Liz Waniewski began her publishing career with Dial Books for Young Readers, a division of Penguin Books, in 2001. She is now an editor there, and works on picture books, chapter books, middle grade and young adult novels. Her recent projects include the New York Times bestselling Ladybug Girl books, The Brooklyn Nine by Alan Gratz, The Homeschool Liberation League by Lucy Frank, and Keena Ford and the Field Trip Mix-Up by Melissa Thomson and Frank Morrison. Liz attended her first SCBWI Conference in April 2004 in New Jersey and thoroughly enjoyed meeting with authors to talk about their writing and the business of publishing.
What you all need to know most is that Liz was the first editor EVER to request a manuscript from me, to send me a revision letter, and to think that my work was worth publishing. So we all love Liz.
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(December 2009)
How would you describe Dial's publishing focus these days?
Dial is focused on publishing high-caliber literary trade hardcover books with commercial appeal in all categories.
How do you feel the children's book market as a whole is doing?
Even in these tough economic times, I think parents are buying books for their kids, even if they are not buying as many books for themselves. Picture books are still a very tough sell in the crowded market, and we’ve seen that novels are still the stronger format.
What kinds of books do you love working on?
No matter the genre or format, I love working on books that are character-driven and deal with a universal kid or teen emotion/problem/situation in a unique way. The voice of the book is always that of a kid or teen, and is fresh and authentic. I want books to take me to places I don’t expect, and for that to happen organically based on the characters in the story, and their motivations, actions, and choices.
Which of Dial's upcoming books are you most excited about?
There are too many to choose from, so I’ll stick to a couple that are coming out in January and February 2010. For picture books, check out the very funny Doug Dennis and the Flyaway Fib by Darren Farrell and Tutus Aren’t My Style by Linda Skeers and Anne Wilsdorf. For middle grade, the magical Drizzle by Kathleen Van Cleve is one not to miss. And two of my very favorite YA novels include The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson – it will rip your heart out (in a good way!), and Incarceron by Catherine Fisher – mind-bending, genre-busting Sci-Fi/Fantasy.
What would you like to see more of in submissions? What would you like to see less of?
I would like to see more chapter books and middle grade novels that deal with every day kid experiences and emotions.
I’d like to see fewer picture book submissions that deal with the first day of school, the tooth fairy, or Santa Claus. And definitely fewer in which the moral lesson hits you bluntly over the head!
What is your biggest pet peeve about submissions?
When authors do not proofread their submissions - and this includes the cover letter! If you have put in the effort to write a story, make sure you have someone else read it before you send it.
Concerning the slush: what helps a manuscript rise above the general slush and stand out?
A unique idea or premise that I haven’t read before and great writing right at the beginning help a manuscript stand out. I want to be grabbed in the first sentence so that I must go on to read the second sentence, and so on.
What is your favorite book (in each genre would be helpful) published in the last few years?
Picture Book: Ladybug Girl by Jacky Davis and David Soman
Middle Grade novel: Savvy by Ingrid Law
YA Novel: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
It was very difficult to narrow this down, and I feel that I have five more in each category that are my favorites.
What advice would you offer an aspiring picture book author? An aspiring novelist?
Write what you care about, work on making it as perfect as you can, have an objective reader (and one you trust) read it, and only then send it in. Remember that this is a very subjective business and what is not right for one editor may be just right for another.
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