It's been a while since I wrote on this blog. Life has been busy.
My partner, Rob Parnell, and I were accepted into a TV Mini Lab sponsored by SA Film Corporation. Then we were accepted into a Writing for Film workshop sponsored by SA Film Corporation and the Australian Writers' Guild.
And now Christmas is almost upon us. Rob and I don't send Christmas cards because we want to save trees. We're conscious of the environment! I'm a big fan of Mother Nature.
So here's our Christmas message to you: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_profilepage&v=W4ecDSlQTyw
Please keep in touch as I continue to blog in the new year. All the best in 2011. I wish you every success!
Warm regards,
Robyn Opie
http://www.robynopie.com
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Research for a Children's Book Part Two
Welcome to 'Part Two' on researching a children's book.
To recap from my previous blog entry, my partner and I sat down to watch a documentary. After the documentary, my interest in the Maya of the Classic Period (250 to 900 AD) was reignited. I was inspired and knew I wanted to write a children's book about...
That was it. All I had. An inkling. A smoldering. Something lurking in my mind. But what?
I went to the library and borrowed the book the documentary was based on. I sat down and read. I didn't know if reading the book would help me write a children's book. But what did I have to lose? Hopefully I had plenty to gain.
The book I read was non-fiction and definitely for adults. My idea needed to be suitable for children.
I knew I wanted to write a children's book. So my intention was set in my mind as I read the adult non-fiction.
From the start, I enjoyed the non-fiction book. Still, I had no ideas for a children's book. I kept reading.
As the weeks went by, slowly, bit by bit, a brief plot outline came to me. The character came first, like she appeared in my mind. Initially, I didn't know her story. She stayed with me as I kept reading the non-fiction book. Perhaps, as time went on, she realized I was serious and began to allow me snippets of her story.
At one stage, I doubted a plot would eventuate. The bits I had weren't enough. But by the time I finished reading the non-fiction book I was ready to start a detailed plot outline. I could scarcely believe it. How had I managed to conjure a plot idea from reading a non-fiction book? I'd had nothing, then I had a morsel, a crumb, then another piece, until finally I had a main character and a plot idea in my head.
The only way I can explain it is that the non-fiction book inspired the bits and pieces, until they came together into some form of story - my children's book. If I hadn't been reading the non-fiction book, then I wouldn't have been thinking about the subject and I wouldn't have come up with the little morsels. They were all mine, conjured from my imagination, based on my interests. Still, inspiration must come from somewhere.
Please note, I didn't begin writing until I'd finished the non-fiction book. I felt as if I needed to complete my reading, at least of this one book, before I started writing my own.
I sat down at my computer and worked on a detailed plot outline. I needed to do more research on the internet because the story required a secondary location in Mexico.
Okay, after about two days, I had my story outlined on approximately four sheets of computer paper - single-spaced. Naturally, the Maya of the Classic Period featured in my story. After all, my original inkling was inspired by a documentary that involved the Maya.
The next step was to read more about the Maya, so I could include a little of this research in my story. I didn't want to bog readers down with research material but I needed some information to give the story credibility, add to realism and, in a way, make me an authority - that is, the best person to write my book.
I've learned a lot more about the Maya than has appeared in my manuscript. I only slipped in snippets that were necessary to the story - or added to the story. The rest of my research was for me. First, because I'm interested in the subject. Second, because I find writing a story easier if I can immerse myself in the subject, theme or location.
However, as I mentioned in previous blog posts, my story doesn't just include the Maya. The story drew on several of my interests. That's what makes it a unique story - unique to me.
More on that later. For now, I hope you enjoyed reading about my experiences in researching a children's book. If you'd like to read further information about my latest manuscript, please visit again.
All the best,
Robyn Opie
http://www.robynopie.com
To recap from my previous blog entry, my partner and I sat down to watch a documentary. After the documentary, my interest in the Maya of the Classic Period (250 to 900 AD) was reignited. I was inspired and knew I wanted to write a children's book about...
That was it. All I had. An inkling. A smoldering. Something lurking in my mind. But what?
