WRITING by Joan Holub, illustrated by Melissa Sweet, a funny and adorable story about bravery.

Next: CARNIVORES by Aaron Reynolds, illustrated by Dan Santat, a very funny story about self acceptance. By the end, these characters are going to need to accept themselves: that they're carnivores. And, these break-out attendees are giving it plenty of laughter.

The book trailer is equally funny. Check it out.

Don't put pressure on yourself to know what the emotional core is during your first draft. Instead, write it and think about why you wrote what you did. Likely, you've left yourself clues. It's your job to go back through and figure out what your story wants to be.

Melissa likes to think of story as its own character, it's own entity.

The Editors Panel Begins! What Makes An Evergreen A Hit

Lin Oliver introduces the Editors Panel.  From left to right: Namrata Tripathi, Andrea Pinkney, Donna Bray, Claudia Gabel, Allyn Johnston, Melissa Manlove, and Lin Oliver (standing)