YES

Jan Carr
From your
one-time editor!
I don't know if it really was Girl Online, Zoe Suggs who first said 'say yes more to things to enjoy life more' but I'm told by daughter 2 who's been dubbed the  Queen of Improv by her youth theatre, that the first rule of improvisation is that you should never say 'No' to someone's suggestion. I'm sure you can think of many instances when it is actually good to say no but I'm with Girl Online and daughter 2 on that generally, 'Yes' is more fun.


One of my big YESSES was to Words & Pictures and I'm especially pleased with myself about that one. I actually volunteered to be a retreat organiser but Benjamin asked me to consider the job of reviving the SCBWI BI newsletter as a blog. I thought about it for a while (not long) and applied.

After meeting, with Natascha and Candy in September 2012, I drew up a strategy for a blogzine that would post something new every day because I'd get lots of SCBWI members involved. Now more than two years later and heading for W&P's second birthday on March 25th, there have been only a handful of days that haven't seen a new post, many days that have seen more than one and members into the hundreds who have contributed engaging, pithy and content-rich posts about the craft, the journey, and its heroes. And that includes all of us, folks.

It's been so lovely getting to know and working with the marvellous people who've given so many hours of their time to make W&P something of a 'go to' blog for children's book creators. It's a very fine gang to be in. And I still am, in the back ground, for Nancy to call on when she needs to. I've purposely taken a back seat to allow W&P's very fine new editor to take ownership and what a splendid job she is doing - thank you, Nancy.

At the beginning, I can't deny it, I was worried how I was going to make it work but I didn't need to because everyone jumped on board and did that for me. The Words & Pictures editorial team and the army of enthusiastic contributors are truly wonderful. From somewhere and I suspect it was the kindness of SCBWI members, I found the confidence to blog every week too. I've given myself many a pat on the back for that because if there's been any swearing in W&P, it was all in the what the **** am I going to write this week! space.

'A blog like a goldfish bowl in desperate need of fresh water'

Since having got acquainted with the blogging muse, my plan was that as soon as Nancy took over the editorials, I'd attend to my own blog. But Fictions Onely and False Hair (pretentious or what) sits dejected somewhere on Wordpress like a goldfish bowl in desperate need of fresh water while I've been fiddling about with a bit of crafty enterprise. The crafty enterprise is displacement activity for the blog, both of which are displacing the year's submission goals - (What if I get to the end of the list and no one wants me? But that's another story).

Anyway, I've done it again.
While I wait for someone to say yes to me -which they won't if I don't submit, yeah, yeah - for better or worse, I've said 'yes' to SCBWI again.

I'll leave you guessing as to what I've said yes to but I'll just say, "Hello George!" and try not to worry about a certain skillset I may or may not have.

But yep, again I know I'll be really pleased I said yes.

Even through the swearing.

Last week there was ....
A really helpful blue Monday post from Philippa
Another great selection of Blogs from Nick - you can rely on Nick to find some cracking reads every week
George Kirk storytelling! You HAVE to see George in action via Youtube
The latest instalment of Jion's comic strip ProCATsination 

Can't wait to see what's coming up next week!


Ooh almost forgot - Happy Burns Night! I wish you all much poetry!


Jan Carr edited Words & Pictures until December last year, she neglects her blog, is working up to sorting out last year's NaNoWriMo story, and now occasionally touts her previous efforts when she sees an opening. She says YES.

3 comments:

  1. Jan, you are without doubt one of the most positive, grab life by the horns people I have ever met! Yes! How right you are. Whatever your next SCBWI role, we are so very lucky to have you.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ooh, Jan. Missed this Friday. Intrigued what you're up to now. Enjoy whatever it is. And I'll look up FOFH & follow you, so there!

    ReplyDelete

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