Network News Central North

By Liz Miller 
 
Here in Central North we are a welcoming group of published and pre-published writers and illustrators of everything from picture books to YA. We hold regular writing workshops, occasional author talks and annual publisher events alongside our thriving monthly critique meetings at the Museum of Lincolnshire Life. Most of our group are Lincolnshire based but the Nottinghamshire contingent is growing and we’re always trying to think of new ways of reaching our members in East Riding and South Yorkshire.

Writing, critique and support are priorities but in recent months many of our members have also been seen bowling, climbing, power walking, running, cycling, fencing and working out with Davina. What is driving them to these extreme fitness challenges?
Well if you’ve been to Lincoln you’ll know all about the vertiginous incline in the middle - Steep Hill.

So when our very own Addy Farmer told us she was putting together a fantastic selection of events as part of the forthcoming Lincoln Inspired Festival of Literature, Performance and Art, we knew we had to do some serious training.The following SCBWI led events take place over the weekend of 11th and 12th May . . . betwixt the top and bottom of this hill.

We warned you it was steep!
On Saturday 11th May, Addy will run The Craft and the Graft and the Road to Being Published at Lincoln Drill Hall, offering one- to- one slots for children’s writers.  Book in early and you’ll have time to stroll leisurely up to the Museum of Lincolnshire Life for Museum Curator and SCBWI member, Debbie Holt’s Inspiration Through Artefacts session. Book in late and we suggest you pack your running shoes because you won’t want to miss it – we know, we’ve done it before! Come and handle objects from the museum’s educational boxes, hear some of their stories and be inspired to write your own.

We're going on an artefact hunt.
Walking shoes on (or something faster if you need food as well) and then it’s back to the Drill Hall to hear Emily Thomas, publisher with the fabulous HOT Key Books, talk about the children’s book industry and how she finds and nurtures talent.

Now you can don your leisure shoes as you have time to wander, shop, be a tourist, relax, eat, sleep, fence, bowl, whatever. Just remember to come back on Sunday morning, 12th May and join Katherine Lynas (temporarily poached from the North East, shhh don’t tell them!) Katherine will be leading a Scrawlcrawl from the Drill Hall. Pens, paper and drawing equipment advisable; bowling balls and epees optional. Sturdy leisure shoes should be fine – it is Sunday after all.

If you’ve been inspired to join us for these events, further details and booking information can be found here. 

If you’ve been inspired to come and join us at one of our monthly meetings we’d love to see you.
SCBWI Central North
Or if you’d like help in setting up something more local to your part of Central North we can support you to do that. Email Addy Farmer and Gill Hutchison at centralnorthATbritishscbwiDOTorg


Liz Miller writes picture books and joined SCBWI in 2010. She has a penchant for volunteering which has led to her being joint moderator of the SCBWI e-critique group PictureBook Too, co-founder of the Early Readers e-critique group and a reading volunteer in local schools. She knows she should sit on her hands when volunteering opportunities arise but life would be less varied and she can’t write with her nose.

6 comments:

  1. Lincoln Inspired looks great! I hope you'll come back and let us know how it goes, Liz.
    And I know Steep Hill! And yes, it's very steep. The hand rail at the edge of the pavement is a bit of clue. It was so strange when I remember the rest of Lincoln being so flat.

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  2. Hello Liz - my lovely e-crit joint moderator! It sounds as if you SCBWI's have a great time up in the frozen North - and it's lucky you have Steep Hill to climb: it's so important for writers and illustrators to keep fit ...

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  3. That sounds sooo good! Good job you guys

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  4. I think it's going to be a great weekend and I've been quietly weeping as due to other commitments I'm going to miss it! I'm counting on my fellow Central North SCBWIs to let me know all about it as well and then yes we'll report back.
    And hello Lesley - we've been defrosted in lots of lovely sunshine today!

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  5. Sounds great! Maybe we should all do fitness training as part of our events. All together now, lift that pen, drop that pen, lift that pen, drop that pen.

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  6. Gill Hutchison3 May 2013 at 13:34

    Well done, Liz - that sounds like us!
    As you said, any suggestions for including our Notts and South Yorks friends will be more than welcome.

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