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Multiculturalism and the unending adventure/activism
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From: Quill Shift Literary Agency <info_at_quillshift.com>
Date: Mon, 17 Feb 2014 13:02:00 -0500
Hello everyone! I'm chiming in for the first time as the founder of Quill Shift Literary Agency <www.quillshift.com>, although I've spoken here on behalf of CBC Diversity as their liaison in the past.
I've followed this interesting conversation since it started at the beginning of February, and I have had the inclination to add a few times, but Sarah's explicit question about action and activism is what really reeled me in. For me, activism is standing up for what you believe in by understanding what you can contribute to the cause, and then doing that. It's also supporting others who are doing that as well.
The CCBC can collect and put out numbers to showcase what is coming through their doors and show the lack of diversity represented. We all can share those numbers. The CBC Diversity Committee can get publishers talking and realizing that this is a huge issue, and putting programs and spaces in place for those within the publishing industry to work on those issues together. We all can comment on their blog, suggest more discussion topics and guest bloggers, and participate in the conversation by asking questions to help push the conversation in the direction you feel is important. Diversity in YA has formed an amazing online community of authors and readers who care about diversity in young adult literature and support those who continue to create that literature for teens. We can subscribe to their tumblr, encourage those authors, and keep submitting more that we think should be recognized. Cake Literary is packaging books with a decided focus on diversity that also has "high concept" aka reads like a movie appeal. We can share the good news of their company to others.
As someone who has sat around the table with editors, designers, and publicity and marketing folk and talked specifically about the issues of diversity in their houses, not just the lack of books that they produce, but the lack of coworkers who aren't white (very similar to the librarian world), and the issues that arise because of that, it can be very depressing. Depressing because these individuals *care* and they are *trying *to create more representative literature, but sometimes they feel stuck just as sometimes in this safe listserv space it feels like we're stuck with the same type of conversation and questions of
"Why isn't this getting any better?" May I suggest that perhaps it's because we're all not actively collaborating outside of our safe spaces?
We want to see change in the books that are made and the only way that this will happen is to encourage authors to write the books we want to see, encourage agents to read and understand the value in these works and represent them, and encourage publishers that there is a market for these books by purchasing said books when they come out in stores.
Sarah wrote here:
/I have to say that looking at the book-buying habits of particular minority groups feels somehow like a refraction of the question, to me, too. Partly because it deflects, or ignores all of the power structures at work here, and reduces, again, the audience to people who share the same characteristics as the author (though, as the article Christine linked to points out, still assumes books by white authors and artists are for everybody), and also-- isn't marketing *always* about creating demand, not just filling it? (Though I really still want to join others in pushing back against the argument that the problem is lack of actual demand.) I do understand, though, and sympathize with, the changing and uncertain landscape of children's publishing as a business, and also the fact that as people who work with children and books, all of us are already somewhat at the margins. Unless you're John Green.../
And to that all I have to say is *yes*. Looking at only the buying habits of minority groups means that we're just looking at those books for those groups instead of for the wider audience. This shouldn't be happening. I also know that marketing is about creating demand. As a marketing major, they didn't teach me in business school that it's to let people know about your product, it's to make people think they *need
*your product.
So this is my activism. Quill Shift Literary Agency was created just over a month ago out of listening to countless conversations from those in the industry and hearing the same questions pop up over and over and over again. "Where's the market?" "How can I reach it?" "Where are the comparative titles?" I created this agency to rally librarians, teachers, parents, and teens who have been saying over and over again that they want more representative literature a place to put their words to action.
On the website, anyone and everyone interested in bringing more diverse, representative, multicultural literature onto bookshelves can sign up to be a reader. Then, when an amazing manuscript is submitted to Quill Shift Literary Agency, a portion of that will be placed online for readers to get a sneak peek of the work and donate (as little as a dollar) to show support for the manuscript and therefore show demand for this work in the market. This does two things, 1) builds publicity buzz for the author and their work before it's even submitted to an editor and 2) when it is submitted to the editor, provides them with a ready to go market for this work to reach out to as well as actual numbers saying that the manuscript will generate money.
I've seen authors, editors, librarians, and scholars speak up on this listserv but, besides Cake Literary, I haven't seen agents enter into the conversation and say how their part plays a huge role in the lack of representative stories in the marketplace. An agent's job is to connect with the right editor for the story and help them sell it to the rest of their team. A part of that is showing the editor the potential for sales i.e. the demand in the market. A huge stumbling block for all of us is the myth that the demand is not there.
I'm sure you've all seen some of the stories about Wattpad writers getting snatched up by publishing houses because they had 12.2K reads of their entire story. To publishers, that shows demand. Of course, the stories that have been published through these channels are more of the same with no diverse characters in sight. To publishers, demand means the potential for sales aka money. Does 12.2K free reads mean 12.2K people purchasing the book for $16.99? No. Quill Shift Literary Agency wants to not only show that people want to read the works, but the readers are willing to put dollars behind their convictions.
Will this definitely work? I'm not sure, but this is me sticking out my neck after listening to all sides--publishers, librarians, teachers, authors, reviewers--and trying to find a way to make it easier for publishers to bring in more diversity to their lists while also giving dedicated people an outlet to show that they support these types of works.
If you're interested, here's the write-up in Shelf Awareness
<http://www.quillshift.com/shelf-awareness-features-qsla/> about Quill Shift Literary Agency and more of what I'm trying to do. I'd be honored to have any of the dedicated readers of this listserv as readers
(Shifters <http://www.quillshift.com/readers/>) for Quill Shift Literary Agency. I'd love for all of us to work *together *to help the industry move forward and usher in more representative literature. It's been so thought-provoking to read the conversations and multiple viewpoints thus far.
