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Writing and illustrating for children - the dream, the journey, the reality.
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Our special guest and SCBWI Regional Advisor,
Susanne Gervay AM, regaled us with her up-to-the-minute industry news and insider tips – priceless!
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| SCBWI members books |
Susanne was in Gold Coast city for the children's theatre show,
I Am Jack – based on her book of the same name – at the Arts Centre Gold Coast.
Following sold-out shows all week, a devoted number of SCBWI members and teacher-librarians attended Susanne's inspiring pre-show talk on Thursday evening.
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| Families fill the theatre |
Whoops, illustrator Lucia Masciullo and I caught in the act of munching on popcorn during the
I Am Jack theatre show
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| photo: Dimity Powell |
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| The set |
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Susanne Gervay is swarmed by mini fans after the show.
And now Lucia and I think we can fly...
Photo: Susanne Gervay |
Are you having trouble naming your characters?
At the moment I'm in the process of changing the names of the main characters in my work in progress. What started out as a sequel to my first two novels, has evolved into a time-slip adventure mystery of epic proportions. And while my earlier novels were comedies, this one is filled with danger and drama.
But where do you look for character names? How do you find a name which speaks to you – a name which brings your character to life?
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| photo: Jeff Licence |
I had a lot of fun with the name of the main character in my first novel,
Pond Magic. Lily Padd was the obvious choice for a girl who was turning into a frog; it opened up opportunities for humorous gags and a solid reasoning behind the teasing she received from the story's villain, bad boy Rick Bastek.
But Rick's name was more difficult. He needed a surname with harsh edges and a mean sound. In the end, the telephone directory helped me find the perfect fit. Meanwhile, the story's French exchange student asked for a touch of royalty, and while Monaco is not a part of France, Rainier le Dauphin was hatched as a name that sounded noble enough to be authentic. And I liked the play on the meaning of le Dauphin.
In my novel,
Snap Magic, two new characters were introduced: the mean girl, Ellen Middleton; and Lily's love interest, Storm Chaseur. Ellen was based on a covert bully I went to school with, whose name was not Ellen, but my old school friends guessed it was her all the same. It felt good when the character Ellen received her comeuppance at the end of the story. (Don't mess with a writer.)
Storm's name came from a real person, a friend's adult son. And I was thrilled when he came along to the book launch of
Snap Magic and I signed his book for him. Was he a storm chaser? No, but hey!
Names, like stories, can pop up anywhere. The newspaper is a terrific resource and I recently found a wonderful name generator that gives you similar-sounding names to one you may like but are unsure of. It's called
Name Hunter on the baby name site
Name Berry.
Behind the Name is also a fun site, while some of the super villain names generated on
Fantasy Name Generator would be ideal for a grunge band – Necrotic Ninja was my favourite. The
Fantasy Name Generator site is worth checking out fully however, as it also includes 'real' names with surnames in a multitude of languages. That's gold!
While you're having fun generating names, pop the possible contenders into a notebook or note page on your phone. When I find a particularly funny name I then do a search on Facebook to see if there are any actual people out there with that name. Yes, I found a Lily Padd – in fact more than one.
Now I'll leave you with this cute video, which is actually an advert for a New Zealand hardware store. See if you can make out the names of each kid in the class. Their parents obviously do too much DIY.
How do you choose your characters' names?
When I visited the house of German writer and artist, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (the oft-called 'last universal genius') in Weimar many years ago, I was taken by his original writing desk. To stand before the great writer's creative space thrilled me. I was quite literally standing in the spot he wrote his great works; you see, he wrote while standing up. His desk was tall, five feet high and on a slant like a podium.
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| Goethe's writing desk in his garden house |
Since then I've discovered other genii who also wrote whilst on their feet. Sir Isaac Newton wrote his entire 'Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy' standing up. Ernest Hemingway also wrote standing at a chest height desk on which he'd placed his typewriter. He once said,
"Writing and travel broaden your ass, if not your mind,
and I like to write standing up."
