Ten-Minute Blog Break - 13th May

I was a little worried this week that no-one would have written blogs, due to the two different writing retreats over the weekend (one of which I was at). But luckily, our SCBWI bloggers haven't deserted the internet entirely!


Birthdays can be a time not just of celebration, but also ambivalence (I know this feeling because I have one myself later this week). Nick Cook's Cloud Riders had its book birthday last week, and he perfectly expressed his mixed emotions on his blog. When you've worked on a book for seven years, publication can feel like your child is leaving home.

I'm always pleased to discover new SCBWI member blogs, so it was a treat when Liz Flanagan sent me a link to hers. Liz is both a published writer and a coach, so her artfully composed posts range from this inspiring look at an outdoor children's storytelling event (which is full of neat activity ideas) to a post on dealing with a creative knockback.

Anne-Marie Perks has been filling her time between projects by taking an online course in Visual Storytelling. Despite (or possibly because) she was the only student, Anne-Marie gained a huge amount from the course and shares it with us in a detailed blog post.

Finally, if you'd wondered why England was feeling a bit quiet recently, it's because Sarah McIntyre was out of the country! Sarah took her large collection of hats and terribly understated clothes (ahem) on a tour of schools in Spain, and you can read about her experiences on her blog.

Nick.

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A SCBWI member since 2009, Nick Cross is a former Undiscovered Voices winner who currently writes children's short fiction for Stew Magazine, the May issue of which is out now!