A word of advice to all you writers out there. Back up everything. I was freaking out because I lost a whole chapter of work. A whole chapter! I am so so happy that I backed up. Yes, I’ve learned my lesson from last time.
TWUC’s 16th Annual Writing for Children Competition
15 Feb 2012 Leave a comment
in Help for writers, News Tags: The Writers' Union of Canada, Writing for Children Competion
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
16th Annual Writing for Children Competition
$1,500 PRIZE
The Writers’ Union of Canada is pleased to announce that submissions are being accepted until April 24, 2012 for the 16th annual Writing for Children Competition. The winning entry will be the best Canadian work of up to 1,500 words in the English language, fiction or non-fiction, written by an unpublished author.
PRIZE
$1,500 for the winning entry, and the entries of the winner and finalists will be submitted to three Canadian children’s publishers.
JURY
Writers Don Calame, Hazel Hutchins, and Rene Schmidt will serve as the jury.
ELIGIBILITY
This competition is open to all Canadian citizens and permanent residents who have not been published in book format in any genre and who do not currently have a contract with a book publisher. Original and unpublished (English language) fiction or non-fiction is eligible.
HOW TO SUBMIT ENTRIES:
· Entries should be typed, double-spaced, in a clear twelve-point font, and the pages numbered on 8.5 x 11 paper, not stapled. Do not send entries that only have a few sentences per page.
· Illustrations are not accepted.
· Submissions will be accepted by hardcopy only.
· Include a separate cover letter with title of story, full name, address, phone number, email address, word count, and number of pages of entry.
· Please type the name of the entrant and the title of the entry on each numbered page. This is not a blind competition.
· Make your cheque or money order payable to The Writers’ Union of Canada. Multiple entries can be submitted together and fees can be added and paid with one cheque or money order, $15 per submission.
· Entries must be postmarked by April 24, 2012 to be eligible.
· Mail entries to: WFC Competition, The Writers’ Union of Canada, 90 Richmond Street East, Suite 200, Toronto, ON M5C 1P1.
Results will be posted at www.writersunion.ca in July 2012. Manuscripts will not be returned.
Writing Contest
02 Feb 2012 1 Comment
in Help for writers, Worthy Causes Tags: Jocelyn Shipley, The Old School House Arts Centre, writing contest
Heads up to all you wanna be kid’s book writers.
Here’s an Island writing contest aimed at producing a book of illustrated stories for 9-12 year olds while benefiting The Old School House Arts Centre (T.O.S.H.) in Qualicum Beach, British Columbia.
Stories should be unpublished and in the 1500 word range. The entrance fee is $10 with the best story taking home a $200 prize. The top ten stories will be published and illustrated by artists-in-residence of T.O.S.H. The profits from the sale of the book will go to support the non-profit arts centre.
Thanks to my colleague Jocelyn Shipley for passing this on. Do be sure to check out her site and her work.
Laptops for Liberians
01 Feb 2012 Leave a comment
in For Educators, For Parents, Help for writers, Worthy Causes Tags: CODE, Kathy Stinson, laptops, Liberia, literacy
There are lots of great projects that need funding, but one that I really support is CODE Canada’s work to encourage and assist the publication of books in third world countries. Imagine a child living in a third world country trying to make sense of books about kids living in New York, or Iowa, or Whitehorse. Now imagine that you have to learn another language to even read them! That’s what it’s like for a child living in Kenya or Tanzania or Ethiopia or Liberia. Now imagine being able to read a book by a writer from your own country, a book in your own language, a book about your world. This is what CODE is trying to achieve…and it can, with your help.
I know, I know. If you’re anything like me, your donation dollars are already stretched to the max. But wait. There is another way to help. And it doesn’t involve your pocketbook, or even much of your time!
If you have an old laptop in the closet collecting dust, please consider donating it to assist a Liberian writer. Yep, it’s that easy.
Contact Kathy Stinson. She will be working with CODE to get your old laptops into the hands of writers and illustrators who need them most.
So, if have an old laptop in the closet collecting dust, here’s your chance to give it to someone who will put it to good use.