German philospher Friedrich Nietsche, and American electrochemical engineer Libb Thims also wrote standing up.
Even Aristotle is credited with walking about while talking and thinking.
So, with so many great thinkers to vouch for the benefits of standing up to write, a while ago I purchased a standing desk for myself. (You can see in the photo I'm writing at it now.)
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| My standing desk |
It's actually a 'bar' table that I found in an ordinary furniture shop and was designed for dining at with 'bar' stools. Luckily for me this was the trend at the time. The shop assistant couldn't fathom why I didn't want any stools as well.
I also have a wooden wedge I place at my feet and stand on to stretch my calf muscles while I work. It's on a 45 degree angle as recommended by my physiotherapist. He also recommends standing on one foot and on tip toes for short periods of time to improve balance and strength. I can do all that at my standing desk.
A friend of mine recently bought a Varidesk which can be raised to varying standing heights and just sits atop your ordinary desk. This is a great space saver and worth checking out.
Of course, I do still write at my sit-down desk, which is a slanted art desk, and also in my favourite reading chair, mixing it up and changing rooms according to the time of day, weather and my mood.
Where's your favourite place to write?
Taking a daily walk at around lunchtime helps to clear my head, rest my eyes and refresh my creative mind. Having a completely new neighbourhood to explore while down in the Blue Mts of New South Wales, filled my walk with unexpected surprises and treasured moments.
For example, I did not know that the State Flower of New South Wales, the Waratah, would be in full bloom at this time of year. And there it was, popping up proudly and sporadically, surprisingly bright, red and vibrant against the muted eucalypt greens of the Australian bush. Wow, just wow!
The area around Pinerolo children's book cottage in Blackheath was breathtaking.
The road I walked along was often shaded, always lush right to the edges, and reminiscent of my childhood home in New Zealand. Emotions rose to the surface as I kept up a steady pace.
A country gate stood open, inviting. I could almost smell the tea and scones.
A single waratah fought for room within a cottage garden.
And then my heart stopped.
I saw an orchard. An old orchard with mature apple trees that had been structurally well-shaped, but that now needed pruning and treatment for canker – a fungal disease which damages tree bark and can make the tree particularly vulnerable to insects and bacteria, and can affect the fruit.
I could just hear my father's voice in my ear, telling me this. And strangely, I felt close to him then and missed him even more. He would've knocked on the door of that orchardist's farmhouse and spent a happy hour or so touring the farm and discussing horticultural methodology with the owner.
It was his bliss.
As a child, no holiday would've been complete without a bit of drive-by 'orchard spying' and the obligatory visit to the tractor sales yard.
Apparently the entire area around Pinerolo was well known for its apple orchards, though most now had been turned into acreage lots and hobby farms. It reminded me so much of our old orchard farm in Oratia, New Zealand. Only the sign on the picket fence spelled out Australia.
Heady scents filled my head as I kept walking.
And came upon another gate slightly ajar, beckoning. It lead into a beautifully manicured, park-like garden. I could live here, I thought. And it snowed in winter, which was a bonus.
An Italian farmhouse looked completely at home
with the cottage gardens
and waratahs...
The sign beside the front door was a clue. Many magical owls would keep me company during my week's stay as Illustrator in Residence at
Pinerolo.
And I would be sharing my bedroom with a bear and thousands of Australia's best picture books. How was I to sleep with so much reading to do?
In the evening I might watch some TV in the lounge, but who could concentrate when the walls were hung with original artworks by some of Australia's leading children's book illustrators? And what's more there were even more picture books to read in there, including the latest releases. I was kept very busy and up late at night.
And I could always pick up a book and find the original painting hanging on the wall in front of me. Here is
Where Does Thursday Go? by Janeen Brian beside the artwork of
Stephen Michael King. I was particularly impressed with how true to the original colour the print production was (photo does not show this.) Publisher Margaret Hamilton's fine eye for detail was evident.
