Childrens Writers Chat 8-28-01

Subject: Childrens Writers Chat - reviews

Author: Writerbabe

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Date: 8/30/2001

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Childrens Writers Chat 8-28-01

Discussion topic: Reviews

TTuesdays

9 p.m. ET (6 p.m. PT), Writers Workshop

Children's Writers chat - writers and illustrators of children's books meet for specific topics and special guest speakers, moderated by HOST WRTR WBABE & HOST WRTR CGaley, with HOST WRTR sUe & HOST WRTR Neely (Greeters).

****disinfected using Virex 6.0****

<HTML>Children's Writers' Workshop 8-28-01

Discussion topic: Reviews

WriterBabe: Okay, folks, we're open for questions now.

WriterBabe: How can we get our books reviewed in more media and featured in

RoxyanneY: ?

WriterBabe: features? GA

KellyMilnerH: Talk to EVERYONE about your book.

OtterBabe3: ?

KellyMilnerH: Carry a copy with you EVERYWHERE.

KellyMilnerH: Show it to anyone who will look.

LYPHIS: ?

KellyMilnerH: You never know who will hear you. That's how a friend of a

friend tells the feature editor.

KellyMilnerH: That's how I get some books. I listen. I ask. Don't be shy.

And look at yourself differently

KellyMilnerH: Ask yourself why you wrote the book and see if there is a

great feature in the reason.

KellyMilnerH: I raised baby chickens...that made my story behind the story

on BABY CHICKEN great for

KellyMilnerH: agricultural magazines. And chicken people buy chicken books.

KellyMilnerH: GA

WriterBabe: Hmm, I think I'd like to get a lackey to carry around my book.

Easier on the back. LOL

WriterBabe: Roxy, you're first.

RoxyanneY: Shoot, that's what I was going to ask - can we send reviewers

copies of our books if we

RoxyanneY: don't have a relationship with them, or is that considered tacky

or overkill, or just not a

RoxyanneY: good idea because of the expense involved -- the publisher should

be the one sending out the

RoxyanneY: books, yes? GA

KellyMilnerH: Roxy, some reviewers hate it, because they hate letting people

down. But if you have an

KellyMilnerH: extra review copy and you meet this interesting freelancer at

a writer's conference, send

KellyMilnerH: her a copy...with a note saying it was nice meeting. Again,

that will put your book in her

KellyMilnerH: mind. If something comes up, and she's any good, she'll

remember.

KellyMilnerH: But don't take it personally if it takes a while. GA

KellyMilnerH: Again, it's about relationship. GA

WriterBabe: Otter, your turn.

OtterBabe3: Hi Kel! What about reviews in other media? Features on TV, etc?

Also do you ever tap into

OtterBabe3: popular sources? Wouldn't it be great for Oprah to feature

children's books? ga

KellyMilnerH: Me personally? I don't do TV work. But a lot of good PR people

do.

KellyMilnerH: Kelly Grunther was the head of Random House Children's

publicity for nearly 9 years.

KellyMilnerH: She's freelance now and pitches TV regularly.

KellyMilnerH: But if you really want to get on Oprah, start local.

KellyMilnerH: The odds are good, if you get good local TV, then good state

TV, then good press, you can

KellyMilnerH: better your odds of being SEEN by Oprah or Good Morning

America.

KellyMilnerH: Start local, move up. GA

WriterBabe: Lyph, go ahead.

LYPHIS: How does one become a reviewer?

KellyMilnerH: LYPHIS, as silly as it sounds, you ask.

WriterBabe: (Queue's empty, folks)

KellyMilnerH: Not so different form the advice I just offered on TV. Start

small, free papers, local

LYPHIS: ?

KellyMilnerH: parenting sheets, then move up. Do a few for free, that's what

I did. In fact, I started

KellyMilnerH: online.

KellyMilnerH: GA

WriterBabe: Continue, Lyph.

LYPHIS: What should a review have to get published and influence people?

KellyMilnerH: Reviewer?

OtterBabe3: ?

LYPHIS: yes,

MudderGG: ?

KellyMilnerH: LYPHIS, if you're just gettting started, study the formats and

mirror them.

LYPHIS: in the review... is there some key to writing a great review?

KellyMilnerH: Make your desires known to the editors. Be a LITTLE pushy, but

not too pushy.

