Notes from the Slushpile

Slated: Getting it Covered

2012-02-01T16:55:00.001Z

by Teri TerryIt has been a year with a lot to smile about: the last twelve months have seen an agent, and not just any agent but Caroline Sheldon; a publishing deal for Slated with Megan Larkin and Orchard Books; and finally: a long-awaited moment. An actual book cover!!Read on, and there just might be a chance to read Slated before the 3rd May publication date...One of the most exciting moments

Write A Great Synopsis with Nicola Morgan

2012-01-30T07:30:00.037Z

It's a bargain! The 'Crabbit Bat', Nicola Morgan, is on a 'Write a Great Synopsis' blog tour and we welcome her to Notes From the Slushpile along with her Twitter Buddy and SCBWI member Rebecca Brown. Over to you Rebecca!With apologies for their shameless advertising of twitter friends products! Maureen *tiptoes onto stage, peers nervously into darkness and taps on

Planning and Researching your novel, with Linda Newbery

2012-01-26T05:30:00.001Z

Linda Newbery is an author of many talents. She started off writing books for young adults, winning the Costa Children's Book Prize in 2006 with Set in Stone. She has now published more than thirty books for children and young adults, including picture-books, and books for early readers and older children. She has twice been shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal, with The Shell House and Sisterland,

Undiscovered Voices 2012 by Maureen Lynas

2012-01-19T09:19:00.000Z

Undiscovered Voices I've just been to the 2012 Undiscovered Voices workshop at Working Partners to meet the team and the other authors who have won this years competition and I'm now all of a twitter so... #amsogratefulto @saragrant @sarao'connor @karenball @elizabethgalloway who did such a fantastic job organising the 2012 Undiscovered Voices competition. Sara Grant A few years ago BI

Happy New Year from the Slushpile!

2011-12-31T06:00:00.009Z

We hope you enjoyed our Countdown to Christmas series (view all the posts again here). Pulling it together was great fun, but there were flurries of emails, last minute schedule changes and chasing up contributors. The stress may have got to us a little in the lead up to Christmas, though ... here is a little peek at the behind-the-scenes madness..... Addy Farmer: Just had an e-mail from

Happy Christmas from All of Us On the Slushpile!

2011-12-25T06:00:00.005Z

... and that was our countdown to Christmas! Thank you to all the editors, agents, authors and other lovely denizens of the children's book world who agreed to contribute. We slushpilers offer you our final, happy wishes ... Addy Addy Farmer: Have the most wonderful time with your family and friends at Christmas and when you return to your writing may you fall in love with all your stories

Countdown to Christmas: Senior Commissioning Editor, Hachette Children's Books, Beverley Birch

2011-12-24T06:00:00.000Z

Beverley Birch, friend and mentor to many slushpilers and published authors alike, gives us the last Advent gift. Beverley is a senior commissioning editor for Hachette Children's Books and three times nominated Brandford Boase editor. She is a writer of more than 40 books including novels, picture books, biographies and retellings of classic works. Her novel, 'Rift' came out in 2006 and you

Countdown to Christmas: Brenda Gardner, Managing Director, Piccadilly Press

2011-12-23T06:00:00.055Z

Brenda Gardner, publisher and MD started Piccadilly Press 28 years ago. Brenda’s experience in publishing was through editorial and she worked for Penguins, W H Allen, and Evans before setting up Piccadilly. Piccadilly won the Independent Publisher’s Award in 2009 after being shortlisted three times and publish across a wide range from picture books to young adult. Brenda Gardner,

Countdown to Christmas: Megan Larkin of Orchard Books

2011-12-22T06:00:00.006Z

Megan Larkin is publishing director of Orchard Books, part of Hachette Children's Books. Orchard Books offers a sparkling range of very special titles that sell all over the world. Picture book characters from Daisy the Duck to Charlie & Lola, authors such as Michael Lawrence and Giles Andreae, illustrators from Jane Ray to Angela Barrett and best-selling fiction series such as Rainbow Magic and

Countdown to Christmas: Librarian Ferelith Hordon

2011-12-21T06:00:00.001Z

Ferelith is the Children's Librarian for Balham Library in the London Borough of Wandsworth. She has been Chair of CILIP Youth Libraries Group which administers the Carnegie and Greenaway Awards. 'I have been a Children’s Librarian now for more years than I care to count – and have never regretted this choice,' she says. 'My passion is reading and I firmly believe that there is at least one

Countdown to Christmas: The Bright Literary Agency part of Bright Group International

2011-12-20T06:00:00.000Z

The Bright Literary Agency part of Bright Group International is a bold and buzzing agency, on the look out for brilliant children's writers. Vicki Willden-Lebrecht Vicki Willden-Lebrecht is the brains behind the group. She wants to keep the heart and soul in a growing business by taking care of the writers and illustrators her agency represents; nurturing and growing their talent

Countdown to Christmas: Senior Commissioning Editor, Mara Bergman, Walker Books

2011-12-19T06:00:00.000Z

Mara has been an editor at Walker Books since 1983 and claims to be part of the furniture but she's far too lively and creative to be that wooden. As well as being a brilliant editor, she is a widely published poet and an award winning picture book writer. Her latest 'Oliver' book is, 'Oliver and the Noisy Baby'. ' Her next book is 'Snip Snap, Look Who's Back!' and is out in February 2012.

