PASS IT ON ISSUE 77
PASS IT ON
Knowledge Is Power
www.jackiehosking.com
Issue 77.
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PASS IT ON.
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CONTENTS
GENERAL INFORMATION
SEEKING
REPLIES TO SEEKING
NEW PUBLICATIONS
SPECIAL EVENTS
MARKET OPPORTUNITIES
COMPETITIONS/AWARDS
WRITING COURSES/WORKSHOPS
NEW WORK STYLE SKILLS
HAVE YOUR SAY
ARTICLES
PUBLISHER GUIDELINES
AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR PROFILE
YOUR WRITING TIPS
USEFUL BOOKS/WEBSITES
BOOK REVIEWS
INDEPENDENT CHILDREN'S BOOKSHOPS
CRITIQUE GROUPS BULLETIN BOARD
MILESTONES
INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES
ADVERTISEMENTS
PASS IT ON SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
GENERAL INFORMATION
Further to Senator Ted Kennedy writing a children's book - I read that he is
donating the royalties to a children's charity.
Christine Harris
In addition to the authors mentioned last week as having received awards in
the Australia Day lists, we should note the name of Eleanor Spence.
Published for at least thirty years post the sixties, she received many
awards for her novels about family life in a time of social change. As
Maurice Saxby said in The Proof of the Pudding, '... Eleanor Spence allows
her stories to speak for themselves and her readers to draw their own
conclusions. Hers is a compassionate handling of social issues.'
If you have never read her novels, libraries probably still hold ones such
as The October Child (CBCBook of the Year 1977) or A Candle for St Anthony.
(My personal favourite.)
Libby Gleeson
VISITING AUTHORS IN
SCBWI Report. ''... hororariums range anywhere from US$1000 to US$3500 with
the average being about US$1500 for three presentations. That does not
include expenses, and hosting schools can be expected to pay all travel,
lodging and meals. Most authors also charge and additional fee (1/3 of their
day fee) for a fourth presentation."
Nielsen BookScan report: 2005 a better year for book sales.
Nielsen Bookscan reports that book sales of books in the
2005, with sales of children's fiction providing the biggest growth,
finishing 19.3% higher than last year. J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the
Half-Blood Prince was the No. 1 seller of 2005 (surprise!), having moved
about 7.02 million copies - more than double the 2004 top seller, The Da
Vinci Code.
Children's titles enjoyed the stronger growth in 2005. For the year,
children's books scanned 162.2 million units, and that represented a
whopping 19.3% increase over the 136 million counted in the prior
corresponding 52-week year. Adult-book sales in the
million scans in 2005, up 7.6% from the 446.8 million copies shifted in
2004.
Source: The Book Standard
This was travelling around another list. For those who haven't seen it, you
may get a laugh or possibly some inspiration. Enjoy Lynn D
This year's 10 winners of the Bulwer-Lytton contest, aka "Dark and Stormy
Night Contest" (run by the English Dept. of San Jose State University),
wherein one writes only the first line of a bad novel:
10) "As a scientist, Throckmorton knew that if he were ever to break wind in
the echo chamber, he would never hear the end of it."
9) "Just beyond the
8) "With a curvaceous figure that Venus would have envied, a tanned,
unblemished oval face framed with lustrous thick brown hair, deep azure-blue
eyes fringed with long black lashes, perfect teeth that vied for
competition, and a small straight nose, Marilee had a beauty that defied
description."
7) "Andre, a simple peasant, had only one thing on his mind as he crept
along the East wall: 'Andre creep... Andre creep... Andre creep.'"
6) "Stanislaus Smedley, a man always on the cutting edge of narcissism, was
about to give his body and soul to a back alley sex-change surgeon to become
the woman he loved."
5) "Although Sarah had an abnormal fear of mice, it did not keep her from
eeking out a living at a local pet store."
4) "
often do."
3) "Like an over-ripe beefsteak tomato rimmed with cottage cheese, the
corpulent remains of Santa Claus lay dead on the hotel floor."
2) "Mike Hardware was the kind of private eye who didn't know the meaning of
the word 'fear'; a man who could laugh in the face of danger and spit in the
eye of death -- in short, a moron with suicidal tendencies."
AND THE WINNER IS...
1) "The sun oozed over the horizon, shoved aside darkness, crept along the
greensward, and, with sickly fingers, pushed through the castle window,
revealing the pillaged princess, hand at throat, crown asunder, gaping in
frenzied horror at the sated, sodden amphibian lying beside her,
disbelieving the magnitude of the frog's deception, screaming madly,
'You lied!"
COPYRIGHT - THE LESSON OF POOH
There have been many squabbles over the copyright to Pooh, created by AA
Milne. A good summary of what has gone on can be found in the free Wikipedia
online encyclopaedia at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winnie_the_Pooh
If there is ever a good reason not to assign copyright to others, it would
be what has happened with Pooh.
Trivia: did you know that two of the actors who voiced the characters in the
original Disney film that introduced Winnie the Pooh to the world in 1968
died last year? Paul Winchell, who voiced Tigger, and John Fiedler, who
voiced Piglet, died one day apart in June 2005. Winchell was aged 82 and
passed away in his sleep. Fiedler was aged 79 and died of cancer. The
original voice of Pooh, Sterling Holloway, died in November 1992, aged 87.
Sharon Norris
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SEEKING
EDUCATION PUBLISHERS
re: flat fee vs royalities
Would anyone be interested in letting us know (from their experiences) which
publishers offer what - and which ones are open to negotiation. These can be
anonymous contributions so long as they are accurate. Publishers are
encouraged to respond as well.
How important is a book proposal?
I'm currently writing a book aimed at 6-7 years olds which I hope, one day,
will become a series. I'm also writing a couple of picture book manuscripts.
Once these are ready to submit to publishers, I'm wondering how important it
is to include a book proposal.
I can understand the rationale for including a BP if you're writing, say, a
book on how to grow geraniums or a tome on the history of the steam engine.
Such books have a very specific audience. My question is related to kids'
books. Other than the fact that my book is pitched at a particular age
group, I'm not sure what else I need to include. Should I, for example,
write that readers who like X author would like my book? Or should I leave
the BP out all together?
I'm interested in hearing from PIO readers about their experiences with
BP's. Did you do one? Did it help get your MS off the slush pile? What kinds
of things did you put in it? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Many
thanks.
Marianne Vreugdenhil
I've just had a look at Google Book Search. If someone knows more than I do
about this, please do mention it next issue.
Book Search has scanned one of my (out of print) books with the permission
of my publisher. You can only search two pages to a keyword search, then
Google tells you politely that it isn't there for you to read the whole book
on line, just to give you a sample of work that's still in copyright. If you
want to read more, you can buy it and here are the links to second-hand
bookstores, libraries, etc. (if the thing is out of print) or other shops if
it's still available.
Who knows, maybe if there's enough demand, maybe my book will be re-printed?
And as Google Book Search turns up at the end of every Google search, it may
be that someone will check out the sample from mine, say, "Perfect! I've GOT
to have this book!" and buy it.
I must admit, I'd prefer it if there was a limit of two pages per session
rather than two pages per keyword, but you really can't read the whole
thing.
My other concern is that the art work is also there. It's all very well for
me to get my book promoted this way, but what use is it to the artist? Any
artists care to comment?
SB
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REPLIES TO SEEKING
What's In a Name?
Dear Em,
To my knowledge an author can write under any name he/she chooses.
Originally Penguin published my first book Pugwall in 1987 under the name
M.D.Clark but people wanted to know WHO is M.D.Clark, so then I called
myself Margaret D Clark (as there is an English children's writer called
Margaret Clark and I wanted to differentiate), but Mark Macleod advised me
to drop the D because ' kids wouldn't ask for a Margaret D Clark book' so
then I became (and still am) Margaret Clark.
I also wrote four Hair Rasing Horror books under the name Lee Striker
because I wanted my books to be next to R.L.Stine on the shelves. After a
few months of moderate sales we revealed that I was Margaret Clark and the
book sales soared. I then wrote eleven more Hair Raising Horrors under the
name Margaret Clark
In November 2005 my latest book Friends Forever- A Secret Diary by Sara Swan
was published. Linsay Knight (Random House) and I had discussions prior as I
initially thought it would be fun to be Sara Swan. But for reasons of
back-list sales 'piggy-backing' on the new book, and my well-known name here
and overseas, we decided to stick with my own name.
So, you can call yourself anything, Em, even Late to Breakfast. But my
advice is to stick to whatever name you choose and build up a reputation
under that name. Oh, and make sure the advances and royalty payments,
PLR/ERR payments go into YOUR bank account.
Margaret Clark
AUTHOR PEN NAMES
EM asked about pen-names for authors.
EM, I'm not a legal expert but it's my understanding that you can choose the
name you wish to write under, provided no other author has that name. For
example, you can't call yourself Emily Rodda as there is already an Emily
Rodda who is a successful author.
