Kidlitchat Transcript – February 16 (part 1)

2:00 am gregpincus: TOPIC: Is crossing genres or writing for different age groups a good career move? Does it confuse our readers (or publishers)? #kidlitchat
2:00 am kidlitchat: TOPIC: Is crossing genres or writing for different age groups a good career move? Does it confuse our readers (or publishers)? #kidlitchat
2:00 am KatGirl_Studio: sooo what’s this weeks topic? #kidlitchat
2:00 am amyknichols: @KrisYankee We think alike. Just turned on PowerPuff Girls for my 6 and 3yo and put headphones on. :D #kidlitchat
2:00 am pcalico: @krisyankee I wonder if the ipod trick will work for 13 and 16 year olds. #kidlitchat
2:00 am YolaRamunno: Yay, kidlit night. #kidlitchat
2:00 am KrisYankee: @pcalico They still keep talking to me, so not sure, #kidlitchat
2:01 am adamselzer: Crossing genres and age groups let’s you publish more books per year. #Kidlitchat
2:01 am emilytastic: I don’t see what makes it a bad career move. It expands our audience. Someone who reads my MG might want to read my YA later. #kidlitchat
2:01 am KatApel: Oooh! Nice topic! #kidlitchat
2:01 am comagrrl: Guess it’s a good excuse to use different pen names #kidlitchat
2:01 am amyknichols: @SolomonInkwell Your nostrils talk? Dude. That’s freaky. #kidlitchat
2:01 am mgbuehrlen: Crossing age groups broadens your reader base, yes? #kidlitchat
2:02 am SolomonInkwell: I think it depends on how you present it. I have thought about writing Thrillers or Horror, but my pen name would be different. #kidlitchat
2:02 am debbieohi: Oh, good topic. I’ll be interested in hearing opinions, esp from those who have done it successfully. #kidlitchat
2:02 am KatApel: I agree with adamselzer – let’s you publish more. And that’s a good thing! #kidlitchat
2:02 am SolomonInkwell: @amyknichols LOL… #kidlitchat
2:02 am susiebj: #kidlitchat I write the story that’s in me. I have WIPs all over the age groups. Of course, I’m not published so can’t say its profitable.
2:02 am KrisYankee: I write middle grade & women’s fiction. Agent asked me which I wanted to write. Said MG, but women’s fic is still out 2 editors #kidlitchat
2:02 am cuppajolie: I agree, great question. This is a question I was just asking myself today. #kidlitchat
2:02 am carolgrannick: RT @mgbuehrlen: Crossing age groups broadens your reader base, yes? #kidlitchat
2:02 am sandyalonzo: Crossing genres and age groups is a great career move, in my opinion, especially when markets change dramatically. #kidlitchat
2:02 am inkyelbows: #kidlitchat on NOW. Topic: crossing genres or writing for different age groups. Confusing for readers/publishers?
2:02 am sharifwrites: @kidlitchat I don’t think it’s confusing. I’ve read same writers for diff. age groups without confusion. #kidlitchat
2:02 am PattyJMurphy: @EgmontUSA and @Egmontgal: Love, love, love LOOKING LIKE ME….Gave me goosebumps:) #kidlitchat
2:02 am KrisYankee: I think it’s a good career move, but not sure agent thinks the same. #kidlitchat
2:02 am KateMessner: Writing for different age groups keeps me sane – I’d have trouble focusing on novels all the time. #kidlitchat
2:02 am EgmontUSA: I don’t have a problem with it, as long as you’re doing both well. #kidlitchat
2:03 am RebeccAgent: hi all. I think the first question to ask yourself is CAN you write for more than one age group/in more than one genre #kidlitchat
2:03 am amyknichols: Great topic. #kidlitchat
2:03 am comagrrl: I can’t see how it could hurt or confuse readers. Just captivating a bigger audience. #kidlitchat
2:03 am adamselzer: I don’t know if it gets me a broader base, but it might over time #Kidlitchat
2:03 am KatApel: @comagrrl Disadvantage with pennames being that you’re building two reputations, instead of one really good one. #kidlitchat
2:03 am KrisYankee: Agent suggested I use different names for different genres. Kris Yankee for MG, Kristine Yankee for women’s fiction. #kidlitchat
2:03 am EgmontUSA: But it is possible to over-publish. #kidlitchat
2:03 am SolomonInkwell: @comagrrl – My thoughts exactly. #kidlitchat
2:03 am RebeccAgent: better that you write one category really well than multiple so so #kidlitchat
2:03 am Agonyzer: I’m working on a YA fantasy right now, but I’d like to grow up and write the Great American Novel. Can I do both? #kidlitchat
2:03 am happybluejess: Assuming we’re good at both, I guess. I just read an article about how relatively few writers are good at both YA/MGs and PBs. #kidlitchat
2:03 am TracyClark_TLC: The right answer: stick to one genre for a career. The truth: I’m an artist who must tell ALL my stories. #kidlitchat
2:03 am EgmontUSA: RT @PattyJMurphy: @EgmontUSA and @Egmontgal: Love, love, love LOOKING LIKE ME….Gave me goosebumps:) #kidlitchat
2:03 am gregpincus: So is there a dividing line between authors/illustrators and the business side of publishing on this topic?Are there challenges? #kidlitchat
2:03 am jennwwrites: Interesting topic. I’ve only ever written YA. MG seems like a very different animal. Seems hard to do both well. #kidlitchat
2:03 am debbieohi: RT @RebeccAgent: better that you write one category really well than multiple so so #kidlitchat
2:03 am amybrecountwhit: I think you have to write what you’re moved to write. I expect to write an adult novel one of these days. As in 18& up ; ) #kidlitchat
2:04 am cuppajolie: @RebeccAgent Do you discourage your clients from doing so? #kidlitchat
2:04 am amyknichols: @EgmontUSA Will you say more about over-publishing? #kidlitchat
2:04 am comagrrl: @KatApel Very true. I’d rather stick with one. #kidlitchat
2:04 am debbieohi: RT @EgmontUSA: I dont have a problem with it, as long as youre doing both well. #kidlitchat
2:04 am MaryBDanielson: If multi-genre writing hurts the quality of writing, then yes. But more books = more readers, so if you can do it well – yay! #kidlitchat
2:04 am PattyJMurphy: @bonnieadamson: I think crossing genres/age groups allows writers to stretch our writing muscles…our creativity, etc. #kidlitchat
2:04 am YolaRamunno: I do feel like I can write for different age groups. Is it taboo to query for a mg and a ya? #kidlitchat
2:04 am mgbuehrlen: Are we talking different books, or crossing over age groups within the same book? #kidlitchat
2:04 am SolomonInkwell: The feel would have to be different. Example, you can get gory with Horror, but I wouldn’t want my YA to be offensive… #kidlitchat
2:04 am KrisYankee: Agreed. RT @RebeccAgent: better that you write one category really well than multiple so so #kidlitchat
2:04 am carolgrannick: RT @debbieohi: RT @EgmontUSA: I dont have a problem with it, as long as youre doing both well. #kidlitchat
2:04 am gregpincus: @Rebeccagent But is there an industry bias that would encourage writers to FOCUS on one, even if they do multiples well? #kidlitchat
2:04 am KatApel: I think it also helps you refine both styles. Sometimes I’m really in a PB head space – revitalising to move into chapters. #kidlitchat
2:04 am RebeccAgent: I encourage my clients to focus on one thing at a time and do best with that #kidlitchat
2:05 am bonnieadamson: How about a bigger jump: pb to YA, or vice versa? #kidlitchat
2:05 am RebeccAgent: when time for next thing we talk about what they want to write #kidlitchat
2:05 am KatApel: Eeeeeek! I wouldn’t have the foggiest what everyone is saying. Going quiet to read. #kidlitchat
2:05 am RebeccAgent: and if it makes sense for the betterment of their career #kidlitchat
2:05 am comagrrl: RT @cuppajolie: @RebeccAgent Do you discourage your clients from doing so? #kidlitchat
2:05 am emilytastic: I write picture books, poetry for grownups, & YA & I will write MG at some point. I don’t see there being any market conflict. #kidlitchat
2:05 am RebeccAgent: there should be some focus #kidlitchat
