tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007703247358638748.post3346919412120092931..comments2024-02-25T10:47:13.049-05:00Comments on Susanna Leonard Hill: April Pitch Pick and Oh Susanna - Can I Acquire Illustrations To Help An Editor Understand My Intent?Susanna Leonard Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17655630528649780363noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007703247358638748.post-49300797059385466212013-02-21T18:13:13.326-05:002013-02-21T18:13:13.326-05:00I"m with Stina, she said what I would have sa...I"m with Stina, she said what I would have said.Clarike Bowman-Jahnhttp://www.facebook.com/cbowmanjahnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007703247358638748.post-32182588059522888562013-02-21T18:13:12.377-05:002013-02-21T18:13:12.377-05:00I am so glad if you find Oh Susanna helpful, Penny...I am so glad if you find Oh Susanna helpful, Penny. And I really and truly believe there is no such thing as a "duh" question (unless it's one I ask :)). We all have to learn. We all have to start somewhere, and what's obvious to one person isn't necessarily obvious to another. Also, everyone comes from different backgrounds and has different knowledge to start with. So I am always glad to answer ANY question, no matter how small or insignificant-seeming or obvious-seeming. And I'm so happy to have readers chime in with their knowledge and experience because everyone in this wonderful community has something valuable to contribute!Susanna Leonard Hillhttp://susannahill.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007703247358638748.post-74883405084506336102012-05-28T15:40:13.121-04:002012-05-28T15:40:13.121-04:00LOVE the video, Lynn! Thanks for sharing!LOVE the video, Lynn! Thanks for sharing!Susanna Leonard Hillhttp://susannahill.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007703247358638748.post-34352238400784710022012-05-24T12:43:58.488-04:002012-05-24T12:43:58.488-04:00You are so right, Susannna! As a struggling illust...You are so right, Susannna! As a struggling illustrator, I don't understand how anyone could even THINK it's fair to ask an illustrator to work for free. (That is WHY I'm struggling!)<br /><br />Tracy, your book coach may be a published author, but she is giving you bad advice here. Most editors and publishers won't even LOOK at your MS if you include art that isn't yours. They say that's the true sign of an amateur. So your "promise" to the illustrator of getting their work noticed is really a mute point since the submission will most likely stay in the slush pile (or even worse, the trash!) Plus, a promise doesn't put food on the table, and contrary to popular belief, artists need to eat, too. ;–)<br /><br />Check out this video to see if this would fly in other situations http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2a8TRSgzZY&feature=my_favorites&list=FL8EWyY0nBwdZQnHE2Dct1tQLynn Alpertnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007703247358638748.post-37461149938073094382012-05-08T06:22:54.486-04:002012-05-08T06:22:54.486-04:00Thanks, Angela! :)Thanks, Angela! :)Susanna Leonard Hillhttp://susannahill.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007703247358638748.post-24155160731243633802012-05-07T22:31:36.551-04:002012-05-07T22:31:36.551-04:00Enjoyed the various pitch ideas. The comments hav...Enjoyed the various pitch ideas. The comments have already been filled to the brim with excellent advice and very helpful opinions. No need to rehash so wishing Tracey the best of luck with her submission :-)Angela Brownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007703247358638748.post-1344061167288704032012-05-07T20:59:15.607-04:002012-05-07T20:59:15.607-04:00A goddess yet! I'm moving up in the world! N...A goddess yet! I'm moving up in the world! Not an hour ago I was lower than dirt according to one of my children :)Susanna Leonard Hillhttp://susannahill.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007703247358638748.post-72272673562906171542012-05-07T20:56:04.900-04:002012-05-07T20:56:04.900-04:00Thanks again everyone for your feedback. I am thin...Thanks again everyone for your feedback. I am thinking that taking out the illustrations (no matter how rough) is a good idea. Perhaps it's time to strengthen the query even more so there is no need for anything visual before getting to the manuscript. Susanna- you're a goddess among women. Thank you!!!!Tracybermeonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007703247358638748.post-30259110904086909142012-05-07T20:47:31.740-04:002012-05-07T20:47:31.740-04:00Bunnies are so cute, aren't they? :) Thanks f...Bunnies are so cute, aren't they? :) Thanks for the 2 cents! :)Susanna Leonard Hillhttp://susannahill.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007703247358638748.post-45171412910624285232012-05-07T19:49:56.217-04:002012-05-07T19:49:56.217-04:00Thank you Clar :) There will be an extra donut in...Thank you Clar :) There will be an extra donut in your paycheck this week :)Susanna Leonard Hillhttp://susannahill.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007703247358638748.post-75495571413312354652012-05-07T19:49:37.612-04:002012-05-07T19:49:37.612-04:00Thank you for making me feel like I gave the right...Thank you for making me feel like I gave the right answer Stina :) And those pictures are so cute I can't even decide which one is my favorite! :)Susanna Leonard Hillhttp://susannahill.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007703247358638748.post-53418238764008281292012-05-07T19:45:20.596-04:002012-05-07T19:45:20.596-04:00You're doing very well, Kirsten :)You're doing very well, Kirsten :)Susanna Leonard Hillhttp://susannahill.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007703247358638748.post-58077521892776263962012-05-07T19:28:27.570-04:002012-05-07T19:28:27.570-04:00I"m with Stina, she said what I would have sa...I"m with Stina, she said what I would have said.Clarike Bowman-Jahnhttp://www.facebook.com/cbowmanjahnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007703247358638748.post-70362275845840079512012-05-07T18:52:44.717-04:002012-05-07T18:52:44.717-04:00Those pictures are adorable!!!!
