The Importance of (Consistently) Being Earnest and Other Thoughts on Characters in Children's Books

Recently, I was asked to respond to some interview questions for the publication Children's Writer. 

Characterization is something that we are constantly concerned with here at the editorial desk. Who is this character? What would they do in this situation? Are they likable? Do I care what his/her/their experience is? Why did they react that way?  There is no real end to the questions we could ask about the characters we meet in our submissions and acquired titles.  

So, for today, I thought I would share my responses to said questions with the world-wide-web. Maybe you have some ideas to share as well? We'd love to hear you sound off below or on Facebook. Maybe you have a quick question? Ask away on Twitter! However you choose to respond, we're excited to hear your feedback.

-Josh

May We Have Your Submissions?

Hello, Hello!

It's been a while since we've crossed paths, bloggersphere. But I am here today to share some exciting news!

Over the last few weeks, we've been experiencing some exciting changes around the Scarletta offices. Today, I would like to share my excitement with one change in particular:

WE ARE RE-OPENING THE SUBMISSION PERIOD!

That's right, world, Scarletta is once again accepting submissions for Scarletta Kids, Scarletta Juniors, and Scarletta Press.  For the month of May, we will be eagerly awaiting your best Children's Picture Books, Memoir, Chapter Books, YA Literature, and Non-fiction.

Here's to a playful, book-filled summer!

Earlier this week I found myself in a part of my neighborhood I’d never been to before.  At one point I passed an elementary school with a playground full of kids enjoying the spring sun, and I saw something I’d only read about: a Mobius climber—a complex mathematical concept (a Mobius band has one surface and no edges) made into a very cool piece of playground equipment perfect for climbing (and maybe the occasional slide).

As my short time as an editorial intern at Scarletta ends and I look back, interning at Scarletta was kind of like finding a Mobius playground in my backyard.  Scarletta books feature killer design, where form and content meet seamlessly, but most of all spin stories that—whether inspiring kids to get active in their community or to create something new—don’t create artificial boundaries between learning and play.

I’ve enjoyed my time here learning about how a small press can respond to the challenges and changes of modern publishing with innovation and a bit of scrappiness. Just like a kid on the playground or inside on a rainy day, with a little creativity a book can be anything you can imagine it can be. Thanks to the small but dedicated Scarletta staff and here’s to a fun, book-filled summer!