By Susan Kravlovansky

​I’d like to introduce you to Nina Kooij, editor-in-chief of Pelican Publishing. I have had the pleasure of working with her  on How Fire Ants Got Their Fire, and my forthcoming picture book, We Really, Really Want a Dog. Both books are fiction with nonfiction elements.
 

Nina, what path led you to editing as a career? My mother was a freelance editor for organizations (not publishers), and I always excelled in English classes. I served as editor of my high-school and college literary magazines. I earned bachelor's and master's degrees in English and interned at a book publisher. After that, I was accepted to the Denver Publishing Institute, where I met the vice president of Pelican. I interviewed for an open editing position there and my career began.
 
In your current position, do you wear other hats besides the editorial one? Since we are a midsize imprint, yes. I am involved in production (cover decisions, checking interior layouts, monitoring inventory, etc.) and sales (recommending backlist titles for upcoming store promotions, for example).
 
Are most of the projects you deal with fiction, nonfiction, or is it an equal amount of both? These days it is about 2/3 children's fiction.
 
How is editing nonfiction material different from fiction? Sources are important, as well as vetting of the material by experts and potential buyers.
 
What is the market for nonfiction like currently? The market is good, both for adults who are quarantining and for online classes with children.
 
What advice would you give a writer about breaking into the nonfiction market? Build up some publication credits in nonfiction children's magazines, which you can then list in your submissions to book publishers.
 
A huge thanks to Nina from the Nonfiction Ninjas for the helpful information!
​

By Wendy Hinote Lanier

During the month of August, my fellow Ninja Stephanie Bearce talked with agents who are looking for nonfiction. In the wake of these interviews, I thought it might be nice to include one from the editor’s point of view. Today we are joined by the Managing Editor from Red Line Editorial—an educational publisher. I’ve had the opportunity to work with Nick on several occasions and knew he was a great choice to give us a behind the scenes look into this particular nonfiction market. Here, he answers some questions and gives some good advice for anyone who hopes to publish nonfiction.

Background: Nick Rebman is a managing editor at Red Line Editorial. He leads a team that produces nonfiction books for grades K–6.

What path led you to editing as a career?
I graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 2003 with a double major in history and art—which, it turns out, isn’t the most lucrative thing to have on your resume when you’re looking for your first real job. But somehow, I convinced a big software company to hire me as a technical writer. Twelve months later, I’d had my fill of writing instruction manuals, so I moved from Madison to Minneapolis with no career plan and no leads. I scoured the want ads (in an actual newspaper made out of dead trees) and saw an opening with one of the many educational publishers in the Twin Cities. Within a couple months of getting hired, I knew I’d found an industry I wanted to stay in.

In your current position, do you wear other hats besides the editorial one?
I wear the manager hat, but that’s pretty easy because everyone on my team is fantastic. I also wear the author hat from time to time.

Most of the projects you deal with are work for hire. Is that correct? How does editing a work for hire project differ from a regular trade publication? Or does it?

Yeah, I mostly deal with work-for hire projects. From my perspective, the best part about editing a work-for-hire book is that I can make any changes I want without asking the author. I’m sure that’s the worst part from the author’s perspective—but the reason it’s helpful for an editor is because children’s nonfiction books are usually produced in a series. For example, it might be an eight-book series on the Civil War, a six-book series on natural disasters, or whatever. In most cases, there’s a different author for each book, so the editor needs to make sure each book maintains a consistent tone and a consistent reading level.

How is editing nonfiction material different from fiction?
At the risk of sounding snarky, the biggest difference is that nonfiction has to be true. But finding the truth is often harder than it sounds, and sometimes it’s even impossible. From time to time, I have to cut a really interesting sentence because there’s simply not enough evidence to confirm it. Obviously, that’s not a concern when you’re editing fiction.

Another big difference with nonfiction is that the author’s voice isn’t the star of the show. Broadly speaking, the whole point of children’s nonfiction is to convey information. That means the text should be concise and authoritative. If the author is doing a good job, you won’t even notice the writing style, because you’ll only be thinking about the content. In contrast, a novel might have an entire chapter that conveys no information whatsoever—but if it’s written with a compelling voice that evokes an emotional response, it would be totally appropriate.

What is the market for nonfiction like currently? What’s the major difference between trade nonfiction and nonfiction for the educational market?
Unfortunately, the pandemic has shrunk the market for nonfiction authors considerably, because publishers have postponed the release of hundreds of titles. This has led to a backlog of books waiting to be released, which means development of new titles has slowed.

