An author's goals for 2009

So I'm hearing sales of children's books are bouyant but the market is overcrowded. I cling to the hope that people will keep buying books despite the tough economic times because they are a highly reusable, relatively cheap form of entertainment, but I can't ignore the fact that publishers are reducing lists, budgets and staff numbers. So while books continue to sell, is the downsizing a response to what might happen or the result of revenue that has already declined to much? And how does that gibe with bouyant sales? I must admit I'm a little confused. While it might them make them harder to achieve (depending on what the situation actually is), it doesn't change my essential goals of trying to sell more books and getting more manuscripts accepted. Publishers haven't stopped needing to acquire manuscripts and publish books to stay in business. But 2009 looms a little mysterious.

Clear goals are: finish the two manuscripts I'm working on now and try generating a few short stories for the 2009 Random anthology and for School Journals and Magazines, scrape money together for September Children's Book Conference in Wellington, and make a website. Writer Tania Hutley has already got her website up and running after attending the Kiwiwrite4kidz marketing and presentation workshop just last weekend where having a website was whole heartedly recommended. I'd like to keep the momentum going with school visits and author talks/workshops too. If nothing else, 2008 has taught me greater persistence and adaptability in the face of uncertainty. I can't imagine what 2009 might bring but i feel ready for just about anything.

No more changes please, I am already over my quota for 2008...

I must admit to feeling a little shell shocked. After 25 years with Scholastic NZ, the publishing manager has resigned. Twenty five years is a long time and a good enough reason on its own to have a break and try something new. I can't imagine that the strain of operating under the current financial situation would have helped, but its just more sad news for authors like me in what has been a difficult year. Scholastic has been my main publisher so far and I was just getting the hang of how it all worked. Now I guess it will be different. 2008 has been very different to how I expected it to go. I am having trouble imagining what 2009 may bring and making plans is almost impossible. At the moment the thing I am looking forward to the most is the Children's Writers conference in Wellington in September. Wellington is a most excellent place to visit and is further improved by the wonderful writers and illustrators who reside there and who it will be great fun to catch up with. To my way of thinking the conference cannot come at a better time (well maybe earlier in the year would be better but...) as we need to have some serious discussions about how we can move forward and make things better in the current environment. All you kiwi children's writers and illustrators need to be marking it in your diaries now.

The alchemy of publishing...

Got a call for 'expressions of interest' in a proposed writer's conference down in Wellington September 2009 to be run by the Wellington Children's Book Ass. yesterday. I've already replied that I'm keen. I asked them to sign me up for the masterclass in wine drinking for writer's. I am looking forward to meeting all the wellington writer's and illustrators. The ones I've met so far are an excellent bunch. I wonder if there will be any Learning Media or Creative New Zealand folk attending. I have some questions...

I discovered that a decision on whether a book of mine will be published next year may rest on the interest shown by booksellers in an earlier work about to come out. I guess thats fair enough. Publishing is a business and if the first book doesn't make it out to too many bookshops then there is no point in investing in the second book. I am keeping my fingers crossed and thats about all i can do now because i can't change the content, the cover or any other aspect of the book anymore to help it succeed. I guess it does show the importance of being happy with how your work ends up both in terms of editing and the final look. That book has my name on it and my personal future success depends upon its reception. Like the alchemy involved in a publisher deciding to publish a book, there is alchemy involved in a books success. Will the booksellers take it, will people pick it up in the shop, will they read the back cover, will they like it enough to buy it. For a long time the holy grail of writing for me was being published but once that happened the rules changed completely. Now i want to keep writing - I want a writing career. To have that i need to keep writing books that someone wants to publish and that people want to read. As much as publishers try to guess correctly what the public will want, the Harry Potter experience shows that there is a large unpredictable element in publishing. Everything is a risk for the publisher. Sure its calculated but i bet the publishers keep their fingers crossed as much as i do. I hope it works on this occasion.

By the way you can now check out my author's bio on the Storylines website and The Christchurch City Libraries website as well.