I have heard that some publishers of romance novels in the
their authors select specific pen-names to be used with those publishing
houses only, and this is apparently stated in their contracts. If these
authors change publisher, they are supposed to leave the pen-name behind and
choose another for the new publisher. I believe it has something to do with
the money publishers spend promoting their authors and building the "brand"
associated with the names of the author and the publisher.
I haven't heard that that practice exists here, so you should be able to
choose your pen-name and away you go. Good luck!
SN
Dear Jitterbug,
With regard to your help on 'nervousness' I am probably the worst person but
I have just finished reading an excellent book entitled Successful Public
Speaking, Debating and Oral Presentations by Dr Barry Spurr (New Frontier
Publishing). Highly recommend it!!
Dear Jitterbug,
First: know exactly what you are going to say when you first open your mouth
(one of the reasons as a storyteller that I always say "Once upon a time..."
The opening line is the only one that I 'memorize')
Secondly: remember to breathe. Once the introduction is over pause, take a
deep breath, look at your audience, simile then speak.
Thirdly: pitch your voice lower. It carries further, sounds better and
'feels' better and so gives you more confidence.
Keep in mind throughout the whole ordeal that those listening WANT you to do
well.
In the case of an interview: the interviewer is probably as nervous as you.
Good luck,
Gael Cresp
Re Jitterbug's query last week: "Does anyone have any tips to control nerves
when being interviewed or giving speeches/talks?"
I strongly suggest joining a Toastmasters club. It sounds intimidating, but
it's not. You'll be asked to introduce yourself to a small group of people
who know exactly what you're going through and are sympathetic -- a ten
second moment of wobbly knees, flushed face and throat of jelly. The next
meeting you might cop a fifteen second hit of similar adrenaline. The
following week ... it'll lessen. And the fourth week ... you get the
picture. Soon you'll be up at the lectern (perhaps a little nervously)
giving your first short talk. Basically, you give so many of these short
talks that after a while you'll think nothing of them. I remember my heart
palpitating at the thought of even having my name called out at a launch
years ago. After a six month stint at Toastmasters, I was cursing the fact
that it wasn't being called out lol. It's repetition that will get you over
your nervousness. More immediate hints: there is a homeopathic liquid called
Rescue Remedy. Deep breathing before your talk will help tremendously, too.
Expanding your stomach (NOT sucking your stomach in) as you breathe in
through the nose, then slowly exhaling through your lips. You can't go past
a stiff drink, either :-). PC
Re: Does anyone have any tips to control nerves when giving speeches/talks?
I have taken some excerpts from my course material on Persuasive
Presentations which I hope will be of value to Jitterbug and others.
How to Deal with Nerves
Don't fight nerves. Manage them. Use the adrenaline so that it works for
you, not against you. Nerves can either make you freeze or make you hyper.
Either way, these techniques should assist in channelling some of your
nervous energy into positive energy.
Remedies to alleviate nerves
Breathing
· When we experience fear, we go into a fight or flight state. We tend to
hold our breath until the fear has passed.
· Unfortunately in presenting, this causes many problems. You can only talk
as you exhale. So if you are holding your breath or not breathing in enough
air, you will tend to talk rapidly.
· The best technique to regulate your breathing is to breathe from the
diaphragm. Here you are able to gain the greatest inhalation, which will
provide relief to that excess adrenaline.
· Before presenting, do the 4-4-4-4 exercise. Take a slow, deep breath in
for 4 seconds. Hold it for 4 seconds and release slowly for 4 seconds,
blowing out through your mouth. Do this 4 minutes before you present to
relax you a bit.
Concentrate on communicating not performing.
Rather than thinking "presentation" mode, try thinking "conversation" mode.
If you see yourself as helping people by offering information on a topic and
having a conversation, you will come across as more natural and relaxed.
Focus on your message rather than yourself.
Nervousness is exacerbated by constant internal questions like"How am I
going? and "What am I going to say next?". When you concentrate on your
message and your audience, you will have less time to focus on yourself. You'll
be redirecting your nervous energy into a positive direction and your
nervousness will be reduced.
Find a few friendly faces.
Don't focus on only one person though. Find a few receptive people or
nodding heads and gain confidence from them. Then move on and start making
eye contact with others.
Smile
You'll feel better and present a more relaxed image which will in turn relax
your audience more. They reflect your state of being.
Pause
Part of your breathing control. By pausing every so often, you are giving
yourself time to collect your thoughts and allowing your audience time to
think through your latest points. It also creates audience anticipation as
they wait for your next point.
Plan
The most important thing you can do to alleviate nerves is to plan your
speech beforehand. A speech is no different to a story. It requires a
beginning, middle and an end. Ask yourself 'what would the audience wish to
know from me' and marry it with 'what information do I have to offer them.'
Always keep your audience in mind when developing the outline to your
speech. That way, you run a very good chance of making it something they
will want to hear.
Practice and Prepare Well
The key to reducing nerves is to prepare well in advance and practice your
presentation out loud many times. You will get used to the sound of your own
voice, and learn how to release your nerves.
Practice Out Aloud
The best way to develop a natural rhythm to your speech is to talk through
your presentation. Keep practicing until you feel comfortable with the
presentation and the content.
Once you've practiced the speech part, it's a good idea to stand in front of
a mirror, talk and watch your mannerisms ie. body movement, eye contact,
etc.
Benefits of Practicing Out Loud
· Allows you to pick up on annoying speech habits.
· Allows you to hear repetitive phrases that you may want to change.
· Helps you find the right pace.
· Guides you where to place emotion and emphasis in your presentation ie. at
key points.
· Helps to remove irritating, nervous body movements.
· Increases your confidence.
Time Your Presentation
Practice keeping to your designated timing. By talking out loud you'll be
able to see where to cut back and where you may need to add more
information.
Always ensure you allow sufficient time for your closing. Often presenters
spend more time than anticipated on the main body of the presentation and
rush the closing. Or worse still, leave no time at all for a closing
summary.
10 tips to looking confident.even when you're nervous.
Smile: Always diffuses tension and nerves.
Stand alone: Don't use a lectern or a desk as a prop. It suggests
weakness & nerves.
Head high: Hold it high and you'll show confidence. Hold it low and
people will think you've got something to hide.
Eye contact: With all the audience. Don't focus just on one or two people.
Involve everyone. It's much harder to lose interest when someone is looking
at you.
Gesture: Point to things, use open palms when asking questions.
Don't pace: May relieve your tension, but is distracting to the audience.
Don't fidget. Either use your hands to talk or clasp them in front of you.
Don't hold paper. It shakes when you're nervous. Keep it on the desk near
you or hold palm notes which don't show.
Don't stand still. Audiences stay alert with speakers that move. But only
move for a reason and do so casually. Don't pace.
Use your voice Don't be monotone. Speak with intonation. Raise your voice
level for more important aspects. Talk at about 80% of your normal
conversation speed. Talk slowly and they'll follow. Talk fast and they'll
know you're nervous.
© Vicki Morrison 2006. Excerpts from Persuasive Presentations.
Vicki Morrison is the Principal of Strategic Solutions Management
Consultants Aust. and has over twenty years experience in corporate training
and business development. She is a freelance writer as well as the author of
the children's picture book, So Shy which has been published in seven
languages.
www.vickimorrison.com.au
writing@tpg.com.au
RE: How many books did others write before being published?
Thanks Mappy for sharing your writing story- I have a similar journey- I
write across genres- poetry doesn't have such a great marketing voice but
the skills learnt writing poetry are very applicable to prose and of course
children's writing- polishing that emotion and a new angle on a story-
poetry often has a subplot going on and is deep emotion in a concentrated
succinct dose.
I began writing or wanting to write in fifth grade and had a deep love of
reading- although I was a poor student at primary school- too much the
dreamer- but dreaming is the basis of writing also.
I began to be published in hippy magazines with my poetry as a teenager- got
married put writing aside as I mothered, farmed and survived in up and down
farming years- then the writing burst out and I've been writing ever since-
lots of poems, first literary and then lately children's poetry and prose.
Passion sustains you over the years- unless you are deeply attached to
writing- I think it would be easy to toss aside- that burning fire when I
hear other writers talk about their craft and the smouldering left from the
aftermath of a well written and plotted book. This passion renewed my urge
to write and be published.
I believe in persistence also- there is no formulaic way to be published,
but networking, joining writing organizations- sending out your work, going
to courses, reading , reading, writing , writing all lead to eventual
publication. Some writers who have inspired me lately are: Sharon Creech,
and Karen Cushman. Text books on writing that I enjoy are 'Writing the
textbooks on different genres, I want to write the lot and have to have a
couple of projects going at the one time.
