The crit group I didn’t know I needed

With Rita’s Revenge about to hit the bookshops, Lian Tanner shares her writing processes and the valuable insights provided by a team of fellow children’s book writers. What a wonderful process these outstanding children’s authors have engaged in to improve and develop their craft.

Halfway through 2020, that long first year of Covid, I received an email from fellow children's author Deborah Abela. The email also went to Tristan Bancks and Zanni Louise, and contained an invitation to form a small online critique group.

My reply was both enthusiastic and cautious. 'It's been such a confusing year that I'm not entirely sure what I'm working on,' I said. 'But it'd be good to talk to other writers about it.'

As it turned out, this was the crit group I didn't know I needed. And it's been going ever since, with the addition of Sarah Armstrong, who had previously written for adults and was now turning her hand to middle grade.

The book I ended up bringing to the group was Rita's Revenge, the sequel to A Clue for Clara.

Some authors work with their editors from the very beginning of an idea. I've always been the opposite. I never showed anyone what I was writing until I was reasonably satisfied with it, which was usually after at least four or five complete drafts. 

So sending those first chapters to the crit group presented a challenge. It also reinforced changes I had already started to make in the way I write.

With the fantasy trilogies (The Keepers, The Hidden and The Rogues), I plotted in great detail then wrote a first draft very quickly, not going back to correct anything or reread until I got as close to the end as possible. As a result, that first draft was always very rough and needed a lot of work to shape it into a story.

When I wrote Clara, I went about it differently. My plotting was looser, and I wrote the first draft much more slowly, allowing myself to go back and fix things so I didn't end up with nearly as many internal contradictions.

I found that I enjoyed it more. And at the end of that first draft, I had a coherent story.

This fitted well with joining the group. I didn't want to send them my rawest work; what was the point of that? I wanted them to find the problems I couldn't see; the ones I hadn't fixed.

So even though I was nowhere near finishing Rita’s Revenge, the extract I finally sent had been gone over several times, until I was reasonably happy with it. Still, I was terrified that my fellow authors wouldn't like it. 

To my relief, they loved it. 'So endearing,' they said. 'Hysterically funny.' ‘Love the rules about what a duck can and can't do ’. 

But as well as encouragement, they offered informed and intelligent criticism. 'Could you introduce the poetry sooner? It comes a bit too late.' 'It feels as if we don't really get into the story until the second chapter.' 'Can General Ya come in earlier, too?'

This mixture of encouragement and criticism has become the pattern for our zoom meetings. It provides us with a recharge of energy once a month – a valuable thing for a writer. It bolsters our strengths, and helps us shore up our weaknesses. It gives us trust, kindness and honesty, and we all agree that we have become better writers as a result.

We also agree that, although we all have very different writing styles, we love and appreciate each other's work. In fact, that's one of the great pleasures of the group – seeing each story develop and grow.

This year, we all have books out – the first ones since the group started. Sarah Armstrong's Big Magic was the first, published in May. Tristan Bancks' Cop & Robber is coming on July 5, the same date as Zanni Louise’s picture book Pigasus, and my own Rita's Revenge.

And Deborah Abela's The Book of Wondrous Possibilities will be out in August.

I heartily recommend them all. 

Lian Tanner
Author

http://liantanner.com
https://www.facebook.com/liantannerauthor
Instagram: liantannerbooks

Editor’s note: If you are in Hobart next weekend, head down to Hobart Bookshop for the launch of Rita’s Revenge. 11 am Sunday July 10^th.

Schooling the Creator

Fiona Levings shares her experiences as a visiting children’s book creator in two Tasmanian primary schools; sharing her work and inspiration in the development and publication of Now and Then, a fascinating historical fiction picture book title set in Margate. Fiona’s school visits were supported by the Workshops in Schools Program, a CBCA Tasmania initiative in partnership with the Department of Education Tasmania.

When I create a picture book I tend to think that I know it quite well.  How could I not?  I’ve spent countless hours ruminating on the words, working the character sketches, painstakingly composing each page.  By the time it’s printed I’ve read it, proofed it, checked it, re-checked it, read it backwards, forwards, out loud and probably upside down.  Then I take it into a classroom … and what I think I know about it suddenly becomes a minor part of a much greater whole.  When I share my book with kids they show me what I’ve really made.  

© Fiona Levings - sharing Now and Then with students

Bringing Now and Then into schools with the CBCA Creator-in-Schools Program has been an exceptional experience.  Being able to interact with kids, to see their eyes light up because I talked to them and took them seriously is a gift.  Watching them engage with my book, be inspired by it, recognise the parallels with their own lives, press their noses to the page to examine the detail of the illustration or triumphantly spot the easter eggs I hid for them is a joy.  A book that has less than 300 words can take up to an hour to read, such is the level of engagement, dissection and discussion.