2:05 am paulgreci: If you write the story you are moved to write and do it well. That is win win. #kidlitchat
2:05 am susiebj: RT @PattyJMurphy: @bonnieadamson: I think crossing genres/age groups allows writers to stretch our writing muscles…our creativity, etc. #kidlitchat
2:05 am crcook: Great topic! RT @BonnieAdamson: Is crossing genres or writing for diff age groups a good career move? #kidlitchat
2:06 am RebeccAgent: I have some clients who do one kind of book with one pub, another kind with another pub #kidlitchat
2:06 am debbieohi: My question, too: RT @bonnieadamson: How about a bigger jump: pb to YA, or vice versa? #kidlitchat
2:06 am KrisYankee: Sounds like my agent. RT @RebeccAgent: I encourage my clients to focus on one thing at a time and do best with that #kidlitchat
2:06 am bonnieadamson: @RebeccAgent Do you have trouble marketing a totally different type of 2nd book? #kidlitchat
2:06 am sandyalonzo: RT I did that!! @bonnieadamson: How about a bigger jump: pb to YA, or vice versa? #kidlitchat
2:06 am YolaRamunno: @RebeccAgent What if they have already written cross genre? You agent their mg and they have a ya complete? #kidlitchat
2:06 am PattyJMurphy: RT @paulgreci: If you write the story you are moved to write and do it well. That is win win. #kidlitchat
2:06 am RebeccAgent: when you write for multiple age groups, genres or for multiple pubs strategy/scheduling is uber-important #kidlitchat
2:06 am KateMessner: I actually work w/ three different publishers – one has MG novels, one has picture bks, & one has chapter bk series. #kidlitchat
2:06 am KrisYankee: RT @paulgreci: If you write the story you are moved to write and do it well. That is win win. #kidlitchat
2:06 am amyknichols: @KatApel It helps to keep the page scrolled down a little way and set your refresh speed to slower. #kidlitchat
2:06 am SolomonInkwell: I think everyone should find their niche. Become established there, and then broaden out… #kidlitchat
2:06 am gregpincus: @emilytastic I dont think market conflict is the problem. I think “brand” or name recognition might be. #kidlitchat
2:06 am debbieohi: @RebeccAgent What if a publisher approaches you to do a project not in your chosen genre? #kidlitchat
2:07 am YolaRamunno: @paulgreci I feel that way too. #kidlitchat
2:07 am LiaKeyes: Honey, I’m ho-ome! What’s the topic? #kidlitchat
2:07 am EgmontGal: Ooh, the question of overpublishing! I don’t think anyone here is guilty of it. It’s when a buyer thinks “we just had one” #kidlitchat
2:07 am jennwwrites: Great point. RT @SolomonInkwell: I think everyone should find their niche. Become established there, and then broaden out… #kidlitchat
2:07 am PattyJMurphy: RT @debbieohi @bonnieadamson: How about a bigger jump: pb to YA, or vice versa? <<Think that is more like a LEAP:) #kidlitchat
2:07 am KrisYankee: RT @SolomonInkwell: I think everyone should find their niche. Become established there, and then broaden out.. #kidlitchat
2:07 am pcalico: RT @SolomonInkwell: I think everyone should find their niche. Become established there, and then broaden out… #kidlitchat
2:07 am EgmontUSA: Sorry. Back. Was explaining snowboard cross to someone. #kidlitchat
2:07 am bonnieadamson: @sandyalonzo Good for you!? Any problems? #kidlitchat
2:07 am KateMessner: My agent communicates w/ all three editors to coordinate scheduled releases & make sure there aren’t conflicts. #kidlitchat
2:07 am tinahoggatt: Evening all – I have to speak up for the life of the artist. Yes, career moves matter but don’t you find the work leads you? #kidlitchat
2:07 am PattyJMurphy: @LiaKeyes: Hi, Lia! #kidlitchat
2:07 am adamselzer: I do ya, mg, ya nonfic and adult nonfic. Keeps me from throwing every idea at one project. #Kidlitchat
2:07 am bonnieadamson: @LiaKeyes Crossing genres/age groups: good idea or not? #kidlitchat
2:07 am EgmontGal: Overpublishing is hard to specify, but it STARTS at 3+books a year, don’t you think, @rebeccaagent? #kidlitchat
2:07 am RebeccAgent: I think pb authors in the past could get into overpub sitch more than anyone #kidlitchat
2:08 am Chumplet: I’m currently subbing a women’s fic/YA cross & don’t know if it works… yet. #kidlitchat
2:08 am RebeccAgent: less of a prob now that fewer pb MS are bought #kidlitchat
2:08 am EgmontUSA: Thanks, @Egmontgal for answering for me! #kidlitchat
2:08 am LiaKeyes: @PattyJMurphy Hey, Patty! Thanks for the invite to #kidlitchat
2:08 am f_rancesca: I really like finding a writer like Geraldine McCougrean, Kate DiCamillo or Gail Carson Levine in different section of the bkstr #kidlitchat
2:08 am KatApel: @RebeccAgent That’s what I’m thinking hoping to do… Different publisher for different genres. Not in competition. Distinct. #kidlitchat
2:08 am crcook: It’s harder to develop your public identity when you want to write both children and adult lit (unless you’re @neilhimself )#kidlitchat
2:08 am SolomonInkwell: Though you may be able to write in many genres and styles – everyone has something they love. I will always love YA. Horror is + #kidlitchat
2:08 am RebeccAgent: @egmontgal yes, but it can also be too bks pub’ed too close together in one yr. Esp. if they are too similar #kidlitchat
2:08 am amyknichols: @EgmontGal Ah, I see (re: overpublishing). Seems like a good problem to have, though. Maybe? #kidlitchat
2:08 am gregpincus: @RebeccAgent Ahhh, so there’s the hidden upside of fewer PBs :-) #kidlitchat
2:08 am mgbuehrlen: @f_rancesca Ooooo I love Kate. #kidlitchat
2:09 am SolomonInkwell: @crcook – TOTALLY AGREE… #kidlitchat
2:09 am Agonyzer: @Neilhimself is an exception to the career focus rule. I’m not that cool, but I think I can storytell to anyone I can talk to. #kidlitchat
2:09 am EgmontGal: @crcook how many people who started as children’s writers are successful for adults, too? Examples? #kidlitchat
2:09 am f_rancesca: It’s like seeing a friend over coffee — and then at the bar. Different conversations, same friend. #kidlitchat
2:09 am tristanbancks: I think, for authors,creatively, it is advantageous to be able to cross genres and age groups. ‘Brand’ wise,si, one focus better #Kidlitchat
2:09 am emilytastic: @gregpincus There definitely would have to be a different type of branding for each bk type, but…is that a big deal? #kidlitchat
2:09 am LiaKeyes: Is crossing genres/age groups a publisher-driven attempt to garner maximum sales? Or a writer’s decision? #kidlitchat
2:09 am RebeccAgent: it can be hard for illus. sometimes 1 bk one yr, 3 the next when 2 and 2 would have been a balance #kidlitchat
2:09 am Agonyzer: @crcook beat me to the punch as I forgot #kidlitchat #hashtag
2:09 am mgbuehrlen: What about Rosemary Wells? She wrote teen suspense, now Max and Ruby. Big leap, full career. #kidlitchat
2:09 am SolomonInkwell: Dear Publishing Fairy – My one wish is to be overpublished…thank you… #kidlitchat
2:09 am RebeccAgent: sometimes as much as you try to anticipate and schedule things get crowded #kidlitchat
2:09 am mousewords: I think crossing genres/age groups is great; tho seems best 2 show flexibility early, so you become known for writing, not genre #kidlitchat
2:10 am sharifwrites: @f_rancesca I feel that way about Meg Cabot, when I read her adult and YA books. #kidlitchat
2:10 am crcook: catching up. Good point! RT @SolomonInkwell: find your niche. Become established there, and then broaden out #kidlitchat
2:10 am YolaRamunno: I guess it depends on what you become known for first. If an author’s ya is published first their mg might not be as well rec’d. #kidlitchat
2:10 am literaticat: Hey guys – “overpublished” is NOT a compliment. #kidlitchat
2:10 am amyknichols: @Agonyzer I immediately thought of @neilhimself, too. :) #kidlitchat
2:10 am gregpincus: @emilytastic A big deal? Well, how much money is your publisher throwing at each book these days? #kidlitchat