From an author’s perspective, the major difference between writing nonfiction for trade vs. the educational market is that with a trade book, the author is generally pitching the idea and has much greater control of the end product. In educational publishing, usually the publisher is hiring authors to produce text based on their established specs for a book or series.

What advice would you give a writer about breaking into the nonfiction market?
I have lots of advice, so this is going to be a long-winded answer . . .

First, I’d say you should read a bunch of children’s nonfiction because it’s important to familiarize yourself with the writing style and tone that publishers are looking for. Meanwhile, decide on a handful of topics that you’re most interested in writing about. Maybe it’s history, biographies, and social studies. Maybe it’s animals, the environment, and technology. As an editor, I’m suspicious of anyone who says, “I can write about any topic.”

Next, make sure you have a basic understanding of reading levels (ATOS and Lexile, for example). A book that’s appropriate for a 3rd grader is not appropriate for a 6th grader, and vice versa, so you need to be able to write for your target audience. With that in mind, start thinking about things like sentence length, word choice, the reader’s background knowledge, etc.

After you’ve read lots of nonfiction and familiarized yourself with reading levels, you’re still not ready to submit a sample chapter to a publisher. Before you write anything—and I can’t stress this enough—you should create an outline. Nobody else will ever read this outline, but it’s still important. One of the biggest problems I see, especially with new authors, is that ideas are poorly organized. So, when you’re making an outline, think about the main ideas that your sample chapter needs to convey. In a children’s book, each chapter might have three or four main ideas. Those main ideas will be the bullet points of your outline. Then, come up with a few sub-bullets for each main idea. The sub-bullets are pieces of evidence that support the main idea.
While I’m thinking of it, I should mention sources. As you’re doing your research, make sure that your sources are reputable. (I hope this goes without saying, but Wikipedia is not a reputable source.) Also, don’t rely too much on a single source, because that can introduce bias.

When you’re pretty sure that you have a solid outline, set it aside for a few days. Then look at it with fresh eyes and ask yourself some questions. Is everything in a logical order? Does each sub-bullet support the main idea? Can anything be cut? Chances are, you’ll need to do some tweaking. And that’s good! This is the best time to reorganize the chapter—not at the manuscript stage.

Okay, now it’s finally time to start writing. The chapter will basically write itself if you have a good outline, because the information will already be in the right order. Then, when your sample chapter is nice and polished, it’s time to submit it to publishers.

Remember, editors don’t have all day to look at submissions, so make sure your sample is relatively short . . . maybe 200 words for each level that you want to write for. For example, you might have a 200-word sample for grades 3–4, and another 200-word sample for grades 5–6.

Your sample should not be work that has already been published. As an editor, I don’t want to see a published sample, because that means another editor has already worked on it. In other words, it gives me no indication of the quality I can expect when you send me your first draft.

Finally, don’t get discouraged. Different publishers have different needs at different times. So, just because a publisher doesn’t offer you any work today, that doesn’t mean they won’t have something for you in six months. In the meantime, reread your sample chapter every few months. You’re always improving as a writer, so you’ll probably find things that can be fine-tuned.
Whew, I think that’s it. I hope this has been helpful!
 
A huge thanks to Nick from the Nonfiction Ninjas! Helpful indeed!

Congratulations Susan Wroble! You have just won a query letter critique from Nonfiction Ninja Lisa Amstutz. 

Lisa is the author of over 100 books for kids including the new release Amazing Amphibians. In addition to being an award winning author, Lisa also offers editorial services for writers.

If you would like to win a free query critique with a Nonfiction Ninja visit the blog and comment on the Savannah Brooks interview. The winner will be announced next week.

Agent Savannah Brooks packs a wallop! Whether she is making a book deal or teaching a boxing class, Savannah is always making an impact. She joined the Jennifer De Chiara team in 2018 as an associate agent and has been working to develop a powerhouse list of middle grade and young adult fiction and nonfiction authors.

She revived her MFA from Hamline University and her area of concentration was creative nonfiction. That shows you how much she loves nonfiction!!! She also has a BS in marketing that comes in mighty handy when she is pitching her client's work. 

