Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Quick Answers

Hello, I have been writing a novella for a few months now. I did not intend for it to be a novella (I was actually not sure what I wanted it to be when I started) but for the story I have in my head that is about the length it will end up as. Is there any publisher that takes them, or is it an unmarketable sort of book? If I decide to submit to agents, should I call it a novella or a short novel?
That is a pretty tough sell, but I don't think it matters what you call it. Tell them the word count, and they'll know what the challenge is.



I'm writing a picture book in which much of the humor will be in the illustrations. They will contain clues, visual jokes, and information key to the story but not mentioned in the text. How do I indicate that? I know it isn't my job as the writer to tell the illustrator what to draw, but the text alone is only half the story and less than half the humor.
Notes about the illustration should be confined strictly to those things that are essential in order for a reader to understand the manuscript.



I am basically wondering about the differences between photo shoots and stock photography in YA covers. Is there a way to determine which method will be used?
The book's budget.
Is one more effective than the other?
Not necessarily. Photo shoots usually get better results, but some stock photography designs are very successful.
Also, there was another author who had told me that a lot of the covers where partial features are shown (a chin or a forehead) are publishing company employees. Do you know if this is true?
It's certainly true that photo shoots are a heck of a lot less expensive if you don't also have to pay a model.

9 comments:

Chris Eldin said...

LOL! I used to work for a sporting goods company a long time ago. We'd hire models to come pose with the equipment for the magazine ads. But then we had a couple of (male) hotties who worked in the office, and eventually they got called in to shave off much of their body hair and pose half nude.
...why did I ever leave that profession to lock myself in a room by myself with a keyboard and some coffee...

sarah mccarry said...

Our neck is totally on the cover of a book whose publisher once employed us.

Leslie said...

Chris: LOL! Thanks for the day-brightener.

Anonymous said...

To the person writing the novella: You may want to consider short fiction venues instead of or as well as novel publishers--a few of them will publish stories with high word counts, up to and including novellas. Duotrope.com is a fantastic resource for sussing out appropriate markets, if you haven't run into it before.

Kellion said...

The stock photo used on the cover of one of my friend's books four or five years ago (at a major publishing company and still in print and in stock at Borders) was used for another major book at another publisher this past summer. Did a double take when I saw it.

Kate said...

Wow! Stock photos and in-house 'models'? It never occurred to me that publishers were *that* cheap! But hey, if it means more books get published...

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