I went to the library and borrowed the book the documentary was based on. I sat down and read. I didn't know if reading the book would help me write a children's book. But what did I have to lose? Hopefully I had plenty to gain.
The book I read was non-fiction and definitely for adults. My idea needed to be suitable for children.
I knew I wanted to write a children's book. So my intention was set in my mind as I read the adult non-fiction.
From the start, I enjoyed the non-fiction book. Still, I had no ideas for a children's book. I kept reading.
As the weeks went by, slowly, bit by bit, a brief plot outline came to me. The character came first, like she appeared in my mind. Initially, I didn't know her story. She stayed with me as I kept reading the non-fiction book. Perhaps, as time went on, she realized I was serious and began to allow me snippets of her story.
At one stage, I doubted a plot would eventuate. The bits I had weren't enough. But by the time I finished reading the non-fiction book I was ready to start a detailed plot outline. I could scarcely believe it. How had I managed to conjure a plot idea from reading a non-fiction book? I'd had nothing, then I had a morsel, a crumb, then another piece, until finally I had a main character and a plot idea in my head.
The only way I can explain it is that the non-fiction book inspired the bits and pieces, until they came together into some form of story - my children's book. If I hadn't been reading the non-fiction book, then I wouldn't have been thinking about the subject and I wouldn't have come up with the little morsels. They were all mine, conjured from my imagination, based on my interests. Still, inspiration must come from somewhere.
Please note, I didn't begin writing until I'd finished the non-fiction book. I felt as if I needed to complete my reading, at least of this one book, before I started writing my own.
I sat down at my computer and worked on a detailed plot outline. I needed to do more research on the internet because the story required a secondary location in Mexico.
Okay, after about two days, I had my story outlined on approximately four sheets of computer paper - single-spaced. Naturally, the Maya of the Classic Period featured in my story. After all, my original inkling was inspired by a documentary that involved the Maya.
The next step was to read more about the Maya, so I could include a little of this research in my story. I didn't want to bog readers down with research material but I needed some information to give the story credibility, add to realism and, in a way, make me an authority - that is, the best person to write my book.
I've learned a lot more about the Maya than has appeared in my manuscript. I only slipped in snippets that were necessary to the story - or added to the story. The rest of my research was for me. First, because I'm interested in the subject. Second, because I find writing a story easier if I can immerse myself in the subject, theme or location.
However, as I mentioned in previous blog posts, my story doesn't just include the Maya. The story drew on several of my interests. That's what makes it a unique story - unique to me.
More on that later. For now, I hope you enjoyed reading about my experiences in researching a children's book. If you'd like to read further information about my latest manuscript, please visit again.
All the best,
Robyn Opie
http://www.robynopie.com
Monday, July 26, 2010
Research for a Children's Book Part One
In my last blog entry, I mentioned that my main passions in life came together to create the ideas behind my latest manuscript, a 40,000 word novel for 10 to 14 year-olds. When I look at the manuscript now, it's obvious to me why I didn't write this story earlier. I needed the passions of the last ten years to combine with an earlier passion from my adolescence.
At this stage, I'm limiting my blog entries to the one passion that was reignited after, well, many years. As I write more about the ideas behind my manuscript, we'll delve into my other passions and the research behind them, too.
The Elusive Spark of an Idea, Followed by Research
Last September, my partner wanted to watch a documentary. I wasn't keen but I'm not one to deny my partner's wishes. So we sat down and watched the documentary. I had no clue, from the title, that I would be reintroduced to the Maya from the Classic Period.
After watching the documentary, I felt my interest in the Maya rekindled. I knew there was an idea lurking somewhere in the deep recesses of my mind but I couldn't, at that point, reach it. One thing was for sure, I wanted to learn about the Maya. This ancient civilization once again fascinated me, as it had done when I was an adolescent.
Naturally I had to research the reignited passion. I had forgotten anything I'd learned in my adolescence and I had no story, no plot, just the inkling of an idea. Before I started writing, I spent a month or so reading about the Maya. I'm still reading about them today.
