Flying Solo: Kara LaReau of Bluebird Works Consulting

Long-time editor Kara LaReau is flying solo these days as founder of Bluebird Works, a creative consulting firm that launched in late February. A few months later, Kara, who began her career at Candlewick Press (and is credited with plucking Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo from the slush pile) and as executive editor at Scholastic Press, where she dubiously became a “trendsetter” as one of the first layoff casualties that continue to strike the publishing industry, is flying high while some of the industry still falters. Here, we talk to her about her new venture and what it takes to strike out on one’s own.

BETHANY HEGEDUS: Kara, thanks for chatting with us today. I was taken and intrigued from this endorsement on your website:

“As a Newbery-winning editor and an accomplished author, Kara…‘gets’ writers, and as a result, possesses an incredible ability to articulate exactly what a manuscript needs.”

—Alicia Potter, author of Fritz Danced the Fandango.

 How has doing “the time” on both sides of the publishing industry influenced your work as a creative consultant?

KARA LaREAU:  The fact that I enjoy careers as a writer and editor puts me in a singular position to help other writers. The two careers inform each other; in my work as an editor, writers appreciate that I not only sympathize, but also empathize, with their experiences. And my experience behind the scenes in publishing has given me insight about the business, which can inform what I write and how I market myself as a writer. 

BETHANY: Bluebird launched back in February. Can you tell us—without naming names—what the experience has been like working with writers, agents and other industry professionals in your new capacity? Is it everything you had hoped it would be? 

KARA: One of the best things about my experience so far is that it doesn’t differ all that much from the editorial work I was doing before; I’m just not answering to anyone anymore, other than myself, which is nice!  For the first time, I’m committing myself to only doing what makes me happy—and that includes freelance writing, freelance editing, and manuscript review and development.  It’s refreshing to have that focus in my working life now, and it leaves me more time for my own writing, and for teaching, which is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time.

BETHANY: What do you find most enjoyable in your role as a creative consultant? What is the most difficult? And how exactly do you decide what projects to take on

KARA:  These days, just about everything I do is enjoyable!  I love working with new authors and helping them to develop their work.  I love working with more established writers, who might be taking their work in a new direction and are in need of some guidance and support.  And more generally, I love just talking with writers about their stories, really figuring out what’s working and what isn’t, and how we might work together to brainstorm solutions.

I invite writers to send me their work (either a full picture book manuscript or the first ten pages plus a synopsis of longer fiction) for an initial review; if I feel I’m responding to their work and think it has creative merit, I’ll recommend an editing plan.  If not, I’ll politely decline. It’s difficult to turn things down, especially when I can tell an author is determined and passionate. But in those cases, I usually invite them to send me something else; there’s always a chance I might respond differently to another idea. 

BETHANY: How do you feel the overall economic downturn is affecting our industry, aside from layoffs and publishers decreasing the number of books they produce?

KARA: I don’t have any magic answers.  But I do think that the contraction we’re seeing in our industry, that we’re seeing in most other industries, is a good thing.  We were pretty bloated for a while, so it’s nice to see a bit of streamlining.  I just wish so many good people didn’t have to lose their jobs — though, thankfully, many of us have moved on to greener pastures.

BETHANY: What has been the biggest challenge in creating Bluebird Works? The most exciting?

KARA: The biggest challenge was learning to depend only on myself, to have the confidence that I could make this business happen. Once I had that faith, the real fun began—I could spread my wings and really fly. 

BETHANY: Thanks, Kara, we’re so glad Bluebird Works exists!