In June I visited St Aloysious Primary in Blackmans Bay and worked with three separate Year 2 classes.  We had nice long session times and I thought I was safe but I still blew out because we were talking too much.  Fortunately, we had enough time in the schedule to start some drawing work together.  It never ceases to amaze me what 7- and 8-year-olds can come up with when you ask them to imagine how their future homes might look. Underground houses, offshore sea farms, moon bases and flying houses with robot dogs are just the beginning.

In Book Week I was honoured to be invited out to Westerway Primary, a school even smaller than the one attended by Doug in 1940 in Now and Then.  Westerway is a town that has seen many changes over the years and it was fascinating to talk to the kids, to hear their perspectives and tease out their vision for how they think their home town might continue to change in times to come.  Once again, they saw things in my book that I did not realise were there; in return Now and Then gave them a fresh perspective on the everyday history present in their world.   

© Fiona Levings - talking to students about book creation

The synergy of author and audience at a school visit is very special.  Both parties giving, both receiving; I love every minute of it. And I am so grateful, as a creator, to the CBCA Tasmania for the opportunity to learn about my book from these wonderful young muses.   

Now and Then, by Fiona Levings
Forty South

Fiona Levings
Fiona Levings is a Tasmanian-based author and illustrator of children’s picture books. Now and Then, published by Forty South Publishing, was listed as a notable book in the 2020 CBCA Book Awards. Copies are available in bookstores or online at www.fortysouth.com.au.

W: http://fionalevings.blogspot.com/

FB:  https://www.facebook.com/themoonbowmaker 

IG:  https://www.instagram.com/themoonbowmaker/ 

Editor's note- find out more on the inspiration and historical research behind the book in an earlier post by Fiona: Now and Then...And Then Again.

The Words That Set Us Free

This week Lyndon Riggall reflects on the importance of writers adding their personal stories to enrich the lives of others.

When I was Tasmanian judge for the Children’s Book Council—a role which seems a lifetime ago now—I noticed an interesting pattern that I still think about to this day. It seemed to me that books followed a sequence in which trust and security were gradually eroded over the years of life… parents, doctors, teachers and friends were—in early childhood reading—almost universally kind, reliable and to be depended-upon implicitly, but by the time readers hit the senior-secondary years, contributions to literature seemed to feel it necessary that even the most outwardly-trustworthy figure was a contradiction of secrets, complications and dangers. The certainty and safety of younger years of reading was—in a manner that I’m sure is both thrilling and frightening—systematically torn away.

Life, of course, is a mixture of good and bad, but this configuration raises some interesting questions about the nature of writing itself. Many of us seek escapism and safety from our reading, and I know a number of adults (and I count myself as one of their number) who even crawl back to children’s literature throughout their lives to bring comfort, solace and hope to their hearts in times of hardship. Yet Richard Flanagan wrote in the Monthly recently that “what is at stake – what is always at stake – is finally not being free to write but being free to write the unsayable, the thing not allowed to be said, to tear aside the shrouds of power and wealth and their accompanying conventions and orthodoxies, to describe what is.” Ultimately, it seems to me, it is through the evolving stories that we explore and experience that we learn such truths. As a growing raft of children’s books points to the relevance of such topics as climate change, the refugee experience, racism and gender diversity, we must remember that, as Lemony Snicket puts it, “All of the secrets of the world are contained in books. Read at your own risk.” Words set ideas free, but more importantly they set people free, and the moment when we recognise our world or our-selves in a narrative—a thought or truth that we had previously considered unknowable, or even unsayable—is the moment that writers and readers live for. Nevertheless, this takes courage in both the construction and the publishing… A courage, I hope, that we will continue to have, and to foster.

Everyone of us has a book inside us (or at least that’s what they tell us) and yet so many of us will take these unpublished tomes to our graves with us—another memento to line our coffin, another item on the bucket list that never gets scratched off. Imagine, now, all of those untold tales that pulse and rush under our skin like the blood in our veins; the letters flushing through us as if they are alphabet soup down a drainpipe, begging to be rescued and strung into words, into sentences, into stories.

Of course, they are our stories, and they deserve to be shared, and we should be proud of anyone brave enough to share them. And so, I send my love and gratitude and encouragement to all of our brave writers and storytellers—those who write for children, adults and everyone in-between—and I say thank you. Because you show us the way forward, the way that takes us from each new beginning to “The End,” simply by being brave enough to dare to set those stories free… and, in doing so, sometimes… 

... Even setting us free too.

Lyndon Riggall is a writer and teacher from Launceston. He can be found on his personal blog at http://www.lyndonriggall.com and on Twitter @lyndonriggall.