The Maya of the Classic Period (250 to 900 AD) lived in Mesoamerica (Central America). They built fabulous cities, complete with pyramids, temples, palaces, administrative buildings and apartments. These cities were abandoned around 900 AD for reasons we can only guess at today and were swallowed up by jungle. The cities literally disappeared under lush vegetation, to be rediscovered mainly in the 1800s.
Fernando Tomás from Zaragoza, Spain
Building impressive urban developments, complete with towering pyramids, might not be a challenge today. But the Maya didn't have the tools and machinery of our modern world. Apparently, the Maya didn't have access to metal and therefore had no metal tools. They only used the wheel on children's toys. The wheel wasn't much help in the uneven jungle or mountainous terrain of Central America. Nor did the Maya have large animals, like the horse, to aid in their building work or agriculture.
The Maya economic system was based on trade and agriculture. They were the first civilization to understand that you can't grow crops on the same piece of land indefinitely, without ruining the land. They allowed the jungle to reclaim their farming land so the soil could be replenished by nature and used again for agriculture at a later date.
Of the early civilizations in the area, the Maya made the greatest use of writing and developed a complicated script of hieroglyphs with some phonetic elements that, after four hundred years, isn't completely understood. The Maya are also often attributed as the first civilization to use zero in a numbering system.
The aspect of the Classic Maya that most impresses me is their knowledge of astronomy and mathematics. They calculated the lunar cycle and were able to predict eclipses, sunspot activity and other heavenly events with great precision. They also tracked the orbit of planets, such as Venus. In fact, they recorded the orbit of Venus for eight years. Today, we've been able to validate the accuracy of the Maya. But we have modern scientific equipment!
Along with this amazing grasp of astronomy and mathematics, the Maya formulated a unique calendar system that is more exact than the one we use today.
The Maya had a religious system that is steeped in mythology and based largely on the cosmos. The Maya lived in harmony with the land and the cosmos. They knew that if they took from the land, they had to give back. They revered life and considered all life to be sacred. Hence, they said a prayer prior to killing any animal for food. They revered the cosmos for giving them crops and many festivals were created to give back or honor this source of life-giving sustenance.
The Maya understood that everything in the universe is made up of energy. The same energy is in all of us - people, animals, plants, the environment, planets and even our dead ancestors. We are all connected through this source energy. We are all one!
The Maya believed in the balance of opposites - life and death, day and night. You can't have one without the other. To the Maya, death wasn't the end, it wasn't to be feared. We simply transform and move to another world. The Maya often used the symbol of the skull. But the skull didn't mean death as it often does today. The skull was the epitome of life. You can't have life without the skull.
As you can see, my research paid dividends. My passion for the Maya is also obvious. No wonder the Maya found its way into my latest manuscript. However, most of the above research is for me. My readers don't get to read the majority of the details outlined above, at least not in a fiction manuscript. Research is often for the writer - not the readers. This information fuels my passion and enables me to write from the heart. My readers may not have the same passion. In fact, I doubt very much that they do. Therefore my goal as a writer is to create a great character-driven story and only include background research when necessary to the plot. A story shouldn't be slowed down by research material.
Part two will be coming soon. Until then, take care and enjoy life.
Remember we are all one, connected through the source energy that makes up everything in the cosmos.
Warm regards,
Robyn Opie
http://www.robynopie.com
At this stage, I'm limiting my blog entries to the one passion that was reignited after, well, many years. As I write more about the ideas behind my manuscript, we'll delve into my other passions and the research behind them, too.
The Elusive Spark of an Idea, Followed by Research
Last September, my partner wanted to watch a documentary. I wasn't keen but I'm not one to deny my partner's wishes. So we sat down and watched the documentary. I had no clue, from the title, that I would be reintroduced to the Maya from the Classic Period.
After watching the documentary, I felt my interest in the Maya rekindled. I knew there was an idea lurking somewhere in the deep recesses of my mind but I couldn't, at that point, reach it. One thing was for sure, I wanted to learn about the Maya. This ancient civilization once again fascinated me, as it had done when I was an adolescent.
