From: HUMMINGRK at aol.com <HUMMINGRK>
Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1998 13:59:30 EDT

After spending two days on the phone with my editor (Jill Braithwaite of Carolrhoda Books), I finally had a moment to check my e-mail. There I found a string of messages from the CCBC family deep into an argument--the discussion of what credit editors should or should not receive. Well, I just can't sit quietly and listen. I have always loved family arguments...

But that family used to be smaller. UN felt that she didn't "work for a grade." She developed a reputation within the industry when the number of people involved was small by today's standards. Now, with the great number of authors and editors moving helter-skelter from house to house, it is more difficult to trace who does what behind the scenes. UN did not need praise for a job well done, perhaps because she felt sure of her reputation.

I vote to give editors their due, in writing, on the copyright page. I know that Jill Braithwaite works hard with me on our books--sometimes we come up with a change simultaneously and laugh over who said it first. And sometimes she puts me in my place with a correction to my grammar (though not too often). I'd love to see her receive credit for her creativity.

But here is another problem with this big family we have in the children's publishing business: if editors have their names in each and every book, they would be barraged with unsolicited manuscripts and correspondence. How would they get out from under the pile? Right now editors are protected by their anonimity. Do you think that editors would rather stay behind the scenes and just do their job?

See, I can argue with myself as easily as with the rest of the family. There's just no easy answer. What would UN say today?

Lee Sullivan Hill, author
Received on Wed 12 Aug 1998 12:59:30 PM CDT