My family loves Aish.com videos, and this new one is both totally hilarious and example of what I previously have described as a modern-day moshel.
Click below to watch “Samurai Jew.”
exciting
How can you offer someone advice without taking it yourself?
I was corresponding with a client last night who is–among other things–considering publishing an ebook to distribute among clients and potential clients. I was telling her I thought it was a great idea, how it can be done with relatively little expense, yadda yadda yadda.
And then I thought to myself, “Hey! Why don’t you take your own advice?”
Not only might it generate business, but it’ll give me experience using the tools available on CreateSpace (or Lulu, or whichever service I go with) that will prove useful if I help last night’s client (and hopefully future ones) with their projects. I spent an hour and a half last night clipping bits from emails and blog posts to consolidate into a short ebook. It’ll take a few more hours just to complete the writing and editing of the material, and I’m sure it’ll take a while to design the ebook. But I’m excited about this little side project.
So the next time you offer someone some brilliant advice…prepare to take it yourself!
Contemporary Jewish Books for Kids
BS”D
I just read this article by about a Jewish writer (Laurel Snyder) who doesn’t write for Jewish kids.
http://www.tabletmag.com/life-and-religion/1041/where-the-wild-things-arent/
She subsequently published the book Baxter the Kosher Pig. (The publishing of this book was received with drama in our house a few months ago not because of the subject, but because my husband and I had written a similar book and failed to sell it to a publisher. I think it was a Test in taking pleasure in other people’s accomplishments, “fargenign” in Yiddish…and I’m ashamed to say I flunked.)
Snyder feels that Jewish books today are too tame and tend towards the “instructional”, as she calls it. She’s not alone. On the other hand, my kids seem to like the Jewish books they read even if they have instructional motives. Personally, I like a lot of them. However, I’d definitely like to see more variety and innovation in Jewish children’s fiction choices.
Historically, the Jewish people have always enjoyed midrashim (instructional stories from the Oral Torah traditions) and mashalim (fables). In fact, these books seem to sell most. Jewish publishers have told me that when the marketing department runs their numbers, it’s the “teaching” books, books with conservative watercolor illustrations, books that are familiar in tone and style that sell. Publishers have to deal with the realities of the pocketbook, too, you know.
Additionally, each Jewish publisher serves a niche market. Your “atypical” manuscript can easily be bounced around with compliments followed by comments like: “Too Jewish”, “not enough Jewish content”, “could offend some readers”, “not edgy enough” without ever finding the “just right” fit. (See this link for more on the subject.
A few publishers put out books that are edgy–but only in that they address issues very modern or even outside frumkeit. They are often AT LEAST as pedantic as the traditional books and stylistically quite similar. They just try to nudge readers towards a “Reform” mindset vs. an “Orthodox” one, for lack of better terminology.
It doesn’t help that picture books are extremely expensive to print, yet sell less than adult books. Publishers are afraid to gamble in such a situation.
Additionally, there are few incentives for a writer to focus on the Jewish children’s market. You have a smaller audience, smaller paycheck, etc. Many talented writers throw their hands in the air and walk away, or they submit instead to periodicals, which buy in greater volume (they have to fill their pages weekly) and are a little more flexible in what they are willing to publish.
Any opinions out there?
Rebecca Klempner 