2:10 am crcook: agreed! RT @gregpincus: @emilytastic market conflict isnthe problem. I think “brand” or name recognition might be. #kidlitchat
2:10 am RebeccAgent: of course there will be people who cross genres and succeed in more than 1 #kidlitchat
2:10 am KatApel: @SolomonInkwell Laughing! Overpublished? I wish it was my dilemma! #kidlitchat
2:10 am vvjonez: @EgmontGal I see a lot more writer’s cross over from adult to children’s in the bookstore, esp. in fantasy #kidlitchat
2:10 am RebeccAgent: but usually they’ve earned it by making a name in one genre 1st #kidlitchat
2:11 am crcook: agreed! RT @gregpincus: @emilytastic market conflict isn’t the problem. I think “brand” or name recognition might be. #kidlitchat
2:11 am SolomonInkwell: @KatApel – LOL…me too! #kidlitchat
2:11 am comagrrl: @SolomonInkwell HAHAHAHA Me too. #kidlitchat #publshingfairy
2:11 am PattyJMurphy: RT @mgbuehrlen: What about Rosemary Wells? She wrote teen suspense, now Max+Ruby. Big leap(s), full career <<–Jane Yolen, too:) #kidlitchat
2:11 am adamselzer: Gotta have one really take off before there’s reaaly brand to build. Til then, no reason not to go nuts #Kidlitchat
2:11 am LisaDez: @amybrecountwhit Agreed. I’ve always said if you’re writing the story you were meant to it shouldn’t feel hard. #kidlitchat
2:11 am KrisYankee: Can someone explain overpublished again? Some think it’s good, others bad. Thanks! #kidlitchat
2:11 am crcook: @Agonyzer great minds! :) #kidlitchat #hashtag
2:11 am RebeccAgent: p.s If you ask a ? and I don’t answer, feel free to retweet #kidlitchat
2:11 am emilytastic: @gregpincus Branding, to me, seems like a lot of it comes down on the author – blogs, websites, etc. #kidlitchat
2:11 am amyknichols: @literaticat Because “overpublished” implies the writing is rushed or not as good? #kidlitchat
2:11 am jennwwrites: @SolomonInkwell ditto! LOL #kidlitchat
2:11 am skodobah: SOOOOOO late! Hi! #kidlitchat
2:11 am sandyalonzo: @bonnieadamson No problems at all. My first published book is a pb/poetry collection. My upcoming, a YA novel. Not bored! #kidlitchat
2:12 am RebeccAgent: overpublished is bad #kidlitchat
2:12 am Agonyzer: Can someone give the industry definition of overpublished? It has annotations, I just don’t know them. #kidlitchat
2:12 am tinahoggatt: RT @KatApel: @SolomonInkwell Laughing! Overpublished? I wish it was my dilemma! #kidlitchat
2:12 am f_rancesca: @sharifwrites Exactly. Or Philip Pullman, another writer who crosses MG/YA. #kidlitchat
2:12 am KrisYankee: @skodobah Hi Julie!!! #kidlitchat
2:12 am RebeccAgent: like you are throwing projects out to see what sticks with readers #kidlitchat
2:12 am EgmontUSA: overpublished is very, very bad. #kidlitchat
2:12 am RebeccAgent: instead of nurturing each…in craft, through pub, and beyond #kidlitchat
2:12 am skodobah: Um, overpublished? #kidlitchat
2:12 am KrisYankee: @RebeccAgent Why is it bad? Meaning the market can’t bear that many books from one author? #kidlitchat
2:12 am mousewords: @tristanbancks Agree about focus; so if an author is drawn to dif. genres/ages, it’s good to have a unifier–like style/theme #kidlitchat
2:12 am bonnieadamson: @sandyalonzo You’re my hero! :-) #kidlitchat
2:12 am KarenCollum: Emily Rodda writes under a pen name for adult books to avoid confusion in the market. Good idea? #kidlitchat
2:13 am skodobah: @KrisYankee Hi Kris! I think I can guess the topic. I hope so! #kidlitchat
2:13 am comagrrl: Yes, please explain the bad of being over-published. #kidlitchat
2:13 am RebeccAgent: if you are overpub’ing, you can’t be there to promote a book b/c you are already on to the next, trying to catch yr tail #kidlitchat
2:13 am f_rancesca: I’m underpublished. Can you mix me with someone who’s overpublished and average us out? #kidlitchat
2:13 am literaticat: OVERPUBLISHED means you are competing with yourself. Five OK books in the same season will not do as well as ONE AWESOME book. #kidlitchat
2:13 am mkimsmith: RT @debbieohi: RT @RebeccAgent: better that you write one category really well than multiple so so #kidlitchat
2:13 am amyknichols: @EgmontGal Seems like successful adult writers turn toward writing kidlit instead of the other way around. Alexie comes to mind. #kidlitchat
2:13 am skodobah: Published is as published does. #kidlitchat
2:13 am Agonyzer: In fact, I wonder if my novel is YA in spite of the characters’ ages. It could be adult, or geared to forward-looking MG #kidlitchat
2:13 am gregpincus: Many writers cross ages for kids: Jane Yolen, MT Anderson Kevin Henkes come to mind. Do they sell well for each age? #kidlitchat
2:13 am RebeccAgent: also reviewers often choose which book by an author to review if you have too many books out / >1 in a season #kidlitchat
2:13 am adamselzer: Gotta roll. Should be back around afterparty time #Kidlitchat
2:13 am KatApel: I think you’ve got to love what you write – which means you’ll also love all your books and want to do the best by them. #kidlitchat
2:14 am KrisYankee: RT @literaticat: OVERPUBLISHED means u r competing with yourself. 5 OK books in same season wont do as well as 1 AWESOME book. #kidlitchat
2:14 am SolomonInkwell: Seriously though, I wouldn’t want to be “overpublished.” People get bored with you then. I always want to maintain a status… #kidlitchat
2:14 am EgmontUSA: You want readers and buyers to be excited about your next book. If you have them coming out too often, didn’t we just see this? #kidlitchat
2:14 am malindalo: @literaticat Unless you’re James Patterson. :) #kidlitchat (sorry forgot hashtag last time)
2:14 am RebeccAgent: @gregpincus again Jane Yolen, Tobin, Kevin Henkes EARNED pub’ing across genre #kidlitchat
2:14 am FlorenceKincaid: Re: ‘Overpublished’– James Patterson probably doesn’t think it’s bad. #kidlitchat
2:14 am crcook: @EgmontGal Judy Blume, Carl Hiaasen come quickly to mind :) it’s hard to sell both when starting out #kidlitchat
2:14 am LaurelSnyder: @literaticat So how many is too many? #kidlitchat
2:14 am comagrrl: @literaticat That makes sense. And, that is bad. #kidlitchat
2:14 am PaulWHankins: RT @PattyJMurphy: RT @mgbuehrlen: What about Rosemary Wells? She wrote teen suspense, now Max+Ruby. Big leap(s), full career <<–Jane Yolen, too:) #kidlitchat
2:14 am sandyalonzo: @bonnieadamson Thanks, Bonnie! :) #kidlitchat
2:14 am SolomonInkwell: @skodobah – AMEN! #kidlitchat
2:14 am crcook: @EgmontGal guess Hiaasen was adult first, though :) #kidlitchat
2:14 am SolomonInkwell: @EgmontUSA – EXACTLY!! #kidlitchat
2:14 am RebeccAgent: made a name for themselves in one genre/age group. Kevin was known pb’er before novelist #kidlitchat
2:15 am debbieohi: RT @literaticat: OVERPUBLISHED ->competing with yourself. 1 AWESOME book better than 5 ok books in same season. #kidlitchat
2:15 am Chumplet: @RebeccAgent Oh, that makes total sense. #kidlitchat
2:15 am KrisYankee: Writers want to be like JK Rowling – build that base and excitement while new books come out. #kidlitchat
2:15 am SarahAiglen: @inkyelbows, might be initially confusing, but writers like Avi have loyal audiences despite widely varying subject matter. #kidlitchat
2:15 am amyknichols: @literaticat That makes sense. Thank you. #kidlitchat
2:15 am YolaRamunno: So is overpublishing a form of greed? #kidlitchat
2:15 am PattyJMurphy: RT @literaticat: OVERPUBLISHED=competing with yourself. 5 OK books in the same season will not do as well as ONE AWESOME book. #kidlitchat
2:15 am skodobah: @SolomonInkwell Howdy pardner #kidlitchat
2:15 am emilytastic: @amyknichols @EgmontGal Sara Shepard (Pretty Little Liars) put out a gorgeous adult literary novel last year. Goes both ways. #kidlitchat
2:15 am KatApel: Clarity Ta RT @literaticat: OVERPUBLISHED means competing with yourself. 5 OK books … will not do as well as ONE AWESOME book. #kidlitchat
