Wordy Day Out

Went to the Wordy Day Out at the Auckland Readers and Writers Festival yesterday. Started off though by missing Cassandra Clare and Brian Falkner to go hear four overseas editors from large publishing houses talk about the state of publishing. They were nice people saying positive things but there weren't any great revelations and I feel that my internet meanderings and fb gossip trading are keeping me very well informed.

Then my wordy bff Tania and I hoofed it up to Auckland University in time to hear Garth Nix and Sean Williams do a double act on their coauthored series TroubleTwisters, followed by Meg Rosoff and Margo Lanagan talk on their novel novels and then Paula Morris on Ruined and Dark Souls. I reluctantly passed up Mandy Hagar and Bernard Beckett, Karen Healey and David Hair to attend the others which just shows the quality of the Festival's programme. The cost of all this was very reasonable as well. And what did I learn from the speakers? Despite all the doom and gloom, the naysaying and the mystical prognostications (man that was fun to write) from the media, the fundamentals haven't changed. My favourite speaker so far is still Lionel Shriver from last year who didn't teach me something new about writing or getting published but who did say something very intelligent about how we deal with cancer. I still remember it and it has changed my thinking on the subject. I enjoyed the talks this year but now they confirm rather than alter my thinking. They don't inspire me so much as steel my resolve to continue. There were plenty of familiar faces in the audience and I was surprised to see a number of NZ children's publishers from Random, Penguin and Gecko there as well. Things the authors said that stuck in my mind? Garth Nix's comment that books were his mentors when he started out (just like me). Meg Rosoff's comment that she doesn't plan her stories very much before she starts (just like me) and Paula Morris's advice on character development in which you run through a questionnaire (boxers or briefs? showers or baths? etc...) with your characters to get to know them better (may have to borrow this in future). Will I go next year? You betcha! There is nothing better than mingling with other writers. It is a happy place :)

He talked, he sang, he wowed us all...

I always put my mobile phone on 'silent' during a school visit and check for messages during breaks. This morning at Kohia Terrace school (yay for yet another wonderful enthusiastic librarian and supportive teachers - I hope those fab children realise how lucky they are...what good hands they are in) I checked for messages at morning tea time to discover several missed calls. I had a message and listened to discover my son wasn't at school and they were just checking that I'd forgotten to call in that he was sick or whatever. Well no, actually, I'd waved goodbye to him and one of school mates at 8am. He's not into wagging. Was he lying in the middle of the busy intersection en route, knocked off his scooter by a car? Was he some Junior John Doe in the emergency department of the city hospital? I tried ringing the school back to no avail. I tried to ring my SO so he could find out what had happened, with no luck. And I spent the last two 45 minute sessions talking and reading over my fears and concerns. This was a miserable distraction but if nothing else I'm pleased that I managed to stay calm and deliver my talk without revealing my inner turmoil. (Yay just had a phone call now at 2.15pm from the lad himself, at school, in perfect health).

Over the weekend it was the Auckland Writers and Readers Festival. As it's a festival comprised of mostly writers of adult literature which I usually don't read, in the past I haven't attended. This year I thought I'd give it a go. Lionel Shriver (I haven't read any of her books, but I have read some interesting articles about her) was smart, thoughtful, dry and funny. When she read from her own material I made a mental note to try one of her books in future. Next up was Charlie Higson. I've not been a huge fan of the young James Bond series. The writing is very much in the Iam Fleming style (as you would hope and expect it to be) but I don't think you'd find me reading much Fleming either. But I used to watch the Harry Enfield comedy show and Charlie Higson both wrote material for this and appeared in the show (as well as the Fast Show amongst others) and I rightly assumed this would make for an entertaining hour. His current venture is into mid grade horror and I liked the fact that he didn't hold back for this age group. He tests his material out on his young sons and uses them as the yardstick for how far to go. I felt jealous at his lucky breaks (he went to University with comedy writer Paul Whitehouse and Harry Enfield, and was asked by the Fleming Estate to do the Young Bond Series). Lucky breaks were an even bigger feature of the David Levithan session. I was already a fan having reading Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist and David didn't disappoint. Funny, witty, seriously talented and prodigious, he talked, he sang and he wowed us all with his energy and skills. Like Charlie Higson he didn't shy away from pushing the boundaries with his writing. There's no point being jealous at lucky breaks, as after this session I was sure lucky breaks were searching this guy out in droves. He was generous too and chatted with everyone who wanted books signed. I bought two. Go check out Tania Hutley's very funny blog post here on her thoughts about Mr Levithan. I'm glad I went. I'm not sure if its left me feeling inspired or motivated but i definitely feel the better for it.

