http://www.businessworld.in/bw/2009_08_19_I_Look_For_A_Unique_Original_Fresh_Voice.html
IN CONVERSATION 08 Aug 2009
‘I Look For A Unique, Original, Fresh Voice’
Sarah Odedina talks about Harry Potter, children’s publishing, and the growing market in India for books
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As Publisher at Bloomsbury, Sarah Odedina has overseen and managed one of the biggest successes in global children’s publishing: the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. Her experience in editing and publishing new authors; promoting children’s literature; selling and buying rights in different regions of the world has established her as a leading global expert in the field.
In Delhi recently for Jumpstart, an initiative of the German Book Office to promote children’s writing and publishing, Sarah conducted a workshop for 23 children’s writers together with Indian children’s writer Anoushka Shankar. Sarah speaks to Sumita Thapar on Harry Potter, children’s publishing, and the growing market in India for books.
You joined Bloomsbury in 1997 — the year the first Harry Potter was published. How has the dynamics of publishing children’s books changed over the last decade?
In the past, writing for children was never considered lucrative. Children’s books would be in the backlist for 10-20-30, even 40 years. There were no quick big sales as in adult literature. The success of authors like J.K. Rowling and Stephenie Meyer have changed that. There is a bigger market for exciting children’s books; people are marketing better; there are exciting new trends in children’s publishing.
Many adults in India are reading Harry Potter. Is that a worldwide trend?
We published Harry Potter in two jackets — one for adults and one for children. It’s priced the same. Mark Haddon’s The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time by Random House is another example of a book that has been published in two jackets.
People are excited about this prospect of cross-over market between adult and children’s literature. Twilight is an example of a book extremely popular with women from 13 to those in their 40s. I know a family where it’s read by teenaged daughters and their mother. There’s an incredible creativity: For writers, a freeing up of the framework; for publishers, how you place the book. It’s all very exciting.
As an editor what do you look for in writing?
The book that nobody else could have written but that author. Just because Stephenie Meyer is doing well, it does not mean vampire stories are in demand. When J.K. Rowling first wrote Harry Potter, children’s publishing in the UK was dominated by real life and social issues. There was no science or fantasy writing for children. Many people didn’t think it would do well. I look for a unique, original, fresh voice. It’s a bit like reading a book, falling in love reading it, and believing other people will love it as well.
Which books are you most proud of bringing into the world?
Holes by Louis Sachar is a fantastic book that has been in print for 10 years. It has been a bestseller around the world. Celia Reels’ Witch Child has redefined historical fiction for girls. Celia gets lots of letters from readers who relate to the character very well. Of course, authors like J.K. Rowling.
Then there are authors who haven’t received critical acclaim and response by readers and you cannot understand why. It is a strong book, but for some reason it doesn’t engage with the world. You hope and you encourage authors not to lose heart.
You said something about publishing ‘authors not books’?
Liz Calder, the founding director of Bloomsbury Publishing, once said to me, ‘We publish authors not books’. When you publish a book you are not investing in the long-term plans of the writer. Sometimes, a writer’s second book may do well, maybe the third. We invest time, energy, money, for the long term.
The author is the most precious commodity in the business. Any publisher who is relaxed about building relationships with authors is at risk of losing them. In creative literature, unlike text books, where publishing is author-led, this is imperative.
How has the market for children’s publishing grown over the years?
In the UK, traditionally, children’s books have been a widely recognised as a major export. Our picture books sell in English across the world, we also sell rights to foreign imprints for translations. We have a big children’s list. Australia and Germany are big markets; in Germany, books sell in English and German. Bloomsbury also publishes in the US, France, Spain, Latin America and the Far East are big markets. The BRIC nations as we call them — Brazil, Russia, India, China — the four major growing economies of the world offer huge potential. In Brazil, the books are translated into Portuguese.
How do you see India as a market?
