I’ve decided to do little mini entries about the conference as something strikes me. Here’s to the first of many. Also, click on Arthur Levine to check out the SCBWI website (where I shamelessly stole this picture, thanks!) for a great summary of the conference.

Arthur Levine is a genius.

And I don’t mean because he edited the Harry Potter books. He totally shifted my attitude about critiques with editors and agents. On Friday, there was a panel about how to deal with criticism and what to do with it. Well… we all know what to do with it, don’t we?

Ahem. Arthur said that critiques work best when they are a meeting between equals. But in what universe are Arthur Levine and I equals, you might ask? I, being a prepublished writer (kudos to editor, Dinah Stevenson, for that great term) and Arthur Levine having the power to buy my book and make me into a billionaire with a personal pool with a waterfall and twisty slide, my very own beautiful, italian espresso machine, and chocolates delivered daily from Switzerland. Sigh.

Actually, we’re equals in this universe. The one where a book is a creative endeavor between an editor and a writer. The editor, it turns out is just as excited about what your book can become as you are. They are also nervous, hoping you’ll like their advice about the story, hoping you’ll both work well together and have fun, dreaming of the possibilities that this new project will bring. (Not to mention the pool and the espresso machine they’ll get because of it making the NY Times Best Seller list for 5 months straight).

This advice was like fireworks exploding in my head. I didn’t have to pretend I didn’t care or summon some pseudo self-confidence. No, I just needed the right mindset. Find a way to remove the perceived power imbalance between editor and writer, so that you’re coming to the table as peers, both with the same goal of strengthening your story.

Thank you Arthur. You made my critique and conference so much funnerer and infinitely helpfuller. Maybe an editor will want my book now cause I write so good.

Posted in Conference, Nifty happenings, SCBWI, Writing

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