Don’t delay. Contact Kathy today.
Serendipity 2012: Children’s Literature Conference
16 Jan 2012 Leave a comment
in Award News, Events, For Educators, For Parents, Help for writers, News Tags: 2012 Information Book Award winner Papertigers.org, Allen Say, children's literature conference, Joseph Wu, Lis Yee, master, origami, Paul Yee, Serendipity 2012, Tanya Kyi
Vancouver Children’s Literature Roundtable Presents:
Year of the Dragon: Asian Themes for Young Canadian Readers
Saturday, February 25, 2012; 8:30 am – 3:30 pm (includes lunch & snacks) The University of British Columbia, Neville Scarfe Building; Room 100
***Featuring***
Paul Yee
Lisa Yee
Allen Say
***With Special Guests***
Tanya Kyi, 2011 Information Book Award, winner
Marjorie Coughlan Papertigers.org editor
Corinne Robson Papertigers.org editor
Joseph Wu, origami master and
Shiamak’s Bollywood Dancers
Registration Fees
Early Bird Rates (through January 31, 2012): Members $125 Non‐members $140 Students $75 Regular Rates (beginning February 1, 2012): Members $150 Non‐members $165 Students $100
Visit us at www.vclr.ca for more information or to register
Doodling is given a new definition by Sunni Brown
06 Jan 2012 Leave a comment
in For Educators, For Parents, Help for writers, Writing Life Tags: doodling, information processing, Patricia Storms, Robert McKee, Sunni Brown, TED lectures, visual literacy
There may be no such thing as a flattering definition of doodling, but according to Sunni Brown, Doodling can assist information processing, has been an important precursor to certain cultural pieces (such as the Guggenheim in Abu Dhabi) and has a profound positive role in visual literacy.
Who knew…
I love these TED talks. They point you in directions you never would have thought of. Thanks Patricia Storms for the heads up. I have always been a doodler. It helps me think.
And if that isn’t enough, there is story connection…even the guru of screenwriting, Robert McKee is a doodle fan.
Robert McCrum’s list of 50 things he’s learned about literary life
19 Dec 2011 Leave a comment
in Help for writers, Writing Life Tags: Robert McCrum, Writing Life
Fifty things I’ve learned about the literary life
There’s no magic formula for success, and no one person knows best, but for what it’s worth…
Here’s a few of my favorites:
1. Less is more. Or, “the only art is to omit” (Robert Louis Stevenson).
3. Whatever works, works.
4. There are seven basic stories in world literature.
8. Put a body on page one.
9. Literature is theft.
13. The “overnight success” is usually anything but.
22. A great novel can cost as much as a pencil and a pad of paper – or a whole life.
31. Moby-Dick sold fewer than 10,000 copies in Melville’s lifetime.
Here’s McCrum’s complete list.
Robert McCrum is an author, editor, and frequent contributor to the Guardian
My own list is slightly more meagre, but I have learned a thing or two over the last 25 years.
1) Marry money, or be prepared to be poor.
2) I’ll never run out of things to write about.
3) I’m “difficult” to live with if I’m not writing.
4) It’s easy to get lost in a story.
5) You often have to throw away your favorite lines to serve the greater good of the story.
6) Rejection is part of literary life. Even the best writers get rejected. You have to move on.
7) Everyone is writing a book, or thinking about writing a book when they retire. That doesn’t make them writers.
8) Reading fine writing is like breathing fresh air.
9) Writers have to pay for their own books. Fundraisers are not usually aware that writers have to pay for their own books.
10) Most writers are also readers.
Michael Morpurgo’s writing tips
13 Dec 2011 2 Comments
in For Educators, For Kids, For Parents, for teens, Help for writers, News Tags: Michael Morpurgo, writing tips
I’m a huge fan of Michael Morpurgo and was once fortunate enough to host him for a talk as well as tour he and his wife around Victoria. His books tend to be of the universal rather than age-dependent sort which is one of the things I like best about his writing. Dear Ollie remains one of my all-time favorites, but he’s written so many others that I have enjoyed. In fact, I don’t think I’ve read a Morpurgo book that I didn’t like. He recently posted writing tips in The Guardian are well worth checking out. I particularly liked this one.