KellyMilnerH: Key to writing a great review is to write what your editor

wants...

KellyMilnerH: follow THEIR formats. And don't forget what makes a truly

great book.

KellyMilnerH: It's not just a famous author. There are some remarkable books

by new authors too.

KellyMilnerH: GA

WriterBabe: Otter, fire away.

OtterBabe3: I purchase books online and love having access to reviews

through the vendor I use. Is there

OtterBabe3: any way to access sources such as Baker & Taylor, etc. to get

them to feature your books? ga

KellyMilnerH: Yes...and again, it's about relationship.

RoxyanneY: ?

KellyMilnerH: It's not EASY, but if you get to BookExpo, seek out the PR

reps from Baker & Taylor, B&N.

KellyMilnerH: Introduce yourself, talk for a few minutes, hand them a copy

of your latest book or flyer.

KellyMilnerH: RELATIONSHIP.

KellyMilnerH: It might not get THAT book reviewed, but assuming you're in it

for the long haul, it will

KellyMilnerH: make them say, "Wow, look, another book by that woman at Book

Expo," the next time your name

KellyMilnerH: floats up.

KellyMilnerH: GA

WriterBabe: Mudder, you're next.

MudderGG: After a brand new writer sells his first book, would the hiring of

a PR person help to get

MudderGG: book reviewed? ga

KellyMilnerH: You want to know what got me 34 reviews for my first picture

book?

KellyMilnerH: The fact that I wrote reviews.

KellyMilnerH: RELATIONSHIP.

KellyMilnerH: Am I repeating that word?

KellyMilnerH: RELATIONSHIP.

KellyMilnerH: Yes, you can hire a PR person to advise you, and some of them

are wonderful.

KellyMilnerH: But if you can't afford one, there is SO much you can do on

your own.

KellyMilnerH: And you dont' have to be a cheerleader by nature to pull it

off.

KellyMilnerH: So yeah, they can help, but it doesn't have to go that way. GA

WriterBabe: Roxy, your turn.

RoxyanneY: What if a writer or illustrator gets a really horrible review

that they feel is undeserved.

RoxyanneY: Do they have any kind of recourse? GA

KellyMilnerH: Any recourse you attempt will make you look worse.

KellyMilnerH: That's a sad fact, but true.

RoxyanneY: So it's just out there, good or bad?

KellyMilnerH: I mean, if you argue or write a letter to the editor...unless

you're Chris Crutcher or Bruce

KellyMilnerH: Coville, I mean.

KellyMilnerH: Roxy, you can seek out opposing reviews from other sources.

KellyMilnerH: And you can remember, that reviews are subjective. Chicago

Tribune LOVED my picture book.

KellyMilnerH: SLJ said it was clunky. Go figure.

KellyMilnerH: GA

WriterBabe: Kel, are there any particular reviewers you admire? If so,

which--and why? GA

WriterBabe: (Queue's empty, folks)

KellyMilnerH: I really admire the reviewer for the Chicago Tribune, and of

course her name escapes me now.

KellyMilnerH: Mary...children's reviewer.

KellyMilnerH: She's an academic, a university expert on children's

literature.

KellyMilnerH: And I really admire Teri Leseire, the ALAN president, and I'm

misspelling HER name.

OtterBabe3: ?

KellyMilnerH: I think Stephanie Zvirin at Booklist is great, but she took

the star from Chris Crutcher's

KellyMilnerH: WHALE TALK review I wrote, which didn't please me.

KellyMilnerH: GA

WriterBabe: Why did she do that? And how do books get starred reviews

anyway? GA

KellyMilnerH: The reviewers suggest it...the editorial committee reviews the

suggestion.

KellyMilnerH: s

KellyMilnerH: WHALE TALK was supposed to have a starred review...they

decided against it.

KellyMilnerH: Changed my review a bit to reflect that.

KellyMilnerH: GA

RoxyanneY: ?

WriterBabe: Otter, go ahead.

OtterBabe3: As a reviewer, do you compare a writer's new book with others

she has written? Is this

KellyMilnerH: Because I've been doing this a while, I tend to have a pretty

good memory for previous title

OtterBabe3: important to your reviews?

