I met Emma through Facebook. She reached out for an interview, and I was happy to oblige.
And I found out how small the world is, especially the publishing world. I've been reading books by one of my favorite authors, Ellen Hopkins. Of course, I never knew who her editor was, until I researched Emma for this interview.
Emma edited my most favorite of Ellen's, Burned. Like I said, it's a small world after all. Emma's list of edits is quite amazing. I'm sure you'll know some even if I only list a few: Bear Snores On, Olivia, Mama Why?, Are you Quite Polite?, The Ride, Posy, Gandhi, America at War, The Legend of Buddy Bush, The Years of Miss Agnes, SKIN, On Pointe, Tilt... and many more.
This editor is the one you want! Go Emma! You keep the children's book world worth reading.
Below are the questions I asked her:
1. You've been in New York City all
your life. Any secret favorite places to shop? Eat? Best place for a coffee?
[EDD] There’s a little place
where I enjoy meeting clients near my home office on the upper west side called
The Popover Café which, true to its name, serves enormous, airy popovers all
day long (with homemade strawberry butter on the side)—and lots of other good
food as well. That’s all I’ll give away; gotta leave my other favorite haunts a
secret so they don’t get too crowded!
2. You've worked at some big names in publishing (Viking Children's
Books, Random House, Margaret K. McElderry Books, and Atheneum Books for Young
Readers). Which one was your favorite, and why? Which one gave you the most
editorial freedom?
[EDD] I loved every company for which I’ve worked for different
reasons and depending upon the perspective of where I was on my career path.
I
was an intern during college with Viking Children’s Books and my first
full-time position was with Random House Children’s Books—so I have a
particular soft spot for both of those companies, since the people there helped
instill in me a passion for the business and best practices.
I think my work with Margaret K. McElderry
Books would have to count as my “favorite” because I had the great good fortune
to be mentored by and became friends with Margaret McElderry, a woman whom I consider
to be the most remarkable woman in the children’s book business—not to mention,
someone with a wicked sense of humor. I was at that imprint long enough to
actually shape it editorially and creatively while carrying it on after
McElderry’s retirement, which is a source of great pride for me.
3. Describe your workday in 5 words.
[EDD] Always
ready for new opportunities.
4. What do you look at, or look for, when you are editing a
manuscript?
[EDD] I look for an opening that grabs me. I want to get to know
a strong, memorable main character with whom a young reader will be able to
identify emotionally and psychologically. I listen for a narrative voice that
feels true to the main character and true to the subject matter so that it will
feel true to the reader.
I yearn to feel something in a manuscript—I want to be
taken on an emotional journey as much as I want to be taken on either a literal
or figurative journey.
5. What time do you get up, and what do you eat for breakfast?
[EDD] My schedule really varies from day to day; I don’t have a
strict routine, although at least three days a week I get up early enough to go
over to the gym (by walking through Central Park) before I sit down at my desk
in my home office. Breakfast can be anything from granola to an egg and turkey bacon
to crackers and cheese. Depends upon my mood and what sort of pressures the day
holds.
6. Are you more of a line editor, or do you look closely at the big
picture?
[EDD] Absolutely both. Most of the work I do with drydenbks clients on
novels is big picture editing, what I call “broad stroke” editorial work in
which I assess the big elements – characters, relationships, setting and
world-building, story arc, beginning and ending, the emotional core, the height
and depth of the stakes, and so on.
I
will often follow up with a client on a revision and that’s usually when I do
more line-by-line editorial work.
My
goal though, is to provide a client with as much editorial feedback in my initial
assessment, so I will often provide not only a lengthy broad-stroke commentary,
but will do line-by-line edits on part of a manuscript to exemplify for an
author ways in which adjusting words, phrases, dialogue, and narrative voice
can address general concerns raised in the broad-stroke assessment.
Picture book editing is a bit different; I usually end up doing
some line-by-line edits in tandem with a broad-stroke assessment as well as a
pagination breakdown and discussion.
7. Do you get to make, and have friendships with authors?
[EDD] Of course. That’s
often the best part of the job of being an editor, when the trust between author and editor becomes
so rich that the editorial conversations spill into and intertwine with the
personal conversations.
I often ask hard questions when I edit; and the
questions generally trigger authors to take a deeper look into themselves, to do
some more honest exploration of their
values, their backgrounds, their emotions—and that can be painful or
exhilarating.