Naturally I had to research the reignited passion. I had forgotten anything I'd learned in my adolescence and I had no story, no plot, just the inkling of an idea. Before I started writing, I spent a month or so reading about the Maya. I'm still reading about them today.
The Maya of the Classic Period (250 to 900 AD) lived in Mesoamerica (Central America). They built fabulous cities, complete with pyramids, temples, palaces, administrative buildings and apartments. These cities were abandoned around 900 AD for reasons we can only guess at today and were swallowed up by jungle. The cities literally disappeared under lush vegetation, to be rediscovered mainly in the 1800s.
Fernando Tomás from Zaragoza, SpainBuilding impressive urban developments, complete with towering pyramids, might not be a challenge today. But the Maya didn't have the tools and machinery of our modern world. Apparently, the Maya didn't have access to metal and therefore had no metal tools. They only used the wheel on children's toys. The wheel wasn't much help in the uneven jungle or mountainous terrain of Central America. Nor did the Maya have large animals, like the horse, to aid in their building work or agriculture.
The Maya economic system was based on trade and agriculture. They were the first civilization to understand that you can't grow crops on the same piece of land indefinitely, without ruining the land. They allowed the jungle to reclaim their farming land so the soil could be replenished by nature and used again for agriculture at a later date.
Of the early civilizations in the area, the Maya made the greatest use of writing and developed a complicated script of hieroglyphs with some phonetic elements that, after four hundred years, isn't completely understood. The Maya are also often attributed as the first civilization to use zero in a numbering system.
The aspect of the Classic Maya that most impresses me is their knowledge of astronomy and mathematics. They calculated the lunar cycle and were able to predict eclipses, sunspot activity and other heavenly events with great precision. They also tracked the orbit of planets, such as Venus. In fact, they recorded the orbit of Venus for eight years. Today, we've been able to validate the accuracy of the Maya. But we have modern scientific equipment!
Along with this amazing grasp of astronomy and mathematics, the Maya formulated a unique calendar system that is more exact than the one we use today.
The Maya had a religious system that is steeped in mythology and based largely on the cosmos. The Maya lived in harmony with the land and the cosmos. They knew that if they took from the land, they had to give back. They revered life and considered all life to be sacred. Hence, they said a prayer prior to killing any animal for food. They revered the cosmos for giving them crops and many festivals were created to give back or honor this source of life-giving sustenance.
The Maya understood that everything in the universe is made up of energy. The same energy is in all of us - people, animals, plants, the environment, planets and even our dead ancestors. We are all connected through this source energy. We are all one!
The Maya believed in the balance of opposites - life and death, day and night. You can't have one without the other. To the Maya, death wasn't the end, it wasn't to be feared. We simply transform and move to another world. The Maya often used the symbol of the skull. But the skull didn't mean death as it often does today. The skull was the epitome of life. You can't have life without the skull.
As you can see, my research paid dividends. My passion for the Maya is also obvious. No wonder the Maya found its way into my latest manuscript. However, most of the above research is for me. My readers don't get to read the majority of the details outlined above, at least not in a fiction manuscript. Research is often for the writer - not the readers. This information fuels my passion and enables me to write from the heart. My readers may not have the same passion. In fact, I doubt very much that they do. Therefore my goal as a writer is to create a great character-driven story and only include background research when necessary to the plot. A story shouldn't be slowed down by research material.
Part two will be coming soon. Until then, take care and enjoy life.
Remember we are all one, connected through the source energy that makes up everything in the cosmos.
Warm regards,
Robyn Opie
http://www.robynopie.com
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Where Do You Get Your Ideas?
Time flies when you're having fun!
A few weeks ago I blogged about my latest manuscript, a 42,000 word novel for 10 to 14 year-olds. I discussed the common advice to writers that tells us to write about what we know. I added another thought to this advice, which is to write about our passions. That's what I did with my latest manuscript.
If you'd like to read my earlier post, please click on the following link: http://robynopie.blogspot.com/2010/06/common-advice-write-about-what-you-know.html
Where do you get your ideas?