Another nook in the lounge had books and artworks for sale. Pinerolo's owner Margaret Hamilton is the rep for Stephen Michael King's illustration sales.
Inspired by all that was around me I set to work with my pencil on character sketches and storyboarding for my picture book about a little girl and her grandmother. A common link binds them to one another and the grandmother to her past.
No internet, no distraction, no writing.
While above me hung the many awards of a successful career in publishing and championing children's books in Australia. Margaret Hamilton AM is a national treasure, a true lady and such a sweet soul. I feel so honoured and privileged to have had Margaret's mentorship during my week as Illustrator in Residence. You'll enjoy reading her interview on Kids Book Review
here.
Margaret captured me hard at work. I found the late afternoon light the best. The longer daylight saving evenings were put to good use and my storyboard was very close to finished by the end of the week. Read the Pinerolo newsletter about my stay
hereThe colour and vibrancy of illustrator Julie Vivas' watercolours – one of my favourites.
By reading through Stephen's notes it amazed me that he sometimes threw together a storyboard in little more than a day!
Besides picture books, Pinerolo also has a wealth of reference books on children's books and illustration – perfect for anyone researching or studying.
With the clear eye and kind feedback of Margaret Hamilton, my picture book manuscript is ready to go, the storyboard is almost there and very close to being what I had imagined.
Thank you most sincerely to Margaret and Max Hamilton of
Pinerolo Children's Book Cottage for your hospitality, support and care during my busy week in Blackheath.
I loved spending time with you!
At the very end of a super busy month, which included a full weekend of launching my new release
Snap Magic and two weeks visiting blogs for a promotional tour, I was tired and definitely in need of some 'me time' – time to reflect, recharge, and revisit my picture book in progress. It was time for my visit to
Pinerolo Children's Book Cottage.Nestled on the edge of the historic township of Blackheath in the Blue Mts, Pinerolo was a sanctuary of creative bliss just waiting for me to explore its secrets. I was thrilled, overwhelmed with joy and very proud to have been chosen as one of the Illustrators in Residence this year.
Pinerolo is owned and operated by Margaret Hamilton AM, a former award-winning publisher of children's books and now a picture book author herself –
B is for Bedtime. I was excited to have the opportunity of being mentored by Margaret during my week's stay in the cottage. There's a lovely interview with Margaret Hamilton on the Reading Time blog of the CBCA
hereMy first afternoon in the cottage was spent settling in after seven hours travelling. Then I went for a walk around the extensive grounds, enjoying the mature trees and large flowering shrubs of azaleas and rhododendrons. Blackheath was holding its annual Rhododendron Festival that coming weekend – another reason I was pleased to have chosen springtime for my week's stay.
Beside the cottage a large Italian farmhouse transported me to a holiday in Tuscany and treasured memories of our time spent there with my young family.
But from the corners of my imagination Banksia men intruded, reminding me that I was in fact in Australia.
After a very comfortable sleep I had my breakfast on the little back veranda of the cottage.
And enjoyed the view.
While more children's stories and a reference to my first book Pond Magic entered my thoughts.
At the bottom of the garden a large pine (Pinerolo means Place of Pines) held counsel with a circle of magical pine stools. The perfect place for storytelling and listening.
Or perhaps just reading...
In a Secret Garden on top of a southeast Queensland mountain
warlocks, witches, kids and grown-ups came trick or treating.
All had gathered for the launch of a bewitchingly funny new book,
Snap Magic,
Some had trouble transferring back into their human form...
While a witch of great lineage instructed the gathered populus on proper wand usage.
And read a scene from her hilarious new book,
Snap Magic.
Bewitching beauty cast its spell.
For the large crowd we had a number of macaron towers
The macaron-taking ceremony!
The kids showed off their false fangs and scarred faces in the dress-up competition.
A sweet devil.
