Yes, that’s 30 BOOKS FOR ONE WINNER. Books for kids, books for adults, fiction, non-fiction… all the books!

To save you squinting at the pic, I’ve listed the titles below.

WIN THESE 30 BOOKS

Fiona Palmer – Matters of the Heart
Ben Hobson – Snake Island
Carmel Reilly – Life Before
Richard Roper – Something to Live For
Melanie Cheng – Room for a Stranger
Hilary Spiers – Love, Lies and Linguine
Dr Sarah McKay – The Women’s Brain Book
Josephine Moon – The Gift of Life
Josephine Moon – Three Gold Coins
Mark Brandi – The Rip
Melina Marchetta – The Place on Dalhousie
Neil Gaiman – Norse Mythology
Amie Kaufman/Jay Kristoff – Aurora Rising
Diana Gabaldon – Seven Stones to Stand or Fall
Anna Romer – Under the Midnight Sky
Lorraine Murphy – Baby, You’re Remarkable!
Rohan Wilson – Daughter of Bad Times
David Gilham – Annelies
JP Pomare – Call Me Evie
Lexi Freiman – Inappropriation
Lisa Bigelow – We That Are Left
Karen Viggers – The Orchardist’s Daughter
Owen Nicholls – Love Unscripted
Gary Disher – Her
Deborah Abela – Final Storm
Michael Crichton – Dragon Teeth
Caoilinn Hughes – Orchid and the Wasp
Kate and Jol Temple – The Birthday Wars
J.K. Rowling – Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Hufflepuff Limited Edition)
Davina Bell, Karen Blair – Lemonade Jones and the Great School Fete

HOW TO WIN

To win the 30-book pack, we’d like you to tell us a little bit about yourself.

All you have to do is to answer this question in the most creative way that you know how!

What’s the #1 thing you’ve learned from listening to the So You Want To Be A Writer podcast with Valerie Khoo and Allison Tait?

So,

• upload a blog post,

•craft a tweet

•write a Facebook post

•shoot a video

•create an image

•[insert your own brilliant idea]

and SHARE it to your favourite social media platform – Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter using the hashtag #valandal300

Is the #1 thing one of Val’s words of the week?

My ‘fair to middling’ approach to life?

Have you discovered banoffee pie?

Did you discover your new favourite author through one of our interviews?

Or is there a writing tip that’s changed your life?

Something else?

Tell us! We really want to know!

I am looking for my favourite entry to WIN ALL THE BOOKS, so remember to make sure your post is PUBLIC, or I won’t see it.

If you want to make doubly sure I won’t miss your creative stylings, TAG ME at

Twitter: @altait

Instagram: @allisontaitwriter

Facebook: @allisontaitwriter

As well as @writerscentreau  onFacebook, Instagram and Twitter.

The comp opens when our 300th episode drops on 30 September 2019, and closes at 11.59pm (AEDT) on Monday 7 October.

That’s right. ONE WEEK ONLY.

The fine print

The comp opens when our 300th episode drops on 30 September 2019, and closes at 11.59pm (AEDT) on Monday 7 October.  The winner will be announced in episode 302 of the So You Want To Be A Writer, on the Australian Writers’ Centre blog, and in the So You Want To Be A Writer podcast community. Open worldwide. Winner will be judged on creativity, humour and/or ability to evoke all the feels in my fair-middling heart.

A step-by-step guide on how to enter

1.     Create a blog or social media post that addresses this question:

What’s the #1 thing you’ve learned from listening to the So You Want To Be A Writer podcast with Valerie Khoo and Allison Tait?

2.     Post your entry to Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or via your blog

Instagram: add #valandal300 to the end and tag @allisontaitwriter @writerscentreau

Facebook: Add #valandal300 to your post and tag @allisontaitwriter and @writerscentreau. NOTE: the post will need to be PUBLIC for us to see it, or share it from your profile/page to the So You Want To Be A Writer podcast community Facebook group.

Twitter: Add #valandal300 to the end of your message and tag @altait @writerscentreau

Blog: Share the link on social media (Twitter or Facebook, see above)

3. Follow the hashtag to see what others are posting!

Good luck! I can’t wait to see what you come up with! Regular listeners will know that this is the equivalent of me planning a parade, so thank you so much for taking part in our celebrations!

And if you haven’t discovered the So You Want To Be A Writer podcast yet, join us here! 

The post So You Want To Be A Writer podcast celebrates 300 episodes – and YOU can WIN 30 books! appeared first on Allison Tait.

Fifteenth.

Four were written before my first children’s novel (The Mapmaker Chronicles: Race To The End Of The World) was published and I doubt that we will ever see that fab four again.

Since TMC #1 came out, I have written five manuscripts that are now published novels, plus five more, including this new one. News on all of those various projects will be with you once I have it to hand.

Anyhoo, my point is that I’ve written a few now and it got me to thinking about the various ingredients that are common to all of them. So I’ve packaged them up neatly as Cs because a) it’s been a while between blog posts, b) it amused me to use a maths concept in my creative writing post and c) that’s how I roll.

Creativity

I’ve put this one first because it’s hard to write a novel without an idea. Sometimes, though, I think the bigger challenge is working out which idea will sustain a novel and which is the starting point for a character (which will then be subsumed into a larger idea), which is the basis of a scene (which will then be subsumed into a larger story), and which is a short story all by itself.

The reality is that some of my many ideas are just half-formed fragments that end up in notebooks and stay there, taunting me forever.

The most difficult ideas, for me, are those that present themselves as ‘I’d like to write a book about X’, or ‘I’m going to write a mystery story’. For me, that’s not an idea, it’s a theme, or a genre.

The best and most creative ideas are specific. Often weirdly specific. And, for me, they usually present themselves as a question and a feeling.

The Mapmaker Chronicles came from that feeling you get when you look out into a clear night sky (where are the edges? what’s at the edges?) and a specific question: How did they map the world? (You can read about it here)

The Ateban Cipher novels came from the feeling I got when I looked at The Book Of Kells (I wanted to take it home) and a specific question: Why would you write a book that no-one can read? (You can read about it here)

Craft

If you have always been someone who can write – that is, sit down at school, or university, or wherever, and have words pour out onto the page when required – craft is often something that you come to later. It’s often about the time that you write the first draft of your first novel, all 70,000 words of it, and think that your work is done.

In fact, it’s the time that you submit that first draft to an agent who comes back to you with these words: “What would you like me to do with this? There’s some nice writing in here but it is in no way ready to send out.”

Or maybe that’s just me.

Valerie Khoo and I have often discussed on our podcast that you don’t know what you don’t know. I discovered this lesson the hard way when I had the above exchange with an agent. I knew I could write a sentence – hadn’t I been doing that for years as a features writer? What I didn’t know was how to write fiction. Not really.

I was lucky enough to have had a good head start, thanks to all of my years of reading and working with words. But I had a lot to learn, and that’s where craft comes in.

Structure, character development, logical plotting, pacing… Take the courses, do the reading, go to the workshops at festivals, join writers’ groups. Whatever works for you.

I’m still learning a lot the hard way, because I still write without a detailed plan. I have to write it to see what it is, which is not the most efficient way of managing a publishing career.

But at least I now know what I don’t know.

Calculation

If you had told Teenage Me that I’d one day be a published author and that I’d spend half my time walking around the block trying to work through logical solutions to problems that I had created myself, Teenage Me would have laughed.

Teenage Me thought that creative writing was all about… creativity. Little did Teenage Me know (about this and so many things, right Mum?)

When I do my school visits these days, I like to talk about writing superpowers. And when I tell the ‘maths kids’ and the ‘science kids’ that they have one of the greatest writing superpowers ever, I can see their confusion.

But so much of what we do as writers is problem solving.

If this happens, what happens next?

If that happens, what happens next?

And every decision has to come back to your character, and what your character would do in that situation.

Not what you would do. What your character would do.

Not what you, as the writer, needs your character to do to fix this festering plot hole you have created. What your character would logically do.

No wonder Procrastipup and I do so much walking (which is a great way to work through logical solutions, if you’re looking for one).

Commitment

Look, I wish that talking about writing got the writing done. I wish that I could tell you that your novel will write itself.

But it doesn’t, and it won’t.

If you want to write a novel, you have to commit to the process. You have to make the time. You have to write the words.

Yes, you.

It’s not easy. You’ll have to make sacrifices. You need to show up.

But that’s what it takes.

If you need some help to get the words written, you can read my blog post here, or you can take my 30-Day Creative Writing Bootcamp (10,000 words in 30 days. Yes, you).

Correction

I well remember the first time I received a structural edit (you can read about it here). I have still been known to cry. But editing – fixing (correcting) what is wrong with your manuscript – is an essential part of the process.

The trouble with a big edit is that it feels like an insurmountable problem. How can you possibly make all of these changes when every single change you make affects the entire story?

The answer, of course, is that you climb that insurmountable mountain one step at a time.

I’ve got some tips on how to edit your own writing here, and some tips from a professional editor here.

Courage

I call it courage. Others, as one person on Twitter told me in no uncertain terms [insert eyeroll emoji], call it confidence. Perhaps it’s a blend of the two.