And you nailed th...Those pictures are adorable!!!!<br /><br />And you nailed that answer, Susanna. That's exactly what I've heard agents and editors say. You NEVER include pictures unless you're an illustrator. And even then, it's no guarantee the publisher will want you to illustrate your own book. They usually have illustrators they prefer to work with.Stina Lindenblattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007703247358638748.post-26688654013586812772012-05-07T17:31:05.184-04:002012-05-07T17:31:05.184-04:00Susanna, thanks for the helpful comments for us au...Susanna, thanks for the helpful comments for us author-onlies. I'm saying the mantra, "I will let the illustrator tell half the story. I will let the illustrator tell half the story..."Kirsten Larsonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007703247358638748.post-11936942452755771852012-05-07T13:51:50.184-04:002012-05-07T13:51:50.184-04:00I voted but let me add a vote for bunnies in every...I voted but let me add a vote for bunnies in every post! I am a big bunny fan. <br />I know such a little, but I do know everything I hear and read advises against including any sort of artwork with a ms. In addition, I would be afraid they would detract from all my hard work of writing the best possible story. Just my 2 cents.Sharon Stanleynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007703247358638748.post-88445844587301942232012-05-07T13:12:56.886-04:002012-05-07T13:12:56.886-04:00Thanks for chiming in, Pat, I appreciate your thou...Thanks for chiming in, Pat, I appreciate your thoughts. And thanks for voting! I'm going to be very interested to see who wins!Susanna Leonard Hillhttp://susannahill.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007703247358638748.post-17372481593656561432012-05-07T13:07:58.798-04:002012-05-07T13:07:58.798-04:00I agree that you'd be better off just writing ...I agree that you'd be better off just writing the best book you can. Agents/Publishers have their own ideas and it could hurt you in the long run. I understand your wanting to have a glimpse of what it might look like. <br /><br />Great pitches this month. Had trouble choosing.Tiltonphnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007703247358638748.post-18824587260025930642012-05-07T13:07:16.391-04:002012-05-07T13:07:16.391-04:00Yes - counter-intuitive is exactly what I feel. A...Yes - counter-intuitive is exactly what I feel. And yet Tracy explained in the comments that her book coach was an agent and published author - so maybe there's something i don't know... :)Susanna Leonard Hillhttp://susannahill.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007703247358638748.post-15249225471003322632012-05-07T13:05:43.563-04:002012-05-07T13:05:43.563-04:00That sounds like a VERY productive use of both our...That sounds like a VERY productive use of both our time! Shall we lie on the couch and eat bonbons while we're at it? :)Susanna Leonard Hillhttp://susannahill.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007703247358638748.post-84288710321040417852012-05-07T13:02:49.956-04:002012-05-07T13:02:49.956-04:00Gosh, those baby animals were cute! They do cheer ...Gosh, those baby animals were cute! They do cheer me up. :)<br /><br />And I agree with you. I'm no book coach either, but the suggestion seems counter-intuitive to everything I've read. Amen about writing the best book you can.Janet Johnsonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007703247358638748.post-76566697797395411632012-05-07T12:57:20.805-04:002012-05-07T12:57:20.805-04:00"you would be better off writing the best sto..."you would be better off writing the best story you can write" I think what you said here is key. <br />It was not easy picking one of those pitches, they all had something I was drawn to! <br />And those cute animal photos? I could look at those all day. How about I go look some up and then we can email them back and forth? :) Ha ha.Coleen Patrickhttp://coleenpatrick.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007703247358638748.post-9441217499932248692012-05-07T12:15:02.398-04:002012-05-07T12:15:02.398-04:00Of course you didn't ask a "duh" que...Of course you didn't ask a "duh" question - I told you, there's no such thing :) And we have all learned a lot. Thank you for explaining in more detail how you arrived at this question in the first place. If your book coach is an agent and published author, she should certainly know what she's talking about, so perhaps there is a place for this type of thing in the right circumstances. Oh, and thanks for voting!Susanna Leonard Hillhttp://susannahill.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007703247358638748.post-14785299960964581612012-05-07T12:09:48.803-04:002012-05-07T12:09:48.803-04:00Wow! Thanks everyone for all of your thoughts and ...Wow! Thanks everyone for all of your thoughts and comments! Susanna, your answers are so helpful and totally make sense. I so hope I didn't ask a "duh" question. :) To answer just a couple of comments out there- my book coach is an agent and published author. Since she can't be everyone's agent, she offers book coaching sessions to new writers. I have had no traditional writing training so she has been very helpful in teaching me how to build a story and creating a strong narrative arc. She also guided me toward the early reader genre as that may be a better area for a new author to enter the marketplace. As there are not many stories out there where the main characters are food, I believe her thought was that images would help people see its seriousness, although Susanna, and many of you, make a great point- if the story is strong enough, no visual aid should be necessary. Additionally, while the final piece wouldn't be picture heavy I am aware that editors and publishers prefer to choose their own illustrators so unless I self-publish it's difficult to offer much in the way of compensation to anyone who would want to help.<br />Thank you all for your feedback. So glad I asked Oh Susanna. Oh, and voting was tough, but I did pick a pitch. Good luck to the contenders!Tracybermeonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1007703247358638748.post-46560281628074810052012-05-07T11:46:09.914-04:002012-05-07T11:46:09.914-04:00Thanks for the comment and for voting, Vivian! :)Thanks for the comment and for voting, Vivian! :)Susanna Leonard Hillhttp://susannahill.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com