The sky's the limit

One day when I was ten years old, our teacher, Mrs Allen, gathered us in to the carpeted corner of the room, and sat us down on plastic pint-sized chairs to listen carefully.








With several pots of colourful pens in the centre of the floor, Mrs Allen placed in each of our small hands a crisp, clean sheet of mathematical squares. 'Now. I want you to colour-in as many shapes as you can think of: Squares, rectangles, hexagons, triangles. Off you go.'

Off we went, losing ourselves in the concentrated scratch of felt-tips. After an industrious while, Mrs Allen wandered around to check our handy-work, and stopped abruptly by my side. 'Oh Nancy, that's not what I meant at all.'

I can still feel the sting of shame on my face. What had I been thinking? Mrs Allen tutted and moved on, leaving me to consider the stupid squared off letters I had created, now shouting out in full inglorious technicolour from the page: I love Barry.

To me, the carpeted story-corner was a place of make-believe, where anything could happen. Where I could colour-in my love for Barry, or anyone else for that matter. The reality was very different. Not only had I let myself down, I'd scribbled willy-nilly all over the sanctity of triangles and squares, of mathematical things done properly.

And yet, now that I'm a fully-fledged grown-up child, I can sit in the story-corner and create whatever I like. I don't have to do mathematical shapes. I can fold the paper into an aeroplane, or colour it orange and make confetti. Creating stories is all about allowing yourself the freedom to explore. There are no boundaries to the limits of your imagination. There is only the willingness to go forth and see what you might discover. Go on, go on. What have you got to lose?

Don't forget:

On Monday, Gemma Cooper from the Bent Agency opened up the first Slush Pile Challenge of the year. Writers are invited to submit the opening or scene of a novel where your main character experiences something new, something challenging – aimed at MG (8-12 year olds). Entries by 31st January.

On Tuesday, Nick highlighted the essential qualities required in this business: perseverance, the ability to set your own deadlines, courage to self-publish, creative whimsy, the fight to save what's good for us, and positivity.

On Wednesday, Nicky Schmidt invited another debut author to share the story of their creative journey. Krysten Lindsay Hager talks of learning an important lesson - how it's not what your book can do for you, it's what your book can do for others.

On Thursday, Gill James gave us the low-down on what went on during the NW creative get together in John Ryland's Library. If you need inspiration and ideas for your own group, look no further than here.

On Friday, we were introduced to the featured illustrator of the month, Sarah Palmer. A fabulous story of perseverance in searching for the right creative fit, and a wonderful array of beautifully illustrated and unusual characters. Sarah's tip: Don't be afraid of experimenting. Here here, Sarah.

On Saturday, debut author Katherine Bassford talked about perseverance, and how it pays off but not necessarily in the way you expect!

Look forward to:

Monday: Ask a Picture Book Editor - looking at picture-book illustration
Tuesday: Nick's splendid pick of the blogs
Wednesday: Proofreading tips: Anagrams
Thursday: Network news: South-East Scotland group share the delights of their last meeting of 2014

Nancy Saunders is the new Editor of W&P. You can find some of her short stories here, and on Twitter @nancyesaunders

Happy new creative 2015

There's nothing I like better than the chance of a clean break. If I could tear out my less glorious moments, like scribbled pages from a book, then I would gladly do so.





In the absence of being able to turn my grubby pages spring-fresh and snow-white, the beginning of a new year does just as well.  It works like magic. One day, malingering on the tail-end of a crumpled up year, and the very next, standing bright-eyed and bushy-tailed on the crest of a clear blue wave. A sparkle glinting off a too-big smile.

standing bright-eyed and bushy-tailed on the crest of a clear blue wave

I spent last year trying to carve out the perfect writing hole, amidst the domestic chaos of home. First upstairs, cast two steps from the bed, perched upright on an ebay purchased postural stool. Then downstairs, stacked amongst the washing, in full view of the kitchen sink.