All my best, Ayanna Coleman
Date: Mon, 17 Feb 2014 13:02:00 -0500
Hello everyone! I'm chiming in for the first time as the founder of Quill Shift Literary Agency <www.quillshift.com>, although I've spoken here on behalf of CBC Diversity as their liaison in the past.
I've followed this interesting conversation since it started at the beginning of February, and I have had the inclination to add a few times, but Sarah's explicit question about action and activism is what really reeled me in. For me, activism is standing up for what you believe in by understanding what you can contribute to the cause, and then doing that. It's also supporting others who are doing that as well.
The CCBC can collect and put out numbers to showcase what is coming through their doors and show the lack of diversity represented. We all can share those numbers. The CBC Diversity Committee can get publishers talking and realizing that this is a huge issue, and putting programs and spaces in place for those within the publishing industry to work on those issues together. We all can comment on their blog, suggest more discussion topics and guest bloggers, and participate in the conversation by asking questions to help push the conversation in the direction you feel is important. Diversity in YA has formed an amazing online community of authors and readers who care about diversity in young adult literature and support those who continue to create that literature for teens. We can subscribe to their tumblr, encourage those authors, and keep submitting more that we think should be recognized. Cake Literary is packaging books with a decided focus on diversity that also has "high concept" aka reads like a movie appeal. We can share the good news of their company to others.
As someone who has sat around the table with editors, designers, and publicity and marketing folk and talked specifically about the issues of diversity in their houses, not just the lack of books that they produce, but the lack of coworkers who aren't white (very similar to the librarian world), and the issues that arise because of that, it can be very depressing. Depressing because these individuals *care* and they are *trying *to create more representative literature, but sometimes they feel stuck just as sometimes in this safe listserv space it feels like we're stuck with the same type of conversation and questions of
"Why isn't this getting any better?" May I suggest that perhaps it's because we're all not actively collaborating outside of our safe spaces?
We want to see change in the books that are made and the only way that this will happen is to encourage authors to write the books we want to see, encourage agents to read and understand the value in these works and represent them, and encourage publishers that there is a market for these books by purchasing said books when they come out in stores.
Sarah wrote here:
/I have to say that looking at the book-buying habits of particular minority groups feels somehow like a refraction of the question, to me, too. Partly because it deflects, or ignores all of the power structures at work here, and reduces, again, the audience to people who share the same characteristics as the author (though, as the article Christine linked to points out, still assumes books by white authors and artists are for everybody), and also-- isn't marketing *always* about creating demand, not just filling it? (Though I really still want to join others in pushing back against the argument that the problem is lack of actual demand.) I do understand, though, and sympathize with, the changing and uncertain landscape of children's publishing as a business, and also the fact that as people who work with children and books, all of us are already somewhat at the margins. Unless you're John Green.../
And to that all I have to say is *yes*. Looking at only the buying habits of minority groups means that we're just looking at those books for those groups instead of for the wider audience. This shouldn't be happening. I also know that marketing is about creating demand. As a marketing major, they didn't teach me in business school that it's to let people know about your product, it's to make people think they *need
*your product.
So this is my activism. Quill Shift Literary Agency was created just over a month ago out of listening to countless conversations from those in the industry and hearing the same questions pop up over and over and over again. "Where's the market?" "How can I reach it?" "Where are the comparative titles?" I created this agency to rally librarians, teachers, parents, and teens who have been saying over and over again that they want more representative literature a place to put their words to action.
On the website, anyone and everyone interested in bringing more diverse, representative, multicultural literature onto bookshelves can sign up to be a reader. Then, when an amazing manuscript is submitted to Quill Shift Literary Agency, a portion of that will be placed online for readers to get a sneak peek of the work and donate (as little as a dollar) to show support for the manuscript and therefore show demand for this work in the market. This does two things, 1) builds publicity buzz for the author and their work before it's even submitted to an editor and 2) when it is submitted to the editor, provides them with a ready to go market for this work to reach out to as well as actual numbers saying that the manuscript will generate money.
I've seen authors, editors, librarians, and scholars speak up on this listserv but, besides Cake Literary, I haven't seen agents enter into the conversation and say how their part plays a huge role in the lack of representative stories in the marketplace. An agent's job is to connect with the right editor for the story and help them sell it to the rest of their team. A part of that is showing the editor the potential for sales i.e. the demand in the market. A huge stumbling block for all of us is the myth that the demand is not there.
I'm sure you've all seen some of the stories about Wattpad writers getting snatched up by publishing houses because they had 12.2K reads of their entire story. To publishers, that shows demand. Of course, the stories that have been published through these channels are more of the same with no diverse characters in sight. To publishers, demand means the potential for sales aka money. Does 12.2K free reads mean 12.2K people purchasing the book for $16.99? No. Quill Shift Literary Agency wants to not only show that people want to read the works, but the readers are willing to put dollars behind their convictions.
Will this definitely work? I'm not sure, but this is me sticking out my neck after listening to all sides--publishers, librarians, teachers, authors, reviewers--and trying to find a way to make it easier for publishers to bring in more diversity to their lists while also giving dedicated people an outlet to show that they support these types of works.
If you're interested, here's the write-up in Shelf Awareness
<http://www.quillshift.com/shelf-awareness-features-qsla/> about Quill Shift Literary Agency and more of what I'm trying to do. I'd be honored to have any of the dedicated readers of this listserv as readers
(Shifters <http://www.quillshift.com/readers/>) for Quill Shift Literary Agency. I'd love for all of us to work *together *to help the industry move forward and usher in more representative literature. It's been so thought-provoking to read the conversations and multiple viewpoints thus far.
All my best, Ayanna Coleman
--
Ayanna Coleman | Founder & Agent | Quill Shift Literary Agency |
www.quillshift.com
---
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Received on Mon 17 Feb 2014 12:02:20 PM CST
