I’m so excited to be back as
an MG mentor for Pitchwars! Whether you’re chosen by a mentor or not, you’re
going to develop some amazing relationships – if you make yourself available
for that. And you should! We all need more support on this writing journey!
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| That’s me in playwright mode, but you can imagine my eagle eye on your manuscript, rather than on actors. |
WHO I AM
You have a lot of great
mentors to choose from. Here’s why I hope you’ll consider me. I know the road well—you
can read about my agent journey here. I’ve been a freelance editor and
ghostwriter for many years, and I assist a NYT-bestselling middle grade author.
I made the longlist twice for the Chicken House/Times of London’s International
Children’s Fiction prize, and I was a playwright for many years before turning
to middle grade fiction.
Here’s what some of my
critique partners have to say about working with me. Maybe you've read some of their books?
Joy's critiques are always intelligent, super helpful, tactful,
and thorough. Her feedback makes me think about both the technical and
emotional aspects of creating an authentic story. Without Joy as a critique
partner, I would not be a published author. There is no doubt in my mind that
Joy's guidance-based feedback and spot-on critiques throughout my writing
journey have pushed me to become a better writer. Joy has an impeccable eye for
identifying what works and what doesn't, how to eliminate manuscript baggage,
and how make your pages shine.
Jessica Lawson (The Actual & Truthful Adventures of Becky Thatcher, Nooks &
Crannies, Simon & Schuster)
If you have a chance to have Joy to critique your work - take it! Joy will help you find ways to make your WIP stronger, all while
making you feel good about what you’ve accomplished so far. She’s done it for
me, on multiple occasions. She is genuinely supportive and insightful and
wonderful and great. If she had critiqued this endorsement, it would have been
written so much better, but she didn’t, so...
Sheila Grau (Dr.
Critchlore’s School for Minions, Amulet/Abrams)
Joy McCullough-Carranza is my fairy book mother. She was a supportive coach through the final revision of my middle grade novel. Why “final”? Joy is such a thorough critiquer and adviser that when an agent asked for a resubmit a few weeks after Pitch Wars, my manuscript was ready. I signed with my dream agent and the book went on immediate submission. Joy brings a playwright’s three dimensional understanding of character to her critiques, but she also knows how to tweak a story until it sparkles. You’ll work hard with Joy as your mentor, knowing she will guide you in making your book the best it can be.
Laura Shovan, (2013 Pitchwars mentee, The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary, Wendy Lamb Books/Random House, 2016)
Don’t choose Joy for her query Jedi powers, although she certainly has those. And don’t choose Joy for her knowledge of the MG market or for her supportiveness, although you will be endlessly grateful for these. Choose Joy because she will take your story seriously. She will see through to why you had to write the story you wrote and she will find opportunities to make your story even more of what you dreamed.
Ki-Wing Merlin (Weaving a Net Is Better Than Praying For Fish, Balzer + Bray, 2016)
Joy is so much more than a mentor. She's a cheerleader, a friend, a fairy godmother, an excellent brainstormer. I'm pretty sure she's smarter than Einstein and I'm certain my query and manuscript would not have garnered the attention it did without her expert critiquing skills. Joy as your mentor > winning a million dollar lottery.
Elliah Terry (2014 Pitchwars alternate,
I Am Calliope June, Feiwel & Friends, 2017)
WHO YOU ARE
You are in this for the long
haul. If you choose me, you might not “win” Pitchwars - as in, get the most requests in the PW agent round - because I don’t always
pick the biggest, splashiest manuscripts. Hopefully you’ll get requests from
Pitchwars agents, but I’m in it to be sure you’re ready to query effectively,
too. Please don’t submit to me if you already think your manuscript is near-perfect
and just needs a few commas moved. I’m likely to suggest some big changes. My mentees and alternates from previous
years have all dug into really major revisions – strip out a POV, raise the
stakes in a major way, develop (or cut) a whole subplot.
I
entered PitchWars at the last minute, but I could not have found a better
mentor for me if I spent a million years researching the different mentors--all
of whom were fabulous! Joy helped me uncover the real vision for my book by
providing insightful feedback and asking hard questions. I learned so much from
Joy, not just about craft but about surviving the inevitable ups and downs of
this crazy business! I am so grateful for her continued friendship and support.
If you write MG, pick Joy! You'll be glad you did. I know I was.
Elizabeth Dimit, 2014 Pitchwars mentee,
still on the agent-hunt!
still on the agent-hunt!
WHAT I WANT TO SEE IN MY SUBMISSIONS
In years past, I’ve been greedy
for aaaaaaall the middle grade, hesitant to limit whole genres. After all,
there are always exceptions I adore!! This year, though, I’m going to do it. So,
first of all, no fantasy, no science
fiction, no horror. I’m sorry! You are awesome – go forth and seek the
right mentor for you!
Everyone else, to get a feel
for what I love, you can see the list below of some of my favorite middle grade
books. I love contemporary, from
serious issues to light and fun. I love magic realism (but again, no fantasy)
and I tend toward the literary.
While I could certainly pick something big and splashy and commercial, you’ll
also find a welcome harbor for the “quiet”
manuscripts here. I’m open to verse.
And a big YES, PLEASE to diversity.
Here are some of my favorite
books:
The Penderwicks series
by Jeanne Birdsall
Splendors
& Glooms, A Drowned Maiden’s Hair,
and The Hired Girl by Laura Amy
Schlitz
The Clementine series
by Sara Pennypacker
Wonder by RJ Palacio
Unusual
Chickens for Exceptional Poultry Farmers by Kelly Jones
The Tale of Despereaux and Flora & Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo
Emma Jean
Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree
by Lauren Tarshish
Walk Two
Moons and Love That Dog
by Sharon Creech
The Winnie
Years by Lauren Myracle
Better Nate
Than Ever and Five, Six,
Seven, Nate by Tim Federle
Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson
The Misadventures of the Family Fletcher by Dana Allison Levy
Inside Out and Back Again by Thannha Lai
When You Reach Me & Goodbye Stranger by Rebecca Stead
The Boy In the Dress by David Walliams
The Misadventures of the Family Fletcher by Dana Allison Levy
Inside Out and Back Again by Thannha LaiWhen You Reach Me & Goodbye Stranger by Rebecca Stead
The Boy In the Dress by David Walliams
Rooftoppers by Katherine Rundell
UPDATE: I blog about the difference between magic realism and fantasy here.
If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment on this post or find me on Twitter @JMCwrites and I’ll happily answer. Putting your work out there takes so much courage and I applaud all of you who submit, whether to me or any of the other mentors. Good luck! And if you aren’t chosen – stick with it! I got my agent through traditional querying, and I know if you stick with it, you’ll connect with the agent who’s right for you.
So if you're excited and ready to go, here are all the details at Brenda's site about what's next! And here are the rest of your awesome mentors!