Countdown to Christmas: Agent Caroline Sheldon

2011-12-18T06:00:00.001Z

Caroline Sheldon is a literary agent running her eponymous literary agency. "As shoes to Imelda Marcos, so books to me," she writes on her website profile. "I love to read them; I love to hoard them; I love the feel of them". She is always on the lookout for wonderful new books but she says the market is tougher than it’s ever been. My 11 Favourite Books Anna Karenina by Leo

Countdown to Christmas: SCBWI Oxford Critique Group

2011-12-17T06:00:00.047Z

The Oxford Critique Group formed about a year ago, and it’s been a rollercoaster of a year. Along the way we gained a few agents, acquired a few publishing deals (totalling 14 books!) and scored an Undiscovered Voices win. We graced several cafes, pubs and restaurants in our search for the perfect submission. We never found it. We did find members, though, and lost others; we misplaced

Countdown to Christmas: Almost There Authors Nick Cross and Kathryn Evans

2011-12-16T06:00:00.000Z

Almost there authors Nick Cross and Kathryn Evans each share five things that helped with sanity and personal happiness in their journey to publication. Nick, who writes dark and funny fiction for children, is a winner of the 2010 Undiscovered Voices. He blogs on Who Ate My Brain. Kathryn Evans, who swings between dramatic mice and Young Adult fiction, is a one-time actress, farmer's wife and

Countdown to Christmas: Jude Evans of Little Tiger Press

2011-12-15T06:00:00.007Z

Merry Christmas, everyone! I’m publisher of Little Tiger Press, which specialises in picture books and novelty books. It’s the most fantastically surreal existence – one minute you’re in a meeting about contracts or international sales, and the next you’re discussing the emotional authenticity of a story about a jealous bear, or the colour and consistency of elephant snot . . . As a job it’s

Countdown to Christmas: The Poets' Lament

2011-12-14T06:00:00.049Z

We've asked the SCBWI British Isles poetry group to add to the festive cheer with some seasonal angst. Enjoy! (The poets would just like to reassure the readers that any resemblance to any agent alive or dead in any of the following poems is purely accidental and that a license to use poetic licence is pending.) Christmas Meeting. The writers sat inside the pub, Near

Countdown to Christmas: Editorial Director Maurice Lyon, of Children's Books at Frances Lincoln

2011-12-13T06:00:00.001Z

Maurice Lyon is Editorial Director for Children’s Books at Frances Lincoln, now part of the Quarto Group. He has had a long career as a children’s books editor, working for Puffin and Hodder Children’s as well as freelancing for the likes of Scholastic and Simon & Schuster Children’s. Authors he has worked with range from Philip Pullman, Paul Stewart and Jan Mark to Michelle Harrison and

Countdown to Christmas: Julia Churchill of the Greenhouse Agency

2011-12-12T06:00:00.002Z

Julia joined the Greenhouse Agency in 2009, having spent time at both Sheldrake Press and Darley Anderson. She's based in London, looking after the UK side of the agency. Julia loves the treasure hunt of the slushpile (take note, everyone!) and can often be found in various cafes around West London buried in a pile of manuscripts. She can also often be found at British writers' events and is

Countdown to Christmas: Literary Agent Hilary Delamere

2011-12-11T06:00:00.001Z

Christmas wishes from Children's literary agent Hilary Delamere of The Agency represents such stalwarts as Malorie Blackman, Fiona Dunbar, Mini Grey and Raymond Briggs (also newbies like Candy Gourlay). You can view her list and contact details on The Agency website I wish that: 1. Prospero's Books, a perfect bookshop which closed last Christmas Eve, reopens on the same site with the

Countdown to Christmas: Commissioning Editor Jasmine Richards

2011-12-10T06:00:00.239Z

Jasmine is an editor by day and an author by night. So she is perfectly placed to understand both sides of the process. Jasmine has worked in publishing for seven years - working on the Beast Quest series for Working Partners and now senior commissioning editor for Oxford University Press. Jasmine is a keen SCBWI member and one of the judges for the Undiscovered Voices competition. She has

Countdown to Christmas: Writing Coach and Author, Bekki Hill

2011-12-09T06:00:00.000Z

As well as being an aspiring children’s writer, Bekki Hill is a non-fiction author, Mslexia columnist and creativity and motivation coach, who is the author of Coach Yourself to Writing Success. When we asked Bekki what three gifts she’d wish writers to find under their Christmas tree, she said: 1 Earmuffs that filter the voice of unnecessary doubt, because although sometimes the

Countdown to Christmas - Bookseller, Georgina Hanratty

2011-12-08T06:00:00.000Z

Georgina Hanratty is manager of Tales on Moon Lane, an award winning Children’s Independent in South-East London. She has managed the shop for 5 years, is a member of the BA Children’s Executive Committee. Georgina has worked in Children’s bookselling for over 10 years; she started her career at Waterstone’s and became Children’s Dept Manager at Blackwells when she left University. After

Countdown to Christmas - Editor, Amber Caraveo, Orion

2011-12-07T06:00:00.000Z

Amber Caravéo is Editorial Director at Orion Children’s Books. She joined Orion Children's Books in 2010 from Random House.Before that she was at Working Partners, and many years ago she used to create children's titles for a magazine company – heady days when she interviewed stars such as Gordon the Gopher! She has an MA in Children's Literature and has been privileged to work with a host of

Countdown to Christmas: Editor Sarah Odedina of Hot Key Books

2011-12-06T06:00:00.000Z

Sarah Odedina, formerly Editor-in-chief of Bloomsbury's children's division, is the Managing Director of the all new Hot Key Books where the focus will be on fiction for 9 plus. The interesting name derives from the power of stories to open doors and feed the imagination of readers. Sarah Odedina Sarah says that the name also reflects the digital age in which we now live, through its

