SCBWI FACES Robynn Hyde
What do you write?
I mainly write funny picture books, although I have recently veered into informational fiction picture books. I am tentatively testing the waters with chapter books as well, although I am at the “furiously reading anything and everything” part of that writing process!
Do you have a ‘day job’ as well as volunteering and writing?
Not at the moment. I was fortunate enough to take a break from my job as an events manager to change careers. I am currently pursuing writing and library work.
Describe your writing space.
I have a home office that is basically a dumping ground for the house. So it is a very cluttered space surrounded by things like my children’s space hoppers, boxes of Christmas wrapping paper, and stacks of paperwork. It has been on my “to-do” list for years to tidy it up. Maybe 2025 will be that year? I am lucky to live in the South Downs in Hampshire though, with a beautiful view out my window, so that is what I concentrate on when in my office.
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| Robynn's view from her writing space |
How long have you been a SCBWI volunteer?
Not that long - I started in Aug 2024.
Describe the main tasks of your role as a SCBWI volunteer.
I work on Debut Journeys, a Words & Pictures feature which interviews new authors about their publishing experience, so my main task is actually finding new authors to interview! Social media is a great avenue for this and it really helps me get deeper into the writing community.
Do you do any other volunteering?
I am the Co-Chair of the PTA for my youngest child’s school. It is more time consuming that I had anticipated, but it is a lot of fun working with the school and the children! I also volunteer as a reader at both my children’s schools and work in the school libraries.
Has volunteering influenced your writing in any way?
Yes! It has really opened my writing world beyond picture books and helped me network with some fantastic writers. Also, my time reading with children across age groups has given me a plethora of ideas!
What are the advantages of being a volunteer?
Being a volunteer with SCBWI has made me more engaged with writing, which means I spend more time in the writing world. I also find volunteering very satisfying in terms of how I spend my time – I always feel like I have accomplished something when volunteering.
How many hours per week do you spend volunteering?
For SCBWI, not that many – maybe 1-2 hours per week although it tends to be condensed more into 1 week out of every 4. For the PTA and libraries, it is considerably more!
Do the boundaries between volunteering get blurred or do you have clearly demarcated writing/volunteering times/space?
Boundaries you say? Honestly, I am awful with tracking my time and where it is spent and can find a whole day has disappeared and I haven’t written a single word for of my own story. I am looking to improve this going forward and have more clear boundaries and times set for different tasks.
Favourite children’s book?
It is hard to narrow it down! For picture books, I have to go classic and say The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch/Michael Martchenko. That book shaped my childhood! More recently, it is probably Spencer’s New Pet by Jessie Sima. It is a masterclass of what you can do with so few words! A non-picture book I have to mention is Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell. Just a spectacular book from start to finish!
Anne Boyère is one of Words & Pictures' Feature Editors. You can find her on Instagram. She hosts #SCBWIchat, now on Threads @scbwi_british_isles. If you'd like to chat with her about your book, you can contact her anne.scbwi.bi@gmail.com
Ell Rose is a non-binary illustrator & animator based in Edinburgh and Illustration Features Editor for Words & Pictures. Their cats sometimes feature in their work in either comics or illustrations/animation. They are available for editorial, non-fiction and fiction books and commercial work as well as 2D motion graphics.
Find their work at www.fourfooteleven.com. Contact illustrators@britishscbwi.org
Follow her on Instagram, X and www.titaberredo.com or contact her at illuscoordinator@britishscbwi.org
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