Writers are often asked: "Where do you get your ideas?" The question isn't always easy to answer because sometimes ideas seem to pop into our heads out of the blue, as if from nowhere. In my opinion "nowhere" is actually the subconscious mind.
Our conscious and subconscious minds absorb everything around us. Our experiences and memories become part of the subconscious mind. When an idea seems to pop into our heads, it's the subconscious mind that gives us the idea from our stored experiences and memories. The experiences and memories may be new or they could be old.
Apparently we don't forget anything. Everything is stored in our subconscious mind. The problem is our ability to recall information.
Can you remember a time when you simply couldn't think of an answer to a question? Perhaps you had trouble recalling the name of a movie. It was on the tip of your tongue. Later, the answer popped into your head. The problem wasn't the loss of memory but rather a problem with accessing the information.
My latest manuscript was a different experience for me. No popping into my head, though I'm sure my subconscious mind was still involved. The plot came slowly and, when it finally did, I realized my life's experiences and interests came together in this one story.
Okay, perhaps not every one of my experiences. But my main interests, my passions, were evident in the story. My subconscious delved back into my childhood to remind me of an earlier interest.
When I was a child, I loved reading the Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys and Famous Five series, as well as other mysteries. I remember reading a Hardy Boy's novel called "The Mystery of the Aztec Warrior". This novel got me interested in the Aztecs and, through further reading, I became interested in the Inca and the Maya. At the time, I was particularly intrigued by the ancient Maya of what is known as the Classic Period. For some reason, I felt a connection to the Maya.
Time went on and my life changed. I grew up, left school, got a job and married. I forgot about the Maya.
Or did I?
Fast forward approximately 25 years.
The ancient Maya are a passion of mine. Once again, I feel a connection to this amazing early civilization. I read everything I can about them. They fascinate me and I believe we can learn a lot from them.
However, the ancient Maya didn't inspire my latest manuscript. My initial idea had nothing to do with this classic civilization. In fact, when I first started thinking about what I wanted to write, I'd still forgotten my interest in the Maya. I had no idea my passion would resurface after approximately 25 years.
As I mentioned earlier in this blog, my passions came together to create my latest manuscript. The ancient Maya are one facet - one passion. Who knew I'd include them in a plot?
Not me!
My other passions, which are also part of my latest manuscript, are newer interests. Mainly because times are changing. We've become more accepting, open-minded perhaps, and science continues to advance.
My final plot involved at least three of my passions, and they are my main interests. I've immersed myself in these subjects, learning everything I can about them. Hence, my advice to write about your passions. I know about the Maya, for example, because of my passion for these people and their history. Without the passion, I'd have no knowledge. Therefore I write about what I know - my passions.
I'm not going to explain the entire idea of my story or reveal the rest of my passions here and now. This blog entry would be too long. You'll need to come back and keep reading as I add more about developing my idea for my latest manuscript.
Thanks for reading. See you soon.
All the best,
Robyn Opie
http://www.robynopie.com
A few weeks ago I blogged about my latest manuscript, a 42,000 word novel for 10 to 14 year-olds. I discussed the common advice to writers that tells us to write about what we know. I added another thought to this advice, which is to write about our passions. That's what I did with my latest manuscript.
If you'd like to read my earlier post, please click on the following link: http://robynopie.blogspot.com/2010/06/common-advice-write-about-what-you-know.html
Where do you get your ideas?
Writers are often asked: "Where do you get your ideas?" The question isn't always easy to answer because sometimes ideas seem to pop into our heads out of the blue, as if from nowhere. In my opinion "nowhere" is actually the subconscious mind.
Our conscious and subconscious minds absorb everything around us. Our experiences and memories become part of the subconscious mind. When an idea seems to pop into our heads, it's the subconscious mind that gives us the idea from our stored experiences and memories. The experiences and memories may be new or they could be old.
Apparently we don't forget anything. Everything is stored in our subconscious mind. The problem is our ability to recall information.