More magical witches.
How did you get that scar?
Advanced broomstick flying!
Scar face bowls a pumpkin six.
Strike!
Little warlock, were you that bat in the tree?
A gaggle of witchie poos.
The coven of witches and warlocks in the adult dress-up competition.
Bestie witchies.
What the young witch of today was wearing.
You win the pumpkin wine!
Two can fit on my broom.
All the way from Melbourne to surprise me – feeling the love,
but why does that eye keep moving on your T-shirt?
Ghoulie lanterns and colour-ins.
The winner of the raffle – a Family Pass to
Drax 4 Kids
Wand off competition. First to smile loses!
Snap Magic is launched!
One very happy author/illustrator
for hosting the Mt Tamborine
Snap Magic launch.
And thank you sincerely to all who came along or sent well wishes.
On a warm spring day in a bookshop in the Brisbane inner city suburb of Paddington a crowd had gathered (some weird and all wonderful) to celebrate the launch of one little book –
Snap Magic, by
Angela Sunde.
There were prizes and surprises...
Thanks Drax!!!
And spooky food on the baddies table.
People felt safe in the knowledge they were among friends.
Even the cupcakes were not as spooky as they looked.
While a spider decorated my hat.
Then it was storytelling time.
Stories about wands and magic, some 650 years old.
Some in the audience thought this was funny...
But they soon changed their minds
when everyone pulled out their wands and sparks began to fly.
Posture when casting a wand is of the utmost importance.
The wand is an extension of your arm...
And you must pull a scary face like this.
Yes, that's pretty scary. But no smiling!
I left the jellies in Mrs Swan's fridge overnight
and now her false teeth are missing.
(She likes to chill them.)
Perhaps they're in one of the jellies.
Three spooky characters. One dressed up as Lily!
The official Snap Magic launch cake – a macaron tower,
Smile...
Oh, yum!
Two whacky witches arrived from New Zealand to surprise me.
We've been casting spells together since high school.
Dad's hairy face also got mixed up in the jellies.
That's Dad.
All that spooky food and dangerous wand action still didn't put off some readers.
And they could make a Ghoulie Lantern or colour in.
Pop a bookmark in.
I couldn't understand why not many drank the pumpkin juice;
it tasted like orange.
After all, you needed the energy for some pumpkin bowling.
The first victim / I mean... participant arrives.
for hosting the Brisbane
Snap Magic launch.
And thank you sincerely to all who came along or sent well wishes.
Wow, I only just caught the Snap Magic Blog Tour in time. It has been like a very fast train, leaving the station straight after the massive weekend of book launches (photos to follow tomorrow) and visiting nine stops on its way. Huge! I need a holiday now.
I've enjoyed catching up with the most gracious hosts you could imagine on this tour, and it was thrilling beyond words to read the first reviews of Snap Magic.
Thank you most sincerely to all the blog tour hosts. It has been a wonderful journey.
If you missed a stop, direct links are now live below:
Snap Magic Blog Tour Stops
October:
Snap Magic vs Pond Magic – Independent vs Trade
Interview – Independent Publishing
Themes and Messages in Snap Magic
REVIEW – Book Giveaway
Interview – Writing Habits
Interview – Story vs Character
Interview – A bewitching encounter
REVIEW – Snap Magic – It's more than hocus pocus
Interview –
Tips on Writing a Sequel
REVIEW
As the editor of the Redlitzer Junior Anthology I spent a wonderful day with the ten finalists earlier this year, giving editorial feedback on their stories and workshopping strategies to lift their work to an even higher level. Mentors and judges, Louise Cusack and Marianne de Pierres, worked with small groups of writers to polish their manuscripts before re-submission.
Tonight I will be presenting the Editor's Choice Awards (it was very difficult choosing) at the Gala Awards Evening at Victoria Point Library, when the Redlitzer Junior Anthology is launched.