Going to the Readers and Writers festival...should I?

I have just purchased the wickedest little black dress for the NZ Post Awards ceremony in May. Of course I have a few concerns - will I be brave enough to wear it (as 'little' is definitely a defining adjective on this occasion) ? Will it be warm enough to wear it? Should I be worried that my husband's comment was, "You don't look like a children's author in that." (Which raises the question, how does a children's author dress? :)

I have been scrutinising the 2009 Auckland Readers and Writers festival programme and have been pondering what to do. When I first started being serious about my writing I attended a fair number of author talks, lectures, workshops etc...in fact I was a bit of an event junkie of little discernment. Initially I was looking for inspiration and motivation. I needed to hear about the hurdles successful writers had overcome in order to perservere in the face of the obstacles confronting me. Then I had to admit that time spent attending author talks, workshops, lectures etc...was time I wasn't spending on my own work. I'd heard what I needed to hear to get going. The message began to sound the same at every different event. I had reached a point of saturation and I stopped going. Now I just go to the occasional event if I think it might be truly beneficial.

There are so far three lectures I'd like to go to on this year's programme (only two yesterday - maybe I should stop scrutinising). One on YA writing with Kate De Goldi, Mal Peet and M.T.Anderson which might be useful as I am working on a YA novel at the moment (or it might not - these things can backfire shooting one's confidence and motivation right out of the water), one on writers who write and teach writing with Paula Morris, Kirsty Gunn, Debra Adelaide and Marina Endicott, on the pitfalls and positives of doing both (potentially valuable as I consider other ways to make money through my writing) and added this morning due to a fascinating review in today's Canvas (Saturday Herald magazine) one on Marcus Chown, a writer who brings complex science to the masses. I love science. I crave scientific understanding. His sounds like a brain well worthy of examination. So folks, the question is, should I go? I'll probably just end up buying one of Mr. Chown's books instead (Quantum Theory Can't Hurt You) which I now desperately want to read - curse you Canvas review!.

writers and reader festival

The Writers and Readers festival has been on in Auckland and I didn't go to one single thing. I don't write adult fiction and I don't really read much of it either (although I think Audrey Niffeneger's The Time Travellers Wife is one of the ten all time most perfect books ever written) so I'm generally not too fussed. I wouldn't have minded going to hear Bernard Beckett speak. He launched his book Genesis in Australia at the CBCA conference I attended in Melbourne, May 2-4 and he was a fantastic speaker and didn't really talk for long enough. I also wanted to go to the discussion on the 'slushpile' titled 0.5% on the weekend but didn't have a minder for the children. I did get some feedback from a friend who attended though and it sounded very interesting. Confirms what I thought too - an agent is not essential to get published in New Zealand and it is easier to get published then to get an agent. I believe it is a very different story overseas.

On the weekend (NZ Herald Saturday May 17)I read an interview with writer Mo Hayder, one of the speakers at the festival in which she said "I think it's sad the way the world has changed so that writers have to be part personality and part writer. I think its an absolute tragedy." As a shy person who dislikes public speaking I have to agree with her. Surely its about the writing. It seems unfair to have to be a good public speaker if i want a writing career. On the other hand I want to help my books get into the hands of readers and if a little self promotion helps me do this i would be silly not to? It is tricky though as i don't have any natural skills in self-promotion. I'm still learning.