Rebecca Maxwell wrote about poetry in the last issue of PIO and when I take
poetry workshops in schools I use my own poetry as a model or forms that I
have created for scaffolding and encouraging writing and an outcome- such
articles are printed in Literature Base on a regular basis and I look at the
substance of poetry such as details and metaphor rather than tried and
overworked forms. I want the writing experience to be liberating and an
example that everyone can write in a unique and satisfying voice.
But I seem to have become sidetracked- again I agree with Mappy and suggest
small pieces of work published first as the way to build up esteem, courage
and determination. I began with poetry.
I have an article about first publication on my website
www.lorrainemarwood.com
Keep writing and reading. L.Marwood
As Hazel Edwards series of Hippo books have become an Australian children's
classic - I believe this year marks the 25th anniversary since There is a
Hippopotamus on my Roof Eating Cake was first published - I would like to
nominate her Hippo for the children's literature stamps issue (I believe
Deborah Niland did the illustrations) I am sure that there are lots of
other PIO readers who would agree with me - so would like to see them voice
their support. Pauline Luke
Though I treasure my newest copy of the Writers' Marketplace, I still can't
find enough publishers of children's books there. That lack was remedied
with the purchase of a list of publishers from Writers Career Consultancy.
With so many children's book publishers to choose from it has to be a good
investment. And it's up-to -date! MW
See the advertisement section for details of the Writers Career Consultancy.
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NEW PUBLICATIONS
Jasper Zammit (Soccer Legend) Part 3: The Finals
by Deborah Abela
Not knowing anything about soccer, I have written three books in the Jasper
Zammit series of books. It celebrates the beautiful game with advice,
stories and insider info from Johnny Warren, one of Australia's greatest
Soccer legends.
I now know a little more about the game and screamed myself silly when
Aloisi scored the deciding penalty and put the Socceroos in the World Cup.
The series deals with eleven-year-old Jasper Zammit and his dreams of one
day playing in the World Cup...and if only he'd stop daydreaming long
enough, he may well, one day, just make it.
In Part 3 we're at the tail end of the season. Coach Wallace is going
overseas but he leaves Jasper's team, the Rovers, in the capable hands of a
young new coach. He's keen, and charming and knows his stuff.
Pretty soon, however, the team discovers cracks in his charm.
After a few games, the Rovers realise winning is the only thing the new
coach cares about. Most of the team have played together since the under 5's
but for the first time, there are divisions, rivalries and the game is no
longer fun.
Meanwhile, Lil's older brother comes home from boarding school. He plays for
the state team and when he hears about the new coach's methods, he devises a
plan to get them back on track. But will he be in time to save the team from
total collapse and take them to the finals? Time is running out and he's the
Rovers only hope.
Dedicated to Johnny, the Socceroos and the beautiful game itself.
Deborah Abela
Author of Max Remy Superspy
www.maxremy.com.au
I'm launching my children's book, Over The Top
by Linda Stocks
When: March 30th
Where: at the Knox BMX club. The Knox BMX club is off Rushdale St in
Knoxfield, Victoria.
What time: The launch should start at 7.00pm
I have three children's books published in the educational market, but
wanted to take the
leap into the trade market. The only way I could see myself doing that is by
self publishing, through Brolga Publishing.
The book Over the Top comprises three BMX related stories, this has been the
result of many hours hanging around waiting for my son at skate parks, dirt
jumps and BMX tracks. The riders there were a constant source of information
for me.
Hazel Edwards, who lectures at Holmesglen Tafe where I did the children's
writing course will be speaking at the launch.
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SPECIAL EVENTS
CONFLUX 3: A CONVENTION OF FANTASTIC WORLDS
9 - 12 June 2006, Canberra
email: info@conflux.org.au phone: 0421 005 511
http://www.conflux.org.au
Conflux 3 Speculative Fiction Convention:
In 2006 Conflux will be a major event for writers of science fiction,
fantasy and horror, gaming, comics, manga and anime.
Conflux will be held at the National Museum of Australia, Canberra, over the
Queen's Birthday long weekend (9 - 12 June).
The program will feature: over 100 sessions including:
panels and presentations on writing speculative fiction for novels and short
stories, film, television, comics, graphic novels and games
a major art show with $6000 in prizes
a major film festival
cocktail party
medieval feast
masquerade disco
book launches
mass booksigning
the 24 Hour Comic Challenge
games tournaments
author readings event
Program highlights will include a link-up with Sir Arthur C. Clarke, the
world's best known writer of science fiction, who has published over 100
books, and co-wrote 2OO1: A SPACE ODYSSEY with Stanley Kubrick; Ray
Bradbury, the distinguished author of such classics as Fahrenheit 451 and
Something Wicked This Way Comes; and Lloyd Alexander, author of the classic
fantasy epic The Chronicles of Prydain.
Attending guests will include Ellen Datlow, prominent New York genre editor
and co-editor of the Year's Best Fantasy and Horror; Kate Forsyth, author of
12 books including the best-selling Witches of Eileanan and Rhiannon's Ride
fantasy series; Steve Jackson, founder and editor of United States games
company Steve Jackson Games; Joan D. Vinge, New York Times bestseller, Hugo
and Locus award winner, and author of movie ties including Return of the
Jedi, Lost in Space, and Willow; James Frenkel, United States based Senior
TOR Editor and literary agent to prominent genre authors including Sara
Douglass; Sara Douglass, international best-selling author of 16 books,
three of which have won the Aurealis Award for Best Fantasy Novel; Jackie
French, multi-award winning author of around 120 books in numerous genres
for children and adults, with translations into 19 languages; Jason Paulos,
comics creator of Hairbutt the Hippo, and for MAD magazine and DC Comics;
Queenie Chan, manga creator of The Dreaming for TOKYOPOP; Nick Stathopolous;
Greg Bridges and Les Petersen, leading science fiction cover illustrators.
The current rate for Conflux membership is $145 ($100 student/concession)
until 31 January 2006. Memberships received by 31 January 2006 will go into
a draw to win over 20 books donated by Tor, including works by Gregory
Benford, Marion Zimmer Bradley, Charles de Lint, Stephen R. Donaldson, Sara
Douglass, Robert A. Heinlein, Mercedes Lackey, Juliet Marillier, Andre
Norton, and Gene Wolfe.
>From 1 February, the membership rate will increase to $190 ($130
student/concession).
For more information see http://www.conflux.org.au
or email info@conflux.org.au
A membership form can be downloaded at
http://www.conflux.org.au/2006/files/conflux3_member_form.doc
(Source UTS Writers Alumni)
Breaking Through the Ice with 'Antarctic Dad'
Illustrator Kevin Burgemeestre chipped at the ice block containing a (model)
whale during the Sunday Feb 5th , Meet & Greet at Books Illustrated Gallery
where his artwork from the Lothian picture book 'Antarctic Dad' is on
exhibition for all of February.
More than 150 crowded to see the model polar ship ICE which is being
silently auctioned ALL FEB in aid of Hobart Guide Dogs Home from which STAY,
the plastic donation dog was dognapped and taken to Antarctica. The audience
included students involved in Auslan Antarctic videos, Red Earth Cluster
gifted students and parents, librarians, teachers,
Antarctic expeditioners and enthusiasts plus illustrators and those
interested in creative collaboration.
A special teacher/librarians workshop with Antarctic classroom application
will be held on Thursday 23rd February 4.30-6.30pm at the Gallery.Other
Antarctic books and resources are on display.
It's hoped that a cyber link to Casey Antarctic Base will be made later this
month.
For further details, contact anna_dalziel@lothian.com.au or
www.hazeledwards.com for the free downloadable classroom playscript of
'Antarctic Dad' and teachers' notes or Ann James at Books Illustrated
Gallery and Bookshop www.booksillustrated.com.au
Gasworks Arts Park
15 Graham St
Albert Park Vic 3206
Ph. (03) 9696 0947 Fax (03) 9696 0893
Hrs: 12 noon to 5 pm.
Sunday to Thursday,
Closed Friday, Saturday.
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MARKET OPPORTUNITIES
Espresso Fiction
www.espressofiction.com
Jill Brennan, editor
Guidelines: Pays $30 per story published by Paypal for 2-year rights within
7 days of acceptance. Needs stories for ages 7-12 years, 13-17 years, 18-24
years, and 18+ years. Responds in 4-6 weeks. Writers must register through
the website to submit a story.
Online guidelines: http://www.espressofiction.com/information_writers.php
The producers of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, are looking for
stories for:
"Chicken Soup for the Kid's Soul 3" (Pays US$200)
GUIDELINES
1. Tell an exciting, sad or funny NON-FICTION story about something
that has happened to you. Make sure that you introduce the other
character(s).
2. Tell your story in a way that will make the reader cry, laugh or get
goose bumps (the good kind!) Don't leave out anything - how did you
feel?
3. The story should start with action; it should include a problem,
issue or situation. It should include dialogue and you should express
their feelings throughout the conflict or situation. It should end in a
result, such as a lesson learned, a positive change or pay-off. The
audience for this title is kids ages 6-10; therefore please write your
story at a level to which they understand.