Countdown to Christmas: Our Wishes for Undiscovered Voices Everywhere

2011-12-05T06:00:00.084Z

Undiscovered Voices Today is the day twelve undiscovered voices will be revealed ... Okinawa Soba We send them huge congratulations and hope they will leap off the slushpile and onto the shelves. But for all who remain undiscovered we offer these good wishes We wish you all a happy ride, We wish you joyful writing. We wish you peace and comfort,

Countdown to Christmas: Publisher Barry Cunningham

2011-12-04T06:00:00.009Z

Barry Cunningham is the co-founder and Publishing and Managing Director of Chicken House Publishing, where he works with authors Cornelia Funke, Brian Williams and Roderick Gordon, Stuart Hill and Rachel Ward. Before the days of the Chicken House, Barry was the founder-Publisher of Bloomsbury Children's Books, where he worked with the likes of Roald Dahl and Spike Milligan and... oh yeah, a

Countdown to Christmas: Commissioning Fiction Editor Helen Boyle of Templar Publishing

2011-12-03T06:00:00.008Z

When she's not tweeting, reading or writing about books, Helen Boyle has two of the best jobs in the world. Editor of tBkmag, a magazine for Peters Bookselling Services aimed at 8-12 yr old readers, and Commissioning Fiction Editor for Templar Publishing's new and exciting Fiction list. Luckily she's a fast reader. Helen Dear Father Christmas, I promise I've been a very good

Countdown to Christmas: Editor Simon Mason of David Fickling Books

2011-12-02T06:00:00.001Z

Simon Mason is an editor at David Fickling Books as well as the Guardian prize nominated author of Moon Pie and the children's series, The Quigleys. Simon's Christmas offering to Slushpilers who have already written their books are five tips on how to get published. Moon Pie by Simon Mason 1 Get an agent. You massively increase you chances of a publisher taking a serious look at your

Countdown to Christmas: Publisher Kate Wilson of Nosy Crow

2011-12-01T06:00:00.012Z

Managing Director of Nosy Crow, Kate has 25 years’ publishing experience. She started her career as a rights seller, before becoming MD of Macmillan Children’s Books, Group MD of Scholastic UK Ltd, and then (briefly!) CEO of Headline. She cares about good books, design, literacy and technology.Since starting Nosy Crow, she likes waking up in the morning.In September 2011, she won the title of

Notes from the Slushpile Counts Down to Christmas!

2011-11-30T06:00:00.000Z

Here at Notes from the Slushpile, we've thrown off economic gloom, dispensed with bah-humbug and we've embraced the warm, fuzzy spirit of Christmas. It is with delight that we give you, dear readers, the gift of insider knowledge. In the run up to the big day, you can enjoy the wise words and advice given by a host of angelic children's book folk. From agents to commissioning editors,

Great Expectations - the SCBWI Winchester Conference and Candy Gourlay

2011-11-24T10:49:00.003Z

by Addy Farmer & all the rest of the Slushpile gang, except one: surprise, Candy!! Stand up for the outstanding Candy Gourlay! Thanks to Kathy Evans for the pic! That's what we did in a packed conference hall - we stood and applauded Candy as she was awarded the Crystal Kite Member Choice Award which is given by the SCBWI to recognise great books from around the world.It is chosen by

Great Expectations at the SCBWI Conference 2011

2011-11-22T06:00:00.001Z

All the links and photos you ever wanted about the 2011 Great Expectations Conference of SBWI British Isles This past weekend we slushpilers five congregated with other devotees to the children's book craft at the Great Expectations conference of SCBWI in the British Isles. It's a generous and friendly conference. Over the years a sense of community has grown, and for many in attendance,

Author Profile Training Day at Hachette

2011-11-21T08:50:00.003Z

by Teri Terry Last week I was very lucky to attend a training day for new authors of Orchard Books and Hodder Children's Books in London. The fast track course was designed to orient, energise and focus new authors, especially - but not exclusively - those new to the publishing process. That's me! It was run by Author Profile, recently founded by publicist and Vampirates author Justin

Surviving the Slushpile: Editing Your Manuscript... After Feedback

2011-11-17T09:36:00.000Z

by Jo Wyton Notes from the Slushpile attempts to make some sense out of the mad scramble for a publishing deal. As the newest slushpile guinea pig, I'm going to attempt to take you all with me... This is the third in new series Surviving the Slushpile, where we'll highlight some of the highs and lows of the slushpile journey.Today, it's the turn of

Undiscovered Voices 2012: The Long-List

2011-11-13T23:31:00.001Z

by Jo Wyton The time is nigh. Well, nearly. In a few weeks, the winners of the SCBWI Undiscovered Voices 2012 competition will be announced. 25 writers made the long-list (which, if we’re being honest, is really a short-list). In a dramatic plot twist, only 12 will go on to have their 4000-word extracts published in the Undiscovered Voices anthology in February… The SCBWI

Bloodied and Bandaged: My Arvon Experience

2011-11-09T17:36:00.019Z

by Jo Wyton Last week I attended an Arvon Foundation course in the rainy depths of Shropshire, and I will just say up front that it was fantastic! My course ran at the John Osborne centre at the HurstFor those unfamiliar with Arvon, it’s a charitable foundation set up in 1968 by John Fairfax and John Moat, both close friends of Ted Hughes. They have a number of houses dotted around the UK, all in

