What do you think will be trends in publishing in the coming year?
I’ve said this before, but the only trend we really care about at Skylark is a tendency to write consistently great books! Trends in the market come and go, and even if I could predict a trend now, I suspect that by the time most people have written a book for it, that trend will have gone and we’ll be on to something new. But great ideas and great writing are always popular, so that’s the safest focus. Having said that, I think the popularity of titles such as Warcross may lead to a trend for more tech- and science-based futuristic novels, especially in YA, and I’d certainly like to see more of these for middle-grade, too!
What book/genre/topic would you like to see cross your transom?
I’d love to see more science-inspired adventures/mysteries for all ages, and particularly in middle-grade, but they need to be fun, engaging, and accessible! Otherwise, I’m always seeking a great voice and great characterization. Funny is very much on my wish list at the moment. Publishers ask us for this a lot, but not everyone can write funny—it’s quite an art—so if this talent is in your skill set, then that’s a huge asset. As ever, I love a good mystery and an unreliable narrator—anything clever and twisty! But ultimately, at Skylark we want to see super standout writing and ideas for all age groups from early readers to YA/crossover.
What topic do you never want to see again?
I don’t think I have one of these! There are certain areas of fiction that have been explored a lot—dystopias, for example—but it’s always possible that someone will come up with a new and exciting take on the theme, and I’d really want to see that. I’m a little bit tired of environmental disaster stories that seek to educate kids, as I think our young readers are already very aware of the environmental issues we’re facing, and, in my experience, these ideas, important as they are, are often handled in too didactic a way to make for a truly great story. But if someone could do this in a new and brilliant way, I’d want to see that, too!
What would you like to change about the publishing industry?
We specialize in children’s and YA fiction, so I guess it’s natural that I’d like to see more coverage of books for young people in the media. Children’s books aren’t necessarily exclusively for children—the success of Harry Potter has surely shown that. They are books that don’t exclude anyone, and often, they tackle really interesting and vibrant issues in extremely creative and engaging ways. Children’s is also a really buoyant area of the market globally, so I feel it would reward more coverage and more interest from the mainstream media. It’s so vital that children develop a love of reading for pleasure, as the educational and life benefits of that have been proven time and time again.
Amber Caravéo is the director and co-founder of Skylark Literary, a boutique literary agency specializing in children’s and YA fiction. Between them, she and co-founder Joanna Moult have over 25 years of experience in the children’s publishing industry working for major trade publishers. They set up Skylark Literary out of a passion for providing great author care. The company prides itself on championing talented authors from guiding their fledgling first steps to supporting their high-flying literary careers. Skylark Literary is open to submissions. You can follow Amber on Twitter.
