Dear
Writer,… Love, Your Bookseller
Friday,
November 14, 2014
5:54 AM
In addition to being
a writer myself, I am also a children's bookseller. I can't even explain how
wonderful it is to help a parent or child find just the right book. I find the
opportunity to consult with customers about something so dear to my heart to be
terrifically fulfilling. I've also learned a great deal about being a writer
from working in a bookstore. I hope to share some of those insights.
DON'T JUDGE A BOOK
BY IT'S THICKNESS
Here's a typical
scenario in the bookstore. A kid picks up a book and without glancing at the
cover, the blurb or jacket-flap, and definitely not opening the book; they flip
the book horizontal. What are they looking for? They are trying to determine
how thick the book is. 90% of those making such an evaluation are looking for a
"thin" book. I kid you not, this is how they decide if it's something
they want to read.
They pay no
attention to the size of the print, the amount of dialogue/white-space,
illustrations, etc. They simply want to know how thick it is. If it's too thick
they won't even consider it. Now this isn't all kids by any means and there are
the 10% who do the same, and say the book is too thin. I just think it's
amusing that many kids use this as their benchmark for book selection.
As a writer though,
it make me realize that every word and every page counts. If there's anything
unnecessary in the book that will make it "fatter," it could cost me
a sale. To me the sweet spot for Middle Grade is 120-240 pages. Any less, and a
teacher might not accept the book for required reading. Any more and the
thickness is going to turn away potential readers.
An author who does a
great job at this is Lauren Tarshis with her "I Survived" series.
These books are wildly popular with Middle Grade readers. Both boys and girls
are equally interested, but it's an awesome series for reluctant boy readers. The
question of whether or not a person could survive a hostile situation is
transcendent. That's why we're obsessed with shows from Survivor to Doomsday
Preppers, and why disaster films, and post-apocalyptic fiction are so popular.
But what Lauren has
done is to tell her stories in a riveting and concise manner. They are short
and quick to read, yet powerful and resonant. Never mind the bonus that the
reader learns something about an important part of history. Kids read one, and
then come back for more a few days later.
However, I'm
convinced that if she had yimmer-yammered on for twice as many pages, they
would not attract kids attention nearly as well. They wouldn't pass the
"thickness test." Before a kid can get hooked, they have to give the
book a try.
Writers- how do you
think your books would do in the "thickness test?"
Booksellers/Librarians/Teachers- Have you had any similar experience?