Can you remember a time when you simply couldn't think of an answer to a question? Perhaps you had trouble recalling the name of a movie. It was on the tip of your tongue. Later, the answer popped into your head. The problem wasn't the loss of memory but rather a problem with accessing the information.
My latest manuscript was a different experience for me. No popping into my head, though I'm sure my subconscious mind was still involved. The plot came slowly and, when it finally did, I realized my life's experiences and interests came together in this one story.
Okay, perhaps not every one of my experiences. But my main interests, my passions, were evident in the story. My subconscious delved back into my childhood to remind me of an earlier interest.
When I was a child, I loved reading the Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys and Famous Five series, as well as other mysteries. I remember reading a Hardy Boy's novel called "The Mystery of the Aztec Warrior". This novel got me interested in the Aztecs and, through further reading, I became interested in the Inca and the Maya. At the time, I was particularly intrigued by the ancient Maya of what is known as the Classic Period. For some reason, I felt a connection to the Maya.
Time went on and my life changed. I grew up, left school, got a job and married. I forgot about the Maya.
Or did I?
Fast forward approximately 25 years.
The ancient Maya are a passion of mine. Once again, I feel a connection to this amazing early civilization. I read everything I can about them. They fascinate me and I believe we can learn a lot from them.
However, the ancient Maya didn't inspire my latest manuscript. My initial idea had nothing to do with this classic civilization. In fact, when I first started thinking about what I wanted to write, I'd still forgotten my interest in the Maya. I had no idea my passion would resurface after approximately 25 years.
As I mentioned earlier in this blog, my passions came together to create my latest manuscript. The ancient Maya are one facet - one passion. Who knew I'd include them in a plot?
Not me!
My other passions, which are also part of my latest manuscript, are newer interests. Mainly because times are changing. We've become more accepting, open-minded perhaps, and science continues to advance.
My final plot involved at least three of my passions, and they are my main interests. I've immersed myself in these subjects, learning everything I can about them. Hence, my advice to write about your passions. I know about the Maya, for example, because of my passion for these people and their history. Without the passion, I'd have no knowledge. Therefore I write about what I know - my passions.
I'm not going to explain the entire idea of my story or reveal the rest of my passions here and now. This blog entry would be too long. You'll need to come back and keep reading as I add more about developing my idea for my latest manuscript.
Thanks for reading. See you soon.
All the best,
Robyn Opie
http://www.robynopie.com
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Guest Blog by Sheryl Gwyther - Blog Tour for Sheryl's New Children's Book Princess Clown
EXTRACTING THE STORY – not as painful as teeth 
by Sheryl Gwyther
It’s funny how stories come to be. Princess Clown began with two words – princess and clown (naturally), but they weren’t just any old words. To me, they jangled and bangle-d and clashed together. They did not match.
In other words, they would do the job of creating TENSION and CONFLICT – just what a story needs.
Of course, it’s fine to have an idea for a story but you have to take it further!
I love what master-storyteller Stephen King says about that elusive component to writing – “extracting the story”.
He likens the stories and the ideas upon which they are founded to “fossils” and writers to “archaeologists” (correct term should be “palaeontologists” if we’re talking about fossils, but let’s not quibble over this often confused term).
“Our job as writers is to extract the story – using everything from jackhammer to toothbrush – to reach its pristine form.” Stephen King.
This terminology of locating and extracting ancient fossil treasures in the earth struck a chord with me because I worked on a fossil dig in Western Queensland while researching my junior fiction, Secrets of Eromanga.
That process is exactly what finding your story is like. You must sense whether it is time to get down and dirty with the jackhammer and forget about the damage inflicted.
For me, this is the dreaded, mental agony of the first-draft stage.
The reward comes with the toothbrush, paintbrush and dental pick – rewriting stage – just like on a fossil dig when the tiniest, most fragile imprint of an ancient pine cone waits to see the light of day. You tease it with the dental tool, you coax it with your toothbrush and you brush away the layers until it is exposed in its pristine form. Ahhhh!
