Comments on: Tell Me, What’s the Buzz?

By: Janet Grant

Janet Grant — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 20:31:30 +0000

You’re welcome, Gina. Glad I could put your mind to rest.

By: Janet Grant

Janet Grant — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 20:01:51 +0000

In response to Gina’s question, no, editors and publishing houses don’t stick with one type of book to appeal to one type of reader (unless they are a niche publisher, such as a crafts publishing house). They generally try to appeal to a broad number of readers for each book. But that’s a flawed thinking in our “revolutionized” publishing world, which I’ll write about tomorrow.
Last year for the editors’ panel, I believe all the books presented were novels (including two books I read as a result of hearing about them from the panel, The Lace Reader and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society). Several of the editors on the panel this year acquire broadly, including both fiction and nonfiction. Some agents specialize in children’s books (which include middle-grade readers and young adult books), such as our own Etta Wilson. Other agents represent mostly fiction. Some nonfiction. But both editors and agents work with projects/authors they love and are untiringly enthusiastic about. The book biz is a lot about what an individual is smitten with. And the editor panel was all about being smitten by a project.

By: Gina

Gina — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 18:20:09 +0000

Thank you for responding. I was afraid that I was going to have to look for an agent that only dealt with a certain kind of book and the prospect of narrowing down my agent search even further seemed a little daunting there for a second.

By: Gina

Gina — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 17:19:03 +0000

I am somewhat amazed at how the editors all picked books that were so different from each other. Is that the norm? Do most editors and publishing houses stick with one certain type of book for one certain type of reader? Is the same true for agents?

By: Lynn Dean

Lynn Dean — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 14:02:41 +0000

Not having read any of these, the common theme seems to be a search for answers–to societal questions, to personal pain, to the breakdown of families. I know so many secular readers for whom books really are ‘wisdom literature,’ shaping the way they view the world. As a Christian writer, this really lights a fire in me…and under me.

By: Teri D. Smith

Teri D. Smith — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 13:23:48 +0000

Fascinating. Especially your summation of it all. How exciting to be a part of it all.