Either way, though, I feel it’s my obligation to be there with a
safety net for an author if I’m going to be so bold as to ask the sorts of
questions that push authors out of their comfort zones. And when an author
trusts me with that net, often a friendship of some sort is not far behind.
I’m
not necessarily friends with every author with whom I work—but I do feel
there’s a trusting relationship that’s always and inevitably established.
Without it, neither of us can do our best work.
8. When you are hiring staff, what do you look for in that person?
[EDD] I’m not
currently in a position to hire staff (perhaps someday that will change, when
drydenbks LLC goes global!) but I have hired many staff members in the past and
I will always look for someone with enthusiasm, passion, sound instincts, a willingness
to be flexible, and humility.
I look for
flexibility because our business is in such flux that it behooves anyone in it
to be open to change right now.
I look for humility because so often I would
meet with candidates who looked fantastic on paper (the right schools, the
right extra-curricular, the right book-related background, etc) and great
online (Believe it: employers do evaluate a candidate’s “webutation”!), but who
would say in their interview that they didn’t plan to file or type, but
expected to edit books right away. Young people who think they know it all
already concern me.
This has historically been an industry of mentoring and I put a
lot of store in that due in part to what
I learned about editing and professionalism from the mentors I had along
the way.
I also believe in the mentor relationship because our work as editors
is not just about editing…it’s about knowing when subtlety is required with a
boss or an author; it’s about balancing creative and business instincts; it’s
about knowing when to keep fighting and when to compromise; it’s about
finessing, cajoling, persuading, suggesting, listening, and respecting; it’s about
coming to understand the differences and similarities between the writing
process and the publishing process; it’s about mature human relationships.
Such
skill sets and sensitivities take time to develop and master. I want any staff who
works with me to be open to learning from me, open to ideas, open to
discussion—and excited enough by it all to take what they learn and make it
into something fresh and new while also respecting what’s come before.
9. They say the
publishing world of children's books is a very small world. If you get on
someones naughty list, it's hard to recover. Is this true?
[EDD] Well, I do think this can be true, yes. It’s a small world in which so many of us
have worked together in some capacity, so many of us know one another, and if
we don’t know one other personally, we know one another by reputation—so if a
reputation is sullied for some reason, we generally know about it.
That’s not
to say someone can’t make amends or apologize or do whatever’s necessary to
stay professional, respectful, supportive, or whatever the case may be.
A recent client was convinced they were on
some “do not represent this author” list that was circulating among agents. To
my knowledge, no such list exists (I’m sure agents will correct me if I’m wrong
on this, right? Right?).
I know an agent who discovered they were being
badmouthed on a listserv; she posted something on the listserv to the effect
of, “If you have any concerns with how I conduct my business, please have the
courtesy to get in touch with me directly.”
At the end of the day, we have only our reputations. And in this
digital age, our reputations are everywhere—including places we might not
necessarily expect. As children’s publishing is a business, it behooves all of
us in it, no matter how much creative fun we’re having, to stay professional
and respectful of each other and of our own selves.
10. What's your blog
about?
[EDD] My blog is called
“Our Stories, Ourselves” and let me start by saying I feel terribly guilty I
don’t post there often enough. I know that the best blogs are those on which
something is posted daily or weekly.
Well, with my blog I have become more and more empathetic to the plight
of the writer—Oh, the writer’s block! Oh, the blank page and nothing to say!
Oh, the distractions!
All that being
said, the title is “Our Stories, Ourselves” because I absolutely love stories and
think we define ourselves by the stories we tell and the stories we live.
Truth
be told, I am a total voyeur, which I think makes me a better editor; I’m
fascinated by people’s stories (the more complex and strange, the better!) and
I think the very best aspects of our society hinge upon the sharing of stories.
My posts always stem from something personal that I’m thinking about or
wrestling with that I can tie into some aspect of the writing process –
creativity, making the leap, self-exploration, pushing one’s boundaries, facing
the blank page, doubt, fear, and inspiration.
11. How has work
changed for you since you've gone out on your own?
[EDD] My editorial skills have actually gotten better because I’m
less distracted and can be much more focused in my thinking on a manuscript.