4. Above all, come from your HEART! Your story is important!
WE ARE NOT LOOKING FOR...
A sermon, an essay or eulogy; a term paper, thesis, letter or journal entry
or a story about politics or controversial issues; or a personal testimony
that may mean nothing to the reader.
STORY SPECIFICATIONS
1. All submissions are preferred e-mailed in Word format, otherwise,
type-written on plain 8 1/2" x 11" paper. Email stories to
mail@lifewriters.com.
Snail mail stories to Chicken Soup for the Kid's Soul 3, ATTN: Gina
Romanello, PO Box 10879, Costa Mesa, CA 92627.
2. Stories should be non-fiction, 500-1000 words in length. Authors of
chosen stories are paid $200. Authors retain the copyright of their
material.
3. Please note that if you have a favorite short story, poem or cartoon that
has been previously published, feel free to submit any of the above for
consideration. Please provide information regarding the original author and
the publication in which it appeared.
4. Stories due by May 12TH.
http://lifewriters.com/ks3.writing.guidelines.html
>From Author Peter Taylor
Children's publisher looking for "web" talent. Can you create
"WOW-Looking!" interactive activities? Online games? Interactive mazes?
Interactive quizzes? If your answer is yes, please email
michael@gallopade.com today!
Sherry Moss, Vice President, Gallopade International, The Social Studies
Company! 800-536-2438/770-631-4222 ext. 29, sherry@gallopade.com,
www.gallopade.com
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COMPETITIONS/AWARDS
CAL offers support for Professional Development
CAL is introducing a new Professional Development Fund to offer support for
Australian creators wanting to improve their skills and expertise.
The Professional Development Fund will offer a maximum of $5,000 to each
successful applicant, to support professional development through attendance
at a Conference, Writers' Festival, Summer School or Course, within
Australia or overseas.
"This project will directly support the individual writer, editor, publisher
or small organisation wanting to broaden their knowledge base or career,"
CAL Chair, Brian Johns said.
"We hope the knowledge and skills gained will add to Australia's cultural
diversity."
This funding will be taken from a pool of $50,000 set aside from the
Cultural Fund.
Allocations will be competitive and in two separate rounds. The application
deadline for the first round is Friday 17 February 2006, for events
beginning after 1 June 2006.
A selection panel will consider applications and make recommendations to the
CAL Board. The 2006 selection panel will be chaired by CAL's Cultural Fund
Coordinator, Susan Hayes, and comprise:
. José Borghino - editor of the online magazine New Matilda, Lecturer on
Literary Journalism at the Media and Communications Department of Sydney
University;
. Christopher Cyrill - author, academic and fiction editor of Heat magazine;
and
. Irene Stevens - arts administrator, NSW Ministry of the Arts and formerly
of the Australia Council.
For more information on how to apply contact Susan Hayes on telephone 02
9394 7600. The list of successful applicants for the first round will be
announced in an upcoming edition of calendar.
www.copyright.com.au
LinguaPhile: Special Announcement
Deadline Extended for Family Story Writing Contest
Because so many people have just learned about The Grannie Annie Family
Story Celebration in the last couple of weeks -- and because we want as many
of them as possible to participate, we have extended the submission
deadline. Entries must be postmarked by February 21 or e-mailed by February
28. We are sorry if this extension causes you any inconvenience. Stories
selected for publication will still be announced on April 1, _Grannie Annie,
Vol. 1_ must still be ordered by April 30, and books will still
be shipped in May.
In case you are a new subscriber to _LinguaPhile_ and haven't heard about
The Grannie Annie: Students in U.S. grades 4-8, and homeschoolers and
international students age 9 to 14 are invited to interview family members
and write a 250- to 500-word story about an event from their family's
history. Selected stories will be published in _Grannie Annie, Vol. 1_, a
paperback book, so your children have a chance to become published authors!
You'll find all of the contest details, including the required entry form,
at http://www.TheGrannieAnnie.org
To hear radio interviews in which contest sponsors (Fran Hamilton of Portico
Books and Connie McIntyre of Thumbprint Press) discuss The Grannie Annie --
and preserving and sharing family stories -- visit these websites:
http://www.kwmu.org/Programs/Slota/index.php (Access the archive of _St.
Louis on the Air_ for December 19.)
http://www.homeschooltalkradio.com/ (Access the archive for the week of
January 9.)
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WRITING COURSES/WORKSHOPS
INTRODUCTION TO WRITING FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
If you are interested in writing for young people, author Dianne (Di) Bates
will outline the differences between trade and education markets, provide
guidelines for various types of books, both fiction and non-fiction and
offer an overview of the current market. Learn the difference between
unsolicited and commissioned manuscripts, chapter books and YA novels, the
do's and dont's of writing for children, vocabulary and length requirements
for short stories and novels, and why picture books are the most difficult
books of all to write. Di will also provide students with a list of major
Australian children's book publishers and up-to-date information about
matters such as copyright, lending rights, contracts, royalty statements,
and tax deductions for writers.
The one-day workshop (FROM 10AM TO 4PM) costs $66 (members), $55 (members'
concession) and $99 (non-members). You can book through the NSW Writers'
Centre (Rozelle, NSW) on: (02) 9555 9757, via their website:
www.nswwriterscentre.org.au - following the links to workshops, then general
workshops, then how to enrol, or email Markus Weber c%
workshops@nswwriterscentre.org.au. If you have any questions about the
course please email Di directly at dibates@enterprisingwords.com or check
out her website www.enterprisingwords.com
Please note that Di will also conduct other courses at the centre on Writing
Novels for Children (9 April), Writing a Children's Short Story (13 May) and
a Masterclass for Adults Writing for Young People (25 June).
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NEW WORK STYLE SKILLS
>From Author Peter Taylor
It's Techno-time
Like most people who receive PIO, I belong to a number of Yahoo Groups.
One that I've recently joined is called 'RealWritingTeachers'. They are
professional, focussed and number about 800 teachers, writers, academics and
administrators from US, Aus and UK. I recommend the group to anyone
concerned with teaching writing or writing for literacy and for educational
use - but I'm sure all who write for children will find it interesting to
know what goes on in classrooms.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RealWritingTeachers/
In one of our recent discussions on things people find useful to help teach
writing skills, Bonita DeAmicis, from California, described her use of
technology in schools (she teaches Grade 5 and also advises and trains other
teachers).
With this technology taking over, there will probably come a time come a
time when we too are expected to use it when we are giving workshops and
presentations. I'm told many schools here are now geared this way too and
I'm behind the times!
Here are parts of Bonita's posts:
"I use 'projectors', 'interactive whiteboards' and 'handhelds'.
'Smartboards' are interactive whiteboards that allow you to project a
computer image onto the whiteboard and then use your finger as the mouse.
That means you are standing in front of the room teaching lessons with a
giant computer screen behind you - doing all the things you might do on a
desktop, but with your finger. I can highlight, make notations,
reduce/expand the screen, cascade windows and have several things going at
once, run a software package, demo for the students what I want them to do
on a computer, go to the Internet and highlight/take notes, etc.
There are other models of interactive whiteboards - the "ebeam" system has
not pleased us - it is not as teacher friendly, but I just used a "Webster"
with great delight while doing a training for another school district. These
boards do many, many more things than I am telling you here (record
lessons - graphics - and so on), but I am sticking to the aspects most
friendly to writing instruction. I should add that as a tech trainer this
hardware has been the most well received by ALL teachers - especially my
tech resistant teachers. At my school the tech resistant teachers now LEAD
the march for this technology; I no longer have to fight for it at all.
They want it in every classroom. My first grade team uses it the most and
did their own fundraising to get the systems put in!
The way we use smartboards and projectors in writing instruction is this:
1. Brainstorming - I put up inspiration and we cluster graph ideas around
something. I print out the class cluster for all to add to it or
personalize it and keep it for themselves. We also might take notes on a
topic (say from our non-fiction reading) in Inspiration - then together
organize the notes around main idea topics (Inspiration has a drag and drop
outlining feature). I can give all of the students the outline we created
together and they can add, delete, or use it as is - I can also post that
outline to our server and the students can go into their own files - access
the class inspiration model - then change it, add to it, use it the way
they would want.
2. Teacher modeling - I write my own draft in front of students, making
changes and adjustments as I go. I save all of these drafts to use later
when showing techniques in revising and improving my writing. I show them on
the board how to keep ideas and organization (notes - graphic organizers,
brainstorms) to one side and keep them at the ready as you are drafting a
piece. I teach them about cascading windows and such.
3. Revision - We put up writing that we are discussing and look at it
together as a class or small group (like overhead transparencies - only I do
not have to run to the office to make a transparency of the child's
writing). I either write directly on the board - pointing out things or I
have the students point out things OR I use the track and merge changes
tools on the Word program itself. I can save all these ideas after we have
written them on the draft.