Nonfiction Ninjas were excited to visit with the talented Ms. Brooks.
Why did you become a literary agent?
I got my undergraduate degree in marketing, but after spending about seven months in the corporate world, I knew it wasn't for me. I decided to get my MFA in creative writing, and while I was doing so, I began pursuing a career in publishing as well. Originally, I wanted to be an editor, so I focused on editorial internships and positions at publishing houses, but after a while it became obvious I'd have to leave my beloved Minneapolis and head to New York, which I didn't want to do. In the meantime, I had gotten an internship with the Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency, and it showed me that being an agent is the best of both worlds: I get to edit manuscripts and I also get to work with and for incredible authors and editors. After interning for a year and a half, I was brought on board as an associate agent.

What excites you most about working in publishing?
When I was growing up in the 90s and 2000s, I didn't have any books that really focused on big topics like mental health, body positivity/autonomy, gender and sexuality, multiculturalism, identity, and non-nuclear family structure. I didn't have any books that gave me insight into how other kids lived—and it definitely showed when it came to my early understanding of the world. Working in publishing—especially in kid lit—is exciting because we get to give kids a more holistic understanding of the world around them, which will hopefully lead to them living more interconnected and empathetic lives. 

 What are you looking for in nonfiction projects?
I represent nonfiction picture book and middle grade projects, and for both, I'm really looking for the empowering, the bizarre, the unbelievable. I'm a big nerd all around, so anything that can teach me something that I'll immediately turn around and tell a friend—that's a manuscript I want to see. I love weird animals, uncommon sports, mythology and folklore, science, and incredible history and its players. I also love illustrated nonfiction, so if you think your project could be paired with beautiful, sweeping illustrations, send it my way.

Are there specific topics that interest you?
I think any topic could interest me if it's done right. As with my fiction, my nonfiction projects need to have a deeper theme running through them, whether it's opening a kid's eyes to a new culture or telling them they can go into a field where they don't often see people who look like themselves. Overall, though, the weirder and more intricate, the better. 

 What trends are you seeing in the industry?
The biggest trend is just that nonfiction kid lit is steadily on the rise for sales. Especially with COVID, there's been an uptick in parents buying educational books. 

Who is your ideal client?
My ideal client is someone who's obsessed with their topic, loves to research, wants to inspire kids. and thinks about their career as a whole. The business side of my brain is always thinking about how to build a platform and how to use that platform to reach out to kids who want and need to hear what my authors have to say, so I want to partner with someone who's thinking about it as well. I'm also really interested in representing BIPOC writers. In pretty much all aspects of nonfiction and the fields they correlate to, we have a drought of BIPOC voices. I want the books I put out in the world to reach the kids who feel they aren't represented.

 Are you more interested in PB, MG, YA, or all three?
 I currently represent PB and both upper and lower MG. I'm open to seeing YA projects, I just haven't found one that speaks to me.

 What do you want to see in a nonfiction proposal?
Along with all the normal information, I want a clear understanding of why the author is the person to write this manuscript, how this manuscript fits in with a projected career (a writing career but also whatever other career the author has that might inform their writing), and how the project might inspire kids. I'm also pretty particular about the writing level and style—I want it to be accessible but not speaking down, and humor is often your friend when it comes to my tastes. Anyone who can really capture the strange ways in which middle schoolers speak definitely has an in. 

What are some of your favorite kidlit nonfiction books?
This question always stumps me, and I never have any good answers. I read way too much to have favorites. 

​And last but not least – are you a dog person or a cat person? And do you have a pet?
 I have to say I'm both. I love dogs because they're so loving and happy, and I love cats because they're so grumpy and standoffish. I don't have either, though. I have two fancy rats, Hector and Boris, who are not really loving or happy or grumpy or standoffish; they spend most of their time eating, grooming, napping in their hammock, chittering in my ear, trying to sneak upstairs, and finding good hiding spots in the bookshelf, which is equally endearing. 

Andrea Cascardi has an eye for winners. She acquired and edited the Coretta Scott King winner Tar Beach written by Faith Ringgold and the Pura Belpre winner Before We Were Free by Julia Alvarez. As an agent she represented Newberry winner Clare Vanderpool and Stonewall winner, E.E. Charlton-Truillos.
In her with Transatlantic Literary, she is on the lookout for nonfiction that tells a compelling story and will welcome your groundbreaking nonfiction manuscripts.
Nonfiction Ninjas were excited to catch up with the hard-working Ms. Cascardi and she graciously answered some of our burning questions.

Why did you become a literary agent? I became a literary agent after having been an editor, and
wanting to work from home when my children were young. I felt that being an agent was a way to use my skills and knowledge for the benefit of writers and illustrators, just from the other side of the business.

