Thread by @Sally_Nicholls

Okay, so I went to pick up and feed my kids, and now I'm back and I have THOUGHTS about this.
I may be some time.

https://twitter.com/CharlotteLEyre/status/1089847014505005057

Most of the UK YA authors I know are leaving YA and going to children's or adults. Two reasons for this: British publishers don't pay them properly any more and they aren't getting the marketing support that those publishers give to US imprints.

*Imports.
Advances are*awful* in YA. Awful. I know of authors - well-known, Carnegie shortlisted authors - who were offered advances of £1000 for a full-length novel.
That's not just unsustainable, it's insulting.

Publishers seem to think writers are hobbyists. I've heard so many stories of publishers being surprised that authors need an advance paid promptly in order to pay a bill. And what does that mean? It means the only writers who can keep doing it are those with other jobs.

And then there's the marketing. Look, guys, I *know* this is hard. I know there are limited festival spots and review spots and so forth. I get it.
But can't you see what it looks like to us when all your effort goes into promoting authors like Rainbow Rowell, SJ Maas, John Green

We go. To other parts of publishing where we do very well. Look at Ruth Ware (currently racking up sales in the millions, which she was certainly never given the opportunity to do when she was Ruth Warebuton). Look at CJ Skuse. Bridget Collins. Jo Nadin. Holly Bourne.

And this is INSANE. There are SO FEW things Britain genuinely does better than anyone else, and children's books is one. We have two huge advantages - the glorious beast that is the English language and the rich literary tradition we've been marinated in since early childhood.

In the follow up to her 1st tweet, @CharlotteLEyre said 'nobody thinks the quality of [YA writing] has gone down.'
Of course it has.
Who were your big YA authors?
Patrick Ness - currently writing films/TV.
Meg Rosoff - adult
Malorie Blackman - Doctor Who
Philip Reeve - MG

@CharlotteLEyre JK Rowling - films
Philip Pullman - Well, I'm not sure what The Book of Dust is, but it isn't YA.
Frances Hardinge - last time I saw her she was about to go touring Hong Kong
Need I go on? These are authors who talented enough to make a living writing. They can't do it in YA.

@CharlotteLEyre I can't either. Things A Bright Girl Can Do was one of the bestselling UKYA books of last year. I was paid four figures for it.

@CharlotteLEyre My publishers want a follow-up. I'd like to write one. I love YA. But I haven't yet. Because in the time since I finished writing it, I've written four middle-grade books, three reluctant readers, a short story, and four picture books. I've done an absurd amount of speaking work.

@CharlotteLEyre AND I'VE BEEN PAID DECENT MONEY FOR ALL OF IT.
Not enough to make me rich. But enough to make a living wage. Which I have to do. Because I'm a professional. This is how I pay my mortgage.

@CharlotteLEyre I do not get paid a living wage in YA. For me, it's worth it for the prestige. I get on prize shortlists. I get invited to festivals and I get other speaking engagements. I get broadsheet reviews. That's useful career capital.
For other writers? Nope.

@CharlotteLEyre You want to make money publishing UKYA? It's not hard. Pay UK writers a respectable amount of money. And give those writers the marketing and publicity support they get in other areas of publishing.
And yes, you can quote me on that.