It’s the blind faith that will carry you through the process of sitting alone in a room for the countless hours it takes to write your novel, then the countless hours of hard graft it takes to edit your novel and then, right at the very end, the sheer will it takes to press ‘send’ to either submit your work to a traditional publisher or publish your work yourself – and it is not for the faint-hearted.

Putting your thoughts on the page and then handing them over to someone else to read isn’t easy.

Dealing with rejection isn’t easy.

There are a lot of people out there who say they’re going to ‘write a novel one day’.

To me, it takes courage to try.

Are you new here? Welcome to my blog! I’m Allison Tait, aka A.L. Tait, and I’m the author of two epic middle-grade adventure series, The Mapmaker Chronicles and The Ateban Cipher.

 You can find out more about me here, and more about my books here.

And check out So You Want To Be A Writer: How To Get Started (While You Still Have A Day Job), co-authored with Valerie Khoo and based on our top-rating podcast.

The post The 6 Cs of writing a novel appeared first on Allison Tait.

It’s one of those phrases that seems to have blasted its way across the internet like a tumbleweed, gathering pace and size as it moves, leaving an entire library of ‘how to’ books in its wake.

But the presence of growth mindset in fiction is less often discussed.

Today, in the author spotlight for the Your Kid’s Next Read Facebook group, author Tahnee McShane shares some thoughts about this – and a great list of children’s fiction featuring Growth Mindset.

Take it away Tahnee!

Growth mindset: why we need to see it in children’s fiction

By now I expect you’ve heard of growth mindset. To be honest, I was a sceptic when the topic was first introduced to me: I thought it was just resilience re-branded. And to a certain degree, it is.

However, through my work with children and discussions with teachers and parents over the last decade, I have come to realise how important this mindset is for the future of our children.

We all approach everything with a mindset. Put simply, this is our attitude with which we approach different situations in life. The opposite of growth mindset is fixed mindset.

What is fixed mindset?

A fixed mindset is becoming increasingly common in the younger generations and there are plenty of theories as to why (helicopter parents, snowplough parents, social media).

In the classroom, a fixed mindset rears its ugly head in children across all age groups and ability levels.

There are students in prep, who will refuse to dance, because “I don’t dance.”

Students who “aren’t good at maths,” and therefore refuse to try.

The increased appetite and expectation for instant gratification means that children often just want to find the right answer, regardless of how they come about it. Students are willing to simply correct their answer without question or without discussion. Without learning.

To combat the limiting impact of fixed mindset, we can teach growth mindset.

What is growth mindset?

It gives students the skills to overcome their problems. Growth-mindset gives us confidence and the courage to try, fail and try again. Students learn that challenges are exciting because we are learning and bettering ourselves.  We teach students not to pigeon-hole themselves. We teach them to say ‘yet’.

So what does this have to do with fiction?

As both an author and a teacher, I strongly feel that we can turn toward fiction as a guide for teaching a growth mindset in our children.

The good news is we don’t need to look for a specialised series on growth mindset when we want to introduce this concept to children at home or in the classroom. Many of our favourite children’s books portray characters with growth mindset.

You don’t have to turn far in the fiction world to see characters who encounter a problem, struggle, grow and then overcome their problem. It’s formulaic.

But when children read fiction where the characters make mistakes, or where bad things happen – it’s a reflection of real life. This is where we learn the life skills of grit and determination.

Reading with children and discussing the story is the best way for young children to learn about and manifest these qualities in their own lives.

For older readers, strong characters can make a lasting impression that they can take with them into adulthood.

10 fiction books to help kids develop a growth mindset

I’ve put together a list of children’s fiction books that show characters with a growth mindset. These are characters with a love of learning, curiosity, the ability to learn from their mistakes, and creativity.

Tashi by Anna Fienberg (ill Kim Gamble)

The Digging-est Dog by Al Perkins (ill Eric Gurney)

The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien

Superworm by Julia Donaldson (ill Axel Scheffler)

Koala Lou by Mem Fox (ill Pamela Lofts)

The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires

Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beaty (ill David Roberts)

Beautiful Oops by Barney Saltzberg

The Cow Tripped Over The Moon by Tony Wilson

Annabel and Turtle by Tahnee McShane (ill Mary-Ann Orchard)

Why growth mindset in fiction matters

Mem Fox’s character Koala Lou is a great example of growth mindset. Koala Lou is absolutely determined to win the tree climbing event in the Bush Olympics. She practices her skills daily and enters the games. Of course, Koala Lou is devastated when she doesn’t win the tree climbing event.

This is reflective of real life. We don’t always win everything even when we try our best.

And I think it’s a message that’s necessary in today’s culture. Being proud of growth, whilst also understanding that failure is more than okay – it’s necessary for growth.

Using strong characters who display growth mindset as role models for children will help them to develop skills in resilience, and an appreciation for lifelong learning, both of which will enable our next generation to confidently conquer whatever challenges crop up for them in the years to come.

Tahnee McShane is the author of Annabel and Turtle a children’s book and podcast series, for children aged 2 to 8.

Tahnee is also a teacher and mother, and lives in Tasmania with her husband and three children. Connect with her on Facebook and Instagram and find the podcast on Spotify and Soundcloud.

Are you new here? Welcome to my blog! I’m Allison Tait, aka A.L. Tait, and I’m the author of two epic middle-grade adventure series, The Mapmaker Chronicles and The Ateban Cipher.

 You can find out more about me here, and more about my books here.

The post 10 fiction books to help kids develop growth mindset appeared first on Allison Tait.

August  has been a crazy-busy month, featuring planes, trains and automobiles, Book Week, the MS Readathon, the first Your Kid’s Next Read Live event, and media appearances on television, radio and in print. Add to that the business of writing a new manuscript, and I’m a bit surprised I’m still upright.

These monthly posts are collated for the purposes of keeping a record on this blog of my author life, so thanks for sticking with me.

Where to begin…

News

The month kicked off with the launch of the 2019 MS Readathon, and, in my role as author ambassador for this year’s event, I visited The Illawarra Grammar School. My boys were very excited to see me on the 6pm news that night!

It was a terrific start for a wonderful event, and I was thrilled to see that, as of last week, the MS Readathon had raised over $1 million, and kids at 3,500 schools had read more than 75,000 books!

A few weeks later, I was sitting with a great group of kids at the CBCA (Illawarra-South Coast Branch) Literary Lunch, which is always a great day out. This year, I was asked to give the writing workshop for the event, which was a great honour.

And then, before I knew it, Book Week was upon us! This year, I visited schools in Sydney, Brisbane and Milton, talking to around 1500 excited and enthusiastic kids in total.

I was blown away by the warm welcomes I received in every school and, in particular, the library team at Citipointe Christian College in Brisbane were next level with their enormous floating Ateban Cipher and their escape room based on The Book Of Secrets. Teacher-librarians are truly an amazing bunch!

(If you’d like me to visit your school or event, check out my speaking page here.)

And, last but not least for my Book Week report, I’m thrilled to announce that the first-ever Your Kid’s Next Read Live Event + Meet-Up was a smashing success.

Nervously awaiting the crowd! From left, Megan Daley, Allison Tait, Allison Rushby, the admin team behind Your Kid’s Next Read.

The Living Room at St Aidan’s, Brisbane.

Answering some of our community’s most pressing questions about kids and books.

We had a lot of laughs along the way!

Megan Daley, Allison Rushby and I were delighted by the response of our YKNR community, and enjoyed meeting you all, talking about books and answering your questions! (Allison R. particularly enjoyed the incredible grazing table at St Aidan’s school…)

We’re hoping to do it all again in another location soon, so keep an eye on the YKNR community Facebook page for details.

Reviews

How could I possibly resist sharing this fantastic review, by a grade six boy, of The Mapmaker Chronicles: Race To The End Of The World, in the window of the library at Waverley College as part of a display for Book Week?

“This book is an amazing book where the characters are loveable, the story is exciting with many nail-biting moments and plenty of action!”

I’ll take that, and say thank you very much!

In other news, this review of So You Want To Be A Writer: How To Get Started (While You Still Have A Day Job), my book with Valerie Khoo based on our top-rating podcast, also made my day!

I absolutely love the fact that the reviewer Annamaree is someone who said ‘I’d love to write a book’ over and over and, after reading this book, is inspired to actually do something about it!

She says:

“If writing is something that you have thought about but never done anything about, then I suggest that you get your hands on a copy of this book and absorb all the wonderful information contained within.”

It’s exactly the response that Val and I were hoping for!

Interviews

I’ve been interviewed several times for radio over the past month, mostly in my role as MS Readathon Ambassador, and often at very short notice. It’s always an interesting process – in one case, I was huddled under a tree in a windswept park in Rose Bay, trying to sound sensible – and it never quite goes the way you expect.

It reminded me that I’ve been meaning to write a ‘how to be interviewed’ post for this blog for ages, so I’ve put it back on the To Do list. Let me know in the comments if there are any questions in particular you’d like me to cover!