The most important thing is to live an interesting life. Keep your eyes, ears and heart open. Talk to people and visit interesting places, and don’t forget to ask questions. To be a writer you need to drink in the world around you so it’s always there in your head.
Here are two of my most recent favorite Morpurgo reads.
Helpful writing sites
28 Nov 2011 Leave a comment
in Help for writers Tags: Plot to Punctuation
I keep meaning to post more writing tips, but so many others are doing a fabulous job of this that I may instead just provide links to helpful writing sites. One site I found to be pretty good was Plot to Punctuation. In particular, I loved the five part series called Forty-five more flaws that expose your lack of storytelling experience. The list includes things like continuity errors, weak verbs, pronoun ambiguity, backstory info dumps, dialogue tagging, passive characters, and the clincher, telling instead of showing.
Look what the Vancouver Public Library is up to!
27 Nov 2011 Leave a comment
in Events, For Educators, For Kids, For Parents, for teens, Help for writers, News Tags: Vancouver Public Library Free For All
Libraries are so cool. Look what the Vancouver Public Library is up to…
Posted on November 6, 2011 by daphnewood
Free-for-all: it’s a vibrant mix of your perspectives and suggestions. It’s a new way to discover your Library, and to shape the Library of the Future.
From now through to the Fall of 2012, we’ll be focusing on four different themes that are critical to the future of public libraries.
Join us in person, on line, or take one of our Conversation Kits into the community and take part in the Free-for-all exchange of ideas.
Choose your own adventure: November 29
Posted on November 6, 2011 by daphnewood
On Tuesday, November 29 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. we invite you to Choose Your Own Adventure and explore the topic of public places and learning spaces. We provide you with a story to follow, set in the Central Library. You decide where the story leads, based on the choices you make along the way. You will meet fellow adventurers, engage with Library staff, and take part in fun activities. Your comments will be used to help the Library make important decisions about how we operate and what we offer.
You could win one of three prizes:
- An exclusive guided tour of the Central Library green roof – a hands-on adventure
- An iPod nano – an audio adventure
- A bag of new books – a visual adventure
The City of Vancouver supports the Library so that everyone can use it – for free. It’s your library system. Come and join the free-for-all exchange of ideas and shape the library of the future.
Can’t make it down to the Central Library on November 29? Not a problem! Check out ourConversation Kit. Explore the material together with family members, friends, neighbours, colleagues – you too will be eligible for our prize draw on December 15.
Posted in Events | 3 Comments
Conversation Kits
Posted on November 6, 2011 by daphnewood
We welcome your ideas and your participation in our Free-for-all series. We have developed a Conversation Kit, packed with fun activities to get your creativity flowing. The Kit also contains interesting facts about the future of public libraries.
Follow three easy steps:
- Step 1* – Open the Conversation Kit about Public Spaces and Learning Places
- Step 2 – Follow the story and start your adventure! (This is an interactive document. At the bottom of page 1, you will be asked to make a choice. Click the option you like best. The story will continue automatically, based on your choice!).
- Step 3 – Email your Kit to the Vancouver Public Library. Easy one-step instructions are provided once you’ve reached one of two possible endings. That’s it!
*Note: Functionality is limited for Google Chrome users.
For those who would like to take part in a community adventure, join us on November 29. Discover the Central Library like you’ve never seen it before!
Did we mention the PRIZES…?
If you include your name and contact information in the Kit, online or in person at the event, you will be eligible to win a prize. In November, as part of our choose your own adventure theme, we’re featuring three choices for our lucky winners:
- An exclusive guided tour of the Central Library green roof – a hands-on adventure
- An iPod nano – an audio adventure
- A bag of new books – a visual adventure
Choose Your Own Adventure(R) at home, at work, with friends or family…pickup additional copies of our Conversation Kit at any VPL location and get started. Return the Kits to any location of the Vancouver Public Library by December 14. (There are 22 convenient locations across Vancouver).
Good luck, and thank you for exploring the future with us.
Sheryl McFarlane 