An Interview with Kidlit Editor Joy Peskin of Macmillan's Farrar Straus & Giroux
- 19 hours ago
- 5 min read
Long before I spoke with Joy Peskin, I was aware of her name floating around writing conferences, popping up in critique groups, and taking a prominent position in online forums. When discussing their work, writers who’ve had the good fortune to interact with the senior editor start sentences with, “Well, Joy Peskin says…” Basically, if you’re involved in a writing community, you’ve heard of her.
After speaking with her, it’s clear why.
Yes, her credentials are impressive: she’s the Executive Editorial Director of Farrar Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers, the Division Vice President of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, and the leader of their MCPG Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee. She also teaches a class on author care, writes her own content, mentors children in New York and New Jersey, and is a court-appointed special advocate in the Essex County foster care system.
But she’s also practical, approachable, and wonderfully gracious–even when I spilled a giant Diet Coke all over my laptop and frantically told her I’d have to call her back. (Good news–the laptop survived!)
For those of us who haven’t met her in person, we can’t wait to see her at the upcoming Writing and Illustrating for Young Readers conference. For those who have had the opportunity, they’re even more pleased that she is one of our editors this year.
When I asked her about how she got her start, she told me her career began with a teacher.
“I really have to credit an educator with getting me on this path,” Peskin said. “Words of encouragement—or the direction we give to kids, especially teenagers who we don’t think are listening—can end up determining someone’s whole path.”
As a junior in high school, Peskin admits she was not particularly strong in social studies, but her teacher, who also oversaw the yearbook, asked whether she would be interested in editing the yearbook supplement that was mailed out after graduation events.
Peskin went on to edit her high school yearbook, work on her college newspaper, attend what is now the Columbia Publishing Course, and eventually build a career in the industry.
“I’ve been in publishing ever since,” she said.
When I asked what she wished authors knew, she said one of the most important concepts she hopes writers understand is that editors genuinely want every book they acquire to do well.
“We’re all on the same side, even though it may not always feel that way,” she said. “We want every book we sign up to succeed.”
Publishing, however, is both creative and practical. Peskin describes children’s books as existing at “the intersection of art and commerce,” where stories must be emotionally compelling, while also finding a place in the marketplace.
“We’re trying to create a book that is important and resonant,” she said. “But it also has to sell copies. We have to be pragmatic about that.”
Because of that balance, Peskin encourages writers to think carefully about both craft and marketability. Strong manuscripts matter, but so does understanding how a book might be positioned and championed within the industry.
“Your editor isn’t only your editor,” she said. “They’re your in-house advocate.” That advocacy is important, especially when editors present projects during acquisitions and marketing discussions. “I have to really love it,” Peskin said, “so I can then convey that love to my colleagues.”
She also hopes writers understand that sometimes books are well-written, but they aren’t always a good fit or the timing is off.
“A rejection does not necessarily mean that the book is not of good quality,” she said. “It very well could be.” Sometimes, an editor may not have a clear vision for how to publish the project successfully within their particular list.
When asked about how the industry has changed in the last five years and how to navigate the changes, Joy mentioned the uncertainty during the initial stages of COVID. “When the pandemic started, there was initially a concern, ‘Oh my gosh, business is going to collapse completely.’ We were really scared that books coming out weren't going to be read. Instead, we saw just the opposite."
She continued, "One thing that happens during a very difficult time, which was very positive, was that people returned to books, especially children's books. We saw a big spike in reading and backlist, and there was a real desire for comfort and coziness. People went back to … the books they remembered when they were little, and they got them for their kids. That was actually very exciting to see, that there was a boost in reading.”
Since then, unfortunately, the numbers have been more challenging. There has been a decline in readership for a variety of reasons. “We are losing young readers to their screens. We are also facing book-banning challenges, which are making it difficult for some of our titles.”
She also believes, speaking for herself and not Macmillan, that because the children’s book market has been consistently expanding for the last thirty years, “There's a little bit of natural kind of shrinkage in the market going on."
But she still is positive about her role and the publishing business; it’s just a bit harder to navigate. “We have to be very mindful of the shifting market and continue to try to publish the best possible books for kids and the books that we think have the best opportunity to thrive.”
While Peskin spends much of her professional life editing books for children and teens, her own writing focuses primarily on personal essays and articles about the writing craft. She writes frequently about mental health and elder care.
“My mother has dementia, and I’m really involved in her care,” she said, “and I love her very much, so I love to write about that.”
She also contributes articles to Writer's Digest, helping authors better understand craft and publishing.
In addition to her editorial role at FSG, Peskin also works as a freelance developmental editor. While she only accepts agented submissions through the publishing house, she enjoys helping writers independently strengthen their manuscripts.
“I really love doing the freelance work,” she said. “It gives me a chance to help someone get the work into the best shape possible so that it can go on down its journey to publication.”
Writers need to understand, though, that this is a completely separate lane from her work at Macmillan and isn’t a way to get your work to the publisher.
Writers interested in learning more about her freelance editorial services can visit her website.
With all her various projects and volunteer work, we’re so pleased she was able to squeeze us into her busy schedule and be an editor at the conference this year. It’s a marvelous opportunity for us all, and I can’t wait to meet and learn from her. Soon, I’ll be saying, “Well, Joy Peskin says….”
To register for Writing and Illustrating for Young Readers, click on the button below.
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