I went to an SCBWI conference. It was one of the better conferences I have been to in a while, including some of the out-of-state stints I’ve done. Friday night they had a mix and mingle thing for published authors, the editor, agent, and illustrator director they brought in for the conference. I love mingling with authors. These are my people. Just thinking about them makes me smile. I spent a wonderful time talking to Amy Finnigan, Mette Ivie Harrison, Rick Walton, Sydney Husseman, Stacy Whitman and many others. It was great fun. I also got to meet Jill Dembowski from Little Brown. I spent a small while chatting with her and realized I was guilty of hogging the editor, not because I meant to, but simply because she was so much fun to talk to and we both love books. It’s so easy to converse with others who love books. Once I realized I had started a monopoly, I hurried to move her into another group where others had a chance. Tip number one: Never hog the editor or agent. It makes you a nuisance.

The next day was the conference. It was held at the city library in downtown Salt Lake. I hadn’t been to the library since they built it. This is the great tragedy of living in the middle of nowhere. The library is beautiful. I mean really truly breathtaking. And the conference? Fabulous. I actually learned new things (and I’ve been writing a long time folks) Jill spoke on what makes authors stand out in her eyes. Her thoughts were poignant enough to merit repeating, so here they are:

The first thing she said was, “Buy Presents!”

Of course we all laughed, and she said she was just kidding. But there are “gifts” you can give your editor that are not only acceptable, but hoped for as well.

These are a few of the things from her list:

• Write well
• Don’t be a jerk
• Don’t be a jerk
• Don’t be a jerk

Really honestly, these are the best gifts for your editor. Prove you aren’t difficult to work with by truly *listening* to what they have to say. And do everything in your power to WRITE WELL. They don’t need chocolates (well they probably do . .  who doesn’t really?), but your contract will not be dependant upon providing chocolate (I hope I’m not wrong . . . Kirk? Am I wrong? Do you need chocolate, or tickets to the world series maybe?)

Of course this is information for how to act both before and *after* getting a publisher. Jill went on for a bit on how to improve your chances of being noticed by a publisher in the first place. Here’s that list:

• Do proofread. Editors understand an errant comma, but do your absolute best to turn in your best.
• Do research the publishing house, their list, and their editors.
• But DO NOT stalk! Don’t look up the editors on Google Earth and spy on them via satellite.
• Do know competitive titles to what you’ve written. What other books is your manuscript most like?
• Do know what makes your manuscript stand out from those competitive titles.
• Do know the marketplace in terms if what is available and being published.
• Do NOT try to cater to the marketplace. Just because vampires are hot right now does not mean that’s the type of book you should be writing.
• Do have a great web presence. Have a website, a blog, facebook, myspace etc.
• Do get an agent.
• Do NOT lie about your credentials. Here’s the deal; I write in a very niche market. Of course I have to play nice and be honest. I know everyone (and I mean everyone) in my little niche. You might assume that the rest of the publishing world must be this vast sea of authors, editors, and agents, but you would be wrong. It’s still a small world, where everyone knows everyone. You mistreat someone along the way, you tell one little lie about a publication, a contact, ANYTHING, and it will come back to bite you in the backside. I promise you. Because these people are mostly all friends. And they get together and talk. Not saying they’re all gossipers, but that they communicate. Be smart. Be honest. Let your work stand out and shine . . . either that or as Jill said, let your normalcy shine. (that made me laugh–authors? Normal? Yeah right.)
• Don’t complain about agents, or publishers, or other authors on your blog. This is bad form. Don’t do it!
• Do say thanks. A little gratitude for the time an editor or agent spends on you goes a long way. They work hard for you. Appreciate it enough to vocalize a thank-you.

The last tidbit of advice Jill imparted was this: The latest trends in writing is GOOD STORIES!