Just so's ya know...

So the final assignment is handed in and the academic effort is over for another year. Of course my first thought on finishing was, what am I studying next year. In my defence I still have two papers to do to complete the diploma in Children's Literature. I can't imagine I'll do any more university study after that but I have learnt never to say 'never'. Never is a very long time. And study is yoga for the brain, or maybe pilates with a little spin class thrown in. It would be nice to write more. Maybe I will do that instead. In 2015.

Of course I'm not just looking ahead to what paper I will do in 2013 (YA fiction, if you want to know), I'm also wondering what else I should get up to. By early next year Jack the Viking: Magnetic North should be done and dusted and available at an e-store near you. I will be promoting this and my new print book A Winter's Day in 1939. I'm thinking I might put another title out as an e-book shortly. Just working on the cover. As soon as it is good to go I will let you know. And there is a half finished fantasy YA hiding in the laptop. We shall see.

Recently there was a facebook discussion on the average earnings of children's writers and illustrators in New Zealand. We aren't a wealthy lot. Those who did best took on additional work in educational writing or the like. I have earned between $4 and $6k a year from advances, royalties, school visits, and workshops etc...(somewhat under the reported average on fb), over the last few years, but that is still an improvement on what I was earning on my writing in preceding years. I really don't think folk appreciate how little money there is in this business. I don't think its cos I'm bad at what I do. Although I guess I could be doing it wrong :). I do pine for funding as a way to address the considerable shortfall between my efforts and my remuneration. Funding, so far, has managed to resist me. And in the meantime I keep writing. Its what I do. And children (and adults) keep reading my books, which is why I do it.