Surviving the Slushpile ...as a dyslexic

2011-10-12T23:59:00.011+01:00

by Sally Poyton Guest Blogger Notes from the Slushpile attempts to make some sense out of the mad scramble for a publishing deal. As the newest slushpile guinea pig, I'm going to attempt to take you all with me... This is the second in new series Surviving the Slushpile, where we'll highlight some of the highs and lows of the slushpile journey. Sally Poyton is knee-deep in the slushpile

Oxfordshire Book Awards - or 300: The Remake

2011-10-10T23:59:00.002+01:00

by Jo Wyton Last Thursday was the day of the Oxfordshire Book Awards, held at Abingdon School. I attended as part of a team of volunteers/well-bribed peoples (Sally Poyton and Gabby Aquilina) to help the brilliant Mostly Books independent bookshop sell books to the children / teachers / librarians in attendance. The Oxfordshire Book Awards have been running for a few years now - the books

Surviving the Slushpile ... for the very first time

2011-10-05T23:56:00.010+01:00

by Jo Wyton Notes from the Slushpile attempts to make some sense out of the mad scramble for a publishing deal. As the newest slushpile guinea pig, I'm going to attempt to take you all with me... This is the first in new series Surviving the Slushpile, where we'll highlight some of the highs and lows of the slushpile journey. First up, it's the start of the slushpile adventure - the

What agents want: the SCBWI Agents Party

2011-10-01T09:17:00.004+01:00

By Addy Farmer, Candy Gourlay and Teri Terry A video warm up for the party Three of us came to the recent Agent's Party organized by SCBWI British Isles at the Theodore Bullfrog in Charing Cross. It's one of the key events of the SCBWI calendar and though two of us already had agents, we just couldn't bring outselves to sit out the buzz of what is always a consciousness raising evening (plus

Living the Dream: quitting the day job to write full time

2011-09-28T11:59:00.067+01:00

by Teri Terry Wanted: Writer. Must live in own world and listen to voices in head, be able to work in PJ’s, and enjoy Pringles or jammy doughnuts for lunch. Dealing with irregular income and a complete absence of job security required. Dreamers may apply.For many of us writers, the thought of quitting the day job to write full time is a bit of a holy grail: the thing we sigh at, and hope for.Of

Does writing affect one's love of reading?

2011-09-26T00:15:00.084+01:00

By Candy Gourlay Kuper's piece in last Saturday's FT Magazine In this past weekend's FT Magazine, Simon Kuper wrote a piece entitled How I lost my love of reading - the illustration by Luis Granena was of a man struggling to carry massive tomes on his back. Kuper writes: My daughter (age five) simply lives the book. Better, she doesn't know yet that books are both status symbols and good for

Finding your voice - a SCBWI masterclass with Beverley Birch

2011-09-19T05:00:00.000+01:00

By Addy Farmer The lovely Beverley Birch! How do you make Beverley Birch sit up straight? How do make a senior commissioning editor for Hachette Children's books, three times nominated Brandford Boase editor listen? You sing. You find your voice and you sing to her. Simple, right? Pick your tune, put the notes in the right order and belt it out. Well, of course not. Finding your voice and

Tips for a Writer Wrangler: Advice for Family and Friends of Writers

2011-08-14T21:58:00.024+01:00

Writer Wrangler (N): someone who has voluntarily, or involuntarily, come into possession of a writer By Katy Wyton, Guest Blogger In the summer of 2005, I was just a poor, unsuspecting 13 year-old. I had two older sisters who doted on me, and spent their 'hard-earned' money on me. Then it happened: my eldest sister became infected with the sickness known as "Writing". Of course, my parents took

That'll be the Debut - fourth of a series - Picture Book Writers

2011-07-28T00:00:00.003+01:00

by Addy Farmer Featuring Juliet Clare Bell, Linda Ravin Lodding and Julie Fulton On Notes from the Slushpile, we chronicle the slings and arrows of trying to make a dream come true so we get embarrassingly excited about debut authors. In our new series That’ll Be The Debut, we meet debut authors and get the lowdown on what life is like beyond the Slushpile. Here is the fourth of the series in

Margaret Carey

2011-07-26T14:55:00.005+01:00

By Candy Gourlay Margaret Carey My friend Margaret Carey died on Sunday and I am so sad. I realize as I write "friend" that really, I occupied only a very tiny part of Margaret's life. Clowning around on our way to the Bologna Children's Book Festival in 2008 with Margaret and illustrators Anne Marie Perks and Sarah McIntyre Looking back now, I didn't know much about Margaret's

That'll be the Debut - third of a series - YA debutantes!