2:15 am gregpincus: @RebeccAgent I understand they earned it. I still don’t know if they sell across all ages as well, though #kidlitchat
2:15 am LiaKeyes: Does a writer really have only one preoccupation for their entire career? I don’t think so. I’d rather not be labeled. #kidlitchat
2:15 am hashtager: # @literaticat Unless you’re James Patterson. :) #kidlitchat (sorry forgot hashtag last time)
2:15 am skodobah: If you have two or more personalities, this shouldn’t matter. Just kidding. #kidlitchat
2:15 am LisaDez: I think the problem comes when a writer’s not sure what age group they’re writing for. Write for one. If it crosses over, great! #kidlitchat
2:16 am SolomonInkwell: Yes…but you have to be careful…there is “underpublished” as well. You can’t let the readers wait too long… #kidlitchat
2:16 am Chumplet: @RebeccAgent would word count requiremets be different if book was half adult, half YA? #kidlitchat
2:16 am malindalo: While I understand the branding dilemma, I won’t be forced into any one genre/age. It’s bad for the soul to be boxed in. #kidlitchat
2:16 am Sparrowbug: Are there a lot of authors that have a problem with being over-published? I’m thinking N. Sparks, J. Patterson. Smaller authors? #kidlitchat
2:16 am Agonyzer: @REFeist says one book a year. That’s fine, yes? Not overpublished? (not that I could manage it) #kidlitchat
2:16 am tinahoggatt: Agree with @KatApel – love what you write & believe in it. Hopefully life is long & there is time for diverse writing experience #kidlitchat
2:16 am tristanbancks: Perhaps it’s poss for authors to publish for multiple age groups until they discover which they love, where their interest lies #Kidlitchat
2:16 am gregpincus: @RebeccAgent They also all have more talent in one finger than I do in whole body. That’s still beside the point, though :-) #kidlitchat
2:16 am crcook: love this topic but must get kiddos to bed. Looking forward to transcripts! thanks, everyone! #kidlitchat
2:16 am tinahoggatt: RT @malindalo: While I understand the branding dilemma, I won’t be forced into any one genre/age. It’s bad for the soul to be boxed in. #kidlitchat
2:16 am debbieohi: @SarahAiglen Thanks. I’ve been focusing on MG/YA but have been approached by publisher re: doing pic.bks. #kidlitchat
2:16 am skodobah: Reminds me of the Julia Roberts experience… when she disappeared for years before staging a comeback. It worked. #kidlitchat
2:16 am EgmontGal: @emilytastic yes, was it considered successful? I’m curious. Sometimes they don’t get the same attention. #kidlitchat
2:17 am elanaroth: Sorry for jumping in late, folks. But I’m here. #kidlitchat
2:17 am sharifwrites: @literaticat So true. Sometimes I’ve seen some excellent writers become overpublished, and bland. #kidlitchat
2:17 am LiaKeyes: RT @malindalo: Understand the branding dilemma, but wont be forced into any one genre/age. It’s bad for the soul to be boxed in. #kidlitchat
2:17 am skodobah: @SolomonInkwell I agree… don’t want the peeps to forget about you. #kidlitchat
2:17 am LizaWiemer: Enjoying the discussion #kidlitchat I find James Patterson’s skills unmatchable-is there anything he can’t write well?
2:17 am NecessaryWriter: I’m here too, hi all! #kidlitchat
2:17 am Chumplet: @Sparrowbug J. Patterson has a stable of writers. #kidlitchat
2:17 am mgbuehrlen: First: I’d like to be published. Then: I’d like to focus on one book so I can market it well. But that’s me. #kidlitchat
2:17 am bonnieadamson: Recall agent comment that pb to longer form usually more successful than novelists turning late to pb–true? #kidlitchat
2:17 am emilytastic: @EgmontGal I don’t know. I know I read and loved it, but it’s a v. different book from PLL. #kidlitchat
2:17 am PattyJMurphy: @elanaroth: Hi, Elena. Are you tweeting from Iceland? #kidlitchat
2:17 am skodobah: @NecessaryWriter Hi! #kidlitchat
2:18 am EgmontGal: I can think of an illustrator and maybe an author who has been around forever who are both overpubished. No excitment w/new book #kidlitchat
2:18 am SolomonInkwell: See…that wld be my thing, too. I wldn’t want to do just 1 thing, one world and be known for it only. I wld want to continue… #kidlitchat
2:18 am skodobah: @mgbuehrlen Sounds good to me. #kidlitchat
2:18 am KrisYankee: @LizaWiemer James Patterson has a lot of ghost writers (now they’re getting kudos) #kidlitchat
2:18 am malindalo: Wish I could stay for more #kidlitchat but am off to painting class!
2:18 am happybluejess: Hope this isn’t a dumb question, but why don’t publishers filter an author so they don’t overpublish? #kidlitchat
2:18 am elanaroth: @PattyJMurphy No no. Iceland is Thursday. #kidlitchat
2:18 am literaticat: There are always exceptions, guys.But James Patterson doesn’t count as an author. He’s a brand. #kidlitchat
2:18 am KOrtizzle: i’m here! late but here….mind if i ask topic? :-) #kidlitchat
2:18 am skodobah: The same pair of socks are… the same pair of socks. Sooner or later they need freshening! #kidlitchat
2:18 am peg366: RT @happybluejess: Hope this isnt a dumb question, but why dont publishers filter an author so they dont overpublish? #kidlitchat
2:18 am LiaKeyes: @EgmontGal But is that just because they’ve diluted their talent? #kidlitchat
2:18 am gregpincus: @emilytastic An author can do a lot for branding, absolutely. But when you’re branding for kids, it’s a bigger challenge #kidlitchat
2:18 am pippinmathur: I say give it a try, has been great for some authors! RT @debbieohi: I’ve been focusing on MG/YA but have been approached pic.bk #kidlitchat
2:18 am Sparrowbug: @Chumplet Yeah, but his name is the brand that sells the books. I’d say most of the literary crowd will call him over-published. #kidlitchat
2:19 am SolomonInkwell: @mgbuehrlen – I agree. First let me get out of the gate, then I’ll worry about the rest ;-) #kidlitchat
2:19 am emilytastic: Agreed RT @literaticat: There are always exceptions, guys.But James Patterson doesnt count as an author. Hes a brand. #kidlitchat
2:19 am NecessaryWriter: Good quality GWers! RT James Patterson has a lot of ghost writers (now theyre getting kudos) #kidlitchat
2:19 am heatherwpetty: I think it’s a good idea to establish yourself and your audience before moving onto a new genre. #kidlitchat
2:19 am tinahoggatt: @happybluejess Isn’t that called editing ;) #kidlitchat
2:19 am EgmontGal: @YolaRamunno overpublishing could be you just really love to write, can’t stand not to have it all published. I know 1 like that #kidlitchat
2:19 am literaticat: @peg366 Uh – they do. It is called “rejecting things”. #kidlitchat
2:19 am comagrrl: @happybluejess Thanks. I was trying to ask that question earlier but couldn’t get the words out. #kidlitchat
2:19 am SarahAiglen: @debbieohi, do it. It sounds thrilling – and congratulations. #kidlitchat
2:19 am PattyJMurphy: @elanaroth: How exciting. Never been there, but it’s on my list. I hear it’s beautiful. Travel lots to Ireland:) #kidlitchat
2:19 am Rosalinda_FHTM: #kidlitchat Once my books get published there will be more bilingual (Eng/Span) books for children written by a Hispanic. :)
2:19 am jennwwrites: @peg366 good question, was wondering same thing. #kidlitchat
2:19 am tristanbancks: Maybe it’s the authors’ job to push boundaries on what they’re ‘allowed’ to publish and agent/pub/marketing’s job to push back? #Kidlitchat
2:20 am EgmontGal: @peg366 what if you have 2 or more publishers? And/or what if you threaten to leave and every 3rd book very big? #kidlitchat
2:20 am gregpincus: @literaticat But that is by design by James Patterson. And he is an author, too, even if he’s also a brand (with sub-authors!) #kidlitchat
2:20 am KOrtizzle: @bonnieadamson thx! #kidlitchat
2:20 am NecessaryWriter: Not if you have a following RT @bonnieadamson: @KOrtizzle Crossing genres/age groups: a good idea or not? #kidlitchat
