Ten-Minute Blog Break - 4th February

I'm sure you've been on tenterhooks since last week, wondering what happened to that enormous boil on Maureen Lynas's bum? Well, you can either find out here or you can read on for some blog posts that don't sound like an episode of Embarrassing Bodies...

Amanda Lillywhite hasn't blogged for ages, so it's great to see her joining in Hourly Comic Day with a comic strip all about her life on the 1st February 2014. As a special bonus, Sarah McIntyre also contributes her own graphical slice of life.

Mark Jones is someone else I haven't featured for a while, but his latest post about Resketch Books caught my eye. These are a terrific idea, sketchbooks made from paper that has been recycled simply by turning it over! So you get all kinds of random text and architectural diagrams on different grades of paper, interspersed with blank spaces for you to dream up your own ideas. As someone who suffers greatly from the tyranny of the blank page, I strongly approve.

Space on the Bookshelf have found space for Karen Ball this week, who undergoes a rigorous Q&A from Nicki Thornton all about the Book Bound Retreat that Karen and others are running in May. If you're really serious about getting your book published and you think you've got the writing craft part sorted out, this initiative could be for you.

We hear a lot about the benefits of SCBWI writing critique groups, but what about drawing critique? Shana Nieberg-Suschitzky posts at Big Little Tales with a fascinating example of before and after picture book drawings that have been improved by group feedback. And she even receives further useful feedback in the comments for her blog post. That's SCBWI in action, people!

Nick.


Nick Cross is a children's writer, blogger and all-round techno-ninja. In 2010 he was a winner of Undiscovered Voices with his zombie comedy Back from the Dead and currently writes short fiction for Stew Magazine, an event that was recently celebrated on this site.

9 comments:

  1. Lovely to be back in the round-up with such good company!

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    1. Lovely to have you back doing long-form blog posts (I know you've been doing a bit on Tumblr in the meantime)

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    2. Thanks Nick. It might take a bit longer to get properly back to blogging and to catch up on the blogosphere but I am on my way.

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  2. Thanks Nick - I'll put the kettle on!

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  3. Shana Nieberg-Suschitzky aka shanarama4 February 2014 at 10:29

    Just tweeted you! Was great exploring your links to everyone else, and thanks for mentioning by blog on illustration critiques - it can make a great difference to the flow of the book, would recommend it to all!

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  4. Ha! Lots of people clicked to find out how the bottom situation was resolved, Nick. Embarrassing bodies does have a large following, you know.

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  5. Thanks so much, Nick! Amanda and I both enjoyed doing the Hourly Comic so much. Hope we can get more SCBWI people on board next Feb 1st! :)

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  6. So many good things in this one - yep I loved Sarah and Amanda's hourly comic especially:)

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