OtterBabe3: ga

KellyMilnerH: But unless it's a series, no, it's not important. Sorry,

didn't mean to step on you.

KellyMilnerH: I will reference another book if I LOVED it. Can't hurt to

remind people of THAT book when I

KellyMilnerH: hope they'll take notice of THIS book.

KellyMilnerH: And when I write a great review, I want people to fall in love

with the book the way I did.

KellyMilnerH: GA

WriterBabe: Roxy, your turn.

RoxyanneY: Do you have any tips on interpreting book reviews? I mean, does a

starred review in

RoxyanneY: the Chicago Tribune mean the same thing as a starred review in

Kirkus? And what are

RoxyanneY: some of the buzz words that we see that might really mean

something else? GA

KellyMilnerH: Well, the Chicago Tribune's circulation isn't what Kirkus's

might be, in terms of book buyer

KellyMilnerH: But people do pay attention to certain reviews.

KellyMilnerH: Even the Denver Post can be powerful. I wrote a review of an

adult writer's latest book.

KellyMilnerH: She wound up the top seller in Denver the next week.

KellyMilnerH: And when you hit number one in a city, OTHER cities say, "Hey,

what's that buzz about?"

KellyMilnerH: GA

Neely f: <><><> 15 MINUTE WARNING <><<><>

RoxyanneY: ?

WriterBabe: Continue, Roxy.

RoxyanneY: Have you had reviews picked up by other papers from something

like that? Reprints?

KellyMilnerH: Good question.

KellyMilnerH: I've been asked to pitch a syndicated YA review column to

Copely.

Whisman RD: ?

KellyMilnerH: And a lot of what I have written for big newspapers get picked

up by their sister papers.

KellyMilnerH: Knight Ridder, etc.

KellyMilnerH: But what I try to do is write special features for each paper.

KellyMilnerH: For example, I wrote a LOT about Chris Crutcher in April.

KellyMilnerH: He hadn't had a book out in six years...people were hungry.

KellyMilnerH: But I wrote six DIFFERENT features...very different.

KellyMilnerH: So he got press, I got to pitch a book I loved, and all my

editors were happy. GA

WriterBabe: Whisman, you're next.

Whisman RD: do you often choose NOT to review a particular book?ga

KellyMilnerH: Not very often, no Whisman. Because for the most part, I can

find something magic in every

KellyMilnerH: book.

RoxyanneY: ?

KellyMilnerH: If they get to Booklist, and out to reviewers, they've already

made the first cut.

KellyMilnerH: That's another thing Roxy should remember. Even a bad review

means you're better than BAD.

KellyMilnerH: GA

WriterBabe: Kel, what do you think of the numerical rating system that

several publications use? GA

KellyMilnerH: I don't like it. I think it's WAY to misleading, Marilyn.

KellyMilnerH: Books are subjective by nature and design.

KellyMilnerH: And god bless them for being so. I think numerical systems

discount unnecessarily.

KellyMilnerH: GA

WriterBabe: Roxy, fire away.

RoxyanneY: What kind of feedback have you gotten from authors of the books

you've reviewed? Any thank

RoxyanneY: you notes? Dinner invitations? Flowers? GA

KellyMilnerH: Once in a while, yeah. I'll get flowers I didn't expect or a

nice note. Once I got a note

KellyMilnerH: telling me I was going to hell. I think maybe I liked that one

best.

KellyMilnerH: Chris always says if you piss off the right people, you're

doing something right.

KellyMilnerH: GA

WriterBabe: I once called a reviewer I know to thank her for a good review

and she told me never to do

WriterBabe: that.

RoxyanneY: (save me a seat :)

WriterBabe: Would that have been bad form with you, Kel? GA

KellyMilnerH: Nah. That's assuming a reviewer can't be objective.

KellyMilnerH: At this point, I know about 50% of working writers.

KellyMilnerH: I've written about SO MANY PEOPLE>

KellyMilnerH: If I can't write about people I know, I'm up a creek.

KellyMilnerH: I guess some people are insecure about what people will think.

KellyMilnerH: But I write about books I love. That isn't influenced by a

nice note.

KellyMilnerH: My LIFE is positively influenece by nice notes.

KellyMilnerH: GA

WriterBabe: I thought she was being rather uptight, frankly. She was my

neighbor!

