Sharing the creative non-fiction love – a tale of chocolate, passion, determination and joy (and that’s just the writing of it…) by Juliet Clare Bell.

I love SCBWI and the wonderful things that come out of it. Sometimes it’s practical (a book deal from a meeting with an editor at an event); sometimes personal (enduring friendships). But what I really love about it is that it’s usually both. The annual British SCBWI Winchester Conference is the perfect place for this mix of both to happen.

At the 2008 conference, I sat next to Rebecca Colby at dinner on the Saturday night. We’d never met before. Neither of us was published at the time but we were in a similar place. We showed each other our stories and something just clicked. We’ve shared our writing and supported each other’s journey ever since. A perfect mix of practical and personal. I’ve never written anything that hasn’t been improved by her insightful comments, and for the last three years or so, we’ve been part of the same fantastic picture book critique group.

At the 2014 conference in November, Rebecca and I, who have both fallen heavily for creative non-fiction picture books over the past year or so, did a joint presentation on breaking into the creative non-fiction picture book market (Anita Loughrey did a write up of the panel on this blog last week).

Through our mostly American critique group, I’ve been gradually exposed in recent years to non-fiction. Creative non-fiction (or true story) picture books have taken off in a really exciting way in the States and I was hearing more and more through our critique group, and when I was approached by Bournville Village Trust to write a true story picture book on the Cadbury family and Bournville (which would be illustrated by Jess Mikhail, a very good friend of mine!), I jumped at the chance.

I blogged about the Cadbury project earlier this year on Picture Book Den and at the time of blogging, I’d done months of research and had just given the outline of the structure of the story to the Cadbury and BVT people. And they’d just told me to go ahead and write that story. Since blogging, I have written up a first, then second, then subsequent, drafts. I’ve had them critiqued with both my online and in-person critique groups…

Some of our local picture book critique group relaxing Halloween stylee at the SCBWI Annual Winchester Conference, 2014 (plus Addy Farmer, far right, who is an honorary member and welcome whenever she likes)

…done more edits and a little bit more research - mostly just because I could and it felt so exciting to be able to go to the new Library of Birmingham, place my things into a locker… (no bags or pens allowed –it felt like a secret inner sanctum ritual)...

waited for entrance into the special room where really old archives are kept, and had letters, documents and photos (many over 130 years old) weighed out and handed to me for my perusal...

with gloves on, of course (c) Cadbury Archive

The Cadbury family summer house drawn by Maria Cadbury © Cadbury Archive

George Cadbury, circa 1850 (c) Cadbury Archive

Childhood letter from George © Cadbury Archive

and have done more edits (and critiques) until deciding it was probably time to stop and hand it over.

Jess Mikhail is currently working on the roughs -when she’s not too busy surfing on chocolate

(With apologies for silliness)

or playing hide and seek in an egg…

(And yet more silliness…)

A couple of weeks ago, we went to the printer’s and discussed book size, paper quality and bleeds

Jess, Tim (expert printer) and me

…and were shown how the printing works.

Because it’s not being published traditionally (though it will be sold in lots of outlets, including the shop at Cadbury World, which has over half a million visitors each year), we get to see the printing, and later, book-binding side, which is fascinating.

True story picture books, when they’re done well, are amazing. In the Cadbury book and subsequent true story picture books I’m planning, I want to capture that joy of discovery –whether it’s something physical...

The joy that is an acorn

or mind-blowingly magical...

Last week my son was blown away by discovering (with the help of his big sister) that it’s possible to add up much larger numbers that those you can calculate in your head if you know how to do… column addition!

or pure wonder.

This first-time experience was so amazing, he had to immerse himself in it fully…

And that state where you’re completely absorbed and focused on a task

It’s how I felt when I was researching for the Cadbury book – what an enormous privilege to be able to have that kind of access - and it’s how I feel about the new topics I’m researching. I can’t say what they are yet because someone might beat me to it (though there are many ways to tell a story) but since my pictures are so utterly un-life-like, here are some of the people I’m intending to write about:

An almost final word goes to the wonderfully wise David Almond who said it all when I saw him with my eldest daughter last year in Birmingham, in answer to the question: what’s the most important thing when you’re writing a book?

Make it lovely…

A final thanks goes to my youngest sister, Grace. After a very long phone call with her last week, I had sixty new ideas for non-fiction picture books (which I blogged about over at the Picture Book Den last week). I was nearly four when she was born and I have a specific memory of visiting her in hospital: not only was it Christmas Day, but we got to eat our first ever Womble chocolates, bought at the hospital. I’ve never seen them since… until earlier this year when I was doing research for the Cadbury book and was being taken behind the scenes at Cadbury World by the wonderful Colin Pitt –and guess what we found?

May you all be fired up by your own writing projects (or chocolate, or both).

And one last hooray for the British SCBWI conference from which many good things have come. I wasn't sure we could top the 2008 one, but I reckon 2014 was the best yet!

Medusa next to an eye tree. Just because...

(with thanks to my ten-year-old)

Juliet Clare Bell (always called Clare), is the author of Don’t Panic, Annika! (illustrated by Jennifer E Morris; Piccadilly Press, recently featured on CBeebies), The Kite Princess (illustrated by Laura-Kate Chapman; Barefoot Books, recently endorsed by Amnesty International and Pirate Picnic (illustrated by Mirella Minelli; Franklin Watts). Don’t Panic, Annika! and The Kite Princess were both shortlisted for SCBWI Europe’s Crystal Kite Award (in 2012 and 2013, respectively). 

Clare is a huge fan of SCBWI, jointly coordinating the Central West British SCBWI region with Julienne Durber, and running the Friday Night Critique at the annual British SCBWI conference. She would highly recommend volunteering with SCBWI (please contact them if you’re even contemplating it, or leave a message in the comments section, here: you’ll get back so much from it). She teaches writing picture book courses to adults, and creative writing to children, and blogs regularly for the Picture Book Den. 