2:20 am KrisYankee: With having both MG and Women’s Fict out there to editors, guess I have to wait 2 c what sells before I say “I write xxx” #kidlitchat
2:20 am EgmontGal: @tristanbancks The people who push back are the sales reps! And the buyers, and the public. Not pubs/marketing/agents #kidlitchat
2:20 am YolaRamunno: How do agents feel about authors who query for multiple genres? #kidlitchat
2:20 am skodobah: @KrisYankee You are a hybrid! :-) #kidlitchat
2:21 am comagrrl: RT @tristanbancks: Maybe it’s the authors’ job to push boundaries on what they’re ‘allowed’ to publish and agent/pub/marketing’s job to push back? #Kidlitchat
2:21 am bonnieadamson: @KOrtizzle Topic has morphed into disc. of being “overpublished.” :-) #kidlitchat
2:21 am skodobah: @YolaRamunno Good question. #kidlitchat
2:21 am literaticat: @gregpincus No kidding. And good for him. Again – that is AN EXCEPTION, not a model for every other writer. #kidlitchat
2:21 am LizaWiemer: @KrisYankee So it’s a writing factory… hmmm, I’m glad that those who deserve credit are finally getting their due. #kidlitchat
2:21 am EllenHopkinsYA: Hey all… just got my Internet back and signed in to Twitter to find ya’ll and your interesting subject matter #kidlitchat
2:21 am Sparrowbug: Among the lesser-known authors, though…. I just can’t see over-publishing being as big an issue. Maybe I’m wrong. #kidlitchat
2:21 am PattyJMurphy: RT @literaticat: @peg366 Uh, they do. It = “rejecting things!” <<I’m sure agents help w/reducing chance of overpublishing:) #kidlitchat
2:21 am KrisYankee: @skodobah NO! CW said, “Write something new. Try a new genre.” So, I wrote mg. #kidlitchat
2:21 am amyknichols: (Can I just say: I’m learning so much from this chat!) #kidlitchat
2:21 am LiaKeyes: Perhaps in crossing age groups the writer/publisher are not limiting the reader. The precocious child can read up. #kidlitchat
2:21 am ThoughtfulPen: Tip Tuesday: 02/16/10 http://tinyurl.com/ylcv6bj …tip offs about something or someone in the industry you should check out! #kidlitchat
2:21 am EllenHopkinsYA: Interesting because I woke up this morning with a picture book “given” to me by Mel Gibson in a dream. #kidlitchat
2:21 am elanaroth: Did someone already say this? You can switch genres when you prove you can handle the first one proficiently. Not before that. #kidlitchat
2:22 am skodobah: @EllenHopkinsYA Cannot live w/out the Internet(s). #kidlitchat
2:22 am LiaKeyes: @EllenHopkinsYA Hey, Ellen, good to see you here! #kidlitchat
2:22 am RebeccAgent: @yolaramunno you should query leading with project/genre you feel strongest about, mention other in sentence or 2 #kidlitchat
2:22 am bonnieadamson: @EllenHopkinsYA Hi, Ellen! Hop right in. #kidlitchat
2:22 am EllenHopkinsYA: So I’m kinda writing it around writng PERFECT. I mean, MEL gave it to me. #kidlitchat
2:22 am KrisYankee: @PattyJMurphy Yes, writing factory for his ghost writers. #kidlitchat
2:22 am literaticat: @Sparrowbug I promise, it is an issue. What happens when my client writes six super picture books a year? They are all GOOD – #kidlitchat
2:22 am skodobah: @KrisYankee Oh really? How’d it feel writing something different? #kidlitchat
2:22 am kdueykduey: @EgmontGal I would love to manage adult/crossover fantasy. I am starting to attend fantasy and SF cons with that in mind. #kidlitchat
2:22 am LiaKeyes: @EllenHopkinsYA I would tell Mel Gibson to get the hell out of my dreams, thank you very much. Good PB idea, hey? #kidlitchat
2:22 am NecessaryWriter: @EllenHopkinsYA LOL Ellen! Way to go! Was it Mad Max? #kidlitchat
2:22 am literaticat: @Sparrowbug – but really? Six a year? Can the market bear that? #kidlitchat
2:22 am debbieohi: @SarahAiglen Publisher likes my illos, wants to know if I have any stories to go with them. Yay for #PiBoIdMo. :-) #kidlitchat
2:22 am KatApel: I guess with all things, you can keep writing / refining it and one day… it’s time may come. Doesn’t mean you can’t write it. #kidlitchat
2:22 am tristanbancks: @EgmontGal Interesting:RT The people who push back are the sales reps! And the buyers, and the public. Not pubs/marketing/agents #kidlitchat
2:22 am planetalvina: Hi all! It’s been a while–are we talking about writing different genres/being overpublished? #kidlitchat
2:22 am bonnieadamson: @elanaroth So you wouldn’t necessarily want to hear about more than one genre upon query? #kidlitchat
2:22 am SolomonInkwell: With me it’s different. I just couldn’t see myself pulling off a Romance very well…unless there were zombies or something… #kidlitchat
2:22 am sandyalonzo: @EllenHopkinsYA Does it have religious undertones? lol #kidlitchat
2:22 am comagrrl: @amyknichols Indeed. I’m learning that I don’t know much. :-( #kidlitchat
2:22 am elanaroth: @RebeccAgent Okay, cool. I figured I might be repeating someone :) #kidlitchat
2:23 am tinahoggatt: Adore you people – fantastic and bright community. But it’s Fat Tuesday. Must cook. #kidlitchat
2:23 am YolaRamunno: @RebeccAgent Thank you. :) #kidlitchat
2:23 am emilytastic: Isn’t the strength of the writing paramount? If I write a great YA and a great picture book, shouldn’t they both be out there? #kidlitchat
2:23 am LizaWiemer: RT @literaticat @gregpincus No kidding. And good for him. Again – that is AN EXCEPTION, not a model for every other writer. #kidlitchat
2:23 am EllenHopkinsYA: Just some beautiful refrains…. have to try them. #kidlitchat
2:23 am elloyd74: @literaticat Re: James Patterson not author, but brand: http://is.gd/8y2t5 :) #kidlitchat
2:23 am elanaroth: @bonnieadamson No I would not. I don’t know if you can even handle the first one well yet. Why should I trust you? #kidlitchat
2:23 am skodobah: I figure that sooner or later I will go “adult.” Just once. #kidlitchat
2:23 am EgmontUSA: Absolutely agree RT @elanaroth You can switch genres when you prove you can handle the first one proficiently. Not before that. #kidlitchat
2:23 am RebeccAgent: no worries @elanaroth #kidlitchat
2:23 am mrswritebrain: I think @elanaroth just answered my question. #kidlitchat
2:23 am comagrrl: RT @elanaroth: Did someone already say this? You can switch genres when you prove you can handle the first one proficiently. Not before that. #kidlitchat
2:23 am gregpincus: @literaticat Well, it’s a model… just not likely an achievable one! #kidlitchat
2:23 am agent_ayesha: RT @emilytastic: Agreed RT @literaticat: There are always exceptions, guys.But James Patterson doesnt count as an author. Hes a brand. #kidlitchat
2:23 am kdueykduey: @EllenHopkinsYA Mel Gibso….? Details, Ellen, details??? #kidlitchat
2:23 am bonnieadamson: @planetalvina Yes! Whether crossing genres/age groups is a good idea. #kidlitchat
2:23 am Sparrowbug: @literaticat Ahhhh… I’m still in the mindset of a YA and older author. With picture books, that makes A LOT more sense. #kidlitchat
2:24 am SolomonInkwell: I can write what I love to watch. If I can see it in my mind and enjoy what I see, I can write it better. #kidlitchat
2:24 am sandyalonzo: Absolutely! RT @emilytastic:If I write a great YA and a great picture book, shouldnt they both be out there? #kidlitchat
2:24 am EllenHopkinsYA: I will definitely go adult, too… but YA will always be my heart. #kidlitchat
2:24 am RebeccAgent: @planetalvina and I have a client/author who can do it all @pacylin #kidlitchat
2:24 am Agonyzer: Ouch! via @literaticat: There are always exceptions, guys.But James Patterson doesn’t count as an author. He’s a brand. #kidlitchat
2:24 am elanaroth: Also, I think you learn craft with focus. Genre jumping doesn’t equal focus. It equals the “Shiny! What’s over there?” effect. #kidlitchat
2:24 am dawnbonnevie: @KatApel #kidlitchat There’s a lot to be said for timing…and where the market is currently crowded…demographics and etc.