Are you new here? Welcome to my blog! I’m Allison Tait, aka A.L. Tait, and I’m the author of two epic middle-grade adventure series, The Mapmaker Chronicles and The Ateban Cipher.

 You can find out more about me here, and more about my books here.

The post News, reviews + interviews (August 2019) appeared first on Allison Tait.

Every children’s author I know is taking their vitamins and limbering up for what is now, for many, an entire month of activities and engagements.

I’m all booked out for Book Week, speaking in schools in Sydney and in Brisbane, and I’m also looking forward to the Illawarra-South Coast CBCA Branch’s Children’s Literary Lunch on 14 August in Wollongong.

The lunch is a brilliant opportunity to catch up with local authors such as Sue Whiting, Nat Amoore, Debra Tidball, Edwina Wyatt, and more, and, of course, to meet the hundreds of keen readers who attend the lunch each year. This year, I’m giving the workshop and I can’t wait to help the kids to find their writing superpower.

The first Your Kid’s Next Read event in BRISBANE

This year, Book Week also has a brand-new highlight for me – the first-ever live event/meet-up for the Your Kid’s Next Read Facebook community* in Brisbane on Wednesday 21 August, 2019. Tickets are $25 each and you can buy them  here.

The format for the event is simple:

•wine and nibbles and the opportunity to meet fabulous members of the YKNR community and other interested parties,

•a live (and lively) discussion featuring the YKNR admin team: Megan Daley (teacher-librarian, blogger extraordinaire at Children’s Books Daily, and author of Raising Readers: How to nurture a child’s love of books), Allison Rushby, author of 20+ books for children, YA and adults, and me.

We’ll address some of the most popular questions that come up in our group over and over, as well as our thoughts on engaging kids in reading, how reading helps kids with their own writing, encouraging reluctant readers, catering for advanced readers and much, much more. We’re happy to answer your questions so bring them along!

There’ll also be book sales and signings.

Tickets for the event are selling fast, so please join us at our Book Week Event for Grown-ups. And, no, you don’t have to dress up… though feel free to do so if you wish!

You’ll find more details and tickets here.

*Your Kid’s Next Read is a fast-growing community of parent, teachers, librarians, authors, booksellers and other interested parties, aimed at finding the perfect ‘next book’ for every young reader. At present, we have nearly 8000 members. We think it takes a village to raise a reader, and we’d love you to become a part of ours!

Bonus: Book Week costume ideas from Australian authors

If you’re looking for Book Week costume inspiration, here are some ideas, all based on Australian books, to get you started

Book Week Costume Idea: How to be Quinn (+Ash) from The Mapmaker Chronicles

How to be Gabe (+ more) from The Ateban Cipher for Book Week

Simple Book Week Ideas From Australian Authors

3 NEW simple Book Week ideas from Australian Authors

Are you new here? Welcome to my blog! I’m Allison Tait, aka A.L. Tait, and I’m the author of two epic middle-grade adventure series, The Mapmaker Chronicles and The Ateban Cipher.

 You can find out more about me here, and more about my books here.

The post [NEWS] Your Kid’s Next Read Live Book Week Event appeared first on Allison Tait.

“Very few writers really know what they are doing until they’ve done it.”

Anne Lamott’s quote has always resonated with me for two reasons. One is that you don’t really know how to write a book until you get in there and write one.

The second is that sometimes you don’t even realise what you’ve written until you reach The End – and, even then, sometimes not until someone else tells you.

In the spotlight today is my good friend Allison Rushby, the author of many books for children, YA and adults, who can also relate to this quote.

Discovering what you’ve really written

When The Turnkey was released in 2017, I was overjoyed with the reviews it received – until  one stopped me in my tracks.

The reviewer called The Turnkey “surreptitiously feminist” and I found myself reading her review over and over again, because it made me think A LOT about exactly what it was that I’d written.

Now, don’t get me wrong, the review in question was a lovely one (you can read it in its entirety here). In her review, one of the main points the reviewer makes is that, throughout the novel, Flossie remains in charge.

No older male steps in to tell her what to do, or how to save the day. Rather, she’s put in charge of large groups of men, including soldiers, and these men all happily report back to her as she works out how she’s going to save her cemetery and country.

At the time of reading this eye-opening review, I was finishing up the first draft of The Seven Keys (the second book in The Turnkey series, released this month with Walker Books Australia). I began to ask myself if what I was writing was also “surreptitiously feminist”…

I didn’t have to ponder this question long. There was nothing “surreptitious” about it. By the end of The Seven Keys, almost every key role in London’s twilight world is filled by a female character. The Seven Keys is just flat-out feminist.

When it comes to the portrayal of females in others’ work, I wasn’t surprised to find that a lot of the middle-grade fiction I connect with also has strong female protagonists. I do so love a good go-getting heroine. A girl who GSD (Gets Stuff Done) just like Flossie and her friends do in The Turnkey and The Seven Keys.

With this in mind, I came up with a list of some of my favourite GGSD (Girls Getting Stuff Done) middle-grade/upper-middle-grade reads that I hope you and your little reader love as much as I do.

10+ GGSD (Girls Getting Stuff Done) Middle Grade reads

Out Of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper

Melody’s body might not be strong (she has cerebral palsy), but her mind is fierce. She’s on a one woman mission to let her classmates know just how smart she really is.

The War That Saved My Life and The War I Finally Won by Kimberley Brubaker Bradley

Ada’s fight for self-worth and a life to call her own is absolutely heartbreaking, as is her carer’s backstory of love and the loss of her partner. Together, these strong-willed characters manage to help each other strive for a happy ever after.

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

The star of the show is Ivan (a caged gorilla who lives in a shopping mall), but clear-eyed Julia, the custodian’s daughter, is underrated in this tale. Her actions and courage will stay with you for a long time.

The Ateban Cipher series by A.L. Tait

In a world of monks and a stolen illuminated text, it takes a couple of smart girls to get in there, work out what’s going on and begin to set things to rights.

The Family with Two Front Doors by Anna Ciddor

Set in 1920s Poland and centred on a very religious Jewish family, this might seem a strange choice, but the historical setting and different way of life provides so much to discuss from a feminist perspective.

Everything I’ve Never Said by Samantha Wheeler

Ava is desperate to communicate with her family, but Rett Syndrome makes this impossible. That is, until some new people in her life allow this strong, driven character to finally show the world her true personality.

The Ratcatcher’s Daughter by Pamela Rushby

It’s 1900 and Issy’s father is a rat-catcher. When he becomes ill, it’s up to Issy to – wait for it – help rid Brisbane of the plague.

Lenny’s Book of Everything by Karen Foxlee

Lenny’s world is falling apart, but how she deals with this (and, especially, her mother’s abusive partner) shows the depth of her character.

A Single Stone by Meg McKinlay

Jena must deny herself food and wrap her limbs in order to stay small so she can slip inside rock crevices and retrieve precious mica. It is only when she begins to question the inconsistencies in her world that she can be set free.

Front Desk by Kelly Yang

Mia’s immigrant parents are doing it tough and so is Mia, who tends the desk at the Calivista motel while they clean rooms. She might be small, but this tenacious heroine packs a lot of “I can do it!” action into one book.

Allison Rushby is the author of more than 20 books. Her latest middle-grade novel, The Seven Keys, is the sequel to the award-winning The Turnkey. You can find her on Facebook and Twitter.

Are you new here? Welcome to my blog! I’m Allison Tait, aka A.L. Tait, and I’m the author of two epic middle-grade adventure series, The Mapmaker Chronicles and The Ateban Cipher.

You can find out more about me here, and more about my books here.

If you’d like more book suggestions for your young reader, join the Your Kid’s Next Read Facebook community.

*This post contains affiliate links. Click the title of each book to find out more about it or to purchase from Booktopia.

The post 10+ GGSD (Girls Getting Stuff Done) Middle-Grade Reads appeared first on Allison Tait.

News

Writers love writers’ festivals. We love them. They’re busy and tiring and a little bit crazy for someone like me, who spends most of her time alone with her computer and her dog.

But the joy of them for authors is that, for a few days, you’re part of a team of people who are doing exactly what you’re doing.

Which is why I’ve returned from the Whitsunday Voices Youth Literary Festival tired but with a huge smile on my face. With more than 5000 students taking part over two days, the festival, held in Mackay, is a huge event, but it is so incredibly well organised by the festival team that you feel as though nothing could possibly go wrong.

Sure, behind the scenes, there may have been hiccoughs, but we didn’t see them and I think the students who came to the many and various sessions would agree.

I’m sharing a few pics below so that you can get an idea of the flavour of the event.

Opening night panel with Jeann from Happy Indulgence book blog, Samantha Wheeler, Steven Herrick and me

A lovely drawing from a student.

One of six wonderful sessions.

In the green room. Pic: Michael Gerard Bauer

Shoalhaven Readers’ & Writers’ Festival

Next up for me on the writers’ festival front is the Shoalhaven Readers’ & Writers’ Festival this weekend. As director of the children’s program, I’ll have the pleasure of escorting Jacqueline Harvey to her school visits on Friday, while Jack Heath is looked after by another volunteer, and then introducing the festival on Saturday at Nowra Library (storytime from 10am) before conducting my all-but-soldout writing workshop later that day.

