Ten-Minute Blog Break - 3rd February

There were so many great SCBWI-BI blog posts this week that I'm reeling slightly from reading them all. It's always hard to choose a handful to feature on the Blog Break, so I hope you enjoy this week's selection!

After a long period in the strange limbo known as "nearly there", Kathy Evans is finally guiding her debut novel towards publication. Luckily for us, Kathy is keen to document every stage, which this week focuses on her first experience working with an editor. Will it be love at first sight or pistols at dawn? You'll have to read Kathy's post to find out.

Talking of editors, they sometimes find problems with a text that you could never imagine. Jane Clarke shares her most surreal comments from picture book editors.

There are more picture book musings from Layn Marlow, who celebrates the recent snowfalls with a post on the genesis of her snowman book You Make Me Smile, and the problems of following in Raymond Briggs' snowy footsteps.

Liz Flanagan is certainly making good in her quest to interview YA authors. There have been not one but two essential posts since we last checked in with her, a chat with the great Celia Rees, and an illuminating peek into the creative process of a certain Mr David Almond.

K.M. Lockwood may be a frequent guest on the Blog Break (and Words and Pictures in general), but she's still fed up. Oh wait, it turns out that means she's taking us on a very entertaining tour of the food featured in classic children's books, as well as analysing how to use food and eating to help drive a story. Yummy!

Finally, I wanted to find space for Claire O'Brien's review of everything she's achieved in the last year (and not just because she mentions the Blog Break!) I think these yearly reviews are a great idea - when we're in the midst of learning, working and submitting, it's easy to lose sight of how far we've come, and we should celebrate that progress.

Nick.


A SCBWI member since 2009, Nick Cross is an Undiscovered Voices winner who writes children's short fiction for Stew Magazine. January issue out now!

On his blog, Nick reflects on the twelve years of patience needed to make the film Boyhood, and his own impatience with the creative process. Wait for it...

1 comment:

  1. I have ten minutes, I have a coffee, and I'm enjoying this weeks selection Nick - what a week !

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