Unlike in the UK, where the market is flat and shrinking because of the recession, there are very committed book readers here. Most western publishers see India as a very big market. Fewer books are selling more copies; there are bigger bestsellers. Bloomsbury’s biggest booksales in India come from The Kite Runner, A Thousand Splendid Suns (Khaled Hosseini), Eat, Pray, Love (Elizabeth Gilbert), Marrying Anita (Anita Jain), Burnt Shadows (Kamila Shamsie), Emotional Intelligence (Daniel Goleman).
In Delhi recently for Jumpstart, an initiative of the German Book Office to promote children’s writing and publishing, Sarah conducted a workshop for 23 children’s writers together with Indian children’s writer Anoushka Shankar. Sarah speaks to Sumita Thapar on Harry Potter, children’s publishing, and the growing market in India for books.
You joined Bloomsbury in 1997 — the year the first Harry Potter was published. How has the dynamics of publishing children’s books changed over the last decade?
In the past, writing for children was never considered lucrative. Children’s books would be in the backlist for 10-20-30, even 40 years. There were no quick big sales as in adult literature. The success of authors like J.K. Rowling and Stephenie Meyer have changed that. There is a bigger market for exciting children’s books; people are marketing better; there are exciting new trends in children’s publishing.
Many adults in India are reading Harry Potter. Is that a worldwide trend?
We published Harry Potter in two jackets — one for adults and one for children. It’s priced the same. Mark Haddon’s The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time by Random House is another example of a book that has been published in two jackets.
People are excited about this prospect of cross-over market between adult and children’s literature. Twilight is an example of a book extremely popular with women from 13 to those in their 40s. I know a family where it’s read by teenaged daughters and their mother. There’s an incredible creativity: For writers, a freeing up of the framework; for publishers, how you place the book. It’s all very exciting.
As an editor what do you look for in writing?
The book that nobody else could have written but that author. Just because Stephenie Meyer is doing well, it does not mean vampire stories are in demand. When J.K. Rowling first wrote Harry Potter, children’s publishing in the UK was dominated by real life and social issues. There was no science or fantasy writing for children. Many people didn’t think it would do well. I look for a unique, original, fresh voice. It’s a bit like reading a book, falling in love reading it, and believing other people will love it as well.
Which books are you most proud of bringing into the world?
Holes by Louis Sachar is a fantastic book that has been in print for 10 years. It has been a bestseller around the world. Celia Reels’ Witch Child has redefined historical fiction for girls. Celia gets lots of letters from readers who relate to the character very well. Of course, authors like J.K. Rowling.
Then there are authors who haven’t received critical acclaim and response by readers and you cannot understand why. It is a strong book, but for some reason it doesn’t engage with the world. You hope and you encourage authors not to lose heart.
You said something about publishing ‘authors not books’?
Liz Calder, the founding director of Bloomsbury Publishing, once said to me, ‘We publish authors not books’. When you publish a book you are not investing in the long-term plans of the writer. Sometimes, a writer’s second book may do well, maybe the third. We invest time, energy, money, for the long term.
The author is the most precious commodity in the business. Any publisher who is relaxed about building relationships with authors is at risk of losing them. In creative literature, unlike text books, where publishing is author-led, this is imperative.
How has the market for children’s publishing grown over the years?
In the UK, traditionally, children’s books have been a widely recognised as a major export. Our picture books sell in English across the world, we also sell rights to foreign imprints for translations. We have a big children’s list. Australia and Germany are big markets; in Germany, books sell in English and German. Bloomsbury also publishes in the US, France, Spain, Latin America and the Far East are big markets. The BRIC nations as we call them — Brazil, Russia, India, China — the four major growing economies of the world offer huge potential. In Brazil, the books are translated into Portuguese.
How do you see India as a market?
Unlike in the UK, where the market is flat and shrinking because of the recession, there are very committed book readers here. Most western publishers see India as a very big market. Fewer books are selling more copies; there are bigger bestsellers. Bloomsbury’s biggest booksales in India come from The Kite Runner, A Thousand Splendid Suns (Khaled Hosseini), Eat, Pray, Love (Elizabeth Gilbert), Marrying Anita (Anita Jain), Burnt Shadows (Kamila Shamsie), Emotional Intelligence (Daniel Goleman).
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