It’s all very exciting!

Other news

In the meantime, however, I have the absolute pleasure tomorrow of launching the MS Readathon in the Illawarra. I’m an author ambassador for the MS Readathon this year and I couldn’t be happier to be part of something that promotes reading in the widest sense of the word whilst also raising funds for a very worthy cause.

You can read more about the MS Readathon here, and I’ll report back on the launch later in the week.

Procrastipup and I are ready for the MS Readathon.

Reviews

So You Want To Be A Writer, my book with my fabulous podcast co-host Valerie Khoo, has been garnering some lovely reviews. Thanks so much to Dianne Bates from BuzzWords for this review:.

“...it should prove to be very popular, in fact (in the words of Pamela Hart, award-winning historical fiction author), ‘it is perfect for the person who wants to write but doesn’t have the confidence or the know-how to start.’”

And to Nicole Melanson from Word Mothers for this one:

“Whether you are merely curious about writing or already well established, I’d wager there are some useful tips for you sprinkled throughout So You Want to Be a Writer.”

Meanwhile, on Amazon, I was thrilled by this review, among others:

Thanks to everyone who’s left reviews! If you’ve read and enjoyed any of my books and you have a minute, please consider leaving a review on your platform of choice. It’s one of the very best gifts you can give any writer.

Are you new here? Welcome to my blog! I’m Allison Tait, aka A.L. Tait, and I’m the author of two epic middle-grade adventure series, The Mapmaker Chronicles and The Ateban Cipher.

 You can find out more about me here, and more about my books here.

The post News, reviews + interviews (July 2019) appeared first on Allison Tait.

I tried to give her book suggestions that would open up the world of writing for her, beyond those school assignments, give her some craft tips in a not-too-serious way, and also, perhaps, take her writing into different areas.

Some of them are personal recommendations, some of them are Book Boy‘s recommendations, and some of them are recommendations from authors I’ve interviewed on the podcast.

It occurred to me that there are probably a lot of teen writers out there just like her, so I figured it wouldn’t hurt to share my list.

So here it is (click on the title to read more about each book or to buy at Booktopia). Just in time for the holidays.

12 books about writing for teen writers

On Writing by Stephen King

This is my favourite book about writing, hands down, and Book Boy (15) loved it, too. You can read his review here. Half-memoir, half-writing craft, it’s a no-nonsense page-turner about writing.

Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott

“Thirty years ago my older brother, who was ten years old at the time, was trying to get a report on birds written that he’d had three months to write. It was due the next day.

We were out at our family cabin in Bolinas, and he was at the kitchen table close to tears, surrounded by binder paper and pencils and unopened books on birds, immobilized by the hugeness of the task ahead.

Then my father sat down beside him, put his arm around my brother’s shoulder, and said, “Bird by bird, buddy. Just take it bird by bird.” – Anne Lamott

I first read those words about 20 years ago and they perfectly sum up, for me, the process of getting a book written. One word, one page, at a time. It’s another memoir/writing book combined, with a lot of inspiration and motivation in its pages.

Writing Down The Bones: Freeing The Writer Within by Natalie Goldberg

This one comes recommended by international bestselling children’s author Andy Griffiths, who talked about it at length in episode 65 of the So You Want To Be A Writer podcast.

Here’s a snippet from the interview with Andy Griffiths:

“I discovered a book called Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg, who was very keen on writers putting the hours in and putting the practice in. She has a method of time writing practice, which was to write non-stop on any subject without editing, without thinking, without trying to control it – just get words on the page for a five-minute period and then repeat it again and again and again.

“That allows you to access your subconscious without the editing function getting in the way, going, ‘Well, that’s a bit silly,’ or, ‘That’s a bit rude,’ or, ‘That’s not appropriate, as if bums could grow arms and legs. Let’s get onto something a bit more realistic.’ You need to escape that voice when you’re getting the raw material on the page. You bring it in later to edit what you’ve done and to tidy it up. But, too often it’s fused at the creation stage, so people are very timid and very restricted in what they feel they can write.”

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron

Another book that is often recommended on the podcast. Children’s author Tristan Bancks, for instance, is a big fan, and talked about it in episode 201, as did children’s author Jen Storer, in episode 98. If you ever hear people talking about doing their ‘morning pages’, you can bet they’ve read this book. It’s a great way to encourage teens to keep a journal.

The Writing Book: A Workbook for Fiction Writers by Kate Grenville

I have a tattered and ancient copy of this book, which was the first book on writing I ever bought for myself (I was probably about 20 or 21 at the time). I love this one because it is practical, hands-on and Australian. I have given it to Book Boy, as much to help with his English assessments as his writing. For detailed, accessible information about point of view, dialogue and other techniques, it’s a winner.

Everything I Know About Writing by John Marsden

This was published in 1998 and I have only just discovered its existence (I know, where have I been?). I promptly bought a copy for Book Boy (okay, for me) as everything John Marsden knows about writing is surely worth reading. I am hoping Book Boy will review it once he’s read it, and I’ll edit this post with the review once it’s available.

Poetry

The Ode Less Travelled: Unlocking The Poet Within by Stephen Fry

I bought this one for Book Boy, who loved it (see his thoughts here), finding it equal parts instruction and entertainment.

Letters To A Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke

I’ve just bought this one for Book Boy after it was recommended to me as a terrific book on creativity. In this post on Medium by Chris Castiglione, it’s described thus:

“In 1903 Franz Kappus (a 17-year-old student) wrote the poet Rainer Maria Rilke (27 years old) asking his advice on becoming a writer.

The book is a collection of Rilke’s replies over a series of ten letters. In the letters Rilke beautifully articulates advice on topics of creativity, dealing with criticism, inspiration, love, life, and loneliness.”

Grammar & Punctuation

The Elements Of Style (Strunk and White)

Eats Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss

Punctuation matters. I’m sorry, but it does. As I tell kids when I do author talks and workshops, ‘think of it as a toolkit to help readers decode your words. You want them to get the message exactly as you intended, not some weird, cryptic guess.’

These two books take different approaches to the same subject – S&W is the classic, ESL is the contemporary – but every teen writer should have at least one.

Other

Save The Cat by Blake Snyder

Billing itself as ‘the last book on screenwriting you’ll ever need’, this was the first book on screenwriting I ever read and I found it invaluable for writing fiction of any kind. As a bonus, it helps to watch the movies that are mentioned in the book, so offers hours of useful procrastination as well. Teens will find it very readable and really helpful for learning about the structure of stories.

Songwriters on Songwriting by Paul Zollo

There are now two volumes of this collection with this one, the first, being the classic edition, featuring songwriters such as Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Leonard Cohen, Neil Young, k. d. lang and more. The second volume (More Songwriters On Songwriting) includes Patti Miller, James Taylor, Elvis Costello, Loretta Lynn and more.

I bought the first one for Book Boy, who writes his own songs, and have enjoyed dipping in an out of it myself for the insight into the creative process of some of the world’s best songwriters.

So there you have it. Some books for teens about writing*. Have you or your teens got any recommendations to add? Please share them in the comments!

*You will note that I didn’t put So You Want To Be A Writer, my new book with Valerie Khoo, on this list. The main reason for that is that, at 15, my young writer friend is still in that beautiful space of having time to write, think, and explore the craft of writing.

So You Want To Be A Writer is a book about deciding on the kind of writer you want to be, making it work outside a day job (to begin with), approaching writing as a business, making it fit within your life, getting in touch with your creativity, getting the words written. I will give it to my 15-year-old friend in a few years, as a high-school graduation gift. Buy it here for yourself or someone you know.

The post 12 writing books for teen writers appeared first on Allison Tait.

Dave is the author of The Institute of Fantastical Inventions, published by Harbour Publishing, which is described by Books + Publishing as:

“An exuberantly silly melange of Doctor Who and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory … written for fans of David Walliams’ humour and kooky characters.”

In this post, Dave Leys turns one of the most common pieces of writing advice upside-down.

Write what you don’t know (yet)

One of the most common, and most commonly quoted, pieces of advice to writers is to ‘write what you know’, a line generally attributed to Mark Twain.

The impulse behind this advice is understandable – it is to warn authors off writing stories where their ignorant, inauthentic relationship to their content is a problem. There’s nothing worse than reading a story with a very specific world or event – for instance, a bank heist, or an accident while parachuting, or an Impressionist painter in Paris – and working out halfway through the writer is giving you what they picked up about the subjects from movies, not from real life.

As a reader it leaves you feeling that the writer isn’t in control of their story and that you’re not fully immersed in that world. Worse, you start to suspect that the writer chose that event or setting for shallow reasons, because they thought it would have a good effect rather than because they were actually interested in the reality of it.

I would like to offer a contrary piece of advice to writers: Write what you don’t (yet) know.

What do I mean by this? I can best illustrate it by discussing how I came to write my novel The Institute of Fantastical Inventions.

