Top Ten Questions Dutton Editors Ask Themselves When Looking At A Manuscript
1. Who is the readership for this book?
2. Does this story surprise me and take me to places I didn’t expect?
3. Is this a main character I care about?
4. Am I personally moved by this story or sitituation?
5. I this a theme/emotion/concern that a lot of kids will be able to relate to?
6. Has this been done a million times before?
7. Will I want to read this manuscript ten (or more) times?
8. Is the voice/character authentic and real?
9. For picture books: Would this story be visually interesting for 32 pages? Could I easily envision the illustrations for this?
10. For novels: Does the action of the story move at a good pace and hold our interest? Does tension build as the story moves forward?
This is good good list to use when working on our second draft and something we can use when critiquing other writer’s work. Hope it helps.
Kathy
Writing and Illustrating 
Good questions for writers to ask themselves! Very good. Thanks again.
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By: Yousei Hime on December 14, 2009
at 8:32 am
Thanks for being a regular visitor. I enjoy having you. Have a great holiday. Kathy
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By: kathytemean on December 20, 2009
at 11:16 pm
I think every writer should print this and pin it in front of their computers. Thank you!
– Julie
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By: Julie Duck on December 14, 2009
at 10:50 am
I like your name. It should help you sell a few extra books. Kathy
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By: kathytemean on December 20, 2009
at 11:14 pm
Thanks for this list, Kathy 🙂 I’m addicted to reading about anything to do with writing and the industry, and certainly about ANYthing that helps us get inside the heads and process of people on “the inside”.
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By: Donna Marie on December 14, 2009
at 1:12 pm
Being addicted to reading and writing are good things, so it has to pay off.
Kathy
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By: kathytemean on December 20, 2009
at 11:13 pm
Thank you. This is really going to help with writing the synopsis for the novel I just wrote.
Thank you so!
— Adrienne
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By: vbonnaire on December 14, 2009
at 1:32 pm
Glad it could help. Good luck with the novel.
Kathy
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By: kathytemean on December 20, 2009
at 11:10 pm
Good golly, all I can say is I Hope So!!!! 🙂 Thanks Kathy, excellent hel;p once again.
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By: Nanci on December 14, 2009
at 6:43 pm
Where are you these days? Has the good luck ben holding? Kathy
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By: kathytemean on December 20, 2009
at 11:11 pm
I’ll be at the Jersey Shore tomorrow to spend my birthday with parents, then back here Wednesday, will spend Christmas Eve w/younger son, then off to Austin to see my older son on Christmas Day. Good luck in regard to family health is still with me, thank God! My personal good luck? Doesnt seem very active at the moment but I am an eternal optimist and live by the saying, “With all this horse s*/t there’s got to be a pony in here somewhere!” I’ll know about possible move to NJ within a few weeks. Happy Holidays! Stay safe and merry.
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By: Nanci Turner Steveson on December 20, 2009
at 11:26 pm
Nanci,
I just finished the last planned dinner tonight. All my aunts and uncles are gone, so it was just the cousins. I gave a ton of food away, but I doubt whether the rest will get eaten. Maybe I can freeze some. How did you holidays and dinners go?
Kathy
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By: kathytemean on January 4, 2010
at 2:57 am
[…] Top Ten Question Dutton Editors Ask Themselves […]
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By: Top Twelve 2009 Posts « Writing and Illustrating on December 30, 2009
at 12:16 am
What a treasure trove of information.
Delighted I found you.
Will be an eager follower from now on 🙂
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By: Wendy Morrell on January 3, 2010
at 9:38 pm
Wendy,
Great to have you aboard. I keep trying to pick all the editors and agents brains, so I can share their thoughts with all of you. It is nice to know it is appreciated.
Kathy
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By: kathytemean on January 4, 2010
at 3:00 am
I like the list, but I’m thinking about do I want to read more than once. There are many books I’ve greatly enjoyed but I think that I have very seldom read a novel more than once. There are some exceptions. (specifically Woodiwiss)
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By: leighroyals on January 3, 2010
at 9:45 pm
Leigh,
I think you are with most book readers. There are just too many books on a persons “books to read” list to be able to read too many of them a second or third time. But if you’re a editor and offer an author a contract for their manuscript, they better really like it, since they will have to read that manuscript over and over again before it comes out in print.
When you look at it that way, you can see why they have to LOVE your manuscript – if not at rejection letter is headed your way.
Thanks for visiting – hope you come back.
Kathy
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By: kathytemean on January 4, 2010
at 3:13 am
BTW, i realize you’re targeting children, but for the most part, these could apply to me. 🙂
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By: leighroyals on January 3, 2010
at 9:46 pm
Leigh,
Do you write for adults? It doesn’t matter. You are right most of the information can apply to all writers.
Happy New Year,
Kathy
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By: kathytemean on January 4, 2010
at 3:20 am
These are great questions to look at as we work on submissions in the new year. I shared a link to this post on the SCBWI-Carolinas listserve. Thanks for sharing.
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By: Laura Renegar on January 3, 2010
at 10:18 pm
Laura,
Thanks for spreading the word. We are all in this together and the bottom line is to learn how to be successful. Good luck with your writing. I hope you will visit again.
Kathy
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By: kathytemean on January 4, 2010
at 3:22 am
as a new yet unpublished author, these tips will help a lot not only as i continue writing, but also re-reading/editing completed manuscripts.
Thanks and Happy New Years.
Blessings.
