I entered the Busch Center feeling pretty nervous. I had everything I needed: copies of my manuscript, snazzy new business cards (that I printed for FREE from Vistaprint), an outfit that I thought was professional and a bit artsy, and lots of questions.Gathering Confidence...
I put on my name tag and entered the breakfast room. I was SOOO glad I'd already eaten breakfast at the hotel, because the food wasn't great and I was too nervous to eat by then. I sat down at a table and started talking to the other writers/conference attendees. I got an immediate boost of confidence when the girl next to me said she and all the people in her writer's group had applied for the past FIVE YEARS to get into the conference. Perhaps I had beginner's luck - but I also think being published (my articles) helped a lot with my application too.
There were writers from all over the country: Los Angeles, Conneticut, Arizona, North Carolina...
Five-On-Five...
So, the difference between the Rutgers conference and other conferences is that 1. You have to apply and only 1/6 of the applicants get accepted. 2. You are guaranteed face time with an agent, editor, or author where you can get hands-on help with your manuscript. 3. You can bring a work in progress. You do not need to have a finished manuscript.
My five-on-five session was great--besides my initial shock at how YOUNG the agents and editors are (SERIOUSLY YOUNG - like in their mid-twenties, as in, at least a decade younger than myself!!).
But I learned a lot. I learned what editors really want in a cover letter. I learned that when they ask for a synopsis of your book, they really want a synopsis, not a book-jacket teaser. I learned that each publishing house has a "feel" to them. I gravitated toward the Candlewick Press editors - they seemed more mature and more conservative. I left with five business cards and a promise from them that if I submitted my work, they would read it and provide real feedback.
The bad news: I asked how many new writers an editor will "find" in a year...how many projects are accepted through normal submission process? The bad news answer: One. One out of thousands of submissions. Shannon Hale says getting published is like winning the lottery. In terms of odds, she's right.
One-On-One...
Here was my big moment! My pitch to Annette (who works for Simon Pulse - a division of Simon and Schuster). She loved my concept and idea - especially the twist on Guardian Angels and the mystery subsplot with the murder and the clues left behind in a paperback copy of Hamlet. The most helpful moment was when she silently read my third and seventh chapters, but spoke aloud all her editorial thoughts and questions. I took notes like mad!
She asked to see a copy of the manuscript when I've finished, which is a good sign. BUT...
I learned fairly quickly that she and I (meaning Simon Pulse and I) are probably not the best fit. She told me about a recent project which is pushing the limits of YA fiction. She said "It's about incest, and it's wonderful. By the time you get to the incest, you're rooting for it." REALLY?! In my mind, incest and wonderful should not even be in the same sentence.
In other words, my novel (which has themes of redemption, choice/accountability, and forgiveness) probably isn't gritty enough for Simon Pulse.
Books Matter...
The keynote speaker was Deborah Heiligman (she wrote "Charles and Emma" which I fully intend to order on Amazon). She said that when she was young her parents wanted her to be a surgeon so she could save lives. Nothing could be more noble.
Then she looked out over the podium and this room filled with aspiring writers and said. "As a writer of children's literature...you are saving lives! Books matter. They save lives!"
I got a bit choked up as her statement resonated deeply with me. I thought of the books that have touched my life (I Heard the Owl Call My Name), that have contributed to the way I think about the world (The Book Thief), that have made me want to be a writer (The Penderwicks, Edward Tulane, The Underneath...). Yes, books save lives.
I walked out of the Busch Center with a mixture of emotions. I basically wanted to cry. I was a bit overwhelmed with the stress of the day and the harsh reality of how hard it is to get published. But I didn't cry. I sat in my car, with my hands on the steering wheel, and decided to keep writing. I decided to go back to my first novel The Letter Carrier and get it ready to send to Candlewick Press. I decided to finish The Reaping of Angels and not send it to Simon Pulse.
And then I counted my blessings...which of course, included books.