Thank you!

This week Emma applauds and celebrates the authors and illustrators who contribute a wealth of literature that explores such diverse and relevant matters for the lives, interests and learning of children and teens – and pure magic for teachers to engage their students.

No matter which subject area I am planning for; no matter which aspect of literacy I am trying to model - I firstly seek out a text. I start with a text because I know that I will find something that fits the bill. Something that will provide the ultimate provocation. That will spark joy and wonder. Something that will be a springboard for rich and powerful learning. Something that will tell the story I need to tell. 

And often in these searches (which incidentally I happily get completely lost in), I stumble upon a story or two that I didn’t even know I needed! And whenever this happens, I tuck it away for that perfect moment. Because it will come. 

I’ve recently been reflecting on this reliance, that we as educators have on texts to support our classroom programs. This reflection first began to bubble when the ‘Reading Wars’ were reignited in the media, as the Australian Curriculum review commenced; and as various jurisdictions around the country came out in support of phonics-based principles and practices. It got me thinking though, that regardless of what the media tout about a raging reading war – schools continue to rely on the rich array of texts available to us, as we strive towards confident, happy and successful readers. How lucky are we? The range of texts available, the content, the quality. The breadth of themes. The endless examples of authorial techniques. The vast vocabulary. The mystery and intrigue. The inspirational life stories of authors themselves. The sheer entertainment and the questions posed.

 

And for this, this rich array of classroom resources, I thank the authors. The magic and the inspiration, and not to mention the learning, that you bring to each, and every, classroom, every day, is most appreciated. Without it, I know for certain that my classroom would not be the place it is today. 

From all of us in schools - thank you!

Emma Nuttall

Teacher, reader and passionate advocate for children’s literature

Editor’s note: To discover some local Tasmanian children’s book creators represented in the images above, visit the CBCA Tasmania Creators page on the website and investigate how you can bring a creator into the classroom through CBCA Tas Workshops in Schools Program, supported by the Department of Education, Tasmania.

2020 SCBWI Winter Conference in New York City

This week guest author Verity Croker shares a prestigious writers’ event that fell before the pandemic closed international borders and cancelled conferences and events. Find out what happens when the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators gather together.

The SCBWI winter conference at the Grand Hyatt in New York City, 7-9 February 2020, was a truly inspirational professional development opportunity. 

Verity & Remy Lai

The first official event was the Golden Kite Awards Presentation Gala evening, where we were all encouraged to wear gold. The winners of the awards delivered very thoughtful and emotional speeches. The highlight was watching Remy Lai from Queensland win the Sid Fleischman Humour Award for Pie in the Sky, presented by Chris Grabenstein. It was a privilege to witness the atmosphere in the room when she was presented with this, and I felt very proud to be a fellow Australian. Congratulations Remy! After the Awards presentations, the attendees sipped bubbles and nibbled on chocolate-dipped strawberries, as we networked and perused the talented work in the Illustrators’ Portfolio Showcase.

On the Saturday, we had a full day, starting with the Welcome and Introduction by Lin Oliver, Executive Director of SCBWI, who told us there were 840 attendees from 17 different countries. Next was the opening keynote by author Kate Messner who describes herself as ‘passionately curious’. My main takeaway was to consider: What do you wonder about? Does any of that scare you? Get close to the thing that frightens you, and write about it.

Intensive breakout sessions were next. I attended ‘Marketing your book: What to do, what’s effective, and what’s not’ led by Chrissy Noh, senior marketing director at Simon & Schuster. She suggests asking your publishers to share their marketing plan with you, and discuss with them how you can best supplement what they are doing to promote your book. She also stressed that with school visits, always indicate how your book fits in with their curriculum.

'Adapting your work for film, television, and media’ led by Lin Oliver and Ellen Goldsmith-Vein (founder and CEO of The Gotham Group), was my chosen afternoon session. Ellen explained that you have to realise you are selling your work, and therefore in most cases you will not have meaningful creative input into the project, as distributors and producers want to make it their own. During this session we had the fabulous opportunity to present a one-minute elevator pitch with feedback from Ellen. Listening to her responses to everyone’s pitch proved a valuable insight into her world.

After the formal part of the day ended with a keynote from multi-award winning illustrator Jerry Pickney, we readied ourselves for the Networking Buffet Dinner, in which we were divided into regions so we could mingle with colleagues. Ours was an eclectic bunch with attendees from Australia, New Zealand, and Canada amongst others. Some connections made there continue.