See, I started off wanting to write a novel for children in a genre I grew up reading and still love – fantasy. But then I thought, ‘what new thing do I have to say about magic and elves and so on?’.

Writers like J K Rowling had, to me, covered that territory so magnificently I didn’t know where there was room for my original engagement. (Of course there are new things to say in that genre, and every day fantasy authors show that, but regardless that was my feeling.)

Then it occurred to me – what is so fantastical, so wondrous in its capacity for change and transformation as to be almost like magic? The answer was science.

My secret gift: ignorance

As a student, science was not my strong suit. To this day, like so many of us, I only grasp the barest essentials and am amazed at the advances in astrophysics, quantum mechanics, gene technology or even more established fields like zoology and botany.

My very ignorance of science, I realised, was a secret gift. My lack of knowledge made it seem magical to me. I would write a novel where anything could be invented, where scientists of all types created fantastical things for people. For instance in my novel a scientist at the Institute of Fantastical Inventions teaches someone to surf using radio waves.

My method of writing was simple. I would take a scientific theory or field, feverishly research it and then play with it. I would use a kernel of scientific truth – only a kernel – and embellish, stretch and adapt it for comedic and fantastical purposes.

In my novel I would take the fact sharks have no bones and use it to portray a comedic scene where sharks were experts at limbo since they had no spine to bend.

I would both write about what I know – the truth that science is incredible, amazing and just as cool as magic – and what I don’t know. And my enthusiasm for science would, hopefully, be communicated in a light-hearted, fresh way because I was learning it almost at the same time as the reader.

So the next time someone tells you to write what you know, consider that some truths are more about the process of learning rather than the process of already knowing.

Find out more about Dave Leys here, and more about The Institute of Fantastical Inventions here.

And look out for The Institute of Fantastical Inventions: Magnetic Attraction, which will be released by New Holland Publishers later this year.

Are you new here? Welcome to my blog! I’m Allison Tait, aka A.L. Tait, and I’m the author of two epic middle-grade adventure series, The Mapmaker Chronicles and The Ateban Cipher.

You can find out more about me here, and more about my books here.

The post Write What You Don’t Know (Yet) appeared first on Allison Tait.

But I digress.

This post is going to be like one of those Christmas letters we used to receive in the days before Facebook showed us the inner workings of the lives of our friends and family on a daily basis.

An easy, breezy catch-up, light on detail, strong on the highlights, glossing over the bad bits that nobody really wants to know about anyway.

So where have I been?

News

VIVID SYDNEY LIVE EVENT + BOOK LAUNCH

It’s been a busy month for school visits and other events. One of the highlights was, of course, the So You Want To Be A Writer Live event at Vivid Sydney on 8 June.

“How are ya, Al?” The event incorporated all the things that listeners love about our podcast – and more!

Our Power Panel: Allison Tait, Pamela Freeman, Candice Fox, Valerie Khoo.

Valerie and I were thrilled to see so many people packed into the MCA for the live recording.

(If you missed out, click here to listen to the special live podcast episode.)

Thanks to everyone who came along and gave So You Want To Be A Writer (the book) such a brilliant welcome into the world.

Buy your copy here.

STORYFEST

Last weekend, I headed down to Milton to participate in three sessions at the inaugural Storyfest festival.

It was a wonderful day, and included the opportunity to interview the charming Jaclyn Moriarty (above left) about her children’s books (and if you’d like to get an idea of what that might have included, listen to my earlier podcast interview with Jaclyn here).

And then there was the chance to talk about adventure stories with Meredith Jaffe, and a very entertaining panel about podcasts and audio books with Pamela Cook, David Hunt and Katherine Collette (above right).

Note to self: organise audio versions of A.L. Tait’s books asap!

UPCOMING EVENTS

The pace of my year does not look like slowing any time soon. Upcoming events include:

•Whitsunday Voices Youth Literature Festival, Mackay, Qld, 17-19 July, 2019 (Program here)

•Shoalhaven Readers’ & Writers’ Festival, Nowra, NSW, 27 July, 2019: I’m teaching a limited-places writing workshop for kids 9-13 at 12 noon. (Details here.) 

If you’d like to talk to me about speaking at your school or event, go here.

And stand by for a couple of other very exciting announcements.

REVIEWS

“A fast-paced adventure brimming with mystery and complex navigations of loyalty and morality.”

I was thrilled by this review of THE BOOK OF SECRETS on Booklist Online, the review site of the American Library Association. Read the full book review here. 

INTERVIEWS

It is true that I tend to interview people rather than being interviewed, and I can vouch for the fact that we have some very exciting and entertaining guests coming up on the So You Want To Be A Writer podcast over the next few weeks.

One interview I particularly enjoyed was this one, with US author Peter Rock. If you want to know why, you’ll need to listen to it but suffice to say that Peter enjoyed a year at an Australian school ‘back in the day’ and we shared an English teacher for that year. I always knew he’d end up a writer – even if he didn’t!

From the other side of the microphone, thanks to Nick Rheinberger, ABC Illawarra, for having me on his morning show recently to talk about the So You Want To Be A Writer book.

Are you new here? Welcome to my blog! I’m Allison Tait, aka A.L. Tait, and I’m the author of two epic middle-grade adventure series, The Mapmaker Chronicles and The Ateban Cipher.

 You can find out more about me here, and more about my books here.

The post News, reviews + interviews [June] appeared first on Allison Tait.

Teachers’ notes are a curriculum-linked resource for a novel, offering teachers background information, insight into everything from themes to setting, with suggested related classroom activities, discussion topics, notes about the author and more.

They make it so much easier for teachers to choose YOUR book to read or study in class.

I confess that before I wrote RACE TO THE END OF THE WORLD (The Mapmaker Chronicles #1), I had no idea that teachers’ notes even existed. And then I read the notes that Dr Robyn Sheahan-Bright had created for my book and they were a revelation.

Read the teachers’ notes for Race To The End Of The World here.

To have someone go through your work and encapsulate the themes, characterisation and more of your novel is an incredible honour.  I was so grateful that Dr Sheahan-Bright had not only ‘got’ what I was trying to do with The Mapmaker Chronicles – but so much more besides.

Fortunately, a few years later, I was lucky enough to have Dr Sheahan-Bright create the teachers’ notes for THE BOOK OF SECRETS (Ateban Cipher #1) as well.

Read the teachers’ notes for The Book Of Secrets here.

So when it came time to find out how exactly teachers’ notes are created, who better to ask…

HOW I WRITE TEACHERS’ NOTES

By Dr Robyn Sheahan-Bright

What’s involved in writing teachers’ notes? I should know, given that I spend a good part of my time writing them, as a freelance writer/editor/publishing consultant – an occupation I’ve pursued since 1997, through my business, justified text.

In over 20 years I’ve written many sets of notes for a wide range of clients, including both large and smaller publishers. (I also write reading group and book club notes for adult lists.)

Some of the works I’ve written notes on in the last year, for example, have been:

•Cicada (Hachette) and Tales from the Inner City (Allen & Unwin) both by Shaun Tan;

•Mrs M (HarperCollins) by Luke Slattery;

•The Happiness Box a Wartime Book of Hope (Walker Books) by Mark Greenwood and Andrew McLean;

•Hive (Pan Macmillan) by A.J. Betts;

•Leaving the Lyrebird Forest (Hachette) by Gary Crew and Julian Laffan;

•Miss Franklin (Hachette) by Libby Hathorn and Phil Lesnie;

•Nevermoor and Wundersmith (Hachette) by Jessica Townsend, and most recently

•As Happy As Here (Hachette) by Jane Godwin (due for release in August).

This is the first time, though, that I’ve been asked to articulate how I write them. So here’s how I go about it:

10 STEPS FOR WRITING TEACHERS’ NOTES

1. Read for enjoyment just as you would any reading. Find the heart of the book and make that your guiding principle in how you begin to summarise its strengths.

2. A template is essential. Knowing what shape the notes should be in and the headings required by the publisher, means that I have a set of queries in my mind as I am reading a book, whether it be a picture book, or a work of junior or young adult fiction.

Sometimes I’ve designed that template myself; other times it’s been in use before.

3. There is a difference in how you read in order to write notes, though, because as I read I am marking quotes that relate to issues as they occur to me so that I can return to them later. I am noting themes, keeping a list of characters, particular aspects of writing or illustration style which are unique to this writer, and the genre (s) the work falls into.

In short, all the things an editor does when reading a manuscript for the first time.

4. I also take note of topics relating to key learning areas such as SOSE, English Language and Literacy and Creative Arts. But I don’t adhere too rigidly to curriculum details, as I feel that curriculum models may change and that teachers can be trusted to utilise my broad brush ideas in specific ways.

I am not a qualified teacher and write very much from an editor’s or writer’s perspective.

5. My first challenge is to write the introduction. This should encompass what the book is about, its key plot details, its themes and its genre. It should be suggestive of the atmosphere evoked by the writer. It should be an engaging summary like a blurb but somewhat longer. (Unlike a review, one can give away key details here as the reader has already read the book!)

6. Depending on the age of the readership some notes contain worksheets and activities. These often take a good deal of time to develop as they involve not only creating an activity (such as a quiz) but sometimes sourcing images (via Clipart) in order to create an engaging activity for younger readers.

