Dim's Write Stuff

Regrettably, Gary Paulsen was a bit of an unknown to me until discovering this transcending story about his childhood. A multi-award winning author of young adult fiction, Paulsen reveals how his ability to smith words developed as a consequence of his remarkable upbringing, or more accurately, lack thereof. Paulsen was, not literally an orphan, but he was a lost child. Gone to the Woods begins with one such journey adrift an ocean of salacious events thanks to his mother and her penchant for supplementing her hourly wage at local Chicago clubs. At just five years of age, Paulsen is dumped upon a train bound for a relatives’ farm in north Minnesota not far from the Canadian border. It proves to be his temporary salvation and a place he acquires the art of patience, a deep respect for nature and an appreciation of what genuine kindness tastes like. Edy’s motherly compassion and Sig’s reticent guidance nurture the abandoned boy until a sense of who he is begins to emerge. It’s bone...

For the first time ever, I walked into a writing conference bereft of note book and pen. I'm a fastidious note-taker by nature so this oversight was more a result of a clogged up brain in need of defragging rather then act of intent. The distraction of having to emcee a few conference sessions for the inaugural SCBWI QLD State Conference  was probably also to blame but I still managed to drag home a few significant take away points from what was a hugely successful day of sharing, caring and entertainment. You'll find some of my favourite revelations below. Visit the Story Craft page for a full outline of this year's Program  and Presenters. Some of the Conference happy campers What sparks publishers' interest? Fresh ideas Solid ideas told in dramatically exciting new ways Manuscripts that possess a hook from the get go Synopsises that hook from the get go Quietly beautiful literary works may be beautiful but make your work SHOUT its point of ...

About six years ago, I launched my first book, PS Who Stole Santa's Mail? I was a consummate newbie to the book launching game and filled my presentation time (and my audience's ears) with platitudes of gratefulness and incredulity. However, there was one point I did linger on ... the joy of hearing a book read aloud. For me, listening to story time on Play School is still one of the purest joys on earth. To hear another human's voice relay ' the flow of language ', slowly unveiling a story you can't wait to hear the ending for is indescribably soothing and fulfilling. I think this is because from the inception of speech, it is something that we have been conditioned and accustomed to. I'd forgotten how good this made me feel until I was lucky enough to listen to a teacher librarian read a clutch of picture books to a group of children I was conducting the Read Up program with at the time. Again, hearing the rise and fall of a human voice bring the ...

Any wildebeest will tell you that the Key to Survival is Adaptation . Eat or be eaten, prey or be preyed upon. But how exactly does this translate to writing and in particular children's writing? And how does adaption lead to success? Let's have a brief search through the savannah for the answers... 1. Adapt your hunting and housekeeping requirements to the bare basics. Pretty soon your family will Adapt to the idea that the floor of their den looks far better with dust than without. Teach them how to hunt their own wildebeest and encourage them to watch Masterchef more. 2. Adapt with the times. Study the herd. Recognise and acknowledge trends. You don't have to follow them and write what every one else is writing. Far better not to. But by astute listening, reading and watching you will soon be able to figure out what (still) works, sells and more importantly is favoured by readers. One of my favourite methods is to stand quietly in the children's section of an...

Here in SE Queensland a razor edged chill is already slicing through our morning air. The rains have eased and the sunshine begs one to role up their sleeves. It's almost winter but there's still time to reflect on Mothers' Day ...I enjoyed one of the best in years. Definitely something to be said for a child's choice of gift as they advance in years. Still I cherish the handmade books and cards and proud smiles above all else. The Gold Coast held its annual Literati Festival this month as well. This free event hosted by Gold Coast Council Libraries spanning two days, enabled anyone with a love of books, reading and writing to participate in a range of seminars and author encounters. It's an excellent vehicle for learning more about the craft of writing and industry supporting it. This year featured authors included Nick Earls, Angela Savage, Tess Evans, Louise Cusack, Kate Holden and Phil Brown to name a few. Definitely worth marking in your calendar for next ye...