KellyMilnerH: I think some people take themselves a LITTLE too seriously.

KellyMilnerH: GA

WriterBabe: What advice can you give us for dealing with reviews, both good

and bad? GA

KellyMilnerH: Chris once told me you can't take any review TOO seriously.

KellyMilnerH: The great ones cancel out the bad ones.

KellyMilnerH: And I think that's good advice. Then again, I've seen him get

loopy over a great review too.

OrganizedChaos06: Wow, what a large crowd

KellyMilnerH: Still, it's good advice. Remember reviewers are ONLY human.

KellyMilnerH: What they think is ONLY what they think.

KellyMilnerH: Ultimately, you'll find your KIND...and they'll keep buying

your books.

KellyMilnerH: RELATIONSHIP...have I said that yet? GA

WriterBabe: (Some don't seem human, Kel. :->)

KellyMilnerH: LOL...some have DEvolved, Marilyn.

Neely f: ^*^*^*^* 5 MINUTE WARNING ^*^**^^*

KellyMilnerH: GA

KellyMilnerH: One other thing...

WriterBabe: Any more questions, folks?

KellyMilnerH: My advise is to write YOUR book...your passion.

KellyMilnerH: Don't WORRY what any reviewer might say. If you're true to

yourself, again, your work will

KellyMilnerH: find it's way.

KellyMilnerH: GA

WriterBabe: Always good advice!

WriterBabe: Any more questions?

WriterBabe: I guess not.

KellyMilnerH: This reminds me of a conference I did in Albany.

KellyMilnerH: LOL

KellyMilnerH: Me and three librarians.

KellyMilnerH: LOL

WriterBabe: Kelly, thank you so much for a truly excellent chat.

Whisman RD: Thanks, Kelly! And goodnight.

MudderGG: My review for this chat session is 4 Stars.

KellyMilnerH: Thank you Marilyn, it was great fun as always.

RoxyanneY: This was really informative. Thank you, Kelly!

LYPHIS: Tha

KellyMilnerH: Mudder, thanks.

KellyMilnerH: Hope so Roxy.

Pete n Gun: Thanks Kelly.

RoxyanneY: Mudder, you crack me up.

Tem292: Yes, thanks Kelly

WriterBabe: Whoohoo! Mudder ranks high!

LYPHIS: Thanks Kelly and Marilyn and all - enlightening, very.

KellyMilnerH: Now I get to host Aldo Alvarez in the WCEvents Coliseum.

OtterBabe3: Thanks Kelly! Great advice and insight!

ShermanTL: Thanks, Kelly!

BOEDEN: Thank you Kelly for the generous information. Very interesting.

See you again soon!

KellyMilnerH: I'm glad you all enjoyed it.

KellyMilnerH: Otter, didn't I review you once?

MudderGG: <:O)))

BOEDEN: Thank you Marilyn, Donna, Chuck & Joan. Terrific job as always.

WriterBabe: He's a good guy, Kel.

KellyMilnerH: For Kids Reads?

CGaley: G'night!

Tem292: I missed most of it, but what I got was something about how good it

is to have a lot of

Tem292: relationships?!!

WriterBabe: Next week, Open Chat with Chuck, Donna, Sue. I'm going on

vacation.

CGaley: See all of you next week... OPEN CHAT

KellyMilnerH: Tem, email me if you have questions.

OtterBabe3: Nope, not there yet Kel. We chat from time to time. :-)

MudderGG: Tem tee hee

KellyMilnerH: Ah, must be a premonition, huh Otter?

KellyMilnerH: <g>

WriterBabe: Two weeks from tonight, I'll be back and our guest will be Susan

Rich, Lemony Snicket's

WriterBabe: editor at HarperCollins.

WriterBabe: See you then.

BOEDEN: Happy writing everyone. Nighty night. See you on the books lists!

KellyMilnerH: YAY, I love Lemony Snicket.

OtterBabe3: I can only hope Kel! Thanks!

WriterBabe: Night!

KellyMilnerH: See ya then Marilyn.

Neely f: Well folks, That's about it for this balmy summer night.

RoxyanneY: 'night, all

KellyMilnerH: If anyone knows AD Alvarez, come on over to the Coliseum,

WCEvents.

KellyMilnerH: Night

Neely f: Ad's a friend.

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