2011-07-21T00:00:00.188+01:00

By Candy Gourlay Featuring Angela Cerrito, Sara Grant and Paula Rawsthorne On Notes from the Slushpile, many of us are chasing down the dream of getting published. So when that dream comes true, it's time to celebrate! This is the third of our new series That’ll Be The Debut, where we meet debut authors who are finally leaving the Slushpile behind. Today's three have all written Young Adult

Teri Terry on Winning Stuff at Conferences: Take Two

2011-07-18T08:20:00.003+01:00

by Teri TerryAbout a year ago, I blogged about winning stuff at the 30th Winchester Writers Conference: an interview by Candy Gourlay, complete with shocking ending.Now I’ve just recently gone to the latest WWC. Given it was the day after the news broke about my amazing book deal with Orchard Books!!, I was a little, shall we say, DISTRACTED.the total contents of my brain looked much like thisI

Harry Potter and the Fabulous Feasts

2011-07-14T08:09:00.001+01:00

By Maureen Lynas It’s Potter time again and all over the country, cinemas are serving canapé’s of Potter films before presenting this year’s main course to the nation. And it got me thinking about JK Rowling’s use of food. Did she pop food in the books as a garnish? Is it there just to give the characters something to do with their hands? Or to allow them to discuss the next step of the plot

Marketing for (Almost) Authors

2011-07-11T00:00:00.134+01:00

By Jo Wyton How much marketing is an author expected to do? How much does marketing cost? How do you go about marketing your book? What the hell is marketing? All questions posed by Nick Cross at the recent SCBWI retreat. He was faced with a standing-room-only room of writers: some aspiring, some nearly there, and others already there and figuring out answers to the above questions right now.

Is Young Adult fiction safe for young adults to read? Discussing darkness in teen fiction

2011-07-08T00:00:00.209+01:00

By Jackie Marchant Guest Blogger ‘Contemporary fiction for teens is rife with explicit abuse, violence and depravity’ Discuss. Is it? Does it matter? Should we write this stuff? Should we rinse our pens out with soap and water and slap ourselves on the wrists for putting such depraved thoughts on paper? I went to a recent CBC meeting, where the recent outpourings from Wall Street columnist

Writing's a struggle. And then Life gets in the way.

2011-07-06T00:15:00.031+01:00

By Maxine Linnell Guest Blogger What happens when life crashes in the path of what we think we know about ourselves – and about life itself? What happens to the writing - can it go on, and how will it change? That’s what has happened to me – and what I’m waiting to find out. I was a late developer as a writer, finding so many things got in the way. I started to write seriously five years ago,

That'll be the Debut - second of a series

2011-07-04T00:11:00.012+01:00

By Addy Farmer Featuring Janet Foxley, Caroline Green and Helen Peters On Notes from the Slushpile, we chronicle the slings and arrows of trying to make a dream come true so we get embarrassingly excited about debut authors. Last week, we launched our new series That’ll Be The Debut, where we meet debut authors and get the lowdown on what life is like beyond the Slushpile. Here is the second of

It's a deal! Teri Terry and Slated find a home with Orchard Books

2011-06-30T23:59:00.027+01:00

by Teri TerryI’m very excited to announce that I’ve got a three book deal with Megan Larkin at Orchard Books for my futuristic thriller, SLATED! Book 1 will be out in May, 2012! And books 2 and 3 of the trilogy are planned for twelve month intervals thereafter.Somebody, pinch me...A year ago this seemed a dim possibility. All those long months spent freezing in the Writing Shack last winter:

That'll be the Debut!

2011-06-27T00:15:00.161+01:00

By Candy Gourlay Featuring David Cousins, Katie Dale and Bryony Pearce On Notes from the Slushpile, we chronicle the slings and arrows of trying to make a dream come true so we get embarrassingly excited about debut authors. This is the first of our new series That’ll Be The Debut, where we meet debut authors and get the lowdown on what life is like beyond the Slushpile. Our first three

School Visits: It's Not all Wizards and Cake

2011-06-23T18:15:00.006+01:00

by Addy Farmer You know how it is. The Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry rings you up (again) and says please can you come and do your spellbinding session on muggle stories. They'll pay a hefty 1000 galleons, a complimentary set of Gryffindor robes and as many packets of Hob Nobs as a house elf can carry. No? Well, maybe you arrive un-noticed at a school and find that you're

How to Take a Critique on the Chin

2011-06-21T16:54:00.001+01:00

By Maureen Lynas There are two types of critiques, the face to face, the report that lands on the doormat...There are three types of critiques, the face to face, the report that lands on the door mat, the online supportive group of friends...There are four types of critiques... the first three plus the online site where no one knows anyone and you get a message that says, I'll critique yours if

Pitching on the Elevator

2011-06-20T08:27:00.000+01:00

A quicky today. Watch this Then read this ... (I'm a published author now - yeah, yeah - but Nicola Morgan's refresher on pitching will be useful, whatever stage of the game you're in)

Back to School with A Writers Skill Sharing Day in Birmingham

2011-06-16T06:00:00.009+01:00

By Addy Farmer schools - gotta love 'em Let's imagine, just as an example, that you have one chapter book and one picture book published and another coming out in 2012 with say, Frances Lincoln (hem-hem). Let's also say you want to go into schools to supplement your meagre income. So far so good but then come the challenges: As an individual, it's tough-going building up relationships with

EastEnders scripwriter Carey Andrews gives us the lowdown on writing for TV

2011-06-13T00:17:00.027+01:00

by Teri TerryCarey Andrews has written over eighty episodes of East Enders over the last eleven years. A local freelance writer, she is one of about a dozen core writers for the show.Carey spoke about Writing for TV at the Chiltern Writers last week. And her enthusiasm and energy were contagious.How did she get there?Carey wanted to act, but after drama school, dodgy agents and a growing hatred

Candy Gourlay Battles Exposition at the SCBWI Retreat

2011-06-09T10:34:00.006+01:00

by Jo WytonGuest Blogger Jo Wyton is another talented writing buddy from SCBWI. She is a geologist with a thoroughly impractical interest in rocks and an even more impractical interest in getting published. With deadlines looming, she is desperately trying to prop up the pile of unfinished manuscripts on her desk with one hand whilst trying to chase the elusive words 'The End' with the other.