Each year the Redland City Council has run the Redlitzer Anthology competition for adult and teen writers with fabulous prizes on offer from the city council and The Queensland Writers Centre, culminating with a published anthology of best stories.
In 2013 the competition was extended to junior writers under 13 as well. Ten talented young writers were selected from the many entries to spend a day workshopping their manuscripts for publication with published children's authors acting as mentors.
I do not know of another city or regional council that offers a better or more supportive opportunity for gifted young writers, and I'm so proud to be a part of it. Well done, Redlands, and congratulations to all the finalists.
I'm having fun hopping from blog to blog on the Snap Magic blog tour at the moment, but before it all kick started, Snap Magic was given a good push into the stratosphere by being featured in a live to air radio interview on 612ABC Brisbane's 'Mornings' with Steve Austin. Steve is such a welcoming and fun host, who quickly helped me feel at ease. We had quite a few laughs.
You can have a listen by clicking on the photo.
After a crazy busy weekend of Snap Magic Launches and the beginning of the blog tour, I'm now off to the Gympie Region Literary Awards Evening, followed by a workshop with the award entrants the next day.
To read another writer's unpublished work is indeed a privilege, and to judge this work is a responsibility not to be taken lightly. The six categories of 2014's Gympie Region Literary Awards – (Adult and Children's) Short Story, Poetry and Picture Book, each with their own skill sets, literary elements and nuances, required a broad range of experience and knowledge as a judge.
Following guidelines, meeting a deadline and sending off a manuscript to an unknown reader can be a daunting experience. But it is the first step forwards as a writer - putting your work out there.
I was particularly impressed with the Children's Short Story category. The strength and depth of the themes covered belied the age of the writers.
I'm very much looking forward to meeting the writers at the awards night and workshop.
I'll be visiting the following blogs in the coming weeks 'on tour' across the country as I celebrate my new book, Snap Magic. It sure is the economical way to do this. Each stop offers either a review or an interview, sometimes both. During the tour I'll be sharing my creative inspiration and the journey towards publishing Snap Magic. All the whys and hows will be answered.
Hop on the blog tour train at these stops below:
Snap Magic Blog Tour Dates
October:
Monday 13. Kids Book Review
Tuesday 14. Sheryl Gwyther
Wednesday 15. Robyn Opie
Karen Tyrrell
Thursday 16. Alison Reynolds
Friday 17. Chris Bell – From Hook to Book
Saturday 18. Boomerang Books Blog
Dimity Powell
Sunday 18. Sandy Fussell / The Reading Stack
Monday 20. Aussiereviews
Tuesday 21. Dee White
Wednesday 22. Angela Sunde’s Blog Tour Wrap Up
November – to follow
Robyn Opie
Tomorrow is the first day of a weekend-long celebration for the launch of my hilarious new children's book, Snap Magic – a bewitchingly funny coming-of-age story about secrets, bullies and pumpkin soup. This will be followed by ten days of blog touring, where I will divulge all my secrets behind the book's creation.
So get ready for some Halloween Fun and Games at the ‘Snap Magic’ Launch. The prizes are wrapped!
Free and fun for the whole family, you're invited to join in the activities, games, prizes, surprises and all things a bit magical. Dress up as a witch or your favourite Halloween character – prizes for best costumes – adults too!
Black Cat Books (and its amazing range of books) is nestled within the village atmosphere of Paddington (inner Brisbane.) Famous for its café culture and eclectic mix of antique, designer and retro stores, Paddington is a must-visit destination. First stop… books!
Followed by a second launch up on Mt Tamborine the following day – Sunday.
Marks and Gardner Gallery is set in five beautiful acres of grounds and includes a café and Mt Tamborine’s best-kept secret – the Secret Garden Bookshop – a children’s specialist bookshop <!--[if gte mso 9]>
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You won’t want to miss this! – My last launch is still talked about on the mountain.
See you there!
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A parcel arrived the other day
with the very first copy of my book...