My
skill set has expanded since I’ve been out on my own as I’ve had to become
knowledgeable about more aspects of the publishing business to be of the best
possible service to authors and illustrators of all kinds—those interested in
“traditional” publishing, those interested in indie publishing; those
interested in self-publishing; those interested in app publishing; those
interested in transmedia.
I’m in more conversations with more people now—I
consult not just with authors and illustrators, but with agents who want to be
more cognizant of the digital landscape; with publishers who want to run
something by me for an objective opinion; with people looking to stay in the
business but who know they need a fresh perspective.
Being freelance also gives
me a much better grounding to consult with people about what it means to be freelance.
I love the variety of what I’m doing
now. I’ve made it a point to go out and learn new things to stay relevant and
I’ve found I’m a whole lot more flexible than I thought I was!
12. You are currently
writing books as well as editing. Which one is harder, and why?
[EDD] Well, let’s just say I have ideas for books I want to write. I’m not actually writing books
yet—it’s hard to talk about because writing is so darned HARD. I have a
wonderful support group of colleagues who are urging me to practice what I
preach when it comes to getting the butt in the chair and just writing!
It’s very
hard for me, though, not to edit myself right off the page before I’ve even
typed a word and the writing process when it’s for and about my own writing makes
me feel extremely vulnerable.
Talk about taking the leap out of one’s comfort
zone! So, no question in my mind that writing books is a whole lot harder for
me than editing books!
13. What one word best
describes you?
[EDD] Sensitive.
14. You belong to ALA, ALSC,
and SCBWI. How have these organizations
helped you in your career?
[EDD] Belonging to ALA (American Library Association) and ALSC
(Association for Library Service to Children) keeps me very well informed about
books, authors, library concerns, literacy initiatives, programs, and conferences.
As for SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book
Writers & Illustrators), I’m not only a long-time member, I’m on the Board
of Advisors—it’s an organization that I feel very strongly about professionally
as well as personally.
SCBWI is an invaluable network that does fantastic work
to support and inform authors and illustrators at various stages of their
careers; it also serves as a unified voice to effect discussion and change
within the field of children’s literature.
Personally, the organization has
supported me throughout my career—first as an editor being invited to many
regional conferences, then as a keynote speaker and participant at national and
international conferences, and most recently the organization has shown me
unfailing support when I started drydenbks, sending me the clear message that
even though I’m not an acquiring editor with a big house anymore, I still have
value to the membership as a children’s book professional sharing information
and helping authors and illustrators to do their best work.
Being appointed to
the Board has been a great honor, as that was achieved through the votes of the
membership body; my position on the Board is unique in that I am a freelance
editor with a publisher’s background and knowledge and have my finger on the
pulse of what’s happening in the digital space.
15. If a writer decided
to hire your editing services, how would that process begin?
[EDD] First and foremost, a writer needs to look carefully at my
website www.drydenbks.com and follow the
specific submission guidelines.
Once I am in receipt of the materials I need in
an initial submission, I need several weeks to consider the work to determine
whether and/or how I might be of the best possible assistance to that person
and their work.
I do not take on every project that’s submitted.
If I decide the
project feels commercially viable and I feel I can be of assistance, I send out
a proposal that outlines the scope of the work I feel would be most helpful to
that person, the fee structure, and the schedule.
16. Do you choose to
work with first time novelists/illustrators, or someone with a publishing track record?
[EDD] What’s been very exciting is that I work with writers and
illustrators at various stages of their careers. Many of them are first timers.
But a good handful are somewhere along in their careers—some with one book published, some with an agent,
some without an agent and seeking an agent, some with many books published.
Because I am a publishing consultant as well as an editor, the consultancy
aspect of drydenbks makes the work I do with authors and illustrators that much
more broad and varied. It’s a terrific variety and that’s the way I like it!
17. Do you have a
preferred genre?
[EDD] Not really. I am one of those editors who is adept at many
genres and formats and who has been trained by various editors (there’s that
whole mentoring thing again!) how to work with many different kinds of
manuscripts for all audiences, from infants through the grittiest YA readers,
poetry, fantasy, and other!
I suppose,
though, I have a soft spot for… picture books because that way I get to work
visually as well as editorially; for middle grade novels because middle graders
are at that wonderful precipice between being tied to family and becoming
autonomous; for poetry because I love playing with language and space; for YA
because that’s where my voyeurism can really take off as I peer and poke into
the deepest, darkest, most complex stories imaginable; for fantasy because it’s
so rich with the “what if?”
