Thursday, May 23, 2013

What I Learned; What the Kids Learned by Dianne Salerni


I’ve been sharing stories of My Adventures in Publishing with my fifth grade classes ever since my first book was published – well, even before that – back before anything I wrote even came close to getting published. But this year was different.

In September, I told my students what I was working on – the story of a boy who discovers an extra day between Wednesday and Thursday and a mysterious girl hiding in the house next door who exists only on that secret day. They went nuts for the idea and wanted me to read it to them, but I declined, because I had written it as a YA story and there were inappropriate bits.

But they kept clamoring for the story, and when my agent got back to me and told me how much she loved the manuscript – BUT she thought it really ought to be written for MG – I knew immediately that she was right. Revisions commenced at once, and I hesitantly agreed to read the new version to my class when it was ready. This would be the first time I’d ever read one of my manuscripts to a class, and I was extremely nervous – even worried that parents might complain I was hawking my books. (This was not the case. Parents told me how excited their children were to getting a privileged peek at the book.)

The sale came in October, after an email from HarperCollins that arrived right before my last class of the day and stunned me to the point where I could barely teach. I shared the basics with my students – the 3 book deal, the enthusiastic compliments from the editor – but I also admitted I was nervous. Certain changes were mentioned in the offer, and I told the class, “I’m not sure if I’ll like these revisions.”

One of my students raised his hand. “Didn’t you tell us you already made a lot of revisions and ended up loving them all?” he asked. And he was right, of course. I had told them that, and furthermore, it was true. I could have hugged him.

I learned right then that students actually listen to what I say. They believe me. And they can even repeat back my own words exactly when I need to hear them. They root for me, and they believe in me. Needless to say, I completed those requested revisions, and LOVED them.

A couple days ago, I asked my students what they learned from following this book’s path to publication this year. Here’s what they said:

1. It takes a long, long time for a book to get published. Too long!!! (They have already seen a sneak peek at the proposed cover design and can’t believe the release date is still over a year away.)

2. You have to revise and revise and revise. Sometimes you have to revise things you don’t want to revise, but then you’ll probably like the changes anyway.

3. You don’t get to have your book just the way you want it. You have to collaborate with your editors and everybody else at your publisher.

4. The author doesn’t say what goes on the cover.

5. You have to have patience, time, and a tough skin, because people might criticize and say hurtful things about your book.

6. You don’t just send your book in to a publisher and they publish it. Sometimes they say no.

And perhaps the most important one …

7. You may be the teacher who tells us when we make mistakes, but when you are the author you make mistakes, too.

18 comments:

  1. What a great experience for both you and your students!

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    1. Thanks, Andrea! I didn't even have time to get into how the students helped me through editorial revisions, and one student even came up with a term I could use in the story.

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  2. Dianne, what a moving post. This is a perfect example of what being a teacher is all about. You learned from one another in ways that aren't measurable on any test. I bet you have a classroom of people eager to be your first customers!

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    1. Huh, and not even measurable by state tests, you say? I'm not sure that counts as real learning then ... ;)

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  3. Such an awesome post. It's great that you were able to share your whole journey with your kids and that they're so interested in it and learned so much from it. And reminded you what you needed to know too. And it's all true what they mentioned about getting a book published.

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    1. I was able to share more with this class than any other because a) the book was for their age group and b) the whole thing just happened so darn fast -- within a school year, which never happens!

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  4. Love this post, Dianne. :)

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  5. This made me cry (because I'm a big sap when it comes to kids and teacher/kid relationships). You're doing it right, Dianne!

    xoxo

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    1. Sometimes they make me cry, too, Caroline! (And not always for good reasons -- like when I get the NOTE from the substitute teacher ...)

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  6. Some very perceptive kids, what a great experience for you both.

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    1. Thanks, Brenda! This has been an amazing year!

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  7. My favorite: You have to have patience, time, and a tough skin, because people might criticize and say hurtful things about your book.

    Thanks for sharing, Dianne.

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    1. Ha, yeah, so true. I just now came from admiring my very first article in Huffington Post, and one of the first comments is: "This is just an advert. She wants you to buy her book."

      You want to respond, "You got me. Nobody else with an article in the Book section of HuffPo wants you to buy their book. Just me."

      But you can't say anything. Zip. Nada. Look away.

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    1. Thanks, Matt.
      Pure gold was being handed my own words back when I was freaking out. And he was so calm about it. In that moment, he was the teacher and I was the student!

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  9. I'm sure the students were thrilled they could be part of all of it. How exciting! And contratulatios! It sounds like a great story.

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    1. Thanks, Dee! They feel so invested in the story that when I shared the "Author Bio" that was part of the cover copy, one boy complained, "But it doesn't mention US. We helped!" :D

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Thanks for adding to the mayhem!