I opened it with my eyes closed...
and felt the smoothness of the cover.
Snap Magic had arrived!
I got to hold it in my hand for the first time.
And then I introduced it to its sister, Pond Magic.
They got on very well, I thought
– no sibling rivalry at all.
Both adorable.
What do you think?
Launching the book of another author is a privilege. Blasting (launching) the entire series is another level – it's an honour!
Last weekend I was honoured and privileged to have been asked by my friend and fellow Gold Coast author, Candice Lemon-Scott to launch her new series, Jake in Space (New Frontier) at Black Cat Books in Brisbane.
The Jake in Space series will be a sure-fire winner with the 7-8 year-old readers in your home. Set in space and filled with fast-paced action, drama and engaging characters, both boys and girls will love this series of six books. I'm in love with the entire package: the writing, the cover and book design, the illustrations by Celeste Hulme, the website.
Here's the blurb for the first book, Jake In Space – Moon Attack
'Jake is sent to remedial space car driving school on the moon. Nothing could be more embarrassing. He soon uncovers a plot to blow up the moon and must summon his courage, and space car driving skills, to save everyone.'
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Photo: Candice Lemon-Scott
Author Candice and I after blast off. |
I love it so much I created my own space suit and character for the launch – The Daily Moon journalist.
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Photo: Sam Sochaka
Ready to interview Candice |
My suit got a bit burnt on my re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere. That's one of the drawbacks of living on the Moon – that and the fact that there are no bookshops. But the Earth's gravity is such a drag – I look so much younger on the Moon. Plus there's Slooper Goo there to keep the wrinkles at bay.
It was slooper goo fun!
What could be worse than a secret so embarrassing you can’t even tell your best friend?
Find out when I celebrate the launch of my hilarious new book for kids, Snap Magic – a bewitchingly funny coming-of-age story about secrets, bullies and pumpkin soup.
Free and fun for the whole family, all are invited to join in the activities, games, prizes, surprises and all things a bit magical. Dress up as a witch or your favourite Halloween character – prizes for best costumes – adults too!
Ever the optimist, I thought I'd kick off my little book's arrival with a two day launch party. That way no one misses out on all the fun!
So, we're having a launch in Brisbane for my northern friends on the Saturday, and one on Mt. Tamborine for my Gold Coast friends on the Sunday. It makes perfect sense right?
Here are the details:
Saturday 11. October – 11am
Black Cat Books, 179 Latrobe Tce, Paddington, Brisbane.
Black Cat Books (and its amazing range of books) is nestled within the village atmosphere of Paddington (inner Brisbane.) Famous for its café culture and eclectic mix of antique, designer and retro stores, Paddington is a must-visit destination. First stop… books!
Sunday, 12. October – 1pm
Marks and Gardner Gallery, 69 Main Western Rd, Tamborine North.
Marks and Gardner Gallery is set in five beautiful acres of grounds and includes a café and Mt Tamborine’s best-kept secret – the Secret Garden Bookshop – a children’s specialist bookshop.
You won’t want to miss this! – Angela’s last launch is still talked about on the mountain.
I hope you can join in the fun!
This is Tottie... and this is Dot.
They have their own book where they live... side by side.
Tottie and Dot are the creation of author/illustrator team, Tania McCartney and Tina Snerling. And today we are part of the Blog Blast celebrations across the web as we join Tania and Tina in launching this adorable picture book into the world. Grab a spot on the picnic rug.
Marshmallow tea, anyone?
Look who we have here! We're so lucky today to have snaffled a few moments with illustrator, Tina Snerling.
Hi Tina! Did you have far to come today to sit Under the Apple Tree with us?
Not at all. I recently moved to a beautiful acreage just outside Brisbane, complete with chickens and a vegetable patch, which has been my dream!
Sounds wonderful! I loved your illustrations in An Aussie Year. When did you first start drawing?