7. Some notes contain a section on the author or illustrator’s inspiration in writing the text. I prefer to see that after I’ve written my first draft, so that my first reading is not coloured by pre-conceptions. Happily, I have generally guessed the author’s intentions in my responses. (In a recent set of notes I had referenced the same film as the author did in her inspiration!)

8. Did I mention research? Most notes contain a bibliography, including both books and articles and online resources such as websites. These can be as extensive as I feel is warranted by the text. Some works lend themselves to copious referencing. And sometimes the author actively contributes to that by forwarding a list of some of the texts they’ve used for their own research.

This part of the process is really important as, without such research, one can miss something which is essential to really understanding a text. I also really love this aspect of the work as it means that in any given week I am adding to my knowledge of topics as diverse as early Australian colonialism, prison camps in World War Two, the life of Miles Franklin, lyrebirds, and urban planning; or re-visiting my knowledge of the tropes on which a fantasy or a dystopian world is based.

9. My contact is with the editor who commissions the notes, not with the author. However, I always request feedback and corrections from both. Generally the author’s comments are conveyed to me by the editor. But sometimes a conversation with the author is initiated and the exchange can become detailed when the author has a lot of knowledge to share.

10. I always write several drafts, and editing is crucial. I’m a big believer in printing out rather than editing on screen as often a glaring gap in the notes seems to magically become apparent, when it’s in print, not to mention the typos.

My real satisfaction is to hear that an author has really enjoyed my interpretation in the notes, and/or that a teacher has found them valuable.

So, in ten easy steps, there you have it. Or at least, there you have my way of writing teachers’ notes.

Dr Robyn Sheahan-Bright was the first Executive Director of the Queensland Writers Centre (1991-1997) and operates ‘justified text’ writing and publishing consultancy services. She is widely published in magazines, journals and online publishing sites, has chapters in several textbooks, has edited anthologies and also manages arts projects.

Robyn has written about children’s literature and the children’s book market and is currently President, IBBY Australia Inc and Deputy-Chair, Australian Children’s Laureate Foundation. She has been the recipient of several awards in honour of her services to writing and children’s literature in Australia, including the prestigious Dame Annabelle Rankin Award (2011), Nan Chauncy Award (2012) and Johnno Award (2014). 

Are you new here? Welcome to my blog!

I’m Allison Tait, aka A.L. Tait, and I’m the author of two epic middle-grade adventure series, The Mapmaker Chronicles and The Ateban Cipher.

Find out more about me here, and more about my books here.

The post Industry Insider: 10 steps for writing Teachers’ Notes appeared first on Allison Tait.

Not only have we screamed past the ONE MILLION download mark (you’ll find my 15 favourite interviews here), with a LIVE event at VIVID Sydney (book now!) in the works, but we’re happy to announce that we’ve written a book!

So You Want To Be A Writer: How To Get Started (While You Still Have A Day Job) by Allison Tait and Valerie Khoo will be on sale from 8 June (be at our event to be the first to own it!)

Here’s the blurb

The ultimate guide to making your writing dreams come true!

Want to write a novel or earn an income as a freelance writer, but not sure how to go about it? Authors Allison Tait and Valerie Khoo – co-hosts of the popular So You Want To Be A Writer podcast – will give you the steps you need to make your dream a reality.

In this book, you’ll discover everything you need to be a successful writer, including how to connect with people who will help your career grow and productivity tips for fitting everything into your already busy life. You’ll also explore how to keep your creative juices flowing and where to find other writers just like you.

This book lays out a blueprint to help you get started and thrive in the world of words. With advice from over 120 writers, you’ll tap into proven wisdom and find the path that will lead YOU to success!

Here’s what five of Australia’s favourite authors have said about the book

‘Practical, grounded and inspiring. When a thousand voices tell you that you can’t, you need a voice to make you believe you can. This book is that voice.’
Candice Fox, #1 New York Times bestselling author

‘So many pro tips in here from working writers. This is like Tim Ferriss’s Tools of Titans but exclusively for writers. I loved it.’
Tristan Bancks, award-winning children’s author

‘Perfect for the person who wants to write but doesn’t have the confidence or the know-how to start.’
Pamela Hart, award-winning historical fiction author

‘Essential reading for any aspiring writer.’
Graeme Simsion, international bestselling author

‘Val and Al were a godsend to me before I was published, offering a guided tour to the world of publishing that was otherwise closed to me. Their advice is highly, highly recommended.’  
Dervla McTiernan, international bestselling author

And here’s a picture of the co-authors on the day (nearly a year ago) we decided to write a book

We are thrilled to bring this book to our podcast audience, our writing community and to new and aspiring writers everywhere. It will be available through a range of online booksellers, here and overseas, so stay tuned for more details.

If you’d like to read more about So You Want To Be A Writer the book, or register your details to receive notice as soon as the book is on sale, you’ll find all the details here.

Are you new here? Welcome to my blog! I’m Allison Tait and you can find out more about me here and more about my online writing courses here.

The post Meet ‘So You Want To Be A Writer’ the BOOK appeared first on Allison Tait.

As I’ve written before, one of the major benefits of having an author blog is the ability to invite readers home, to your space, to your website.

So I figure I should practise what I preach.

Below are three videos of some live broadcasts I’ve done on my Facebook page about kids and creative writing. I thought that, with the dreaded Naplan looming for many kids in Australia this term, now might be a good time to round the videos up and bring them home.

I hope you find them useful.

Three short videos full of writing tips for kids

This first one is about helping kids to embrace creative writing, including two of the things that I love most about writing and how kids can identify and embrace their writing superpowers (even the ones who think they don’t have one…)

In this second video, I look at the link for kids between reading and writing, and how they absorb so much about how to use story structure, narrative voice, tension and pacing from the books that they read.

And in the third video, I have an easy writing exercise for kids to help them get their creative juices flowing – it’s a simple writer’s journal, with practical suggestions of just what to put in it.

Some useful links mentioned in the videos

You can find out more about my Creative Writing Quest For Kids course here.

Read more about Raising Readers by Megan Daley here.

Meet Book Boy.

There’s more information about the So You Want To Be A Writer podcast here.

You’ll find more writing tips for kids on my blog here.

I present talks and workshops regularly in schools, libraries and at other events. You can find more details about my experience and the kinds of presentations I do here.

I’m planning to do more of these videos over the next few months, so like my Facebook page if you’d like to see them regularly.

Are you new here? Welcome to my blog! I’m Allison Tait, aka A.L. Tait, and I’m the author of two epic middle-grade adventure series, The Mapmaker Chronicles and The Ateban Cipher.

You can find out more about me here, and more about my books here.

The post Writing tips for kids: 3 short videos appeared first on Allison Tait.

So I invited her to write about how she came to publish her two YA novels – The Girl Between Two Worlds and The Girl Between Light And Dark (with a third on the way) overseas.

Take it away Kristyn!

Why I pitched my book overseas

Before we get into this, I want to let you know where I am right now to give you a snapshot of things:

·      I’ve traditionally published two urban fantasy YA books

·      The third one is set for release August 2019

·      I’ve self-published two children’s picture books through Createspace

·      There’s a fourth book in the works

·      I still don’t have an agent

Now that you have some context as to where I am now, I’ll tell you how I got here.

When I finished self-publishing my two children’s picture books, I decided to write my first-ever novel based on the mythology from my childhood.

The reason for all of it, all the writing and the publishing, is so my daughter will be able to read books that features half of her heritage – my half of it. I also wanted other kids outside of the Philippines to have their own culture reflected in my stories.

It took me a year to write the first book, The Girl Between Two Worlds, and another three years to edit it, with the help of editors and manuscript assessors. But when I started approaching publishers in Australia, I was getting the same reasons for the rejection:

·      They weren’t sure how to market my book

·      The monsters were too violent for YA

I realised very quickly that the only publishers who would ‘understand’ my books were the ones from the Philippines. I must admit that it disheartened me a bit. I wanted to add my stories to the increasing diversity of the YA book range in the country. But what can you do?

Choosing a publisher in the Philippines

Although I was familiar with the book publishers in the Philippines, I’ve been away for a long time – too long to know which ones were still around. So I Googled ‘book publishers Philippines’ and picked Anvil Publishing for several reasons:

·      They are the largest publisher in the Philippines,

·      they have a really good track record in the publishing world and

·      they are the publishing arm of the biggest chain of bookstores in the country.

When I pitched my book to Anvil Publishing, they embraced it with open arms. And luckily, so did the readers. So much so that the book was reprinted a year later.

The most common feedback I get from readers is that they were proud and excited that someone had taken Philippine mythology and spread it out into the world. They loved that the monsters that haunted our childhood were now haunting kids in America (the setting of the books).

The challenges

While I am happy with my publisher, there are challenges that come with having a publisher based overseas.

For one, my books can only be bought online. You can’t find them in bookstores in Australia, which means I have a hard time ‘selling’ myself here as a published author. I have donated my books in some libraries but that’s about all I can do.