Looking for plant fossils, Elliot Dinosaur Dig, Winton
Well, almost pristine. There is always room for improvement in writing – which is why I appreciate my writing friends. They are the ones I trust to read my writing drafts and be honest in their opinion; who will pick up inconsistencies or notice when a bit of “telling not showing” creeps in. They share the frustrations, the rejections, the successes of a writer’s life.
Then, there’s the joy of digging through history, researching …. but that is another story!
Links for Sheryl Gwyther:
http://sherylgwyther.wordpress.com
http://sherylgwyther4kids.wordpress.com
http://www.sherylgwyther.net
by Sheryl Gwyther
It’s funny how stories come to be. Princess Clown began with two words – princess and clown (naturally), but they weren’t just any old words. To me, they jangled and bangle-d and clashed together. They did not match.
In other words, they would do the job of creating TENSION and CONFLICT – just what a story needs.
Of course, it’s fine to have an idea for a story but you have to take it further!
I love what master-storyteller Stephen King says about that elusive component to writing – “extracting the story”.
He likens the stories and the ideas upon which they are founded to “fossils” and writers to “archaeologists” (correct term should be “palaeontologists” if we’re talking about fossils, but let’s not quibble over this often confused term).
“Our job as writers is to extract the story – using everything from jackhammer to toothbrush – to reach its pristine form.” Stephen King.
This terminology of locating and extracting ancient fossil treasures in the earth struck a chord with me because I worked on a fossil dig in Western Queensland while researching my junior fiction, Secrets of Eromanga.
That process is exactly what finding your story is like. You must sense whether it is time to get down and dirty with the jackhammer and forget about the damage inflicted. For me, this is the dreaded, mental agony of the first-draft stage.
The reward comes with the toothbrush, paintbrush and dental pick – rewriting stage – just like on a fossil dig when the tiniest, most fragile imprint of an ancient pine cone waits to see the light of day. You tease it with the dental tool, you coax it with your toothbrush and you brush away the layers until it is exposed in its pristine form. Ahhhh!
Looking for plant fossils, Elliot Dinosaur Dig, WintonWell, almost pristine. There is always room for improvement in writing – which is why I appreciate my writing friends. They are the ones I trust to read my writing drafts and be honest in their opinion; who will pick up inconsistencies or notice when a bit of “telling not showing” creeps in. They share the frustrations, the rejections, the successes of a writer’s life.
Then, there’s the joy of digging through history, researching …. but that is another story!
Links for Sheryl Gwyther:
http://sherylgwyther.wordpress.com
http://sherylgwyther4kids.wordpress.com
http://www.sherylgwyther.net
Monday, July 5, 2010
Blog Tour - Princess Clown by Sheryl Gwyther
I'm happy to annou
nce the blog tour for Princess Clown written by Sheryl Gwyther and published by Blake Education.
Princess Clown is in Blake Education’s Gigglers Blue 2 series – a set of 8 books especially designed as high-interest chapter books for 7 to 8 year olds. These books are very popular with children and with teachers.
Princess Clown is also available online or from educational retail outlets.
The blurb for Princess Clown:
Princess Belle stepped forward and curtsied to the royal guests.
The King said, “This is my daughter, Princess Belle.”
The King of Danzania held out his hand. Forgetting she was wearing a clown trick ring, Belle shook his hand.
A zing of electricity buzzed from the ring …
For more information on Princess Clown, please visit Blake Education's website: http://www.blake.com.au/Gigglers-Blue-2-Princess-Clown-p/9781741646481.htm
Blog Tour Dates:
06 July 2010
Dee White – http://deescribewriting.wordpress.com
nce the blog tour for Princess Clown written by Sheryl Gwyther and published by Blake Education.Princess Clown is in Blake Education’s Gigglers Blue 2 series – a set of 8 books especially designed as high-interest chapter books for 7 to 8 year olds. These books are very popular with children and with teachers.
Princess Clown is also available online or from educational retail outlets.
The blurb for Princess Clown:
Princess Belle stepped forward and curtsied to the royal guests.
The King said, “This is my daughter, Princess Belle.”