4. I project student writing (when it is ready) as they share it with their
classmates so when students are not loud readers or read too fast, their
classmates appreciate it in the writing that is displayed behind - I started
this after I noticed how much I enjoyed "seeing" the writing as teachers
read aloud student work at a conference.
5. We do research and note-taking on non-fiction topics off of the Internet
using the whiteboard projection system and a word document or inspiration.
We examine sources, together, too.
6. I model how to use the desktop computers so they know what to do when
they are using one on their own.
Now, how we use handhelds, our latest acquisition and our second favorite -
quickly becoming first - favorite use of technology:
As you could probably see, the smartboards are used mostly in the mini
lesson and sharing portion of workshop. Although I will draft on the board
while students begin writing in workshop. That helps them sometimes.
We have been using handhelds at one grade level for just over one year now.
We started with two classes and have grown. Now our parent group has
bought a set for another grade level and the movement is growing. These are
a little harder to implement but worth the time and effort specifically for
writing. We learn new things we can do with them every week.
First of all, all of our students have a handheld and a keyboard. We do
keyboard instruction early to get their speed up to what they have when they
write in cursive - or at least fairly close. The handheld is like a mini
laptop - it allows for writing, revising, saving multiple drafts, creating
files, etc. On each handheld we have a software program that creates a
virtual WORD document (as well as powerpoint and excel) that can be easily
converted onto a desktop.
Since no cables and cords are necessary, the students work wherever they
would normally work on writing EVERY DAY. This is so much better than a lab
that the students visit only once or twice each week. They also can take the
handhelds (and hence their writing) home for homework. I do not FORCE the
use of handhelds, some students pull out notebooks or journals or paper at
times, but I find as the year has progresses, fewer children want to use
paper. I understand that myself, I never liked to write until I used a
computer. Also, the biggest jump in writing when I switched to handhelds
was my boys. I noticed their enthusiasm grew mountains right away.
In terms of workshop, I wander the room and conference at desks. So how this
works is I bring my own handheld and keyboard with me and take notes as we
conference (instead of labels and tables and such, I create a file for each
student). When I am done with the notes, some children ask if they can have
a copy of what we discussed and I just "beam the notes" to them (the
handhelds have a beaming communication feature that allows you to send
documents from one to another very easily). If I want to "see" what they
have written while we talk I can look on their handheld or have them beam to
me, too. Also, when they share with partners some of my children prefer to
beam the copy to their partners and read silently rather than read their own
piece aloud.
When they share they just bring their handhelds up and share; sometimes they
beam it onto the projector system if they want every one to "see" the
writing while they read it.
The handhelds make for easy collection for me (no stacks of writing papers)
and I can categorize everything I receive into files based upon dates,
assignments, whatever I like.
Finally, we have some desktops in the classroom and the handheld info can be
downloaded onto the full computers and we do this often - both to have
backup copies and to do fancier things. We programmed the handhelds so when
they sync with the desktop all the students' writings go into their personal
files on the school server. This means the students' writings are available
to them from any desktop in the school when they want to sit down and work
on a computer rather than a handheld - even when they are in the library.
So that's it. Long, I know, but hopefully I gave you an image of how this
technology is used in workshop. We have complained about our own learning
curve with the handhelds, but none of us want to go back and all the other
teachers have started clamoring for this latest technology.
If I were at a school with none of this, I would start with projectors and
then add smartboards and then find a few diehards to begin the handheld
conversion."
And in a later email:
. "I use the Palm Tungsten E2 with my students - yes, I have one too. For
the whole class (30) with keyboards (30) it ran us about $7300US ($350 AUS
each?? - my daughter had to have a $200 graphing calculator last year when
she was in year 9) (we used K12 handhelds as our vendor). We are now up and
running with 5 classes. Our students are middle class, sort of blue collar
incomes, and many parents bought them for their children because we showed
them that it also works as an MP3 and as a sort of gameboy. Since they buy
those for Xmas and the machine also had school applications, many parents
bought. For every thirty bought by the school or parents we were given 3
more for free (that is an education deal from palm). We were very lucky. In
terms of taking the school owned ones home, parents had to sign a contract
saying they were responsible to buy a replacement in the event of loss or
damage. Only one time has that happened and the parent paid. You do want to
have some classroom or lab desktops (just a few) where the students can sync
their handhelds to save and print their work. Although if you have bluetooth
enabled printers they will also be able to send wirelessly to the printer
from the handheld, but they still will have no backup place for their work.
In terms of troubleshooting, the biggest complications we have had to sort
through have been with sync issues and desktops, but the newer E2s have few
if any problems with that. If the handheld gets weird (like computers
sometimes do) there is this easy reset button on the back. Oh, how I wish
desktops were so easy! I know the price is probably high for some. I know of
one school that bought a set, but does not allow take-home privileges. I
also know of teachers who get a smaller number - enough for a third of their
class - and make it work."
This may seem expensive, but can we afford not to go down this path? Kids
are so good at their electronic games, easily and joyfully use the latest
cutting-edge technology, revel in the internet and learn through so many
video and interactive resources that, in an article in 'Educational
Leadership' magazine, Marc Prensky suggests that if we fail to engage with
students electronically, "We will be left in the 21st century with school
buildings to administer - but with students who are physically or mentally
somewhere else."
On http://www.apple.com/education/digitalkids - a site dedicated to
discussion of the learning needs of today's digital kids - they suggest that
all this technology that kids are exposed to inside and outside school has
actually permanently changed their nervous systems, and now their brains
really are different:
"Research indicates the seemingly constant exposure to multiple, overlapping
sights and sounds has affected the neural pathways of digital students'
brains. Essentially their brains respond to sensory input differently than
older, pre-1980 brains. Some researchers contend that in order to retain
information and be able to put it to use, they must have multi-sensory
input."
Perhaps this means that us non-fiction writers must quickly get some more
programs for our computers and start creating a lot more than text suitable
for printed books.
So if you want more technology for your kids, or to keep up with the latest
yourself, you may find this blog useful: http://digitalresources.motime.com.
Also from the apple site comes the quote:
"Technology can help students reach beyond the limits set for them by
'experts'"
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HAVE YOUR SAY
FROM AUTHOR Wendy Blaxland
PLR AND ELR
It's worth looking in detail at what accepting one-off payments for
manuscripts means for writers. The Public Lending Right and Educational
Lending Right schemes are designed to compensate authors for the royalties
lost when their books are borrowed from public or educational libraries. The
ELR and PLR guidelines, as I understand them, state that an author must have
an ongoing financial stake in their book for it to qualify for the scheme.
This usually means royalties. It is, however, possible to negotiate with a
publisher who wishes to offer an up-front fee, reminding them that both
author and publisher benefit financially when a book qualifies for PLR and
ELR, and suggest a compromise such as a fee (perhaps reduced) and a very
small royalty, or extra small payments that kick in when sales have reached
a certain figures.
There are, however, publishers who will not negotiate about this and it
seems to me that many more publishers are moving towards offering flat fees
rather than royalties, especially in the educational publishing field.
However, if your book is not eligible for PLR and ELR you will lose out on
what can be a very significant income stream for a considerable length of
time. Negotiating calmly and always keeping the publishers' point of view in
mind (therefore trying to suggest a solution when you point out the problem,
reminding them of the financial benefits to their company of qualifying for
the schemes etc) can really work wonders. Don't take contracts as
sacrosanct; they are proposals for negotiation. However, in the end, you
have to weigh up which is more important to you: having that book out or
long-term financial gains. When I agree to a flat fee for something I have
written, I feel exploited and cheated of any future share in the possible
long-term financial success of my 'child': not a good feeling. What do
others think?
FROM AUTHOR Sue Lawson
RE: C.V. of a Creator
Hazel, thank you for those suggestions for CVs. A 'writing' CV is certainly
different to a 'normal' job application CV and I struggle with getting it
right. As well as most of the categories you suggested, I also include my
employment history, as my career in radio and as a primary teacher are
relevant. My biggest challenge is working out how detailed to be. It's worse
than writing a synopsis.
How much detail does everyone include?
Also, I bought Stephen King's On Writing years ago and finally read it this
holidays. (I am the great procrastinator!) It's divided into two parts, the
first his memoirs and the second his writing 'advice'. I've thoroughly
enjoyed it and laughed out loud at parts.
FROM AN AUTHOR
I was one of numerous authors who received an emailed letter last week from
Macmillan Education Australia. I think it's worth publishing in PIO so that
authors can respond to the matters raised about payment of flat fees to
(most) educational writers. The email has been passed on to the ASA in the
hope that it will respond.
***I have been in touch with Jeremy Fisher of the ASA and he has advised
that he is going to reprint it in the next ASA newsletter with commentary.
So stay tuned***
If you wish to become a member of the ASA - details can be found at the end
of this newsletter.
