Take 3: Non-fictionistas
Take Three: Non-fictionistas
Penny Arlon
Biography
Arlon began her publishing career as an editorial secretary with Readers Digest before landing dream job at Dorling Kindersley as a PA to Editorial Director. Within six years had worked her way up to become Senior Editor of non-fiction children’s books.
Top titles
Edited many DK hits including the Art Attack books and kits. Editor for the past five years on the award-winning ‘Things to Make and Do’ series. Project-manager and co-writer of the DK Encyclopedia of People and wrote the DK First Reference Animal Encyclopedia .
Jack of all trades?
More is required of a children’s non-fiction editor than an ability to edit and reduce complicated scientific explanations into children’s language. Arlon overcame a lifelong phobia of spiders when persuading the head of invertebrates at London Zoo to work on Eye Wonder Bugs .
Debacle
‘Never work with children or animals,’ says Penny Arlon. When a music title was going to press she discovered that her child model had faked his consent form, skived school, and his parents were refusing to allow the photographs to be used…
Quote
‘As someone obsessed with facts, I have found the perfect job. Working on books on topics that range from animals and art to music, magic and Mars, I am constantly researching subjects and am consequently very popular when it comes to pub quizzes.’
Ruth Hooper
Biography
From bookseller to Editorial Manager at Pinwheel, Hooper’s career has been built on an unusual quality: she secretly likes designers. She believes energy comes from the editor/designer battles. Both think they are winning and, if the book works, then they are.
Top Titles
Ruth finds it difficult to choose a favourite title, just as a parent never chooses a preferred child. Provided everyone else can find a favourite in a non-fiction novelty list then the editor is happy.
Jack of All Trades?
Non-fiction novelty publishing requires tireless imagination for occasionally tiresome topics. If it were true that ‘Nothing’s new in non-fiction’ then editing would be simple. One key requirement is the ability to find 72 hours in every working day.
Debacle
Ruth’s work-in-progress is entitled Classic Freelance Excuses . Examples include ‘My work will be late – a bat is loose in my house’ and ‘Oh! You wanted the whole book?’ Ruth believes this is why it’s called a creative industry.
Quote
‘What children learn is important but how they learn it determines whether it will stay with them and be useful. Books are still the answer.’
Rebecca Gilpin
Biography
Gilpin has spent the last few years happily writing activity and cookery books. Usually covered in glue, glitter and brightly-coloured tissue paper, she likes to think of herself as the Valerie Singleton of Usborne Publishing.
Top titles
Gilpin’s best-selling title is the magical Fairy Things to Make and Do , which has flown off the shelves and sprinkled the world with fairy dust. The newly-published Pirate Things to Make and Do will thrill any would-be pirate.
Jack of all Trades?
On a normal day, Rebecca writes books, creates and develops projects, commissions illustrations, types badly, drinks lots of water and works with a fantastic team of designers. Being an editor at Usborne isn’t just about editing!
Debacle
Opening the newly-printed Valentine Things to Make and Do , Rebecca found that all the pages were in the wrong order! Panic was followed by huge relief… only a few advance copies were affected – the others were spot on.
Quote
‘I’ve always loved making things, so writing these books puts a huge smile on my face – even when I’ve got glue in my hair, glitter on my clothes and paint on my nose!’