Inspired by ... Ghosts

2011-06-06T00:33:00.028+01:00

By Fiona Dunbar Guest Blogger So here's a blog idea: what inspired your current work-in-progress? Do tell us in a comment or in a blog post (send us the link so that we can list it at the bottom of this post). Our askee in this post is Fiona Dunbar, author of Toonhead, The Pink Chameleon, and the Lulu Baker trilogy. Fiona has a new ghost mystery series starring Kitty Slade, who has something

The Arvon Experience

2011-06-02T15:16:00.003+01:00

By Maureen Lynas It is possible that my experience of going on a Writing for Children, course at the Lumb Bank Arvon Centre, in 2010, was unusual. It is possible that I am prone to exaggeration. It is also possible that I live a very sheltered writerly life in my loft with only my keyboard for company, and I succumbed to ‘Writer’s Euphoria’ in the presence of seventeen other children’s

Publisher Kate Wilson: As The Nosy Crow Flies!

2011-05-22T17:55:00.001+01:00

By Addy Farmer Kate Wilson, founder and MD of Nosy Crow, landed at the Lincoln Book Festival on Saturday 14th May. Refusing all offers of food and rest, Kate flew up the stairs and perched on her seat to talk about what Nosy Crow was all about. Update! View the trailer for Nosy Crow's new app - Cinderella Enough with the bird analogies and down to the Nosy Crow business and Kate's

Authors United ... the rise and rise of the group blog

2011-05-17T16:27:00.003+01:00

By Candy Gourlay According to the New York Times, blogging has had its moment - young people are turning to the social networks for their fix of news and community. Indeed, after years of mastering website Search Engine Optimization (while doing my day job as a web designer), my internet gurus are now suddenly spouting Social Media Optimization. Interestingly though, SMO is all about creating

SCBWI Revision Masterclass: Sara Grant is Born Again

2011-05-08T19:27:00.024+01:00

by Teri Terry On Saturday I attended a SCBWI Masterclass: Sara Grant's Revision Game. Sara is a writer and senior commissioning editor at Working Partners. Her first YA novel Dark Parties will be published in the US (Little, Brown), UK (Orion) and Germany (Droemer) in 2011. At Working Partners she has helped plot, write and revise more than fifty books for children of all ages, and she is a

Tall Story wins first Crystal Kite Member's Choice Award!

2011-05-03T12:43:00.001+01:00

... for EUROPE! It's the inaugural outing of this award, in which members vote for titles from out of their domestic or continental (not America) region. SCBWI says it's the only peer-given awards in publishing for young readers ...which makes it even dearer to me because I've been a devotee of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators for ten years now. All I can say is —

Musings on Muses

2011-04-29T15:06:00.002+01:00

By Addy Farmer Guest Blogger Who does it for YOU? Muse wise, I mean. Maybe you already have one lolling about somewhere? Maybe you scoff at the very idea of a Muse or perhaps you are already a daughter of Zeus and can do your own musing thank you very much. The necessity for one of these divine creatures may well depend on the sort of writer you are. There are those who splurge out words until

London Book Fair 2011: Confessions of a Badly Dressed Author

2011-04-13T14:40:00.023+01:00

by Teri TerryThis year marks the 40th anniversary of the London Book Fair. The website touts it as 'the perfect place to meet with over 23,000 industry professionals... for three days of education, networking and business opportunities dedicated to making words go further.'The entrance to the 'deal or no deal' of the publishing industryAnd it’s big. But what is it all about?

Undiscovered Voices: the Launch!

2011-04-09T17:09:00.024+01:00

by Teri TerryUndiscovered Voices 2012 is open for submissions! And it isn't just any writing competition. Thirteen of the twenty-four children's writers featured in the first two anthologies of winning fiction novels have since either published or are under contract. So join the SCBWI British Isles as quick as you can, and enter! The launch was Tuesday 5th April, and I was there.We lurked at the

Incompetence - The Series. Episode Four - Me Competent? Really? WOW! Yay! Maybe.

2011-04-04T09:40:00.042+01:00

by Maureen Lynas NE Regional Advisor SCBWI Previously on Incompetence - The Series: Episode One- Unconscious Incompetence Our very excited Lesser-spotted Red-faced Authors have hatched from their egg of unconscious incompetence and discovered a world in which - they don't know what they don't know. Please Note : If you've just read the first episode and found no reference to the

Incompetence - The Series

2011-04-02T15:34:00.000+01:00

Previously on Incompetence- The Series: Episode One Our very excited Lesser-spotted Red-faced Authors have hatched from their egg of unconscious incompetence and discovered a world in which they don't know what they don't know. Please Note : If you've just read the first episode and found no reference to the Lesser-spotted Red-faced Author blame my incompetence and lack of imagination at

Writing is hard, right? Teenage Kicks at Random House

2011-03-27T20:31:00.018+01:00

By Teri Terry"A writer is someone for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people." - Thomas Mann This is so true. Every word must be the right word, the only one that in combination with all the other right words, sentences and paragraphs creates a chain that leads all the way from page one to ‘the end’ in an inevitable, flawless jigsaw, where the ending isn’t suspected but gives

The Class of 2010: Undiscovered Voices One Year On

2011-03-23T19:24:00.004Z

By Nick Cross Guest Blogger Undiscovered Voices is SCBWI British Isles' genius scheme to get twelve of its members' work under the noses of the biggest and best in children's publishing. With the 2012 competition kicking off in just a couple of weeks, Nick Cross – one of last year's winners – reports on the difference a year makes: Winners on the night of the Undiscovered Voices reception: Left