FROM AUTHOR Ruth Starke
Publishers Say Fact-Checking is Too Costly
>From the Wall Street Journal, obviously inspired by the recent James Frey
memoir that isn't: A MIllion Little Pieces (retitled A Million Little Lies
by the media).
'Editors and publishers say the profit-margins in publishing don't allow for
hiring fact-checkers. Instead, they rely on authors to be honest, and on
their legal staffs to avoid libels suits. "An author brings a manuscript
saying it represents the truth, and that relationship is one of trust," says
Ms. Talese, whose imprint, Nan A. Talese, is part of Random House's
Doubleday Broadway Publishing Group.'
All well and good, but is it really too much trouble for a publisher about
to publish a potentially controversial memoir or non-fiction book to do the
sort of basic 'fact-checking' that the website the smoking gun did - eg.
check police records? Or that Malcolm Knox did to expose Norma Khouri's web
of fiction?
Oprah Winfrey had to back down and apologise on TV to her viewers for her
original stance that excused Frey. I saw some of his subsequent interview
with her and it was tough, yet rather funny. Sample:
OW: So how long did you really spend in jail?
JF: About 4 hours... not...not as long as I wrote.
OW: Not 83 days then.
THANK YOU
Thankyou Jill McDougall for the very helpful information on critiquing
manuscripts, and critique groups on-line. Just the thing I've been hunting
the 'net for.
Lisa Takdare
HAVE YOUR SAY
Once only upfront fees
I agree wholeheartedly with Edel's comments in PIO issue 75 on upfront flat
fees. I am a full-time writer with dozens of educational titles to my name.
I have always been paid an advance (usually quite small) and earned
royalties (usually 5 or 6% of net receipts, sometimes 5% of rrp) on sales. I
usually earn many thousands of dollars per book and ALL of my educational
books are still in print, which means I am still earning royalties.
Many of my books have been translated, and this has earned me thousands of
additional dollars. I also get thousands of dollars in ELR each year. I
would not get any of this money if I agreed to flat fee deals.
Publishers like the fact I am a full-time writer because I am available to
take calls, emails and have meetings during working hours. I spend a
considerable amount of time during working hours doing research, answering
editors' queries and checking my page proofs, as well as writing. If I
worked at another job, I would not be able to do any of this as quickly or
as thoroughly. However, I could not afford to work as a full-time writer if
I was paid flat fees.
Educational publishers are making a lot of money from their books. By
offering low flat fees to authors, they simplify their accounts/paperwork,
however, I suspect the main reason for not paying royalties is so they get
more of the profits.
Of course, not all educational publishers pay flat fees. Some still offer
royalty deals. So even though I have been offered flat fee work from
educational publishers, I refuse it. I only work for educational publishers
who pay royalties. If it gets to the point where all educational publishers
are paying flat fees at the current low figures, I will no longer write for
any of them.
Another point to consider, especially if you write non-fiction, is the
amount of time you spend researching your topic. Divide the flat fee on
offer by the number of hours you have spent researching, writing, checking
edits and proofs and you might be shocked by how little is on offer per
hour. I know my work is worth more.
Publishers want talented writers working for them. They want writers who do
thorough research, polish their work, meet deadlines, respond promptly to
queries from editorial staff, and so on. Unfortunately, it seems some
publishers are simply not prepared to pay well for this.
THANK YOU
A big thank you to the provider of the name of the 'stiffies' book, Hedley
Hopkins Did A Dare, by Paul Jennings.
I found a copy in the local library. When I eventually opened it, I was soon
hooked,
I laughed so much at one spot, I won't need to exercise for weeks. It was a
most satisfying read.
I'm in awe of a writer who can deal with touchy subjects so sensitively.
Perhaps I'll buy myself a copy. MW
FROM AUTHOR Edel Wignell
In relation to Carus Publishing:
Thank you for including the website of the Carus Publishing Cricket Magazine
Group in the last PIO.
http://www.cricketmag.com/shop_magazines.asp
It's a while since I looked at these splendid magazines and I noticed some
changes.
The fact that you can take a close look at the pages is helpful. For
example, Babybug used to be extremely simple - for infants six months to two
years. Now it's for six months to three years which makes a difference in
regard to the length and complexity of the text.
One fact is not covered on the website - the rights sought. Unfortunately
some of the Carus magazines request 'All Rights'.
According to the Society of Chilren's Book Writers & Illustrators
Publications Guide to Writing & Illustrating for Children (2005 Edition):
the following request 'all rights':
Spider, Faces, Calliope, Cicada and Odyssey.
SCBWI do not specify rights for the following:
Appleseeds, Ask, Dig, and Cobblestone.
However, it's likely that they seek 'all rights', as this has been their
policy in previous years. It may be worthwhile asking Carus.
The editor of the magazine Muse commissions articles, and requests that no
unsolicited mss or queries be sent.
The following request 'First Rights':
Babybug, Ladybug, Click and Cricket.
It's worthwhile sending mss to these as you retain copyright and can market
your work again. Also, if they reprint, you receive a second payment. I
received US$25 for a tiny Babybug story and, a few years later, was
surprised and pleased to receive a second payment 'out of the blue' for a
reprint.
An article in Cricket was noticed by a US publisher who was planning to
publish 'classic' stories, extracts, poems and articles in a hard cover,
thematic four-book release. I guess they selected my article because it
fitted one of the themes in one of the books - not because it is a classic.
But it was nice to see it beside the works of well-known English and US
authors.
The article was first written for adults and had been published in three
Australian newspapers. I adjusted it a little for children and it was
published in Touchdown: School Magazine. Then the US company SIRS Mandarin
requested publication in their 'Discoverer' online and CD-ROM Series used by
libraries. When the US publisher of the 'classics' requested 'All Rights', I
refused as I had already extended it and hoped to get it published as a
non-fiction book. Finally, Carus Publishing requested permission to publish
it in a 24-page booklet of stories and articles selected from Cricket and
Spider as supplemental reading material for education publication.
The article has earned more than $2000 so far, so it's worthwhile hanging on
to copyright - you never know how many times an item may be published.
Congratulations to Stephen Whiteside on the recent publication of a poem in
Cricket. The Carus magazines aren't easy to crack. I've lost count of my
rejectons.
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ARTICLES
Goldie Alexander.
www.goldiealexander.com
Hints for travelling authors and illustrators.
Last year I was invited to participate in 'A Writers' Cultural Exchange
Program' in Romania. Though the experience was rewarding, not all that the
program promised did eventuate. As a result I have put together a few hints
for other writers and illustrators planning to attend conferences and
workshops in lesser known parts.
1.Don't ask for any grant money if travelling to unknown territory as the
money must be first sent to the organisation in that country before you
receive it in return. Long before that happens, it will surely disappear.
2.Make sure your organisation has information for any emergency. I very
filled out no forms and there was nothing ever in writing that might be used
by a hospital or the police if this became necessary.
3.Take a cell phone that 'roams'. Don't depend on the local telephone
system. And remember that old adage: "Pack less clothes. Take more money."
4. Make sure you have a real itinerary. Before I left home I knew names and
that was about it. Nothing really about the program except a few vague
promises and nothing about the organisation that ran it. My personal
rationalisation was that another writer had attended this conference two
years earlier and strongly recommended that I do the same.
5. Though you may be asked to pay a set fee, check whether this includes
entries to museums, galleries, food and drink. Be specific. The group I went
with had already paid a handsome up front fee, then were constantly asked to
dip into their own pockets to pay for meals and drinks.
6. Make sure you know what is expected of you: readings, lectures, workshops
etc. Don't let this be ad hoc, as it will surely never happen.
7. Don't depend on someone else's experiences. Things change. What may work
one year will alter depending on the number of participants and who is
running the show.
8. Pack a first aid kit. Many a conference can been ruined by authors not
daring to move too far away from their bathrooms.
9. Be prepared to share bedrooms with relative strangers and cope with poor
plumbing and indifferent food.
10. Use the time to network. You will be meeting other participants who have
identical interests, needs and aspirations.
11. Above all keep an open mind. Be prepared to try new food, beverages and
ways of doing things. Don't automatically use your own mind-set to judge
other cultures. Enjoy the experience. Don't whine about what isn't working
for you.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ADVENTURES WITH ANA
by Pamela Rushby ( 869 words)
(Recently published in the Society of Childrens Book Writers and
Illustrators international mag.)
As I drive off to visit a school for an Author Talk my main concern is that
I won't, for whatever reason, be pulled over by a policeman. One look in the
back seat, I know, and he'll be reaching for the handcuffs.
The back seat is where Ana rides.
Ana is a life-size, very realistic replica of a bog body. (She looks like
the result of a particularly grisly recent murder, but she isn't, really,
she isn't.) She was constructed, by a sculptor friend of mine, from a base
of molded chicken wire, with an outer layer of mortician's wax. Mortician's
wax??!! Yes, that's what I said. But my friend assured me it was the very
best thing to get that genuine look of flesh that I was after.
