Second Sight: An Editor's Talks on Writing, Revising, and Publishing Books for Children and Young Adults

Second Sight demystifies the editorial process by offering a professional editor’s granular perspective on the craft of writing for young readers. Cheryl B. Klein, an editor at Arthur A. Levine Books, compiles years of conference talks and essays to provide a backstage pass to the decisions that shape a manuscript from promising draft to polished book. The work moves beyond abstract principles, grounding its advice in real-world examples from published works, including detailed analyses of series like Harry Potter to illustrate universal narrative mechanics. The book’s core is a practical and philosophical exploration of a novel’s foundational elements: the narrative point, character interiority, plot architecture, and the alchemy of voice. Klein provides writers with a diagnostic toolkit—including worksheets and checklists—for isolating and repairing these components. She dedicates significant attention to the revision process, outlining twenty-five specific techniques for deepening character motivation, tightening plot logic, and sharpening prose. While focused on children’s and young adult literature, the principles are universally applicable to fiction writing. The final sections address the professional realities of publishing, featuring annotated examples of successful and flawed query letters and insights into the author-editor relationship. The collection’s structure, drawn from independent talks, allows for targeted reading, though its cumulative effect is a comprehensive, layered understanding of narrative construction. Second Sight serves as an advanced craft manual for the writer ready to move beyond basics. It is designed for those with a complete manuscript who seek the analytical rigor and ‘second sight’ of an editor to identify and solve structural problems, transforming their work with precision and intellectual care.