Scattered Authors Society Conference: Diary of a Wimpy Vampire Author

2011-03-17T13:13:00.004Z

By Tim Collins Guest Blogger I'm very proud to say that just the other day, our guest blogger Tim Collins won the 2011 Manchester City Fiction Award for his book Diary of a Wimpy Vampire: The Undead have Feelings Too. He has recently completed a sequel called Prince of Dorkness, which is out in May. Like many authors, he's got a day job - he works in advertising, which probably explains his

World Book Night: Return of the Reader

2011-03-07T14:53:00.049Z

By Jo WytonGuest BloggerJo is another talented writing buddy from SCBWI. She is a geologist with a thoroughly impractical interest in rocks and an even more impractical interest in getting published. With deadlines looming, she is desperately trying to prop up the pile of unfinished manuscripts on her desk with one hand whilst trying to chase the elusive words 'The End' with the other. For some

The Space Between

2011-02-27T14:33:00.004Z

By Addy Farmer Guest Blogger So I'm at Point A ready to take flight. I'm wearing my sparkly Captain's uniform and I'm just brimming with confidence, eager to reach Point B. I have a fabulous crew of top notch characters, well rounded yet vulnerable, all ready to do my bidding. My ship is beautifully constructed both inside and out. With such a crew, with such a craft surely a swift flight

Sara O'Connor's Writer's Survival Guide

2011-02-11T11:04:00.043Z

by Teri TerryThe lovely, enthusiastic and multi-talented Sara O’Connor spoke to the Chiltern Writers in Wendover last night. Sara is senior editorial manager for fiction at Hodder Children’s Books. Previously she was senior commissioning editor for book packagers extraordinaire, Working Partners, and she is also co-editor of the wonderful Undiscovered Voices anthology, the SCBWI competition for

Guest Blogger Maureen Lynas: Happy New Competence!

2011-02-06T22:16:00.003Z

Previously on Incompetence- The Series: Episode One: Our very excited Lesser-spotted Red-faced Authors have hatched from their egg of unconscious incompetence and discovered a world in which they don't know what they don't know. Please Note : If you've just read the first episode and found no reference to the Lesser-spotted Red-faced Author blame my incompetence and lack of imagination at the

Library Visits…. from 'The Other Side'

2011-02-03T09:07:00.016Z

By Teri TerryI’m not referring to holding a séance, here. Though, if it could work and you could get Roald Dahl or C.S. Lewis or the like in for an afternoon, that would be interesting. But that isn’t today’s topic. Instead, I’m putting my other hat on for a moment, and looking at author visits from the library’s point of view. Disclaimer: These are purely the views of the blog author (meaning

NYC 2011: Sara Zarr gives the speech that she wanted to hear

2011-01-30T21:05:00.016Z

By Candy Gourlay Reports from the 2011 Winter Conference of the Society for Children's Book Writers and Illustrators I didn't manage to get a good shot of Sara so here's a nice portrait I found on several blogs Note: This post has been abridged extensively since it was first posted. I'm afraid my detailed notes threw up some copyright issues and I have had to scale back my piece. Apologies to

Build Your Own Website: The Trouble With Pictures

2011-01-23T22:31:00.011Z

I created this for my Twitter profile after an author friend reminded me how important it was to keep yourbook cover on people's minds. I now use it on Facebook and other online profiles such as my profile image when comment on blogs. By Candy Gourlay We're almost at the end of our Build Your Own Website series ... there is of course plenty of stuff we haven't covered, but what we have will

Build Your Own Website: Designing Your Page With Bananas

2011-01-15T17:45:00.006Z

By Candy Gourlay Continuing the Build Your Own Website discussion over at the SCBWI message board. We've already discussed WHO you're doing it for ... and we've had a look at the platforms; AND we've talked about blogging ... or not. Now you've got your blog/website, how do you design it so people do what you want them to do?When you come upon a new website, how many seconds do you hang around

Build Your Own Website: Why you should / should not blog

2011-01-09T22:35:00.003Z

By Candy Gourlay Continuing the Build Your Own Website discussion over at the SCBWI message board. We've already discussed WHO you're doing it for ... and we've had a look at the platforms available for an author to build a website with as little expense as possible (this is not for the select few who have marketing budgets). Now comes the question that those of us authors and authors-in-waiting

Build Your Own Website: Which Site Platform?

2011-01-07T09:05:00.015Z

By Candy Gourlay Continuing the big Build Your Own Website discussion over at the British SCBWI message board. In case you have come late to this discussion, we are looking at ways by which authors can build their own websites at minimal or no cost. So our big question today is: which site platform should you use? I am listing the ones I have actually tried out. If you would like to recommend

Build Your Own Website: Who is Your Audience?

2011-01-05T16:50:00.002Z

By Candy Gourlay Over on the SCBWI Yahoo Group, it's Build Your Own Website Month. One of the first questions faced by any author considering an online profile, blog or website is Who is My Audience? I thought this list might help ... With one MASSIVE CAVEAT: THE BOOK COMES FIRST. It's all very well getting through to these but have you got something they would want? Our priorities should be: 1

Guest Blogger Maureen Lynas: If You’re Incompetent And You Know It Clap Your Hands.