Second, I miss out on a lot of events and opportunities to meet the readers. I’ve Skyped with them, emailed and interacted on social media but meet-and-greets are limited to when I am able to fly to the Philippines for festivals and holidays.

Third, it’s hard to pitch my situation to a literary agent. I still don’t have one now and I’m not sure I will end up with one in the future. But I’ve kinda accepted that already, anyway.

What now?

While my publisher and I are working on getting my third book out this year, I’m also polishing two other manuscripts.

In short, I am just going to keep doing the thing I love most – writing. There is no point obsessing about things I have no or little control over. What I can do, aside from writing more books, is nurture my relationship with my publisher and my readers, because I know I’m lucky. I’m lucky to have found a publisher who wants to work with me long term, and to find readers who are eagerly waiting for my next book.

It’s hard not to be happy with that.

You can find out more about K.M. Levis and her books, which are available via online bookshops in Australia, at her website here. Or connect with her, like I did, on Twitter.

Are you new here? Welcome to my blog! I’m Allison Tait and you can find out more about me here and more about my online writing courses here.

 Subscribe to So You Want To Be A Writer podcast for more amazing writing tips.

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Kate Gordon grew up in a small town by the sea in Tasmania. The author of six books for children, from picture books to YA, with a slew of others to come over 2019 and 2020, she is a proud supporter of ‘small island voices’. Kate’s latest novel, Girl Running, Boy Falling (Rhiza Edge), was longlisted for the 2019 CBCA Awards (Older Readers). 

Here, Kate writes about growing up in Tasmania, and living there today. Of the local stories and authors that shaped her and turned her into a writer, and of the many wonderful authors writing from that small island today. She also recommends 10+ books for kids by Tasmanian authors for you to try.

Growing up in Tasmania

What do you think of, when you think of Tasmania?

When I was a teenager, I often caught a Redline bus, between our hometown on the North-West coast, and the ‘big smoke’ of Launceston.

Launceston had Myer. And Sportsgirl. And Target.

It was very exotic.

On the bus home, after one of our day trips, as we gossiped and ate our enormous cups of Target pick-n-mix (why don’t they still do those???), we slowly realised that the man in front of us was a tourist from Texas. We quietened, as we began to eavesdrop on his conversation with his (local) seat-neighbour.

And, as we listened, it soon became clear that this traveller had had some very strange thoughts about our home state, before he’d embarked upon this trip.

The most notable misinformation he’d been living with was that there were no people in Tasmania.

I’ll let that one sit with you.

He literally thought that our entire state was rainforest and wombats.

That moment, on that bus, has always stayed with me. And yes, I realise that times have probably changed. The advent of widespread internet access (the above memory took place in around 1998, so the internet was definitely already a “thing”, but it definitely wasn’t in common use in every household) has made it much more possible to know what life is like in faraway places.

Still, I have always lived with, in the back of my mind, that what overseas – and even interstate – people think of my island is very different from the reality.

One of the most notable areas where this is true is when it comes to our arts scene.

When I was a kid, I never considered that being a writer might be a possibility. Writers didn’t come from little towns like Wynyard. Writers came from the mythical place called ‘The Mainland’, and probably from the Magic Kingdom of Sydney.

I didn’t meet another writer until I was in high school – the magical unicorn, Steven Herrick came to speak at our school and changed my life.

But even he was from the big island.

He was a ‘mainlander’. He wasn’t like me.

It took moving to Hobart, in my early twenties, to pursue a career in librarianship, for me to discover that there were other writers in Tasmania. But again, all the ones I met seemed to be memoirists or poets.

I was only 23. I wasn’t old enough to be a memoirist. So, I tried to be a poet. I soon realised that I was probably too young to be a good poet, too.

What I really wanted to do was write children’s books.

But there were no other children’s writers in Tasmania, of course.

Well, that’s what I thought, then.

Becoming a writer in Tasmania

I didn’t know, then, that some of my favourite childhood books were written by a Tasmanian – Sally Odgers.

I didn’t know that the funny Warts ‘n’ All book I’d seen in the library of the school where I worked was also by a Tasmanian writer – Anne Morgan.

I didn’t know that Undine was written by Hobart girl, Penni Russon. I didn’t know that, living very near to where I grew up, there was an amazingly talented YA author called Kathryn Lomer, who would, in time, become one of my favourite authors, and a friend.

Most importantly of all, for my own writing journey, I didn’t know that there was an amazing picture book writer called Christina Booth, living in the city where I went to university, who would come to be one of my best writing friends and – accidentally – be responsible for me getting my start as a children’s writer.

All of this is to say, I was stunned listening to the tourist who thought that Tasmania was one enormous, heart-shaped forest, devoid of all civilisation. But I had some pretty big misconceptions of my own. Over the years, I have learned that Tasmania has a thriving, AMAZING, tight-knit and immensely welcoming children’s writing scene, and I feel so lucky to be able to now count myself as one of its members.

I also make it a priority to set all my stories in Tasmania. This is especially prominent in my latest novel, Girl Running, Boy Falling, which is set in my hometown on the North West Coast.

Because there might be other kids out there who don’t know that Tasmanian authors exist.

Because there might be other kids out there who never see themselves in stories.

Because there might be kids on the other side of the world who think that Tasmania is a Forest Land, and don’t know that our people have an incredible history, and incredible stories to tell.

And that we are not elves or woodland sprites. We are just like them.

10+ children’s books by Tasmanian authors

Below is a list of some of my very favourite Tasmanian stories. I encourage you to get a hold of them, and to seek out others. Help me spread the word about my beautiful island and the people who live here. We may be small, but our voices are still worth listening to.

1)    Talk Under Water by Kathryn Lomer

2)     Song for a Scarlet Runner by Julie Hunt

3)     One Careless Night by Christina Booth

4)     Finding Serendipity by Angelica Banks

5)     The Monsters of Tasmania by Rachel Tribout

6)     101 Collective Nouns by Jennifer Cossins

7)     The Moonlight Bird and the Grolken by Anne Morgan (ill, Lois Bury)

8)     The Freedom Finders (series) by Emily Conolan

9)     Outback Lullaby by Sally Odgers (ill, Lisa Stewart)

10)    The Keepers (series) – Lian Tanner

Honourable mention for an “ex-pat” – The Endsister by Penni Russon

I also want to give one final shout-out to teenage artist and writer, Kiara Honeychurch, whose first picture book – In the Bush I See – has just been published by Magabala Books.

I think the future of our children’s writing industry is in good hands.

Find out more about Kate Gordon and her books at her website, or say hello on Twitter.

Are you new here? Welcome to my blog! I’m Allison Tait, aka A.L. Tait, and I’m the author of two epic middle-grade adventure series, The Mapmaker Chronicles and The Ateban Cipher.

 You can find out more about me here, and more about my books here.

The post Small island voices: 10+ books for kids by Tasmanian authors appeared first on Allison Tait.

I know! An EVENT!

We would LOVE for you to join us for a (possibly slightly chaotic) live recording of the podcast, with a mix of practical tips and advice about writing and the publishing industry.

We’ll have expert (and amazing) insight from our special guests Candice Fox and Pamela Freeman, and you’ll have the opportunity to meet LOTS of other writers.

As always, our aim is to inspire you to follow your dream to be a writer – and to help you out by providing useful, tangible steps you can follow to get there.

It’s on Saturday, June 8, 11am-1pm at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney.

Tickets are $38.54 each (inc fees and GST), and numbers are strictly limited, so get in quick!

Please come. We’d love to see you.

You can find out more and buy tickets here.

The post [news] So You Want To Be A Writer: The EVENT appeared first on Allison Tait.

One. Million.

To mark the occasion, I thought I’d share my favourite author interviews since we began recording the podcast.

To be clear, I’ve enjoyed every single interview that I’ve recorded for the podcast. I have learnt something from every one, and have been astounded by the generosity of the authors to whom I’ve spoken.

But these are the ones that I remember the most, for a whole range of reasons. They’ve given me ‘aha’ moments. They’ve made me laugh. They’ve stayed with me.

If you haven’t discovered So You Want To Be A Writer, I hope you’ll begin your journey with these interviews.

If you’re a longtime fan, thank you so much for listening and helping us to reach such an extraordinary milestone. And I hope that perhaps you’ll have a second listen to these episodes, to see why I love them so much.

Click the author name and episode to listen/read the interview transcript.

Adrian McKinty, episode 97

I confess that I dragged Adrian on to the podcast simply because I am such a fan of his Sean Duffy crime novels, and I laughed so much during this engaging, rambling interview that I ended up an even bigger fan.

Andrew Faulkner, episode 101

This was a classic example of an interview ending up WAY more interesting than I ever expected. Andrew is a journalist and biographer and our discussion about his military biography ‘Stone Cold’ ranged far and wide.

Andy Griffiths, episode 67

How could I not include the most serious conversation about ‘bums’ I’ve ever had? Children’s author Andy Griffiths gave a masterclass on writing craft.

Anna Spargo-Ryan, episode 110

Anna is a dear friend and our discussion was part interview, part catch up. She continues to write some of the most beautiful sentences I’ve ever read.