I have been drawing as far back as my memories go. When I was little, I was obsessed with paper. Back when computer paper used to have the perforated edges and holes down the side! My Mum used to get the used paper from her work and I thought it was like Christmas come at once.
Ah, you're younger than me! The earliest drawing I still have is on butcher's paper. What's the earliest drawing you can remember doing?I won a 'young artist' award in grade 1! It was an illustration of a spring garden with bunnies I believe!!!
How adorable. I guess it was in crayon. What’s your favourite medium now?
Digital Illustration. I also enjoy pastel, but don't get to do it enough!
Are there any illustration techniques or styles you would still like to try?I have been drawn more towards watercolour lately - I would love to work more in this medium in the future. I am also experimenting with papier mache, photography and digital illustration combined in the one image - it's very time consuming but so exciting to see it all come together!
I'm guessing you've been inspired by other illustrators. Who are your favourites?
M. Sasek, Oliver Jeffers, Sanjay Patel and Charley Harper.
It's always interesting to hear about illustrators' backgrounds. What training did you undertake to become an illustrator?
I originally undertook studies in fashion and textile design, where I got to experiment a great deal with still life drawings. Being challenged to draw models and poses in minutes before the next pose taught me to really understand posture, positioning, and the human form. I found this translated extremely well when trying to capture characters in children's book. After my studies, I became a children's clothing and textile designer; this is where I really have fun and hone my skills on digital illustration. I have also undertaken studies in graphic design and multimedia, where I learnt invaluable skills when it came to creating book layout and design.
That certainly would've given you a good foundation for a future in children's book illustration. What’s next for you?
As well as illustrating my third book with Tania McCartney, let me just say that we will be working together for some time to come! Stay tuned!
We're looking forward to more from you both! Where can we see more of your work?
My website is currently under major construction (typical of a designer to leave their work until last) but you can see my work at the following;
And lastly, where would you go right now if time and money were no object?
France - it is always France! A French château with a beautiful outlook for inspiration, complete with a little French bakery down the road.
Sigh, me too!
When you work towards a project for years (writing) and months (illustrating) it can be difficult to finally introduce your 'baby' to the world. Letting go of something you have been passionately working on for such a long time is often an angst-filled moment. But I couldn't be prouder of how the cover for my new release, Snap Magic, has turned out. Here it is:
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| ISBN: 978-0-9925753-0-4 |
The illustration/artwork and design vision are my own. Anthony Puttee of
Book Cover Cafe brought it all together beautifully. He's terrific to work with; I especially like the font he found and the background he created to my brief.
In another post I'll show my original illustration and sketches. And who's keen to read the blurb?
The professional editing and design of this creative work was made possible with the support of
to support local arts and culture.
Below you'll find some quotes by me as editor of the Junior Redlitzer Anthology 2014, published in the Redlands City Council's Redlands Magazine as well as my Top Ten Tips for Story Writing.
"Think of a character, give them a challenge and delve into your imagination for ways to overcome it – you are now well on the way to becoming a junior Redlitzer finalist."
"What young writers have to keep in mind firstly is that the Redlitzer is a short story competition. There is only so much that can be covered in 1000 words."
"But we want a complete story from start to finish, not an essay. So make it active more than descriptive, jump straight in."
Angela, a former teacher, says the best way to start is simply put ideas down on paper "no matter how crazy."
"It's when you start firing your imagination that you start to get ideas that are original," she says. "And remember that as a short story it is just a snapshot in life - a very short timeframe."
My Top Ten Tips
2. Decide on who will be the main character of your story and keep the secondary characters to an absolute minimum of two or three. Give your character a name, something they love and something they have a fear or loathing of (eg. love of a family pet and... fear of heights.)
3. Give your main character a problem, which they must solve or overcome - or at least struggle with within the 1000 words. (eg. the beloved family pet is stuck in a tree.... main character must overcome fear of heights to save it.)