Whatever .
Ana's appearance is based on the body of Windeby Girl, the preserved body of
a 14-year-old girl found in a peat bog in Denmark in 1952. Windeby Girl is
by no means the only bog body in existence. Many have been found in European
peat bogs over the years and some are over 2000 years old. The chemicals in
the cold, peaty water preserve the soft tissues of the body to an
astonishing degree: skin, eyes, hair, internal organs and the brain. We can
gain a very clear idea of what these people looked like, what they wore,
even what they ate.
Windeby Girl was almost certainly a sacrifice, thrown into the bog to
appease the Celtic gods of the water. She had been drowned, and her body
held down with birch branches and a large stone.
I used the appearance of Windeby Girl as inspiration for Ana, one of the two
heroines of my young adult novel, Circles of Stone (HarperCollins,
Australia, 2003). The replica Ana is a prop that I take on school visits
with me.
Ana's value is immense. Get a couple of sturdy students to carry her into
the classroom (she's heavy), set her up in front of the class, whip off her
covering, and there won't be a sound from the kids for quite a while. She's
even silenced an entire class of ninth-grade boys, which is really saying
something. Once I've got their attention, I can get on with the session.
I discovered the value of props when I began visiting schools to talk about
an earlier book, Walking in the Fields of the Blessed (Rigby, Australia,
1994), which featured the mummified hand of an ancient Egyptian child. It so
happened that I had a papier- m?ché model of the actual hand (which is in
the Antiquities Museum of The University of Queensland) that had been made
during the shooting of a video, and I started taking the model hand to
schools with me when I talked about the book. Every kid is interested in
ancient Egypt - and fascinated by the techniques of mummification. The
replica of the hand had them rapt.
So I started looking for other attention-grabbing props that could go along
with me when I gave talks. A plaster cast of a dinosaur's footprint worked
well for a book set at the site of a dinosaur stampede in western
Queensland. A pair of tattered, battered and patched jeans from a co-op
worked for a picture book that featured a magic pair of dancing pants found
in, yes, a co-op. A couple of fake ice-cream cones in flavours mango and
maggots; cowpat and cream; and mangrove mud with worm ripple for a story
about a magic ice-cream shop that had all, but all, the flavours in the
world.
The main value of props is this attention-grabbing quality. They get kids
focused, and settled, and tuned in to the session. And props don't have to
be elaborate. A container of mud from a mangrove swamp, for a book about
saving the mangroves, and an overflowing kitchen tidy full of genuine
garbage for a story about a boy who didn't like taking out the garbage - and
what happened when he didn't - are props I'm considering, but haven't used
yet. But I might. Much easier to make than a life-size bog body, and much
easier to carry around. And also far less likely to attract the attention of
the police.
So why not stow Ana in the trunk, you ask? Well, she's made of wax - and it
can get pretty hot in a Queensland summer. I don't want to run the risk of
opening the trunk one day and finding a puddle. So Ana rides in the back
seat, in the air conditioning.
She's been to city schools with enrolments of over 1000, and to country
schools that have as few as six kids, spread over pre-school to
seventh-grade, with one teacher responsible for all of them. She's been set
up in classrooms, local libraries and town halls. She's travelled a good
part of Queensland with me, shared motel rooms, been held up by floods,
detoured over unmade outback tracks, and has had to be vacuumed to get rid
of the bulldust during a particularly dry summer.
So far, we haven't been pulled over by the police.
...
AUTHOR BLURB
Pamela Rushby has been an advertising copywriter, a pre-school teacher, and
an educational television producer and writer. She now writes full-time,
writing fiction and non-fiction for children and young adults; television
documentary scripts; and multimedia. Pam has had over 80 books for children
and young adults published.
CAPTIONS
Full-length shot of Ana, a replica of Windeby Girl, a bog body approximately
2000 years old, found in a peat bog in Denmark in 1952.
Close-up of Ana, a replica of Windeby Girl, the preserved body of a
14-year-old girl.
Author Pamela Rushby
Cover of Circles of Stone, young adult novel published by HarperCollins,
Australia, 2003. Windeby Girl was the inspiration for one of the book's
heroines, Ana.
Cover of Walking in the Fields of the Blessed, Rigby, 1994.
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PUBLISHER GUIDELINES
Random House Australia children's books
Due to the volume of unsolicited manuscripts received, Random House
Australia Children's Publishing Division will no longer be accepting
unsolicited submissions as of 17 January 2006.
Please be patient if you have already submitted a manuscript to us - all
manuscripts submitted before this date will be considered and we will
respond to you as soon as we can.
We welcome submissions made via literary agents and submissions from
previously published authors.
These can be addressed to:
The Children's Editor, Random House Australia, 20 Alfred St, Milsons Point
NSW 2061.
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AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR PROFILE
Published Name: fiona sievers (or fee)
2. Based in (state/country): Victoria - Eltham
3. Number of years writing: I have always written but really only the last 6
years have been a serious attempt at getting published
4. Number of books published: One kids book 'Calling Charlotte' with
Macmillan (Trekkers), 2 books due out this year with Flat Chat Press and
another kids book (Brave Kids Series) due out mid year with BlueCatBooks.
Have had over 40 individual poems published and about 20 non-fiction
articles and reviews
5. Titles that have been important to you: mainly any kids poetry books but
recently my all time favourite is 'a monster wrote me a letter' by Nick
Bland (Scholastic 2005) It is just gorgeous and if you want a fine example
of perfect kids poetry then here it is in my opinion.
6. Biggest challenge as a writer: fitting in writing with a young family and
study and work
7. Favourite writing tip for emerging writers: be patient and be persistent
and be kind to others
8. Scariest part of being published: what other people will think or say
about your book (your baby)
9. Funniest thing that's ever happened during book research, writing or
promotion: nothing of any great interest but there are occasional funny
misunderstandings with emails that can produce much laughter once they are
sorted out. I once emailed to a guy whom I was trying to organise to read at
a festival and I hadn't had a reply from him so I wrote - "either you can't
read or you didn't get my original email" - and he wrote back that for my
information as he was studying at uni and had a degree and he could in fact
read. What I meant was that I assumed he may not have been able to attend
and read on the actual day. Needless to say he was most embarrassed but I
thought it was hilarious - at his expense of course.
10. Do you still receive rejections and if so, how do you deal with them?
Yeah all the time - I just take it as part of the writing life and send the
ms on its merry way again. Actually I expect a rejection and then if I don't
get one I count it as a bonus. I never let it get me down. It's not worth
it.
11. Do you ever become discouraged and ask yourself whether there is
something easier you could be doing than writing? Occasionally but I know
that I would burst if I couldn't write. And I definitely don't want to go
back to childcare.
12. Do you ever experience 'writer's block' and if so, what tools do you use
to overcome it and get back on track? Occasionally - if I do I usually pick
up a good book or some poetry and read and often that is inspiration
enough - or a Tim Tam can sometimes encourage your muse but the trick is to
stop at one and not eat the whole packet or your muse will get podgy
13. How much actual time per day/week do you spend writing? Try to spend at
least 2 hours a day but sometimes I end up with a huge block a week or
nothing at all - depends what my other commitments are but night time is
easier for me when everyone else is in bed.
14. Give a brief overview of your average writing day: I don't have an
average writing day at the moment - I just fit in what I can when I can -
but I always keep a pen and pad handy to take notes of ideas or thoughts so
I don't forget them. As I said I usually write at night.
15. Describe your writing place: I love to write in a chair in my lounge by
the window with my comfy foot stool. I always handwrite my first draft and
then put it into the computer and do a good first edit at the same time
16. Recent news, links to reviews/articles, books signings, author
appearances etc. had a story in Diamond Valley Leader newspaper last year,
did an author visit and signing at Eltham Bookshop last year, launched some
books by other authors/poets, involved with Flat Chat Press, won an NMIT
scholarship last year, hope this year is as good as last year.
17. Website/contact details: prohort@primus.com.au or 0417 358280
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
***If you would like to promote yourself and your books in this section
please feel free to use the questions above. Simply cut and paste the whole
section into a word doc and replace Fiona's responses with your own. We'd
love to hear from you.***
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YOUR WRITING TIPS
I read this on the Wordpool list http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wordpool/
and it brought a smile to my face. Thought I'd share it with you (with
permission from the author)
"To understand publishers' problems with unsolicited manuscript, put
yourself in their position.
Imagine you come home, tired and hungry from a long trip to the shops. There
on your doorstep is a huge roll of carpet. The note attached to it says.
Dear home owner,
I notice that you have a floor so I thought you might like to buy this
carpet. It is purple because that's my favourite colour. If you don't want
it, please use the stamps provided to send it back.
When you push your way past it and manage to open the door, you find a
letter on the doormat. It's addressed personally to you and says
I wonder if you would be interested in one of my carpets. I have a yellow
one which I feel would fit perfectly with the decor in your living room. I
am happy to send a sample if you like so you can check it will go well with
your curtains. I can also provide any size you wish.
