Writing Genre Fiction

» Jennifer Jensen - Platform?

In response to Platform? posted by BrianTubbs:
Hi, Brian. Thanks for asking the question. Most of my information comes from a workshop with Carolyn Yoder, the editor for the historical imprint, Calkins Creek Books, as well as the author's bios in the back of children's books and knowing some people who write biographies.
In general, there are no credentials or platforms needed to be a successful children's historical writer, just awesome research skills and the ability to tell a great story. The amount of primary research Carolyn looks for is more than I ever dreamed--if you say that George Washington had pheasant for dinner, you'd better have a reference somewhere that says he did, or that it was available and typical for someone like him. But the best research doesn't do any good if you can't tell a great story--gripping for children, who are often interested in things that we aren't, and bored by things that we think are cool. So you have to use language and syntax as well as subject matter and character development to keep them reading.
With that said, it may be easier to pitch a story idea if you are a historian or have a long-term hobby of a particular era. Expertise always makes a good impression. But a book must stand on its own, no matter who writes it, and once an editor is past your name and credentials, nothing else matters except the book.
Also, I didn't really discuss non-fiction in the articles because I'm specifically writing about fiction, but any quotes or dialogue in non-fiction need to have documentation--you can't make up conversations like they did a few decades ago.

For good examples of children's historical books, look at "The Printer's Trial" by Gail Jarrow (middle grade) and "By the Sword" by Selene Castrovilla (picture book).
If you've got questions about particular areas, I'd be glad to share Carolyn's comments. Do you have a project you're considering?