4. Brainstorm/mindmap your main character's problem and possible outcomes. What does your character want more than anything? Think up crazy obstacles and solutions. Weird, funny, fantastical are all good.
5. You may plan your story first and then write it, or the other way around. Absolutely NO sub plot in a short story.
6. Keep your story within a short time frame. It is like a snapshot of the life of your character.
7. Your first sentence is the hook. Jump right into the drama and action. Dialogue is also a good place to start, or thoughts. Introduce the main character's problem as soon as possible. Don't start with description.
8. The middle of your story should show your character trying to overcome their problem/ achieve their goal with obstacles in the way.
9. The resolution of your story may have a twist - short stories often do. Surprise your reader!
10. When editing, think about the tense, the point of view (ie. first person or third person) and grammar. Cut out all the bits that are telling or describing too much. Show your character's emotions through dialogue, thoughts and actions.
The Redlitzer Junior Anthology will be launched at a gala event on Saturday, October 18, 2014 at which the Editor’s Choice Award for the best story will be announced.
I'm busy working on the final copyediting of the ten finalists' stories for the Redlitzer Junior Anthology 2014. As this year's editor I had the privilege of running a full-day writing and editing workshop with the finalists last month at the Victoria Point Library in Redlands City. With the help of judges and mentors, Louise Cusack and Marianne de Pierres, the junior writers worked on their rewrites in three small groups.
The day began with a warm-up exercise and editorial feedback on their stories. Overall the 10-14 year olds used consistent point of view, good opening hooks, strong endings/twists and imaginative world building. General weaknesses were paragraphing and the setting out of dialogue. I wonder whether schools are teaching paragraphing with an empty space between each. That's fine for websites, emails, letters and report writing, but creative writing and the publishing world require true paragraphing.
We then looked at
Editing a Scene, working on a Scene Overview sheet after a reading of the first scene from my upcoming children's novel,
Snap Magic. The junior writers had to fill in questions on characters, purpose, action, setting, sensory details and hooks in relation to their own story.
This was followed by
Strengthening a Character. After showing the junior writers examples of my character profiles, they worked on their own, looking specifically at emotions, abilities, personality, physical attributes and mannerisms.
Finally, before they began their rewrites, we worked on
Strengthening Plot and Structure. Using a Story Plan and Story Editing Checklist we read and discussed the parts of a story, the goals, obstacles and resolution.
Somewhere in between all this we also managed to fit in a huge cooked breakfast and lunch at the cafe next door!
Tomorrow I'll be putting up my
Top Ten Tips for Story Writing (for junior writers). Tune in again!
My mother-in-law is very proud to have entered a new modelling career at the age of 83. She was the hand model for an illustration I worked on for my latest book cover. In the illustration an elderly neighbour offers the main character a magic sphere for her 'trick or treat'.
I was having trouble drawing the hand and had found some good visual references online, but none were from the right angle or perspective. Then it dawned on me that staying in the spare room was my very own 'hand model'.
Voila! Here are the results below.
And here is my mother-in-law hard at work. Gotta love her!
In an effort to have fun, play a little and increase my portfolio, I am offering very reasonably priced Picture Book Portrait commissions.
Working from photographs of children and their favourite things, I create a one image visual narrative straight from the pages of a make-believe picture book. The child becomes a character within their own one-page story.
The portrait is worked in watercolour, graphite and coloured pencil on 300gsm artist quality watercolour paper.
In the example below I combined baby Milly's favourite blanket, beach hat and inseparable companion, Charli.
I love to learn about the illustrative processes of some of the world's best children's book illustrators and share them on the blog. Today I have a special treat for you...
I was fascinated to learn that he paints the images first in black ink on white paper, scans them into the computer and then inverts them before colouring. That's how he gets the rich black backgrounds.
Also, enjoy the book trailer below.
Coming soon to the blog is Gabriel Evans, illustrator of the verse novel
Roses Are Blue by Sally Murphy. So stay tuned!
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