Dervla McTiernan, episode 271

Our most recent episode and a thoughtful and incredibly engaging interview about crime novels and the double-sided nature of fortune.

Fiona Mcintosh, episode 264

“Nobody cares about your book,” says this bestselling author and that, along with some other blunt advice about the writing industry, is why this interview is a favourite.

Garry Disher, episode 196

Considered and articulate writing tips delivered in a very, very soothing voice.

Jackie French, episode 214

I think what I loved most about all the writing tips and advice in this interview was how unexpected they were. Jackie takes ‘read lots, write lots’ to a whole different level.

Karen Foxlee, episode 257

This children’s author and her ‘puddle of words’ writing process (so very different to my own) will stay with me for a long time. One of the episodes that reminded me to always stay open to other ways.

Marisa Pintado, episode 182

A really insightful look at the publishing process and the role of a publisher and editor in children’s and YA fiction.

Michael Robotham, episode 26

I’m not sure what it is about crime authors, but they really are the most personable and generous people. Michael says he looks like, and I quote, ‘a kitten killer’, but he takes us inside the daily routine and writing process of an international-bestselling author.

Nick Earls, episode 28

My overwhelming memory of this interview is that it could have gone on for days. Looking at the transcription, it was definitely one of the longer ones, but that’s because I was finding it all so damn interesting!

R.A Spratt, episode 268

Again, honesty is at the heart of this interview with bestselling children’s author Rachel (R.A) Spratt. She gives a very straight-forward insight into the business of writing for children.

Sarah Keenihan, episode 125

Science writer Sarah gave us great insight into the art and craft of blending scientific knowledge and words.

Sophie Green, episode 194

In a former life, Sophie was my literary agent, and nobody was more thrilled than I was when her debut novel went gangbusters. Our interview ranged across many topics, from the writing process to how to get published.

Enjoy!

Are you new here? Welcome to my blog! I’m Allison Tait and you can find out more about me here and more about my online writing courses here.

 Subscribe to So You Want To Be A Writer podcast for more amazing writing tips.

The post My 15 favourite podcast interviews from one million downloads appeared first on Allison Tait.

Taking place this year from 17-19 July, the festival bills itself as a celebration of reading, writing and creative thinking – three of my favourite things! – for students, teachers and residents around Mackay, Qld.

I’ll be taking part in panels, presenting an author talk on Where Ideas Come From, and sharing my workshop on Finding Your Writing Superpower.

You’ll find details of the presenter line-up, which also includes amazing authors such as Tim Harris, Michael Gerard Bauer, Samantha Wheeler, Steven Herrick, Aleesah Darlison, and more, here.

Can’t wait!

Are you new here? Welcome to my blog! I’m Allison Tait, aka A.L. Tait, and I’m the author of two epic middle-grade adventure series, The Mapmaker Chronicles and The Ateban Cipher.

 You can find out more about me here, and more about my books here.

The post Meet me at the Whitsunday Voices Youth Literature Festival appeared first on Allison Tait.

Regular readers of this blog will know that I run an irregular series called Industry Insider, in which professionals offer their insights into some of the big questions about writing, editing, reading and publishing.

This week, Matt Davies, Australian author of debut YA novel This Thing Of Darkness, has popped in to talk about how to manage dark themes in YA fiction. It’s a delicate balance between exploring a difficult theme in a realistic way – and keeping the teen reading.

Here, Matt explains why he believes that challenging books should be part of every teen’s reading life. 

Take it away, Matt Davies…

Exploring dark themes in YA fiction

A big part of becoming an adult is discovering that the world can be a really dark place. Bad things happen.

Men kill women who they’re supposed to love, children die at random from terminal diseases, and young people self-harm and take their own lives.

These are harsh realities, and one of the strengths of young adult fiction is that it gives teenagers a way in to these issues in a safe place where they can explore and think about them at arm’s length.

There’s no shortage of difficult themes in modern-day YA. In fact, unashamedly feel-good new releases are in short supply.

Mental illness is being explored more and more (It’s Kind of a Funny Story, Ned Vizzini; Darius the Great Is Not Okay, Adib Khorram), and trauma, particularly the death of a loved one (The Protected, Claire Zorn; Words in Deep Blue, Cath Crowley), is well covered.

Stories about psychological disorders (Everything Everything, Nicola Yoon; Highly Illogical Behaviour, John Corey Whaley) and psychological trauma (The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Stephen Chbosky) are relatively easy to find.

But many of these stories deal with situations that are out of the protagonist’s control or, to look at it another way, not their fault. They delve into plotlines that the characters have been forced into in some way, and the books end up focusing on how the characters learn to deal with their newfound reality.

But what about books that explore dark situations of the character’s own making? Books that ask us to empathise with someone who has done something incomprehensible? There’s not so many of those.

Responsibility and consent

Chris Lynch writes a lot about boys behaving badly. His 2005 YA novel Inexcusable is told from the perspective of a twelfth-grader called Keir. Keir is a loyal friend and a devoted son and brother. He sees himself as a good guy. He loves his girlfriend and would never hurt her.

But then she accuses him of rape.

As the reader, we can clearly see that the image Keir has of himself is skewed. He lives with his lonely, widowed dad, who treats him more like a mate than a son. His dad is an enabler and part of the reason why Keir constantly justifies his own bad behaviour. His family wouldn’t love and support him if he was a monster, right?

It’s a provocative book that raises important issues about intent, responsibility and consent. Ultimately, though, it’s about the lies we tell ourselves and owning up to the choices we make. All choices have consequences – that’s a very adult concept but one that can’t be dodged.

Rage and redemption

Gail Giles’ Right Behind You (2007) is another YA novel that tackles a tough moral issue for teens. It tells the story of Kip, a 14-year-old boy living with an agonising secret – when he was nine, he set a kid on fire in a jealous rage and the kid died.

Now Kip is starting high school with a new identity after spending four years in juvenile detention. Just as he begins to form friendships, he makes a huge mistake – he talks about his past. The town turns on him and we get the sense that Kip’s life is destined to be a revolving door of secrecy and guilt.

What makes this story so thought-provoking is that Kip is not a psychopath or a faceless serial killer that society can lock up and write off. He’s a kid. In fact, he’s a likeable kid, with a good sense of humour and a huge capacity for love. But he did a horrible thing, and now he has to live with the consequences.

Right Behind You is a powerful story about rage and redemption, guilt and forgiveness. It’s about owning up to your actions and then learning how to move forward.

Balance and consequences

The idea that there are certain issues that teens can’t handle in their fiction is ridiculous. There’s no restriction on what they can access online or in films or in books marketed at adults. In fact, YA fiction is the perfect place to explore darker themes in a considered way.

But there has to be a balance and there has to be consequences. By balance, I mean exploring issues from all sides. And by consequences, I mean that the bad behaviour can’t go unchecked.

My YA novel, This Thing of Darkness, takes on a similar subject to Right Behind You. Dean is 18 and living with a secret past involving years in a youth justice facility for committing a violent crime. Now he’s out and hiding who he really is and what he did. But he soon learns that he will never truly escape his past. He can only learn to live with it, even if those around him can’t.

I work as a freelance editor, and in 2017 I edited a government report into the state of Victoria’s youth justice system. It was dire – harsher than the adult system and not enough focus on rehabilitation. This Thing of Darkness encourages readers to consider the story behind the story.

What drives a child to commit an aggravated crime? What can we do to help them before they do, while they’re incarcerated and after they get out? Without support, in too many cases the cycle of crime continues. And that’s bad for everyone.

Books that ask us to sympathise with teen rapists and child killers are not easy reads. But YA shouldn’t be easy. It should be challenging and it should spark conversations. It should provoke.

Some novels empower; others enlighten. Some do both. I love a great story that follows the hero’s journey – one that sees the protagonist achieve a massive victory against their nemesis at the end.

But the reality is that sometimes we will never be able to achieve the victory we envisage. So we have to settle for a different kind of victory – a lesser one, but something we can accept – and then carry on.

And that’s all part of growing up.

Matt Davies’s novel, This Thing of Darkness, was published by Scholastic Australia in November 2018. The manuscript was highly commended in the Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards for an Unpublished Manuscript.Find out more about Matt and his writing on his website or follow him on Twitter.

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Which gives us a LOT of great advice to play with.

Today, the amazing team at the Australian Writers’ Centre released a wonderful curated ‘pop up’ podcast series called Magic & Mayhem.

Featuring 40 incredible interviews with authors such as Andy Griffiths, Jacqueline Harvey, Tristan Bancks, Lauren Child, Wendy Orr and more, it’s a fantastic exploration of the world of children’s and YA fiction, from picture books through chapter books and middle-grade and right up to teens.

But wait, there’s more.

The AWC team has also created a fantastic FREE companion ebook that brings together the very best of the advice that each episode offers.

Oh. My.

You’ll find all the details about the podcast and how to claim your free book here.

Or you can just start listening right now here, or on iTunes here.

The post Want to write for children or YA? Don’t miss this pop-up podcast appeared first on Allison Tait.