What excites you most about working in publishing? Publishing is an ever-evolving industry, but the best thing about it is that I get to Interact with so many creative, passionate, professional people.

What are you looking for in nonfiction projects? I’m very open to all kinds of nonfiction but across all subject areas I’m always looking for that “aha” moment. I’m curious so I like nonfiction that takes me on a journey, that introduces me to ideas and information in a way that makes me feel I’m reading about it for the first time but engages me completely. The big idea that is distilled into an approachable and entertaining story. Most of all, a compelling voice—that’s just as important in nonfiction as in
fiction.

 Are there specific topics that interest you? I’m a generalist. I’m open to all topics as long as there is a hook for kids. But beyond that, I gravitate to animals, pop culture, quirky/hidden histories, books that
look at big historical moments through a smaller focus, STEM, and graphic novel memoir.

What trends are you seeing in the industry? I’m seeing more lively, entertaining nonfiction where a topic is approached from a humorous or sideways perspective.

Who is your ideal client? One who is both passionate about their subjects and ideas, who has the fortitude to persevere, and who understands who the reader is for their book.

Are you more interested in PB, MG, YA, or all three? I’m more interested in PB and MG right at the moment.

What do you want to see in a nonfiction proposal? I want to see a professional presentation—the hook, the overview, the market, the competition, and at least one complete chapter if it’s middle grade.
The full manuscript if it’s a picture book. A great proposal will carry all the way through to acquisition.

​What are some of your favorite kidlit nonfiction books? First, I’d have to list all of my clients’ books, and then books I published, so this would be a very long answer!

What advice can you give to people who want to break into the nonfiction market? First, be passionate about and invested in, a subject. Do your homework: read, read, read, in the age group you’re writing for. Find mentor texts. Be ready to articulate why your book is one the world can’t live
without. Don’t be afraid to take risks.

And last but not least – are you a dog person or a cat person? And do you have a pet?
I’m just slightly more of a dog person, but sadly our home is currently without a pet, as our miniature schnauzer passed away almost a year ago.

If you have a nonfiction project that will knock the socks off Andrea - please contact her at Transatlantic Submissions.

Congratulations to Doreen Robinson! You have won a query letter critique with the multi-Award winning Michelle Medlock Adams. Michelle has written over 90 books including her newest release I Love You Bigger Than the Sky. Michelle is promotional wizard and talented editor. Doreen - you are in for a treat!!
Good things happen to people who read the Nonfiction Ninja Blog!
​

​Stacey Graham knows how hard it is to be a writer. She's a published author herself, and brings this compassion and understanding to her job as agent at 3 Seas Literary. She also brings her passion for strange-but-true stories, creepy or quirky nonfiction, and leading haunted writing retreats.

With her experience as an author, screenwriter, and freelance editor, Stacey helps writers produce work that publishers love. She comes to 3 Seas Literary after five years as an agent at Red Sofa and is excited to learn what new adventures are on the horizon. 

Nonfiction Ninjas caught up with Stacey and asked her a few questions.

Why did you become a literary agent?
While my own projects were out with my agent, I loved the behind-the-scenes process and wanted to dig into the business side of publishing more. It was a natural fit!

What excites you most about working in publishing?
I love seeing writers taking chances and breaking out of what they felt were limits and discovering they were only minor roadblocks. 

What are you looking for in nonfiction projects?
I would love to see more quirky nonfiction in my inbox. The more offbeat, interesting, and truly odd projects always capture my attention. I would also like more how-to books, craft books, and hobby books such as antique collecting or sports such as sumo.

Are there specific topics that interest you?
History, archaeology, antiques, adventures, exploration, collecting (mini-museums), weird places. 

What trends are you seeing in the industry?
I see a lot of biographies of fantastic people and their stories that haven't been explored in depth before. It's exciting!

Who is your ideal client?
I love to represent writers that are prepared to put in the work of being a professional writer. It's a lot harder than it looks! Revisions, proposals, understanding the long haul of submission, acceptance, and finally publication can take up to two years (or longer) on one manuscript plus marketing and promotion to follow. Writers become business people so enjoying the process is key. 

Are you more interested in PB, MG, YA, or all three?
Middle grade.

What do you want to see in a nonfiction proposal?
I like to see a solid plan for marketing and promotion, plus a succinct and well-thought-out overview that focuses on the core of the project. 