The following day, the first event was an awards presentation for the Portfolio Showcase Awards, Narrative Art Award, Jane Yolen Midlist Author Award, Student Illustrator & Writer Scholarships, and the IPOC Women’s Scholarship. The first keynote was an agent and editor panel with Patrice Caldwell, Susan Dobinick, Connie Hsu, Kirby Kim, Alvina Ling, and Marietta Zacker, moderated by Lin Oliver. There was some agreement that graphic novels are wanted, as is non-fiction. It was recommended to read the last five years of published work, to follow your own compass, know your own ‘wheelhouse’, and don’t compare your journey with those of others.

My final intensive breakout session was ‘Voice, what is it?’ led by Nick Thomas, senior editor at Levine Querido, an independent children’s book publisher. Nick very generously offered us the opportunity to send him five pages of our works-in-progress before the conference, and provided us with very useful feedback. He also encouraged us to edit our work, keeping in mind his suggestions, and to submit to him over the next twelve months. What a fabulous opportunity! He said voice is what it’s like to be with you on the page, including the way you write, the way your character thinks and talks, how you show action, and how you describe setting and atmosphere. He said you must read widely, be authentic, and put in the work, always asking yourself ‘Why do I want to write this story?’.

The closing keynote was delivered by Derrick Barnes, whose book Crown is my favourite new discovery from the conference. This book and his other titles demonstrate the importance of authentic diverse books. His journey was encouraging, as at one point, even though he already had several books published, he entered a period of several years when he wrote twenty to thirty books that nobody wanted. Now, he is very successful. He asks himself, ‘What legacy do I want to leave?’, a key question for us all.

Verity Croker is the author of two young adult novels, Jilda’s Ark and May Day Mine, published by Harmony Ink Press, US, plus two middle grade chapter books, Cyclone Christmas and Block City published by Sunshine Books, NZ. Grammar Worksheet Workout, published by Knowledge Books and Software, is for school students, and Hot Pot is her debut novel for adults.

Verity Croker

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Twitter: @veritycrokerwriter
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Website: www.veritycroker.wordpress.com

Words by the Riverside: Some thoughts on The Tamar Valley Writers Festival

Lyndon Riggall shares a smattering of some of the smorgasbord of delights at this year’s festival. I too was fortunate to be in the audience of these sessions and also witnessed the masterful leadership of the panel discussions that Lyndon chaired – he certainly made the panelists dig deep into their inspirational centres to share amazing personal stories, anecdotes and insights.

I can’t believe my luck. I am sitting here in a Swiss village that shares its name with the dark wizard from the Harry Potter series, talking to three of the country’s most exciting speculative fiction writers. The best part? I haven’t had to fly anywhere—all I had to do was follow the twisting waters of the kanamaluka in my car. Great writers have somehow washed up on the shore.

Born in Beaconsfield in 2012 as The Festival of Golden Words and now re-branded and residing at the Aspect Tamar Valley Resort in Grindelwald, the Tamar Valley Writers Festival is a biennial event; reminding us in the Spring thaw that a Summer of reading awaits. It is a delight for me to catch up with friends old and new and to be part of two panels with astonishingly lovely writers across several sessions: Steve Biddulph, George Ivanoff, Amie Kaufman, Jodi McAlister and Paul Collins. 

Aside from my own discussions, the festival features everything from Julian Burnside moderating an increasingly heated discussion of euthanasia, to workshops with the likes of Deltora Quest illustrator Marc McBride, and even a “life writing” class (think “life drawing” but with words).

The Tamar Valley has come alive with a celebration of the act of rearranging the alphabet into pleasing and surprising configurations, and my sincerest delight is that every writer that I speak to appears unquestionably generous, humble, and kind. Yes, there is talk that Grindelwald would be an inspiring setting for a Midsomer Murders episode (and that the evening’s “Shank Night” will surely see this macabre fantasy fulfilled), but in general I can’t believe that these writers could kill anyone other than our favourite characters. They are pleased to be here, and we are pleased to have them. My schedule gradually expands, as every session becomes unmissable, and in a few cases a flip of the coin becomes the only rational response to the fact that I can’t attend two sessions at once.

Amongst the celebration there is some solemnity. The festival features a phenomenon modelled after PEN International, known as “The Empty Chair.” This chair—sitting at each speaking venue—symbolises a writer who cannot be at the festival, either because they have been killed, imprisoned, or are missing. This year’s empty chair is dedicated to Behrouz Boochani, the Iranian journalist currently trapped on Manus Island, whose book No Friend But The Mountains was composed by text message. Boochani’s chair is a reminder of the great privilege of writing, reading, and sharing a love of words. A Festival such as this reminds us why these things matter—because they open us to new worlds and ideas. May we never take it for granted.

Lyndon Riggall is a teacher intern and writer who is currently working on a children’s novel set in the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park. You can find him on Twitter @lyndonriggall.