2:24 am bonnieadamson: @elanaroth That’s always confused me: I hear agents want to know you’re good for more than one book . . . ? #kidlitchat
2:24 am RebeccAgent: but she earned it. Her first pb came out over 10 years ago #kidlitchat
2:24 am juliadevillers: Interesting discussion. I’m toying with a new genre. One of my editors is on board. #kidlitchat
2:24 am RebeccAgent: first novel in 2005 #kidlitchat
2:24 am EllenHopkinsYA: @kdueykduey Actually, it was kind of romantic, poet to poet, of course. #kidlitchat
2:24 am NecessaryWriter: I like depending on an author to give me a certain style of book. If they cross genre’s I get cranky. #kidlitchat
2:24 am RebeccAgent: first fantasy in 2009 #kidlitchat
2:24 am RebeccAgent: first early reader in 2010! #kidlitchat
2:24 am Chumplet: @elanaroth Sometimes you’re still seeking your genre. Especially Gemini writers like me! #kidlitchat
2:25 am gregpincus: @elanaroth @EgmontUSA What is proof of proficiency? Writing proof or SALES proof??? #kidlitchat
2:25 am elanaroth: @bonnieadamson Good for more than one book doesn’t mean those books are in different genres. #kidlitchat
2:25 am WitchTourniquet: RT @literaticat: OVERPUBLISHED means you are competing with yourself. Five OK books in the same season will not do as well as ONE AWESOME book. #kidlitchat
2:25 am LisaDez: Agents–Have you ever seen an adult sequel to a YA book? Can that work if the YA had crossover success? #kidlitchat
2:25 am tristanbancks: Creatively, crossing age-groups, genres, styles can be exciting. One feeds the other in unexpected ways. #kidlitchat
2:25 am PaulWHankins: RT @EllenHopkinsYA: Interesting because I woke up this morning with a picture book “given” to me by Mel Gibson in a dream. #kidlitchat
2:25 am skodobah: @gregpincus OOOOH, that is good. #kidlitchat
2:25 am weplayedpirates: wait wait… what’re we discussing? (and hello everybody!) #kidlitchat
2:25 am bonnieadamson: RT @gregpincus: @elanaroth @EgmontUSA What is proof of proficiency? Writing proof or SALES proof??? #kidlitchat
2:25 am elanaroth: @Chumplet Well, I guess I don’t want you seeking me out until you’ve found your genre. #kidlitchat
2:25 am FlorenceKincaid: @Agonyzer Not so ouch. From what I’ve read, I think he’d be the first to call himself that. #kidlitchat
2:25 am LiaKeyes: @NecessaryWriter If I like a writer’s mind, I’ll follow him into other realms/genres/age groups #kidlitchat
2:25 am elanaroth: @gregpincus Well, preferably both. #kidlitchat
2:25 am KatApel: Overpublishing could be when authors rush to submit – when best to sit… polish… P=polish. Aren’t we all learning patience? #kidlitchat
2:25 am SolomonInkwell: @LisaDez – Oooh…that’s a good one. I’m not sure you’d have to. So many adults read YA today… #kidlitchat
2:26 am Donna_Earnhardt: RT @literaticat: OVERPUBLISHED means you are competing with yourself. Five OK books in the same season will not do as well as ONE AWESOME book. #kidlitchat
2:26 am skodobah: @LisaDez Interesting prospect – the genre grows with the characters. #kidlitchat
2:26 am bonnieadamson: @elanaroth So you’d want to hear about all my pbs, and let me spring the MGs on you later? :-) #kidlitchat
2:26 am EllenHopkinsYA: Hey, I doubt Mel Gibson writes poetry. At least not good poetry. #kidlitchat
2:26 am planetalvina: Yes, someone like @pacylin can do it all! But she’s smart about the timing of the releases of the books. #kidlitchat
2:26 am jennwwrites: Good ques! RT @LisaDez: Agents–Have you ever seen an adult sequel to a YA book? Can that work if the YA had crossover success? #kidlitchat
2:26 am Sparrowbug: @literaticat It’s a lot less frequent with YA and older market, though, right? Overpublishing among lesser-knowns, I mean? #kidlitchat
2:26 am EgmontGal: @PaulWHankins Paul, you’re posting here AND on Idol Chat? My god you are a gifted multitasker. #kidlitchat
2:26 am emilytastic: @LisaDez I believe Francesca Lia Block has done this, but it was written YEARS after the original series came out. #kidlitchat
2:26 am weplayedpirates: @EllenHopkinsYA There once was a man from Nantucket… #kidlitchat
2:26 am elanaroth: You earn getting published, and then you earn getting published more than once. #kidlitchat
2:26 am HeatherTrese: @LisaDez That could happen by accident if the character grows up during the series. The Jessica Darling books are like that. #kidlitchat
2:26 am LiaKeyes: RT @bonnieadamson: @LiaKeyes Crossing genres/age groups: good idea or not? #kidlitchat
2:26 am elanaroth: @bonnieadamson Yes ma’am. #kidlitchat
2:27 am weplayedpirates: So what exactly is the topic here? #kidlitchat
2:27 am comagrrl: This makes me happy. I’ve done at least one thing right. RT @elanaroth Also, I think you learn craft with focus. #kidlitchat
2:27 am KrisYankee: RT @elanaroth: You earn getting published, and then you earn getting published more than once. #kidlitchat
2:27 am skodobah: Stephenie Meyer and The Host. Thoughts? #kidlitchat
2:27 am planetalvina: @EgmontGal I’m watching, too! #kidlitchat
2:27 am PaulWHankins: RT @EgmontGal: @PaulWHankins Paul, you’re posting here AND on Idol Chat? My god you are a gifted multitasker. #kidlitchat
2:27 am HeatherTrese: @LisaDez My library has the first 3 in YA, the last 2 in adult fiction. #kidlitchat
2:27 am PattyJMurphy: RT @EgmontGal: @PaulWHankins Paul, ur posting here AND on Idol Chat? My god you are a gifted multitasker. <<–How about you EL? #kidlitchat
2:27 am hollville: Switching genres or age groups can be tough if you do it too soon in writing career. Can make it tough to build an audience. #kidlitchat
2:27 am RebeccAgent: @planetalvina exactly and she knows her career isn’t just about the writing. She needs time for school visits & promotion #kidlitchat
2:27 am Chumplet: @elanaroth I’ll keep that in mind! #kidlitchat
2:27 am sandyalonzo: Better for authors to change genres & ages than movie stars who suddenly think they can write for kids! #kidlitchat
2:27 am eventRobot: @amyknichols You’re a mom; you can multi-task, right? #kidlitchat
2:27 am sharifwrites: @LisaDez I’d love to see that. Many times I want to see the characters’ progress through life. #kidlitchat
2:27 am Donna_Earnhardt: haven’t really thought about the “overpublished” problem. but I see it can be an issue. @literaticat makes a good point. #kidlitchat
2:27 am LiaKeyes: RT @skodobah: Stephenie Meyer and The Host. Thoughts? YAWN for both. #kidlitchat
2:27 am skodobah: @weplayedpirates You have the BEST name! #kidlitchat
2:27 am bonnieadamson: @elanaroth Seriously, that helps a lot. Thanks. #kidlitchat
2:27 am YolaRamunno: RT @elanaroth: You earn getting published, and then you earn getting published more than once. #kidlitchat
2:27 am KrisYankee: @skodobah Sorry, but I hated The Host. Loved Twilight saga, but not The Host. Don’t shoot me, okay? #kidlitchat
2:27 am RebeccAgent: Can’t stress enough that a big prob in overpublishing is not being able to support each book #kidlitchat
2:27 am PattyJMurphy: RT @sandyalonzo: Better for authors to change genres & ages than movie stars who suddenly think they can write for kids! <<Yup #kidlitchat
2:27 am PaulWHankins: @EgmontGal I just retweeted your compliment. I am shameless like that. I love what E. Hopkins is sharing about her dreams. #kidlitchat