Rhyanna
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By: Rhyanna DeTuathana on January 3, 2010
at 10:30 pm
Rhyanna,
There are lots of things to learn. Even after you become a big name author, there will still be things to learn. I hope you will stop back again and continue to keep learning as your venture down your path to publication.
Happy New Year,
Kathy
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By: kathytemean on January 4, 2010
at 3:26 am
Hi Kathy.
Yes I can see the constant learning. I had lost the link, but found it again. Still unpublished, but had entered a manuscript in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest. It made it through to the second rounds. I rec’d great feedback, and realized that I have to change it to past tense instead of present tense. I am also trying to write a novella to send to eharlequin. Writing a Novella is alot harder than I thought….
Thanks
Rhyanna
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By: Rhyanna on June 15, 2010
at 2:47 pm
Rhyanna,
Sounds like you are on the right track. That’s really great that you made it through to the second round with the contest. A novella; I’ve never tried to write one. Would be interested to hear about the things you need to know before you write one.
Kathy
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By: kathytemean on June 17, 2010
at 12:28 am
So glad you asked since this is the year I plan to query.
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By: Sherry Dale Rogers on January 3, 2010
at 11:37 pm
Sherry,
That is a good goal. It is top on my list, too.
Kathy
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By: kathytemean on January 4, 2010
at 3:27 am
[…] found a list of great questions in Kathy Temean’s blog on Writing and Illustrating. While her focus is on children’s books, it’s also very […]
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By: 10 Questions to Ask Yourself When You’re Your Own Editor | growly beast on January 3, 2010
at 11:38 pm
Thanks for pointing people to my blog.
Kathy
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By: kathytemean on January 4, 2010
at 3:32 am
Will print this up and put it on my night stand next to my Bible. Thanks!
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By: Bethany Wiggins on January 4, 2010
at 1:52 am
Bethany,
That’s quite an honor. Thanks for stopping by. I hope you will visit again. I plan to provide more useful information.
Kathy
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By: kathytemean on January 4, 2010
at 3:34 am
I saw links to this everywhere and finally caved in and decided to see what it was about! Glad I did. Thanks Kathy, very useful info!
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By: Cyn Balog on January 7, 2010
at 2:19 pm
Cyn,
Thanks for the visit. How that got all over, I don’t know. But it did boost my visits. How did the exhibit go in Arizonia?
Kathy
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By: kathytemean on January 14, 2010
at 4:25 am
Kathy,
Thanks for the top ten list. I printed it out and will refer to it as I look at my current manuscript revisions and new ones. I received this through an email thread that was posted by COSCBWI group. Good stuff!
Happy New Year! Jen
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By: Jen Hegerty on January 8, 2010
at 11:28 am
Jen,
Thanks for visiting and letting me know you liked the list and how you found me. I hope you will stop back to visit again.
Kathy
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By: kathytemean on January 14, 2010
at 4:21 am
Thanks for the information.
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By: henya on January 8, 2010
at 9:57 pm
Henya,
You’re welcome. Thanks for stopping by. Hope you visit again.
Kathy
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By: kathytemean on January 14, 2010
at 4:17 am
Thanks for all you’ve put into this site. I look forward to working my way through it. The massive changes to the book business have given me pause.
Best, China Galland
http://www.chinagalland.com
http://www.careartsandreligion.org
http://www.sffs.org (The San Francisco Film Society), the fiscal sponsor for a documentary film based on my most recent book, Love Cemetery, Unburying the Secret History of Slaves.
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By: China Galland on January 13, 2010
at 3:12 am
China,
Thank you for you visiting and wanting to explore past posts. I visited you website, it looks like you have gotten involved in some interesting research. Good luck with the book. I stop back when I have more time to watch your video.
Kathy
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By: kathytemean on January 13, 2010
at 4:07 am
Oh thank you so much! This can be applied to all writing, in fact, not just for children. But then again, didn’t they say, “You must write for children the same way you write for adults, only better”?
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By: Irene on January 14, 2010
at 2:53 pm
Irene,
You are right. Writing is writing, so mostly everything applies to all writing. The middle grade novels and young adult novel that are being written today are just as good or better than the adult books I read. Hope you stop back to visit.
Kathy
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By: kathytemean on January 15, 2010
at 12:55 am
Sounds to me like 10 questions you should ask yourself before you start writing just about anything.
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By: Jaycee on January 19, 2010
at 10:30 am
Jaycee,
I agree. Most writing tips can be applied to writing in general. Thanks for visiting and leaving me a comment.
Kathy
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By: kathytemean on January 20, 2010
at 3:15 pm
Nice list. Heard about via another blog. Will use it in my writing workshops.
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By: Carol Baldwin on September 29, 2010
at 9:02 pm
I wonder if there’s been any more on this published. Can’t seem to locate any. I put writing on hold for a few months, health issues-nasty buggers, demanded attention. I intend to start working on novels I’ve already written and see what I can do to condense some down, make tighter before trying to find someone to read it(them) for me before submitting. I also need to work on pitch and query. Didn’t make any rounds this year or last year, pitch wasn’t quite right.
Anyway, thanks for having this forum.
Rhyanna D.
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By: Rhyanna DeTuathana on April 22, 2013
at 4:47 am
Hi Kathy,
Thought you might like to know Clar shared your link on her blog. And I’m glad she did as this list will help me. 🙂
http://clarbojahn.wordpress.com/2013/09/27/perfect-picture-book-friday-virgie-goes-to-school-with-us-boys/#comment-6028
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By: Tracy Campbell on September 27, 2013
at 8:18 pm