a pretty package
DC: CAKE’s motto “stories from scratch” relates to our belief that writing a book is like making a cake, but it also speaks to how we approach building stories. We carefully think about the elements, or ingredients, in order to create the most interesting, impactful — and flavorful — end result; a deliciously diverse read. Sona and I both suffer from colonized imaginations, or a cultural Stockholm Syndrome where we, unfortunately, have whiteness living in our imaginations, and we have to actively work to eradicate this reality. As women from marginalized communities, we were plagued with misrepresentation, erasure, and lack of representation in the books we read as children and teens. We wanted to develop decidedly diverse stories and provide collaborative opportunities with writers-of-color and other marginalized writers. We live our lives put through a white filter, so the editorial process, being part of that, can sometimes feel that way. The way publishing is structured, the way books are presented, the way stories are told, all come from a white, Anglo-Saxon, cis-gendered, able-bodied, heteronormative, and Christian context and tradition. We’ve been trained to expect stories to take a specific form and shape, and can often be shocked and uncomfortable when they don’t (cultural Stockholm Syndrome!). But Sona and I actively think about these issues as we create new properties, and have conversations about it to make sure we’re making the right development choices.
I definitely don’t see the power dynamic as a brain/body split; authors have to bring an immense amount of intellect and imagination when they write for hire. As a packager, we can plot the entire thing to great detail, but we don’t—because we know that in the moment, when the author commits a scene to page, whatever any of us previously imagined will inevitably change. Writing off of any outline, even your own, requires huuuge feats of imagination and problem solving. In terms of a power dynamic, I see it as greatly collaborative. I’m bouncing ideas around with my authors constantly.
2. Foods that contain GMOs are labeled in many states so that consumers know just what they’re getting. Should books produced by packagers be labeled so that readers–and especially reviewers, award committee members–know that the author isn’t (solely) responsible for the content?
RB: I don’t see the necessity but I’m not opposed to it, either. For any curious readers, this kind of information isn’t difficult to find. I know both Paper Lantern and Cake proudly display these books on their sites, and authors acknowledge us in their back content.
Apart from self-publishing, I wonder if any writer is solely responsible for the content? The editor at a publishing house will have suggestions that run the gambit. Maybe you’ll be asked to adjust a scene or maybe you’ll be tasked to make the character more heartfelt throughout their journey. Same thing with packaging editors, I believe, though we’re just part of the process earlier. Either way, an editor is an outside reader you work with to polish your vision—to clarify ideas, move the plot from A to B efficiently, rearrange blocks of text so that the flow of it is logical. Like I said, not very romantic….
Packaged or not, the author does some seriously heavy lifting—and of course, you can take or leave those suggestions, but I really do believe that collaboration shapes the book in remarkable ways. And suffice to say, it only works when the author and the editor trust one another!
DC: Usually this information is found on the copyright page. It shows whether the copyright is shared between the packager and the author, or solely belongs to the packager. Readers, award committee members, and reviewers can discover this information rather easily. Packaging used to be feel more secretive and insider-y — which is a large problem — but now I think it’s becoming more of an open secret. I like that it feels more open because writers, especially writers from marginalized communities, might be able to explore these economic opportunities, and have access to work-for-hire projects to supplement their writing careers like other writers have done for decades.
3. For writers of color who are largely excluded from the publishing industry and/or have little chance of working with an editor of color, what are the advantages of writing for a book packager? Does it make a difference when the “scripts” are developed by people of color instead of whites? Why not run a literary agency and help writers to develop their own ideas rather than developing the narratives yourselves?
DC: The best part of the packaging process — and the biggest advantage — is learning the art of collaboration. If you work with a great packager, you will feel like you’re in the story trenches with someone else, and that you aren’t alone. Writing can be such a solitary path, and working with a packager can help make this process feel a little less lonely, as you navigate it. At CAKE, Sona and I build the batter, but the writer is the one that comes in with the spice, adding their own uniqueness to the project. You will also get a crash course in the traditional publishing process, and access to the contacts of a company.
RB: The best kind of book packagers serve as literary incubators. Writers get to see the inner workings of what it takes to craft a proposal, go on submission, and sell their book. They get their foot in the door, and several authors who have completed a book series with us go on to find their own agents and write their own series. Between our five employees at Paper Lantern Lit, we have 25+ years of traditional publishing experience—and for a writer or color who wants to go that route, you can leverage our experience and contacts to your advantage.
And since we know many editors and publishers, we are are able to more quickly distinguish where there might be a hole or demand or need in the market, and it’s quicker for us to develop than to sift through thousands of potential applicants. We’re creating our own destiny, rather than waiting for something to fall into our laps. For the right writer/project, PLL would work with an editor to flesh out their idea—but those circumstances are very unique.
The literary agency is a different thing all together; the assistance you described sounds like what literary agents do now a days (or many of them do). For me, I like my capacity as an editor and would rather leave selling to other people.
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