2:28 am LisaDez: @HeatherTrese How far apart were they published, I wonder. #kidlitchat
2:28 am comagrrl: @sandyalonzo ZING! #kidlitchat
2:28 am EgmontGal: @planetalvina yes but you are not posting bon mots on my fb page like @paulwhankins is! #kidlitchat
2:28 am NecessaryWriter: RT @LiaKeyes: RT @skodobah: Stephenie Meyer and The Host. Thoughts? YAWN for both. #kidlitchat
2:28 am weplayedpirates: @skodobah What makes my name so wonderful? :) #kidlitchat
2:28 am LiaKeyes: RT @RebeccAgent: Cant stress enough that a big prob in overpublishing is not being able to support each book #kidlitchat
2:28 am KarenCollum: RT @RebeccAgent …she knows her career isn’t just about the writing. She needs time for school visits & promotion #kidlitchat <<true
2:28 am EllenHopkinsYA: I actually have a VERY adult book that my agent will send out soon. NOT for younger YA readers. #kidlitchat
2:28 am gregpincus: @elanaroth Ya. Sales proof is much easier to quantify, though. #kidlitchat
2:28 am weplayedpirates: Didn’t like the Twilight Saga. THE HOST was okay. :/ #kidlitchat
2:28 am skodobah: @KrisYankee I won’t. I couldn’t deal with it. Not my favorite. #kidlitchat
2:28 am skodobah: @weplayedpirates It sounds fun! #kidlitchat
2:28 am paulgreci: What about a switch from older/edgy YA to younger YA from 1st book to 2nd? #kidlitchat
2:29 am weplayedpirates: @EllenHopkinsYA What do you consider younger YA readers? And what book is this? #kidlitchat
2:29 am KrisYankee: @RebeccAgent Is it because the author doesn’t spend time marketing each book? #kidlitchat
2:29 am skodobah: The Host without the most. #kidlitchat
2:29 am PaulWHankins: I have weird dreams about E. Dickinson. Usually involves baskets full of cookies and loaded guns. What could this mean? Ellen? #kidlitchat
2:29 am SarahAiglen: Here’s a consideration: with a jump to a different age group, you may actually need to build a new audience. #kidlitchat
2:29 am lioncaller: @elanaroth Tell that to Ursula LeGuin #kidlitchat
2:29 am HeatherTrese: @LisaDez Not too far apart. All in this decade. I think the first one was in 2001? Then the 5th was published last year. #kidlitchat
2:29 am gregpincus: This is a conflict twixt “art” and commerce. We all want to write what we love. But selling books is business #kidlitchat
2:29 am NecessaryWriter: @EllenHopkinsYA You’re one of the few I’d cross-genre with Ellen. #kidlitchat
2:29 am eliohouse: Hey gang! Where should I put the rice crispy squares I brought? They were sitting in my car, but they should still be good! #kidlitchat
2:29 am Laurawriting: RT @RebeccAgent: Can’t stress enough that a big prob in overpublishing is not being able to support each book #kidlitchat
2:29 am KrisYankee: RT @gregpincus: This is a conflict twixt “art” and commerce. We all want to write what we love. But selling books is business #kidlitchat
2:30 am skodobah: @paulgreci That sounds like reversal – I would think it should go the other way around. #kidlitchat
2:30 am hollville: From a sales rep perspective, it generally works better when an author switches up instead of down. Readers go up, never down. #kidlitchat
2:30 am RebeccAgent: the author needs to have time to support each book through promotion #kidlitchat
2:30 am elanaroth: @lioncaller Tell what to her? She started in a far less crowded market. She earned it. #kidlitchat
2:30 am EgmontUSA: @gregpincus Exactly! #kidlitchat
2:30 am LisaDez: @HeatherTrese Good to know. Thanks! #kidlitchat
2:30 am debbieohi: @cekster I’ve never done PBs before. But finding it hard to resist an editor who is -asking- for material. :-) #kidlitchat
2:30 am EllenHopkinsYA: @weplayedpirates Not sure what the final title will be. And I’d say 16 up… unless you’re a very mature teen reader. #kidlitchat
2:30 am RebeccAgent: the industry needs to have time to support the book via reviews #kidlitchat
2:30 am planetalvina: We can’t control what an author wants to write, but try to trust us about managing your career and what to publish next. #kidlitchat
2:30 am MirandaKennealy: @LisaDez What about the Sweet Valley books? St. Martin’s is doing a book about them in their 20s, no? #kidlitchat
2:30 am bonnieadamson: @eliohouse Um–over here would be fine. :-) #kidlitchat
2:30 am EgmontGal: @EllenHopkinsYA oh, Ellen! Mel Gibson? This morning I had a dream I hadn’t finished my BA paper. And I graduated in ‘83 #kidlitchat
2:30 am RebeccAgent: and readership needs to have time to find the book and support it through word of mouth & all leading to sales #kidlitchat
2:31 am weplayedpirates: @EllenHopkinsYA This works well then. I turn 16 on Friday. :D (And I consider myself a mature YA reader.) #kidlitchat
2:31 am EllenHopkinsYA: @PaulWHankins Paul… hmmm…. #kidlitchat
2:31 am cecilseaskull: I’m kind of excited to have a YA novel & a picture book (my first!) out in August 2010 feel I can support both. Both different #kidlitchat
2:31 am DaniMonsch: #kidlitchat how do you reconcile overpublishing with editors desire to have more books per year from author, last i heard 2 to 3 was desire
2:31 am YolaRamunno: @planetalvina great advice! #kidlitchat
2:31 am HeatherTrese: I’m more curious about switching genres within an age group. Say going from sci-fi to contemporary YA. Thoughts? #kidlitchat
2:31 am comagrrl: @gregpincus “Selling books is a business.” It’s important to keep that in mind. #kidlitchat
2:31 am EgmontGal: @planetalvina that’s a good point, and a question. When are we, the pubs, right about pace and spacing? When should they ignore? #kidlitchat
2:31 am planetalvina: Wendy Mass is an author who is able to write both YA and MG, but now she’s settled on MG as the genre she loves. For now! #kidlitchat
2:31 am elanaroth: @RebeccAgent All you say is true, but there’s a balance of building an audience by making sure the next book isn’t too far away. #kidlitchat
2:31 am paulgreci: RT @planetalvina: We can’t control what an author wants to write, but try to trust us about managing your career and what to publish next. #kidlitchat
2:31 am KrisYankee: @RebeccAgent Everything you’re saying makes sense to me. Thanks so much! #kidlitchat
2:31 am LiaKeyes: I will write what the hell I want to write. If my heart’s in it, it’ll sell. #kidlitchat
2:31 am debbieohi: @cecilseaskull Congrats, Cecil! #kidlitchat
2:32 am SarahAiglen: @debbieohi, and I would think, if she is asking, that she has an audience in mind – a good thing. #kidlitchat
2:32 am happybluejess: Learning a lot. I’m pretty prolific with PBs, but I think my agent is a great filter for which ones to send out and when. #kidlitchat
2:32 am EllenHopkinsYA: @weplayedpirates Happy almost birthday! And by the time the book sells and publishes, you’ll be even older. #kidlitchat
2:32 am skodobah: I just want to write YA, nice and edgy. Never grow up. #kidlitchat
2:32 am weplayedpirates: One of the authors I’ve seen who crosses genres succesfully is @halseanderson. And she’s got a following for all of her genres. #kidlitchat
2:32 am juliadevillers: I got a sneak preview of @cecilseaskull ’s August YA- I know the market will support it! (I LOVE it.) #kidlitchat
2:32 am happybluejess: @cecilseaskull Yay! #kidlitchat
2:32 am Chumplet: If an MS has alternating chapters of adult & YA, should author extract YA & make new MS? Some agents want crossovers BTW #kidlitchat
