Dim's Write Stuff

My conference triage is reasonably simple: if I manage to glean a new sliver of information that enables me to improve my craft or  happen upon a revelation that deepens my understanding of story telling or  experience affirmation of a belief or method I am already practising, then I feel I have gained something useful. The following round-up highlights some of the sessions I attended while swanning around the Asian Festival of Children's Content this year. Deep Point of View (DPOV): What is it and How to Write It with Kathleen Ahrens  Kathleen encouraged us to first re investigate our Intention - why we write. Knowing that then allows us to engage with the readers' emotions and therefore establish, DPOV. She introduced us to different POV Characters and the tenses and view points they can be portrayed in for example, first person, third person, second person etc. as narrator omniscient multiple viewpoints  single major viewpoint Deep Point o...

It was still dark and bitterly cold at 6.00 am yesterday. Five year old declared it too cold for our early morning walk. At 3.5 degrees C I was inclined to agree. So we read on the couch instead. Snuggling together warmed a memory, which hatched an idea, that grew into an incredible urge to write a new picture book.   Now I'm bubbling away with images, characters and half structured sentences like a percolator about to explode. I don't quite have a full pot but there's definitely a brew in the making. The feeling is tantalizing. Stunt doubles no doubt are accustomed to the kick of adrenalin. They recognise its scent and relish its taste. They know how to harness its power. For we writers, that initial surge of motivation is no less subtle than a shot of adrenalin. I want to sprint down the beach, leap through the surf and slay slimy sea monsters: well I want to be in a comfy chair at least while I observe my characters as they do this. What spurs you into a fren...

Have it on good advice that to get ahead in this game one must become socially aware, media savvy, globally out there . OK. So set up various means of communicating with the Occupants of the Globe. Alright. Now spend countless hours delving in Occupants' thoughts, opinions, advice and more overwhelmingly, their observations about what a glorious day it is outside. Being a bit old fashioned I still like to actually get outside, linger in a pool of weak winter sunshine and write about it in my diary. To no one. Writing to no one is wonderfully cleansing and pressure free. But alas once the sun sets I find myself here again, writing about not writing to an audience for the Occupants of the Globe. Why? Because I'm human. And we humans seem to love to Share, EVERYTHING, whether the other Occupants of the Globe want it or not. It's a basic built in survival technique. What's the point of being the only Chimpanzee left in the world in a tree full of fruit? Be...