2010-12-20T09:10:00.001Z

Part Two of a series Read Part One - Writerly Incompetence Can Be Cured Noooo! by Fabbio David Attenborough would probably describe the cry of the Lesser-spotted Red-faced Author as a wail, commonly preceded by a thump on the doormat or a ping in the inbox. It goes something like this – NooooooooooOOOOOOOOooooooooo! Two types of behaviour have been noted following this cry. It isn't known why

The Fine Art of Procrastination

2010-12-13T20:08:00.015Z

By Teri TerryProcrastinateVerbDELAY, put off doing something, postpone action, defer action, be dilatory, use delaying tactics, stall, temporize, drag’s one feet/heels, take one’s time, play for time, play a waiting game…(Mac desktop Thesaurus) I once bought a book called ‘The Procrastinator’s Guide to Success’, but I never got around to reading it. This sounds a good opening line, but it is

Scott Westerfeld on what Steampunk is and why it would be cool to have illustrated novels

2010-12-11T13:19:00.011Z

Illustration from Leviathan by Keith Thompson - view more art from the books or buy artwork By Candy Gourlay I'm kinda late to this Ustream discussion with YA/sci fi author Scott Westerfield answering questions live but I found the discussion so fascinating I thought I should share it on the blog. I've been following Scott Westerfeld since I read his Uglies trilogy (which has four books) and

These books deserve your undivided attention

2010-12-08T18:15:00.006Z

By Candy Gourlay I visited my dentist the other day and had one of those inadvertent fillings. Lovely Chris the Dentist, as dentists are wont, plied me for the latest information about my book sales as he dug around, searching for my tonsils. He was rather shocked to hear that since I visited him last (to have an inlay reseated), I had failed to inform the little bookshop next door to his

Open Book and Mariella Frostrup Interview YA authors

2010-12-06T08:46:00.018Z

by Teri TerryIs a bit of your brain still a teenager? If so, YA may be just the thing…I’d like to think that one day, Mariella Frostrup might interview me on my latest best seller. There is one flaw with this, though: she is just way too scary. That could turn from dream to nightmare in seconds.She’d probably have me quivering in the corner with insightful questions, spot every flaw in my writing

Guest Blogger Maureen Lynas: Writerly Incompetence Can Be Cured

2010-12-05T17:20:00.008Z

Part One of a Series Read Part Two - If You're Incompetent and You Know It Clap Your Hands Maureen Lynas is an ex-teacher and literacy consultant who believes that with a bit more work and a load more willpower, resolve, fortitude, doggedness, tenacity, persistence, diligence, grit and determination, she will eventually win a publishing deal for Boggarty Bog’s Tasty Teeth. Or Kissy Wissy. Or

Fight for Our Libraries

2010-12-03T17:56:00.005Z

Tweet to Save Libraries on this Hashtag #CFTB My school library rescued me. It gave me companionship at a lonely time in my life. And it transformed my future. Reading the dismissive comments left by readers on Catherine Bennett's piece about library closures in the Guardian made me sick to my stomach. There is another discussion to be had about how libraries should change because times

Bye Bye Libraries. Bye Bye Civilization.

2010-12-01T16:07:00.000Z

That's the gist of Catherine Bennett's piece for the Guardian, listing all the closures expected in the coming government cost-cutting exercise. THINK! Kill a library and live with the consequences. Anyone who loves reading (or writing) will want to bang their heads on the wall if they read the comments below the piece, such as this one from someone calling themselves Taxpayer555: Close

How to post a podcast/recording on your website

2010-11-28T23:41:00.012Z

By Candy Gourlay This is a quickie tutorial on how to put a podcast (a.k.a. a sound file such as you reading aloud from your book!) on your website or blog. Yes, this could be you! I've just posted a recording of me reading from Tall Story on my other blog (it's on the sidebar, helpfully titled "Listen to me read an excerpt from Tall Story"). Do let me know what you think. What you need to

So You Want to Write a Novel

2010-11-27T15:46:00.000Z

Posted by Candy Gourlay Thanks to Fiona Dunbar for the heads up on this one! If you're on Facebook and can't see the video, you can watch it on YouTube Congrats to all the people who made it to 50k on Nanowrimo ... and to any who didn't - just keep writing!

His Royal Beardship Philip Ardagh Responds to Writerly Questions

2010-11-23T21:29:00.012Z

Posted by Candy Gourlay The SCBWI* gang recently had Philip Ardagh as guest author on the SCBWI message board. (*Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators British Isles - phew!) Photo © Angus Bremner Philip was just one of many excitements on the SCBWI message board since we introduced competitive moderation - in which moderators change monthly and try to outdo each other in

Guest Blogger Rebecca Colby: Ten Commandments of a Serious Writer

2010-11-17T13:04:00.003Z

Rebecca Colby's photo, writing with a baby on her lap, is one of my favourite images from the 10th birthday video of SCBWI. She is one of the 'almost-there's' of SCBWI's unpublished fraternity, one of those unpublished writers who make winning prizes a past-time, while waiting for the undeserved rejection slips to change their tune. At SCBWI's recent whizz-bang 10th birthday conference, Rebecca,

SCBWI British Isles is Ten!

2010-11-15T13:16:00.006Z

This is actually a momentous occasion, folks: the very first post by my new blogging partner Teri Terry! That's her pictured right. Now that my fortunes have changed, I've started a new blog (please follow me, so I don't look so unloved). The blog is targeted at readers. Notes from the Slushpile has always been focused on writers and so shall it remain. I think in this new age where there are so