The King of Danzania held out his hand. Forgetting she was wearing a clown trick ring, Belle shook his hand.
A zing of electricity buzzed from the ring …
For more information on Princess Clown, please visit Blake Education's website: http://www.blake.com.au/Gigglers-Blue-2-Princess-Clown-p/9781741646481.htm
Blog Tour Dates:
06 July 2010
Dee White – http://deescribewriting.wordpress.com
07 July 2010
Alphabet Soup magazine – http://soupblog.wordpress.com
08 July 2010
Robyn Opie – http://www.robynopie.blogspot.com
09 July 2010
Catriona Hoy – http://catrionahoy.blogspot.com
10 July 2010
Kat Apel – http://katswhiskers.wordpress.com
11 July 2010
Sheryl Gwyther – http://sherylgwyther4kids.wordpress.com
12 July 2010
Sandy Fussell – http://sandyfussell.blogspot.com/
13 July 2010
Sally Murphy – http://www.sallymurphy.blogspot.com
14 July 2010
Claire Saxby – http://www.letshavewords.blogspot.com
15 July 2010
Mabel Kaplan – http://belka37.blogspot.com
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Common Advice - Write About What You Know
If you're a writer, I'm sure you've heard the advice to write about what you know. Makes sense, doesn't it? I mean, how do you write about things you don't know?
I've been fascinated by various subjects for many years. In the last six months, my favorite interests and a new discovery came together to form my latest manuscript - a 42,000 word novel for young people aged 10 to 14. I don't claim to know everything about these subjects but I'm reading, experiencing and learning.
Therefore I'd like to add my own modification to the above advice.
Write about your passions!
When I wrote my latest manuscript, I didn't draw on great personal experience or first hand knowledge. I had to spend a month reading and researching the gaps in my knowledge - and there were plenty - before I started writing. I wanted to learn as much as possible, so I could write about what I know. The more I learned, the more passionate I became about these subjects. I'm still devouring these subjects through books, television and the internet.
Passion inspired me. I found things I didn't know and turned them into things I know, and I became passionate about them. What I lack in personal experience and first hand knowledge, I make up for with passion to learn and explore.
You can write about what you know but if you're not passionate about it, who cares?
To me, passion is the extra ingredient. Passion can help you turn what you don't know into what you know and then into a manuscript.
I'll share more about my passions and my latest manuscript over the coming months. Here is the first taste, a prophecy from the great Mayan ruler Lord Pacal Votan:
I've been fascinated by various subjects for many years. In the last six months, my favorite interests and a new discovery came together to form my latest manuscript - a 42,000 word novel for young people aged 10 to 14. I don't claim to know everything about these subjects but I'm reading, experiencing and learning.
Therefore I'd like to add my own modification to the above advice.
Write about your passions!
When I wrote my latest manuscript, I didn't draw on great personal experience or first hand knowledge. I had to spend a month reading and researching the gaps in my knowledge - and there were plenty - before I started writing. I wanted to learn as much as possible, so I could write about what I know. The more I learned, the more passionate I became about these subjects. I'm still devouring these subjects through books, television and the internet.
Passion inspired me. I found things I didn't know and turned them into things I know, and I became passionate about them. What I lack in personal experience and first hand knowledge, I make up for with passion to learn and explore.
You can write about what you know but if you're not passionate about it, who cares?
To me, passion is the extra ingredient. Passion can help you turn what you don't know into what you know and then into a manuscript.
I'll share more about my passions and my latest manuscript over the coming months. Here is the first taste, a prophecy from the great Mayan ruler Lord Pacal Votan:
O Children of the people of the dawn,
O children of the people of the book,
I come to you as the special witness of time
to remind you, especially on the day of truth,
that in your origin you are one,
and on the day of truth
you are to make yourselves one again.
Pacal Votan 603 - 683 AD
O children of the people of the book,
I come to you as the special witness of time
to remind you, especially on the day of truth,
that in your origin you are one,
and on the day of truth
you are to make yourselves one again.
Pacal Votan 603 - 683 AD
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