MARY KOLE INTERVIEW AND GIVEAWAY OF WRITING IRRISISTABLE KIDLIT: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO CRAFTING FICTION FOR YOUNG ADULT AND MIDDLE GRADE READERS

Today I’m excited to interview agent Mary Kole about her newly released book, WRITING IRRISISTABLE KIDLIT: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO CRAFTING FICTION FOR YOUNG ADULT AND MIDDLE GRADE READERS. This is a great book on writing middle grade and YA stories, covering everything from plot, character development, and theme. Using all new material, Mary shares her advice on the craft of writing and utilizes passages from published books to exemplify her points. And publishers and published authors also share tidbits of advice on many of the topics she discusses.

Here’s a description of Mary’s book from Amazon:

Captivate the hearts and minds of young adult readers!

Writing for young adult (YA) and middle grade (MG) audiences isn't just "kid's stuff" anymore--it's kidlit! The YA and MG book markets are healthier and more robust than ever, and that means the competition is fiercer, too. In Writing Irresistible Kidlit, literary agent Mary Kole shares her expertise on writing novels for young adult and middle grade readers and teaches you how to:

• Recognize the differences between middle grade and young adult audiences and how it impacts your writing.
• Tailor your manuscript's tone, length, and content to your readership.
• Avoid common mistakes and cliches that are prevalent in YA and MG fiction, in respect to characters, story ideas, plot structure and more.
• Develop themes and ideas in your novel that will strike emotional chords.

Hi Mary. Thanks so much for joining us.

1.  Can you tell us a little about yourself and your book?

I became a literary agent in 2009 after reading at several agencies, writing for years, and while earning my MFA. The same year, I started my blog, Kidlit.com, all about children's books so that I could demystify the publishing business and talk craft with aspiring children's writers.

2.  I didn't realize you started your blog the same year. What made you decide to write your book and how is it different from some of the other craft of writing books out there?

I wanted to challenge myself to say something about the writing craft and children's book market in a way that was more permanent and "big picture" than the blog. I took the Donald Maass' WRITING THE BREAKOUT NOVEL approach and excerpted from thirty-four published children's novels to help illustrate my teaching points. I also include commentary from bestselling authors and children's book editors to round the guide out, so it's not just me on my little soapbox.

3.  Those were all great ideas that add to your book. How long did it take you write? When did you find time with your demanding job as an agent?

It took me about six months to write, but I'd submitted a hefty proposal that had some of the groundwork already covered. When you really want something, you make the time. A lot of writers have day jobs, even after they're published, so I did what everybody else does and carved out a moment whenever I could, sometimes early in the morning, sometimes at the airport on the way to a conference.

4.  You say at the beginning of the book that you’ll be focusing on theme throughout all the chapters. Why do you believe the theme is so critical in creating a good story?

Every good book needs a big idea that drives it and a larger question that the writer is struggling with about being alive. It's the secret sauce that lifts a story up and makes it universal, resonant, and larger-than-life, but a lot of people don't take the time to articulate and really explore what theme they're playing with.

5.  I love how you describe it as the secret sauce. What’s some of the most important things that you hope authors will learn from your book?

That it takes a lot of thought and exploration to craft a book that's going to not only be published but published well. The market is very demanding and, contrary to some popular belief out there, advanced fiction craft is really important in children's books.

6.  So true that the craft of writing is critical to a good story. Your book is being published by Writers Digest. Share about your road to publication. Was your road to publication easier because you’re a well known agent and have a relationship with Writers Digest already?

Of course, but I still had to submit and proposal and go to acquisitions like everybody else. My platform (the blog) and the Writer's Digest audience's response to my webinars and conference appearances were both key to getting me through the door, but they never would've bought it if they didn't like the idea or didn't think I could sell it.

7.  What was it like being on the author side of the table instead of being the editor like you do with your clients before submitting their work?

I came to the business because I love writing--otherwise the blog would be torture. So it was liberating and a dream come true, actually. And I got to send early drafts to trusted readers and go through the peer critique process like a lot of authors do, too. Not to mention work on the book with my editor. It was fun!

8.  Awesome that you enjoy writing as well as being an agent. How are you planning to market your book? What advice do you have for aspiring middle grade and YA authors about marketing?

I'm lucky in that I have a platform in place already, but marketing any book, no matter who you are, is an exercise in starting from square one in a lot of ways. Of course I want my blog readers to buy and love the book, but there are tons of marketing avenues that may not be part of my network already. I've been researching other people who write about children's books and reaching out to them. It's a lot of work. For fiction, it's even more work because your target audience isn't nearly as specific. I don't envy my fiction writer clients when it comes time to market their debuts!

9.  I think it's true that even if we have a platform with our blog, we have to expand out when thinking of marketing our book. I want to spend a little time discussing your role as agent. You’re an agent at Movable Type Management. Tell us what you’re looking for in submissions and what you aren’t interested in.

I'm very open-minded when it comes to genre, though I am not actively looking for paranormal or dystopian. Overall, I'm seeking MG and YA that has literary spark and commercial appeal--so a high-concept premise but a premium quality of writing.

10.  What are some common mistakes you find in queries and how do you recommend avoiding them?

More on this in the book, but I'd avoid writing the query as your main character or other such gimmicks. Also, if you personalize the query, make sure it's truly personal and specific, not just "I am querying you because you love books." An agent, of all people, can tell when something is a form letter.

Thanks Mary for all your advice. Good luck with your book. You can find Mary at her blog and her editorial and consulting website.

Mary has generously offered a copy of WRITING IRRISISTABLE KIDLIT: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO CRAFTING FICTION FOR YOUNG ADULT AND MIDDLE GRADE READERS for a giveaway. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower (just click the follow button if you’re not a follower) and leave a comment by midnight on December 8th. I’ll announce the winner on December 10th. If your e-mail is not on Blogger, please list it in your comment. 


If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry.This contest is open to US residents only. Please mention if you're not a US resident in your comments if you don't think I know that.

And don't forget to enter my giveaway contests for THE SPINDLERS, CONJURE, ROOTLESS, and RENEGADE. The links are at the top of the blog.


Here's what's coming up:

Next Monday I'm interviewing Victoria Strauss and giving away a copy of her new YA book, PASSION BLUE. I decided to interview her when I saw her author blurbs from Robin McKinley, Jane Yolan, and Megan Whaeln Turner. Victoria is also the co-founder of Writer Beware, a publishing industry watchdog group that watches and reports on literary fraud and scams. We'll discuss Writer Beware as well.

The following Monday, I'm interviewing Corrine Jackson and giving away a copy of her new book, TOUCHED. And she just had her debut book, BEFORE I LIE, release in September. So it should be an interesting interview.

And don't forget our Tuesday Tips and Casey's Thursday agent spotlights.

Hope to see you next Monday!