Hey all you children’s and YA authors out there! Yes, we’re talking to you. Sure, you’ve got a great idea for a kids’ book. Maybe you’ve even written it. But how does your story go from your desk to the Best-Seller shelf at Barnes & Noble? Enter Ben Barnhart: children’s book editor and all-around publishing maven.

Barnhart is the Young Readers Editor at Milkweed Editions, a reputable and innovative children’s book publisher that is “one of the nation’s leading independent, nonprofit literary publishers.” Impressive, no? But let’s get to the part you really want to know: how does a writer become a published Milkweed author? And what does it take to succeed in children’s books?

Sit back and prepare to profit from this nonprofit editor’s fantastic information. You will soon be informed. Very, very informed.

WordHustler: First of all Ben, let’s get some background on you. How long have you been at Milkweed? And what got you into publishing?

Ben Barnhart: I got my start as an intern at Milkweed Editions during the summer of 2000, and stayed on as an editorial assistant. I’m coming up on nine years at the press, though I’ve been acquiring and editing the books for young readers only for the past five years. Coming out of college (I got my B.A. in philosophy from Cedarville College), I knew I liked writing and working with authors from my time as editor of the school’s literary journal. The internship confirmed my interest, and also gave me a sense that I might actually be good at this kind of work.

WH: Why does Milkweed focus on middle grade books? What is it about that age group that really sparks to reading?

BB: Our founding editor and publisher, Emilie Buchwald, started publishing books for middle-grade readers in 1993 after she identified a dearth of serious, literary books for young readers (eight to thirteen years old). Feeling that this was an age where many young readers cement their lifelong love of reading, Milkweed Editions has continued to focus on this age range with an array of titles from historical to contemporary novels. Of course, several years after we started publishing books for these readers, a young boy named Harry Potter changed the literary landscape and made young readers a much more attractive market for many publishers. So we find ourselves with a lot of competition these days.

WH: How many Young Reader books do you publish a year?

BB: We publish between four and six new books each year.

WH: Does Milkweed ever get Young Reader books put on school curriculums? Does a book have to hit a certain level of popularity before it is approved to be read in schools?

BB: Many of our titles are read in the schools, but as far as I know none have been selected as curriculum. Because most of our titles are fiction, they’re often used in conjunction with a specific segment, like Laura E. Williams’ Behind the Bedroom Wall while classes are studying World War II.

WH: Knowing that you obviously love each of the books you publish, what is your favorite Milkweed Young Reader book from 2008 and why? (If you need to be diplomatic, what are your TWO favorite books?)

BB: I do love each of the books I’ve worked on (not unlike children, actually), but my favorite from 2008 is a debut novel: Julie Crabtree’s Discovering Pig Magic. It’s a novel about three young teen girls in California, each struggling with a problem beyond her control. The characters come amazingly alive, with hilarious, spot-on dialogue. It manages to be light-hearted and serious at the same time.

WH: I’ll have to check that out. Now I must ask about what all of our readers want to know: manuscript submissions. How many unsolicited submissions would you say Milkweed Young Readers gets a month? What’s your turnaround time like?

BB: We get about three hundred manuscripts a year, so close to thirty a month. We advertise a maximum turnaround of six months, though I’m uncomfortable having manuscripts around for more than three months. In other words, we do our best to respond to submissions soon, but it will likely take us at least a few months.

WH: As editor, are you drawn to a specific kind or genre of book? Or are your tastes constantly changing?

BB: I wouldn’t say I’m drawn to a specific kind/genre of book, so much as I’m drawn to a book that manages to come alive for me as a reader. That can be almost any kind of book, in my mind: historical, fantasy, contemporary, urban, etc. I’m continually excited by books that push the envelope of young readers’ taste, recently I’ve been very impressed by Neil Gaiman’s Coraline and Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief.

WH: What are three things about a query letter or manuscript submission that make you want to read more?

BB: It’s almost impossible for me to develop an interest in a manuscript without actually having a sample of the writing. Having a strong premise and outline is always helpful, but I rarely ask for a manuscript if I don’t get at least a few pages to help me develop a taste for the author’s writing ability.

With the writing sample, I’m looking primarily for a strong character voice. That indicates, to me, the author’s ability to fully inhabit their characters, as well as confidence telling the story. Without those two elements, it’s highly unlikely that a novel will work for us.

[Read more →]

Forbes has just come out with the top ten highest paid authors of the year. According to the magazine: “The 10 stars on [the] list of the best-paid authors pulled in a combined $563 million between June 1, 2007, and June 1, 2008.”

Any guesses which wizardly wordsmith came out on top? If you guessed Danielle Steele….you’re wrong. But close! Steele came in at #5. No, no, the magical #1 spot belongs, of course, to J.K. Rowling, who pulled in a whopping $300 million…THIS year.

Oh, the Queen of England is SO mad she never finished writing her story about that little girl with the star-shaped scar on her forehead who was born to fairy parents and can actually fly and talk to flowers…but I digress.

 Who else joins JK on this auspicious list?  Click HERE to read the whole article.

Do you have some magical words of your own you’d like to magically weave into publishing success? Why not enter the Indiana Review Fiction Prize? Besides winning $1,000, you could also be on your way up the ladder of success! And WordHustler wants to help!

According to the New York Times, the newest children’s book hero doesn’t use a wand and play Quiddich. The hero (or heroes, I should say, as they are brother and sister) of the new wunderkind book series “The 39 Clues,” solve mysteries while readers hunt for big prizes. Author Rick Riordan has created a whirlwind saga of two orphans named Amy and Dan Cahill who must solve mysterious clues to unlock their famous ancestors’ past. The Cahills were the most influencial family in American history with a monumental fortune to match…and it’s up for grabs.

The difference between these books and Harry Potter is that “The 39 Clues” are completely interactive. There are ten books planned, each revealing one of the thirty-nine clues, which Scholastic will release every two to three months. Then the rest of the clues can be gathered by adventurous readers who participate in the online games and challenges. Prizes totalling more than $100,000 are up ripe for the taking, as long as you can solve the riddle. Riordan’s first volume, called “The Maze of Bones,” comes out next week. Each following book will be written by a different high-profile author. Will “The 39 Clues” revolutionize children’s books? More importantly, will your little treasure hunters be able to crack the code?

 Read the entire article HERE.

Do you have a rolicking children’s tale that will capture the mind of young adventurists everywhere? Why not submit it to Charlesbridge Publishing? With WordHustler, the mystery of having enough time to send out all your submissions is SOLVED.