Why I Attend Webinars that Aren’t for Writers

Yesterday, I took time out of my afternoon to attend the Booklist webinar “Fall in Love with Series Nonfiction.” I write nonfiction, much of which is published in series, so this may seem like a no-brainer until you focus on the fact that this event was hosted by Booklist. 

Booklist is the book review magazine of the American Library Association. This wasn’t a webinar for nonfiction writers. It was for librarians and other staff who make buying decisions at libraries. 

Why did I attend? Maybe I was putting off writing. You wouldn’t be completely wrong, but there is more to it than that. 

Among the speakers were editors, publishers, and marketing staff.  Each of them showed off the upcoming titles they are most proud of, and they also discussed what it is that makes these books popular with young readers. Some of the things they mentioned are design specific. These included bright colors and bold sidebars. There are also small compact sidebars that are tempting for reluctant readers. Bold photos and graphic panels were also emphasized. 

If I’m going to submit something to one of these publishers, I know what they use as selling points. Now I can include these features in my manuscript. 

But I also benefited from seeing what topics are being published in series. As Matt Warner, Marketing Director for the Cherry Lake Publishing Group, discussed their titles, I realized that I had a nonfiction proposal that would complement what they are already publishing. And when I researched Cherry Lake, I discovered that they accept submissions. I’m going to have to tweak what I already have, but with minimal effort it will be ready to go. 

Not every publisher represented in the webinar is accepting submissions. Nomad Press doesn’t accept submission or applications for work-for-hire. But Andi Diehn, Editor and Marketer, pointed out that their STEM titles don’t focus only on the scientific method but also emphasize the engineering design process. I’ve listened to enough conversations between engineers about troubleshooting a design to get what she was saying, but this phrase was new to me. I’ll be trotting it out when I pitch one of my new ideas. These webinars are goldmines of industry specific terminology. 

Dear Amazing Editor, 

My manuscript not only explains the work that engineers do in building bridges, it also walks young readers through the engineering design process. Terminology is grade appropriate and easy for readers to grasp. 

Check out the archive of Booklist webinars HERE and maybe you’ll find something that will help you in your publishing journey.  

--SueBE

Sue Bradford Edwards' is the author of over 80 books for young readers. To find out more about her writing, visit her site and blog.

She is also the instructor for 3 WOW classes which begin on the first Monday of every month. She teaches:

• Pitching, Querying and Submitting Your Work 

• Research: Prepping to Write Nonfiction for Children and Young Adults 

• Writing Nonfiction for Children and Young Adults 

To get a free copy of Sue’s book, What to Do When Your Book Is Banned, subscribe to her newsletter, One Writer’s Journey, here.