2:32 am KateMessner: @HeatherTrese I think switching genres w/in age group can be more problematic than switching age groups b/c of rdr. expectations #kidlitchat
2:32 am emilytastic: @LiaKeyes Me too, Lia. Keep it awesome, and it’ll find a home. #kidlitchat
2:32 am Linamoon: RT @LiaKeyes: I will write what the hell I want to write. If my heart’s in it, it’ll sell. #kidlitchat
2:32 am maggiedana: @MirandaKennealy Re SVH … those girls were 16-17 in mid-80s; puts them in early 40s now. Bit of a time warp here, I’d think. #kidlitchat
2:32 am EllenHopkinsYA: @EgmontGal The publisher is always right. Mostly. #kidlitchat
2:32 am SarahAiglen: Too bad we can’t get Mel Gibson to weigh in on this discussion. #kidlitchat
2:32 am weplayedpirates: @LiaKeyes Then again, there are the projects with heart that never sell. And the projects without heart that do. #kidlitchat
2:32 am debbieohi: @cecilseaskull Is your YA & PB coming out from the same publisher? #kidlitchat
2:32 am planetalvina: @EgmontGal ignore? What does that mean? ;) #kidlitchat
2:33 am LaurelSnyder: Can I ask about publishing with multiple houses? How does that work? How many books a year can you do in one house? In more? #kidlitchat
2:33 am LiaKeyes: Maybe crossing ages works if you stick to one fascination or genre? #kidlitchat
2:33 am SolomonInkwell: @skodobah – I AGREE, skodobah. I couldn’t imagine writing anything else. Dancing around it, maybe… #kidlitchat
2:33 am bethrevis: I think it much more important to maintain theme. OK to have MG and YA if both are fantasy. #kidlitchat
2:33 am NecessaryWriter: I can like what I like AND what an agent likes. (I think) RT @LiaKeyes: I will write what the hell I want to write. #kidlitchat
2:33 am KrisYankee: @Chumplet That sounds confusing to me. Do editors want this? #kidlitchat
2:33 am weplayedpirates: @EllenHopkinsYA Thank you. And I shall head out to the bookstore to buy this book the day it comes out. :) #kidlitchat
2:33 am lioncaller: @elanaroth She would also be the first to say ed/pub commitment was higher then. :\ #kidlitchat
2:33 am BenDawe: Late starter today. I’ve known a few examples of authors using pseudonyms to move from childrens lit to adult books #kidlitchat
2:33 am EgmontGal: @crcook Hey, Judy Blume is good example of non fantasy writer for YAs who crossed over to adult! Any others we can think of? #kidlitchat
2:33 am kdueykduey: @elanaroth The timing of releases, carving out promotion time, writing boopks that matter… It’s a crazy-dance for me. #kidlitchat
2:33 am KatApel: @cecilseaskull Wow! Hugely busy month for you. Can see you learning to juggle – fast! Have fun with it! #kidlitchat
2:33 am LaurelSnyder: (FYI I write MG and PB and the problem is that I can write PBs faster) #kidlitchat
2:33 am tabithaolson: I truly hope it’s not the kiss of death 2 cross genres or age groups. I have 2 many stories in my head, & they’re all difft. #kidlitchat
2:34 am EllenHopkinsYA: @LaurelSnyder Depends on the kind of books you’re writing is my guess, Laurel #kidlitchat
2:34 am RebeccAgent: look out for tween sensation Tricia Rayburn (Maggie Bean series) 1st YA this summer. Siren pub’ed by Egmont USA! #kidlitchat
2:34 am emilytastic: I think @LaurenMyracle succeeds with both YA and MG. She has, I think, two books a year, and her readership is huge. #kidlitchat
2:34 am gregpincus: @kdueykduey I became a screenwriter rather than sticking with playwriting for a reason, ya know? #kidlitchat
2:34 am Chumplet: @debbieohi You’d be awesome. #kidlitchat
2:34 am janet_hagan: RT @planetalvina: We can’t control what an author wants to write, but try to trust us about managing your career and what to publish next. #kidlitchat
2:34 am SolomonInkwell: @LiaKeyes – Yes…I could see going from scary YA, to Thriller or Horror… #kidlitchat
2:34 am weplayedpirates: @NecessaryWriter And I can find an agent who likes what I write. :) #kidlitchat
2:34 am comagrrl: RT @weplayedpirates: @LiaKeyes Then again, there are the projects with heart that never sell. And the projects without heart that do. #kidlitchat
2:34 am MarshaDArnold: @planetalvina I would love help in managing my career. BTW you were fabulous at SCBWI #kidlitchat
2:34 am bonnieadamson: @LaurelSnyder But the pbs take longer to produce, right? #kidlitchat
2:34 am planetalvina: @LaurelSnyder Sometimes it’s good to have different publishers for different genres. (ex: one pub for PB, one for novels) #kidlitchat
2:34 am debbieohi: @cekster @Chumplet Thanks. :-) #kidlitchat
2:34 am emilytastic: @LaurelSnyder I almost write YA faster than PB. I find my PB work more frustrating. #kidlitchat
2:34 am jessicavarin: @EgmontGal Madeline L’Engle #kidlitchat
2:34 am cecilseaskull: @debbieohi no. Scholastic YA & Candlewick PB. But I’m already setting up book events that will include both #kidlitchat
2:34 am NecessaryWriter: RT @EllenHopkinsYA: @EgmontGal The publisher is always right. Mostly. #kidlitchat
2:35 am Chumplet: @KrisYankee Not a CLUE! #kidlitchat
2:35 am paulgreci: @EgmontGal SE Hinton has one adult novel. Gary Paulsen has several from years ago. #kidlitchat
2:35 am tabithaolson: I have fantasy stories waiting to be written, dystopian, commercial, YA, MG…am I screwed? :) #kidlitchat
2:35 am KateMessner: @LaurelSnyder I’ll end up with one novel/year, two series chapter books, & a pb. #kidlitchat
2:35 am skodobah: @SolomonInkwell You are egging me on to make a Flashdance reference! #kidlitchat
2:35 am planetalvina: @MarshaDArnold Why, thanks! Maybe I will, someday! #kidlitchat
2:35 am weplayedpirates: @skodobah By the way, my username is a reference to the play SPRING’S AWAKENING by Frank Wedekind. :) #kidlitchat
2:35 am TracyClark_TLC: @LiaKeyes right on, Lia!! #kidlitchat
2:35 am RebeccAgent: pls note Tricia wrote 4 tween before sending me Siren #kidlitchat
2:35 am SolomonInkwell: @skodobah – What a feeling! #kidlitchat
2:35 am KrisYankee: @emilytastic PB is harder because lack of words used. YA/MG is easier – more space, more words for story. #kidlitchat
2:36 am juliadevillers: @LaurelSnyder I have one publisher for mg series, one for mg standalones right now. #kidlitchat
2:36 am kdueykduey: Re CAREER planning::: http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6718748.html #kidlitchat
2:36 am RebeccAgent: Jarrett J. Krosoczka wrote and illustrated 9 pbs before 1st Lunch Lady graphic novel #kidlitchat
2:36 am wendyorr: @tristanbancks Good point. Arguing our point over what we want to push should make us clearer re what we’re trying to say & why #Kidlitchat
2:36 am skodobah: @weplayedpirates That is very cool. #kidlitchat
2:36 am weplayedpirates: YA is my favorite genre to write. :D #kidlitchat
2:36 am EgmontGal: @weplayedpirates It’s the bitch of living, baby. #kidlitchat
2:36 am bonnieadamson: RT @KrisYankee PB is harder because lack of words used. YA/MG is easier – more space, more words for story.<–true. #kidlitchat
2:36 am PattyJMurphy: @LaurelSnyder: It’s all about telling a good story:) #kidlitchat
2:36 am KatApel: I think poetry enhances any genre. Teaches you to weigh your words. Great for PBs – also chapter books. Make each word count. #kidlitchat

Please click here for part two of the transcript.

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