I seem to have a soft spot for all of it! Just give
me a good story!
18. What do you think
the children's book market is in the need for at this time?
[EDD] Flexibility. And
patience.
This society is very much one of instant gratification right now and
there’s a real sense of impatience permeating many aspects of the market—from
publishers desperate for the next BIG book and fast sales to authors hurtling
into self-publishing for the wrong reasons before they’re necessarily ready to
be published at all.
Technological
companies thrive and survive by trying new things out on consumers all the
time, one after another – but if our industry follows suit, I fear we will lose
sight of quality control and presenting our best work to the world; I fear we
will become an industry of the mediocre rather than the best.
19. What do you think
about today's publishing world? Are the huge houses dying dinosaurs? Or will
they survive the digital age?
[EDD] The huge houses are not dying. They are big, though, and
they are built on business tenants that don’t always allow or enable much
agility and flexibility. I think this digital age necessitates all of us being
open to new ideas, trying new things, testing new business models, pushing
boundaries, allowing for some failures without giving up.
These are all things
individuals and small start-ups are able to explore and ultimately weather; big
companies not so much, not when they have to answer to Wall Street and
stockholders, not when they work under a corporate structure, not when they’re
panicking to survive.
I think the big
houses can survive the digital age—they will be changed, however.
20. What is your number
one, biggest pet peeve that writers often do?
[EDD] I want writers to recognize that any work on which they
put their name is an extension of and representation of that writer.
That piece
of work with your name on it—no matter what the delivery system, no matter the
genre, no matter what!—is a reflection of you. Care as much about the way in
which your work is presented to the world as you would care about how you look
when you’re out in public.
Following submission guidelines, being sure of
grammar and punctuation, being cognizant of the general make-up and interests
of the audience for whom you’re writing (be it the agent to whom you’re
submitting a query letter and synopsis or the readership for whom your story is
intended)—How much pride and care you take
with your work will and does translate into how much care a reader will take
with your work.
21. Any advice for
writers during this time of change in the publishing world?
[EDD] I’m going to use the word again: FLEXIBILITY.
I urge anyone creating content
for children’s books to be flexible, to be OK with being a little uncomfortable
in the face of changing rules, to be open to new opportunities, to be willing
to ask for help or advice, to stay engaged in the conversations as much as you
feel comfortable (on twitter, facebook, etc)…and then, shut it all out and focus
on writing the best stories you can write.
22. Do you own an
e-reader?
[EDD] Absolutely. I used to use a Sony Reader, which I really
liked. I had to get an iPad, though, to work with apps, and now I love reading
on the iPad; I use the Kindle app, some eBook library apps, and I use “DropBox”
for manuscripts, picture book dummies, etc.
I have a Sony Reader for sale, if
anyone’s interested…
23. What words of
advice do you have for a newbie editor?
[EDD] I think some of the
best editors are those who not only have a passion for the newest books and the
publishing business as it is now, but who also take the time to learn some of
the history of the business as well as grasp the breadth of the industry’s past—read
the classics; read the fantasies that
preceded and laid the groundwork for HARRY POTTER and THE HUNGER GAMES; read backlist
and frontlist titles in all genres; read
interviews with and articles by the many prestigious children’s book editors
and reviewers who are no longer working, but who laid the groundwork for what
we do today.
Additionally, I would suggest new editors go to conferences
outside New York City (or wherever they’re located) to get a better sense of what
people are thinking all around this country; go to your company’s warehouse and
distribution center if you have the opportunity; start attending SCBWI
conferences to do manuscript critiques; read the reports from the company’s
sales reps to know what’s going on in the market; seek out an editor who’s been
with the company for a while and ask them questions; read more experienced
editors’ editorial letters and examine edited manuscripts; sit in on meetings
between editors and art directors; hone your likes and dislikes.
And, finally,
I would suggest that new editors simply listen:
to peers, to colleagues, to your manager; and to authors.
24. ANY BIG NEWS?
I use many different websites when I write. I've starred many of them across my top sites bar on my Mac. So when, the other day, during a critique group session, the question came up about what sites help writers the most, I had some to share. 
I hope these websites help you to become an even better writer. If there are any that you use, and think should make the top list, please leave a comment below. Write~On 