Oh how I craved the solitude of Roald Dahl's garden shed, Dylan Thomas' Shepherd's hut (you can see this in the photo) or J K Rowling's snug café corner. Surely if I had such a place, I would write like a dream. People (most importantly me) would have to take my writing seriously.

Oh how I craved the solitude of Roald Dahl's garden shed

At home, the opportunities for extensive procrastination lay all around me. I succumbed. I couldn't help it. There was always something else calling louder than my words. Essentially, the other parts of me: mother, partner, tv-watcher, snack-eater. I am decidedly not one of those lucky creatives who can block out the world. I have guilt enough at calling myself a writer, let alone fessing up to the intention of spending most of my day writing.

I am decidedly not one of those lucky creatives who can block out the world

So I have thrown myself out of the house. I have commandeered a space at the very top of some stairs, in the hallway of a 'proper' office. I can walk out of my front door in the morning and leave all the other me's behind. There is a window with a picturesque view, and the occasional passing of other occupants. No excuses. Nothing but the writerly-me. Oh crumbs.

Nancy Saunders is gradually stepping in as the new Editor of W&P, with a generous helping hand from Jan. You can find some of her short stories here, and on Twitter @nancyesaunders

Introducing Our New Ed!

As promised and without, as they say, much ado here is the next editor of Words & Pictures....









But first the ado.
This week did you catch...

• The lovely Brenda Gardner and her wicked laugh on the latest Ask a Publisher podcast? (Thank you@CathyHopkins1 for that!) 
• You can see our splendid new banner but have you met its creator, our new featured illustrator Julia Walther?
• Jo Unwin our latest Agent Confidential? Jo is also appearing at #scbiawcon14 in 3 weeks time!
• A BLOGALICIOUS  break on Tuesday? The blogalicious blog breakers with Nick are... Sue Hyams, Dave Cousins, Mark Jones, Sheila Averbuch, Jane McLoughlin, Layn Marlow, Candy Gourlay and Vanessa Harbour! Wow! 

Last Sunday I was all of a dither so didn't read the schedule right which means we can still look forward to Nicola L Robinson's Anatomy of a Monster. If you've seen Nicola's work you know this will be brilliant! We have a new Ask a Picture Book Editor, together with Picture Book Basics, what a treasure trove these picture book posts from Natascha, Ellie and John are. Plus we have some more scbwicon  goodness - meet the conference volunteers!

Now some other important DEADLINE notices this week:
First this:

Click here for the Fabulous Darley Anderson Slushpile Challenge!

Deadline November 2nd

And there's this....

The 2014 W&P Advent Calendar!
Click to enlarge

And of course finally...

Conference Bookings close next Friday, 17th October
Only 3 weeks to go folks!

Now at last, here she is...

Nancy Saunders!

Ta Dah!
We're all smiles for W&P's next Ed! 

Nancy is a lover of all things books. She has worked in libraries, Waterstone’s (when they still had the apostrophe), written short stories (published a few) and is currently working on her first novel for young adults. She’s been a conservation volunteer leader, a support worker for adults with learning difficulties, a yoga teacher, a traditional music fiddler, and a home educator of two now grown-up lovelies. 

She says...

 "I am both thrilled and honoured to be invited to join the W&P team as Editor. Having met Jan a couple of times now, and read through her posts on the site, I know that I have a veritable task ahead to uphold such enthusiasm and joy. Fortunately her sunshinyness is catching – and I have definitely got the bug. I can’t wait to meet everyone who’s clearly played such a fantastic and crucial role in producing a much needed watering-hole for SCBWI-BI members."

I am so happy to hand over to Nancy - she is the perfect person to take Words & Pictures forward - it's wonderful to meet someone with such enthusiasm, vision and humour. I'm completely convinced W&P is in very safe hands. The changeover will be gradual with Nancy completely in place some time after Christmas - it's a big old machine!


I'm off to cook the dinner, hope yours is a delicious Sunday too,

Jan Carr

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Jan Carr is the editor of Words & Pictures. Her fiction is all over the place, she blogs occasionally and loves to write in magenta. You can contact her at editor@britishscbwi.org.