Who would you buy your carpet from?"
Best wishes
Diana
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USEFUL BOOKS/WEBSITES
Kid Magazine Writers eMagazine has been updated for February!
http://www.kidmagwriters.com
* We have part 2 of Becky Loesher's wonderful poetry article -- I know some
of you
have been waiting for that.
* We have an interview AND a special report for 3 Leaping Frogs. So check
out what editor Ellen Hopkins has to say about the changes these frogs have
been through.
* We have some light-hearted fun in our WORKING DAY section -- so check out
IN THE BEGINNING and IN MY OFFICE for a smile.
And there's plenty more!
I hope you enjoy it.
Jan Fields
http://www.kidmagwriters.com
http://www.janfields.com
http://www.livejournal.com/users/cute_n_cranky/
http://www.truefresco.com/cgidir/odp/index.cgi?/Arts/Writers_Resources/Children's_Writing/
Howdy! I'd just like to take a moment to announce the redesign and relaunch
of my website at http://www.cynthialeitichsmith.com/ In addition to being
an author site, it's also a high-traffic, mega children's/YA literature
resource site--with teacher info and a number of pages devoted to writing.
According to SmarterStats, the award-winning site attracts 40,000
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BOOK REVIEWS
2 Book Reviews by LEW Mi Fon
Title: Nicholas
Written by: Rene Goscinny
Illustrated by: Jean-Jacques Sempe
Translated by: Anthea Bell
Published by: Phaidon Press Limited, London, 2005
ISBN: 0 7148 4482 9
Nineteen very short and funny stories of a little French schoolboy,
Nicholas, and his quirky gang of friends, now in a hard-back edition. First
published in 1960 in French as Le Petite Nicolas by Editions Denoel, this
classic conjures up images of childhood innocence and cheekiness in a bygone
era of brilliantine, cowboys and cigars.
Wonderfully translated into English by Anthea Bell (translator of the
Asterix series also by Goscinny), Nicholas takes no prisoners-Red Indians or
otherwise. I love Sempe's effective black and white ink illustrations of
Children versus Grownups.
Be it Nicholas tying Dad to a tree, playing soccer with croissant-munching
fat Alec, dodging Eddie's punches or running away from home, Goscinny
succinctly captures the children's random banter and schemes, which lead to
their inevitable fall-out with the puzzling Grown-ups. A sure delight for
primary school children (and their long-suffering parents and teachers)!
Picture Book Title: Harry and the Dinosaurs Go Wild
Written by: Ian Whybrow
Illustrated by: Adrian Reynolds
Published by: Koala Books, Australia, 2005
ISBN: 0-86461-653-8
"Maybe you had to be big before you could be of any use."
Harry and his (extinct) dinosaur friends are on first name terms. On a
safari trip, they learn about endangered animals like pandas and Sumatran
tigers. Encouraged by Nan and Mum, Harry tries to save endangered animals by
drawing pictures for Mr Bopsom's shop window. He discovers that "even if you
are as tiny as a tick on the tail of a green turtle, you can still do
something that makes a BIG difference."
Without detracting from the main story, Whybrow writes with gentle humour
and sprinkles bits of facts about dinosaurs and endangered animals
throughout the book to kindle the reader's interest in Harry's cause.
Reynolds' vivid and colourful illustrations capture Harry's enthusiasm and
imagination, with endpapers depicting Harry's rollicking dinosaur friends,
their names and the correct pronunciations.
An upbeat story for pre-schoolers and primary school children. Those
dinosaur names rolled so smoothly off my tongue, it took me an extra second
to realise the Endosaurus never existed.
Children's Nonfiction Book Review: Grim Crims & Convicts
by Jackie French
Reviewed by Sally Murphy
It was the craziest, wildest and most daring expedition the world had seen.
Eleven ships with nearly 1500 people travelled 25 000 kilometres to the
other side of the world. But what did they find when they arrived?
Grim Crims and Convicts is an intriguing look at the early days of European
settlement in Australia. It details the early time of the colony from the
arrival of the first fleet in 1788 through to 1820, charting the hardships
and difficulties faced by the settlers, the impact their arrival had on the
Aboriginal population and way of life, and the development of the colony.
Whilst this is not the first book written on the subject, for children it is
certainly the most accessible. French has a humorous yet honest style, which
doesn't gloss over serious events. The text is complemented by the cartoon
style illustrations of Peter Sheehan, putting his own funny spin on events.
This is history which kids can enjoy, even while they are learning plenty
about this important part of Australian history. It is the first instalment
in an eight-part series covering Australian history from prehistoric times
to the Centenary of Federation.
Good stuff.
Grim Crims and Convicts, by Jackie French, illustrated by Peter Sheehan
(Scholastic Press, 2005)
You can find more reviews of Australian books at www.aussiereviews.com
The following books will be reviewed on 6th February on David Kilby's
Afternoon Show ABC Radio ACT and also appear on the Primary English
Teacher's
Association website http://www.peta.edu.au/
Scribbly Gum Nature Diary by Abigail Thomas
ABC Books (Paperback)
4F for Freaks by Leigh Hobbs
Allen & Unwin (Paperback)
Love Lessons by Jacqueline Wilson
Doubleday (Hardback)
Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers
Harper Collins (Hardback)
Are there other reviewers out there who would like to list either the books
they review or where they are reviewed? It might help readers find out what
is being reviewed and where they can find them eg Magpies, Viewpoint, School
Magazine etc.etc.
Cheers,
Laurine Croasdale
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INDEPENDENT CHILDREN'S BOOKSHOPS
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CRITIQUE GROUPS BULLETIN BOARD
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MILESTONES
Author: Delwyne Stephens
I just received the cover of my debut young adult fiction novel,Wheels, due
out in second term by Futuretrack in Perth. Yippeeeeee! It's been about 14
months since the contract was signed and when I have it in my hands it will
be wonderful. My very first cover? And it looks brilliant, too. Wow!
ALSO...
I am having a good week this week! I have been fortunate to be picked up by
a reputable agent for my Young Adult fiction novel, Teen Dad. To all those
trying hard writers out there, don't give up!! Two years ago I had never
published a thing. Now I have two books coming out, an agent and quite a
bit of freelance work. It can and will happen!
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INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES
~There is nothing so well known as that we should not expect something for
nothing--but we all do, and call it Hope.~
Edgar Watson Howe
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ADVERTISEMENTS
Top Job Guide: Become a Children's Writer, Bren MacDibble
Australian Associated Publishing House's Top Job Guides are comprehensive
guides for those embarking on new careers. Become a Children's Writer is
full of practical, Australian-specific information to get new children's
writers up and writing and into the marketplace quickly.
It includes everything you need to know about perfecting your craft,
including a handy dandy plot checker and a rewriting checklist, how to
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lists of industry contacts and Australian publishers, helpful books and
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learning curve and save you miles of legwork. It's put all the information
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The guide includes words of wisdom and tips from, and interviews with, many
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editor, and Dr Jeremy Fisher, exec. director of the Australian Society of
Authors.
This is a printed guide, full-colour cover, and although the marketing has
not yet begun, it is available now via this website:
http://www.topjobguide.com.au/TopjobGuide/Samples/Childrens_Writer.html
Free legal guide for writers
The Australian Society of Authors is offering new members who join in 2006 a
complimentary copy of Between the Lines: A Legal Guide for Writers and
Illustrators by Lynne Spender. Between the Lines offers up-to-date
information on every legal aspect of publishing. Written in a lively and
accessible style with scenarios and case studies, it covers copyright,
contracts, royalties, GST, ethics, superannuation, insurance, wills,
bequests and much more. Between the Lines is available from the ASA for
$38.50 (non-members) or $26.95 (members) + $5.50 p/h. New members will
receive a free copy as part of their membership, which also includes three
copies of Australian Author magazine per year, regular newsletters, free
phone and email advice and a subsidised contract advisory service. You will
be part of a 3000 strong network of authors and support ASA campaigns to
promote the interests of Australian writers and illustrators. This offer is
for new first time members of the ASA only. Visit www.asauthors.org email
asa@asauthors.org or phone 02 9318 0877.
Do you have contact details for all of Australia's children's and YA book
publishers? For a full list of over 110 markets for both trade and
educational publishers go to www.enterprisingwords.com and look under
Writers' Career Consultancy.
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PASS IT ON SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
Submit contributions to jacket@smartchat.net.au
Verdana, 10pt, single-line spacing (not essential but helpful)
Mark PASS IT ON SUBMISSION in the subject line
Submit within the body of the email
Give your piece a title heading: eg New Publications; Seeking; General
Information; etc.
Email addresses and contributor contact details will be withheld unless
otherwise stated
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© Jackie Hosking . All rights Reserved Worldwide.
posted by Jackie at 4:20 AM
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