What are some of your favorite kidlit nonfiction books?
The Magician and the Spirits by Deborah Noyes
Pink is for Blobfish by Jess Keating
The Boxcar Children Guide to Adventure: A How-To for Mystery Solving, Make-It-Yourself Projects, and More by Gertrude Chandler Warner

What advice can you give to people who want to break into the nonfiction market?
Scour history books, magazines, and websites for stories to spark an idea to build on and become an expert in that subject. Start building a platform early (articles, conferences, podcasts, blogs) so editors and agents see that you've done the research and that you have a plan for the project. 

And last but not least – are you a dog person or a cat person? And do you have a pet?
I am a human person. Most dogs and cats are not able to type as well as I can to answer these questions. 

Think you have a manuscript that Stacey would love? 
Then submit your query here.
​

Congratulations to Susan Latta! She is the winner of a query critique with the lovely Linda Skeers. 
Linda is the award winning author of both picture books and middle grade nonfiction. Her most recent book, DINOSAUR LADY tells the story of paleontologist pioneer, Mary Anning.
Best wishes Susan! The Nonfiction Ninjas got your back!!

Caryn Wiseman know her business! With a an MBA from the Anderson School at UCLA, Caryn knows how to negotiate a great deal for her clients and help them understand the book business. As an agent For Andrea Brown Literary, Caryn has sold over 450 books including the New York Times bestseller THE STRANGE CASE OF ORIGAMI YODA BY Tom Angleberger.

Caryn joined the agency in 2003 after spending over a decade in the business world. She is a senior agent and exclusively represents children's authors. Caryn is always on the look out for great nonfiction writers.
Nonfiction ninjas were thrilled to catch up with Caryn and learn a little more about her.

 Why did you become a literary agent?  I have been an agent for 17 years, and it's a second career for me, but it's definitely the one that I was meant to do!  I have been a voracious and critical reader all my life, and agenting was the perfect way to combine my love of books and reading, social justice, and my business education and background.
 What excites you most about working in publishing? Three things:  1)  That I actually get to make a small difference by bringing children's books that matter into the world 2)  that I still get a thrill when I walk into a bookstore and see a book that I represented on the shelf 3)  that every day is different, so I'm never bored
 What are you looking for in nonfiction projects? Nonfiction that reads like fiction, whatever the category
Are there specific topics that interest you? Social justice in any form is my number one interest
 What trends are you seeing in the industry? The market for picture book bios (a particular love of mine) is saturated; there's a growing market for older nonfiction and graphic novel nonfiction; a market for narrative nonfiction for younger kids that isn't picture book bio, but is fun and non-institutional; also a great interest and respect for getting the historical facts right, rather than whitewashing them
 Who is your ideal client? Someone who does their homework; who understands the research and permissions process that's involved with nonfiction; someone who understands issues of diversity and inclusion, and who is willing to look at a question from more than one angle; someone who is willing to ask the hard questions about who should tell a story;  someone who is willing to take narrative or format risks to tell a story in an interesting way
 Are you more interested in PB, MG, YA, or all three? All three, and graphic novels in particular
 What do you want to see in a nonfiction proposal? All of the standard proposal stuff, including sample chapters.
What are some of your favorite kidlit nonfiction books? All of my clients' books, of course, like those by Debbie Levy, Don Tate, Kelly Starling Lyons, Sarah Albee, Jennifer Berne, Amy Novesky, Sarah J. Marsh, Susan Wood, or the forthcoming TRUE OR FALSE by Cindy L. Otis.  For nonclient books, I'd say The 57 Bus by Dashka Slater, Unpresidented by Martha Brockenbrough, March by John Lewis and Nate Powell, They Called Us Enemy by George Takei, anything by Steve Sheinkin
 And last but not least – are you a dog person or a cat person? And do you have a pet? Definitely dog, but small dog.   I have a cockapoo named Olivia, who serves as my office assistant.

If you have a project that you think would be right for Caryn - you can contact her through her query manager account. 
Happy querying!

Congratulations to Sue Heavenrich! She is the first winner of a query critique. 
​Sue will receive a query critique from Nonfiction Ninja Peggy Thomas! 
Peggy is the award winning author of FULL of BEANS, HENRY FORD GROWS A CAR, FARMER GORGE PLANTS A NATION and numerous other great titles.
Good luck, Sue!
​Nonfiction Ninjas are cheering you on!!