Final part of the SCBWIs Conference - The Edge

This is the very final post on the SCBWIs conference I promise but the topic is very relevant to my own writing and is my research area. On the Sunday I attended The Edge Panel comprising of authors who write for The Edge Blog including: Miriam Halahmy, Dave Cousins,Bryony Pearce, Sara Grant and Paula Rawsthorne. They are all authors of 'edgy' books. As someone who has done a whole PhD on the ideas behind 'edgy' books I found myself very relieved when I was agreeing with everything they were saying. Maybe my research wasn't too far off the mark!

 Firstly what is 'edgy' fiction? They suggested it would be issue driven and contentious, though they did point out that issues can differ from person to person. They also highlighted how if you were too passionate about trying to get a message about issues across you could lose sight of your story. This was a message that hit home for me. HAM AND JAM was the second novel for my PhD. The first had to be abandoned for exactly that reason. I was so busy trying to get sex, drugs and alcohol into the narrative I lost sight of any potential story. It was like walking through treacle. The story felt forced and contrived so was placed in a very deep bottom drawer after my Upgrade. Luckily, and eventually, the idea for HAM AND JAM appeared which was totally story driven.

The panel also suggested you have to be comfortable with what you are writing whilst also being willing to stand by what you have said if you are dealing with contentious issues. The team came up with some excellent tips for writing for YAs including needing lots for the reader to connect with. It was also suggested that you should have a post it note near where you write just saying: 'Entertaining! Gripping! Thought Provoking! Engaging!' You need to ask yourself does my writing meet these requirements throughout. A good reminder. It was also suggested that you should treat each chapter as a scene with the idea you should 'jump into the middle of the scene and hit the ground running.' In other words, 'late in and early out'. Really good advice.

 As someone who already has an elderly character, Finley McGinley, in my novel I was very pleased to here the panel say that YAs might drive the story but there is nothing stopping you having other adults in there. Phew! Another good tip was to be careful with slang, technology, films and music - what is contemporary and cutting edge now may have disappeared off the scene by the time your book is published. Go generic or make it up was the suggestion.

 All in all it was a great panel and I now have a pile of books to read as at the time of the conference I had only read Miriam's excellent book HIDDEN but am now the proud owner of THE TRUTH ABOUT CELIA FROST, ANGEL'S FURY and DARK PARTIES with FIFTEEN DAYS WITHOUT A HEAD now on pre-order. I know what I will be reading over Christmas.

 Now an aside, today I was taken totally by surprise, a very good friend presented me with a signed copy of his book which I have watched evolve with great delight over the past year and have had many discussions about. And yes, I confess, I am thrilled by it because it was so unexpected.Thank you AM

 And now a bit of Norah Jones because it is Friday at the end of week 10 and I am very tired so the thought of going away somewhere sounds very appealing instead I have a weekend of marking planned.

SCBWIs Conference # 2

Australian Aborigines say that the big stories — the stories worth telling and retelling, the ones in which you may find the meaning of your life — are forever stalking the right teller, sniffing and tracking like predators hunting their prey in the bush.(Robert Moss, Dreamgates) This was one of the quotes used in Frank Cottrell Boyce's keynote speech, which was both amusing and inspiring. Like everyone there I will never think of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in the same away again! He talked about reading raising expectations, which is so true. As writers we can provide the 'tools [for readers] to read this world carefully and critically' ('Learning to Read', Children's Literature Assocation Quarterly, 1997 Vol 22 No 3). It is a chance for us, as writers, to provide readers with a vicarious experience allowing them to make decisions on how they might react in certain situations - for more information on this idea see my PhD and Andrew Melrose's new book Here Comes the Bogeyman. Cottrell Boyce also pointed out that children's books lead you towards adulthood. But, as he said, reading is about so much more, it is about wanting to share something wonderful and passing it on. It is about having a story that they want to read in the first place. It is about having a narrative that makes them want to turn the page and finish the book. It is about great books. Frank continued by saying: 'A tale isn't beautiful until it has been added to!' (Very pertinent to someone who teaches textual intervention)

 In which case, may all of you potential writers that attended the SCBWI Conference (or couldn't make it this year) find that big story that is stalking you and make it into a beautiful tale that has been added to. For more information on Anthony McGowan's sessions on plotting and controversy check out Laura Atkins' brilliant blog http://www.lauraatkins.com/newblog/blog7.php/scbwi-bi-conference-anthony-mcgowan-1 and http://www.lauraatkins.com/newblog/blog7.php/scbwi-bi-conference-anthony-mcgowan These were both fantastic sessions but I really couldn't add any more to these excellent posts.

 The SCBWI conference was a great place to remember why you write stories for children. For a start, it was a great leveler as you were surrounded by aspiring authors, multi-award winning authors, illustrators, publishers, editors and agents, but you couldn't always tell who was who as everyone is too busy chatting to worry about who someone might be. Though I did wonder if Anthony McGowan thought I might be stalking him as I attended both his sessions - it was pure interest honest! It was also a great place for Facebook Blind Date - or rather a chance to meet 'for real' all those people you have been talking to for months via fb. Also, if you need a reminder as to how welcoming and apparently buoyant children's publishing is make sure you become a member of SCBWI and then attend next year's conference. Part three on The Edge Panel to follow shortly!

 Here is another Ed Sheeran song because it is very relevant to my PhD. And I hope one day soon both parts of which will be books ;-)

2011 SCBWI Conference

Or you know when you've been SCWBI'd when:*

1) Your head is buzzing and you see inspiration around every corner. 
2) You meet up with many fb friends find that they are just delightful in ‘real life’.
 3) You are told by an author, who you have admired for years, “but you know more than I do!” Even if he didn't mean it, it felt good!
 4) You get to lie down on the job….or rather you get to play the denouement for Anthony McGowan!**
 5) You meet an agent who doesn’t bite your head off and spit it out. And also doesn’t say ‘What on earth makes you think you can write?’
 6) You are surrounded by like-minded people who get just as excited as you about writing for children.
 7) You hear Frank Cottrell Boyce say ‘A tale isn’t beautiful until it is added to.’**
 8) You hear a member of the industry panel say ‘Don’t look at what’s selling, write what you want.’**
 9) You hear a group of authors who write ‘Edgy’ YA fiction who all spoke so passionately about a subject that is so important to me.**
 10)You get to read Candy Gourlay’s speech which makes you realise what is possible and not to give up. (Wished I could have heard it but the body had other ideas as it always seems to)
 11) You can’t wait to get back to the computer to start writing as, and going back to where I started, you see inspiration round every corner.
 *with thanks to Nick Cross
 ** There will be more detailed posts on these at a later date
 This is Ed Sheeran with his Lego House, just because he is my new favourite and I have just got his CD!