Panel of Editors

Panel of Editors
2010 Willamette Writers Conference


1) Stacy Hague-hill – Fantasy and Sci-Fi: Tor
2) Martin Brio – Kensington Publishing: Commerical genres; 100 new books a year; no poetry or straight sci-fi
3) Kerri Buckley – Random House Publishing Group: Women’s Fiction
4) Adrienne Avila – The Berkeley Publishing Group: All fiction, Genre Fiction; multicultural
(will publish a mass-media author-> hopes for hardcover bestsellers)
(Fiction: Works others may find quirky)
((think in market terms – bring to agents/editors))


Questions and Answers:


Q1: Log line/pitching:

Martin Brio: Difference between literary and commercial – Looks for commercial appeal. Should pitch the same way.


Q2: Submissions from agent or author?

Martin Brio: Kensington accepts agented works; Won’t read new writers without an agent; agents much better.

Kerri Buckley: Doesn’t want unheard of stuff from unpublished. Maybe in snail mail.
Agents mix with editors. Agents have relationship with editors. Having an agent is much better.

Stacy Hague-Hill: TOR does accept unsolicited stuff but agents are much better.


Q3: Author’s recommendations (author editor is acquainted with)?

Unknown editor: Will listen to.


Q4: Sci-fi, fantasy:

Adrienne Avila: Does hybrid fantasies; does no Tolkienesque fantasies.

Stacy-Hague Hill: TOR – Yes.


Q5: How receptive are houses to LBGT?

Stacy: TOR, accepts it (Mercedes Lackey)

Q6: Pitching to editors:

Unknown – Editors have 1 minute to pitch your story in-house.

Kerri: Hit selling points. Hit all the things that might count.


Question 6: Agents, location, how important?

Kerri: Pacific Northwest a plus – mention (Lots of good writers in Pacific Northwest)

Adrienne: A good agent travels. You do need a personal connection. (face-to-face)
(If agent never travels, a definite disadvantage)

Stacy: Sci-fi fantasy conferences. She travels all over – not an issue with her.


Question 7: Short Stories?

Stacy: Single author short-story books: bad unless author is well-known.
Multiple author short-story books: Very popular.


Question 8: Platform for Fiction?

Adrienne: Need a web presence and have to have a marketing plan.


Question 9: Electronic world? (Kindle?) – where’s that headed?

Stacy: Everyone has different roads to success. Don’t put all your work or other stuff out there.
Save something new for publishers.

Martin: e-books growing. Agents won’t publish without electronic book rights

Unknown: Wants everything: e-book rights, volume rights – non-negotiable(author still gets royalties however) - In author’s best interest – agent wants control.


Question 10: Author putting book on a blog?

Stacy: A chapter at a time makes more sense. Why would you put up everything at once?

Adrienne: Special packages (updates and ebooks) – yes.


Question 11: Market for memoirs?

Kerri: Market is good now. Earlier, editors were suspicious from people lying in them. Now they’re hot.
What can you do that makes other readers want to read instead?
(Recommendation – Read “Glass Castle” – bestseller for over a year)


Question 12: How-to Books?

Martin: E-readers, Kindle, ipods: in second or third generation – can all handle images.


Question 13: How author’s personality fits in? (Live to reader)

Kerri: Can do marketing at home.

Martin: Editors (and agents) want to have a connection with authors.


Question 14: Market on historical/religious fiction?

Stacy: Inspirational – market exists and growing. Good market.

Martin: Tricky and difficult field. People have a hard time putting their personal feelings aside.


Question 15: First-time novelists – how to get attention?

Adrienne: Web presence, Face-to-face at conferences. Sign up for pitch sessions.

Kerri: Great title.

Stacy: Be professional, friendly, and personable.

Martin: Number pages. Get feedback on your writing.


Question 16: How many books published in a year? (And good ones that missed?)

Adrienne: No books are ignored. Agents/editors doing everything they can.


Question 17: Editors pitching?

Kerri: Have to do a ton of homework.
1) Competitive Title; How well they did.
2) Author’s platform
3) Concept and marketing – onus on editor – but this will make their job easier.

Question 18: Books you think are a lock – how often do they meet your expectations?

Adrienne: No statistics on this. Not as often as editors would like.


Question 19: What do you do to stay connected by reading?

Kerri: Always reads for pleasure. People inspire editors as well as agents and authors.
Shared love part of the job.

Adrienne: Reads one book a week for pleasure. All love books. Discuss with co-workers.
(Recommends “Winky” – a satire)

Stacy: Recommends “Lush Life” – cop murder in New York City; how we live in cities.


Question 20: Word Count – What do agents do to decide to overlook word count restrictions – especially in genre fiction?

Adrienne: Won’t consider anything under 80,000 words. Over ok.

Martin: Doesn’t get too worried about how much over – can always cut (easier than adding).

Stacy: New writer -> Might turn them into a new press – they might add and develop further. But it’s
always easier to cut.




Unknown comments:
1) Put textbooks online in interactive form – same day. (Not pervasive yet).
2) Book clubs a favorite of one of editors
3) Sales histories are always important.