Interview with Jennifer Wingertzahn, Editor
Jennifer Wingertzahn is an editor with Clarion Books, an all-children’s imprint of the Houghton Mifflin Company. Previously, Wingertzahn worked at the Delacorte and Doubleday imprints of Random House Children’s Books and at Harper Collins Children’s Books. Recent books Wingertzahn has edited include Brother Juniper, by Diane Gibfried, illustrated by Meilo So; What to Do? What to Do? by Toni Teevin, illustrated by Janet Pedersen; Welcome to Zanzibar Road, written and illustrated by Niki Daly; Ahwoooooooo! By Yannick Murphy, illustrated by Claudio Munoz; Where the Great Hawk Flies by Liza Ketchum; and The Rhyming Season, by Edward Averett.
Please tell us a bit about your background and how you got into the editing business.
My first job in publishing was assisting three editors in the HarperCollins College Textbook Division, which I knew wasn’t quite the right fit for me. I was more interested in the children’s books division, so I applied for a job and became an editorial assistant there. From there I moved to Random House Children’s Books, where I worked in the Doubleday and Delacorte imprints. And I’ve been at Clarion for 3 1/2 years now.
Can you define that special quality that makes a book stand out for you?
It’s something I can’t put down. It feels fresh, compelling, evocative, and it moves me in some way. I also look for books that I can take away something new from every time I read it.
Would you describe your relationship with an author as friend, mentor, taskmaster, or all of the above?
All of the above--but maybe not all of them for every author. Different people need different things. For example, some prefer deadlines, while others don’t work well under pressure. It’s about creating the best working relationship with each author or illustrator.
How is working for Clarion Books different from working for other imprints?
I feel like Clarion offers the best of both worlds: It has all the advantages of a big publisher in terms of distribution, sales, etc. but because we’re such a small imprint it also has the personal, family feel of a small house.
Could you describe briefly the journey a manuscript takes from its acceptance through its actual publication?
After a manuscript is under contract, the revision process begins. Author and editor work together, often going through several rounds of revision, until both agree the manuscript is as strong and as good as it can be. If it’s a picture book, the manuscript is then sent to an illustrator that the editor and the designer and/or art director feel would be a good match for it. (The author usually doesn’t have a say in this part of the process so it’s important to have an open mind and faith in your editor!) While the artist is at work or if the book is for a novel without illustrations, the manuscript is then copyedited. The author reviews the copyedited manuscript and then the galleys, which is the manuscript once it’s been designed as it will appear in the final book. If the book is illustrated, the author will see the art, but usually doesn’t have any input into it unless it’s for factual accuracy. This is so the artist can bring his/her vision and creativity to the book. Once all the materials are in and the book is designed and proofread many times, the book itself is produced.
What is the biggest challenge you face as an editor?
Time! Time to read my submissions, to read all the great new books on the Clarion list, to read all the great new books being published by other houses. My reading list goes on forever!
Could you comment on technology and the publishing industry; i.e., Google’s library scanning program, digitized books in general, as well as Google Book Search--or, any other technology you think is changing the industry?
Technology is always changing the industry—only time will tell if it will be for better or worse. Searching technologies and digitized books could be incredibly helpful, but it’s important to introduce them in a way that protects authors and publishers. Like any new technology, we have to establish structure and limitations so it’s not abused. Imagine when cars had just been invented—but they didn’t yet have speed limits or traffic lights!
What are some of your favorite books, childhood through adult?
The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats, The Philharmonic Gets Dressed by Karla Kuskin, Frog and Toad Are Friends by Arnold Lobel, the Half-Magic books by Edward Eager, Beezus and Ramona by Beverly Cleary, Night Flying by Rita Murphy, Jacob Have I Loved by Katherine Paterson, Atonement by Ian MacEwan, A Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez, The Shipping News by Annie Proulx, The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.
What do you especially enjoy about children’s book editing?
All the amazingly talented, passionate, and interesting people I get to meet through it.
What is the biggest obstacle one must overcome to become a published writer?
I don’t know for sure, since I’m not one myself, but I would imagine it’s self-doubt. The important thing to remember is that when an editor says a manuscript isn’t right for him/her, it means just that. You want to editor who loves your book as much as you do. And you shouldn’t settle for anything less.