National Non-fiction November is the Federation of Children’s Book Groups’ annual celebration of all things factual. Born out of National Non-Fiction Day, the brain child of Adam Lancaster during his years as Chair, the whole month now celebrates all those readers who have a passion for information and facts and attempts to bring non-fiction celebration in line with those of fiction. 

Congratulations to Anne-Marie, an Outstanding SCBWI Volunteer!

@annemarieperks

It is such a joy to wish many many congratulations to the lovely Anne-Marie Perks, who has won this year's SCBWI British Isles Outstanding Contribution Award!

The Outstanding Contribution Award recognises a special volunteer, somebody who embodies the welcoming and supportive spirit of SCBWI and has made an outstanding contribution to shaping and growing our chapter.

Anne Marie has been firmly putting the I in SCBWI since it first took root in the British Isles. 

As Illustrator Coordinator she has worked tirelessly to promote and champion the contribution of the illustrators in the chapter.

Anne-Marie has created a successful series of events and opportunities for illustrators including the long running illustrator Masterclass series, the innovative Picture Book retreat and of course the Illustrator's side of the conference. She is a careful organiser keeping her smile and an open mind as she manages the difficult balance between work deadlines and the demands of an increasingly active illustrator membership.

It is thanks to her that illustrators continue to remain part of the heart of SCBWI

She also manages a small but steadily growing team of illustrators who share her vision.
In the spirit of this award, Anne-Marie is also generous with her time, experience and knowledge with a range of members, while working as a professional illustrator and a university lecturer. Not only that, Anne Marie also brings Words & Pictures readers the wonderful featured illustrators who make W&P so splendid!

It is thanks to her that illustrators continue to remain part of the heart of SCBWI.

Thank you Anne-Marie for all the years you've made an outstanding contribution!

At the conference, Anne-Marie was presented with her award in the best Oscar style - by video! We hope to embed the video here just as soon as we've tracked it down. So very soon please do watch this space!

Judy Waite's London Masterclass - Growing Pains: Writing for Young Adults

©John Shelley

What lengths are you prepared to go to in order to tap into your teenage protagonist’s mind and find their voice? Would you:-

• Run away up to London dressed as a teenage boy?
• Audition for a part in a boy band?
• Get locked up in a police cell?

All of these have been tried and tested by award-winning author Judy Waite!

With a confession like that, her SCBWI London Masterclass: ‘Growing Pains: Writing for Young Adults.’ promised to be an interesting and entertaining ride.

And that’s exactly how it turned out.

She took us through a series of fun and thought-provoking exercises in a bid to master the dark art of creating a credible and compelling teenage voice.

An interesting and entertaining ride!

Connecting With Your Own Inner Teenager

Working in small groups, we were set the task of remembering what it was like to be a teenager in ‘our day’. For some of us that meant beaming back to the late seventies/early eighties when Punk Rock and fears of being nuked by the Russians ruled. For others it was more about friends, boys and getting hold of alcohol.

But there was a strong consensus that it had also been about isolation and not fitting in. Or, as one member of the group reflected, is it that writers are just a pathologically insecure bunch?

What Matters to Teenagers Now?

Next, we considered today. Are there things that matter more to teenagers now than when we were growing up? No surprises for guessing that social media in all its many guises topped the list. Then followed material goods, self-image and employment.

...is it that writers are just a pathologically insecure bunch?

In essence though, we concluded that the young adults of today are not so hugely different in their passions and fears, hopes and dreams. The trick, as Judy pointed out, is to get into their heads and understand how they live their lives.

Reinvent Yourself

To try and help with this, Judy encouraged us to reinvent ourselves as teenagers today. So we wrote a couple of paragraphs to bring ourselves bang up to date. This proved a challenge. And some of us weren’t quite sure how to transform ourselves into a new, updated version.

Perhaps we're too much like Peter Pan, never wanting to be teenagers in the first place!

Getting All Cut Up

This exercise is based on a tried and tested approach to writing adopted by the likes of William Burroughs and David Bowie. Judy got us experimenting with a new and creative way into the teenage mind.

Perhaps we're too much like Peter Pan

We picked a selection of short phrases and sentences drawn from Facebook messages posted by real-life teenagers and from published teenage novels – including Judy’s own favourite, The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger – and used them to conjure up a teenage voice and a setting.

We had a little help from a special extra – a bit of meditative candle contemplation.

The results of this time spent ‘in the zone’ and focussing on our character’s needs and wants, proved both powerful and compelling and gave many of us the ingredients for a new and exciting teenage voice to go away and explore.

And we hadn’t even had to get locked up to do it! (By the way, Judy was quick to confess that the audition and the time spent in jail had been with the collusion of the organisations concerned – phew, that’s a relief!)

Thanks again Judy for a stimulating, creative and fun session – and to Wendy Allen for the pictures.

There are still a few places left on the next Masterclass: Fantasy Writing for Young Readers lead by Robert Paul Weston – Saturday 17 May 2014. For bookings and more information visit https://britishisles.scbwi.org/events/author-masterclass-fantasy-writing-for-young-readers-with-robert-paul-weston/ or email masterclasses@britishscbwi.org

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Alison Smith works as a freelance PR and communications professional for part of her week.

For the rest of it she is to be found clamped to her computer – when she’s not busy pursuing the usual writerly diversions of blog-reading, net-surfing and gazing out of the window – wrestling with her middle grade historical novel set in early Jacobean London..

The Story of SCBWI British Isles

This week I'm really pleased to publish Natascha Biebow's inspired opening address from the conference. Here it is as she delivered it, on the  morning of Saturday 23rd November 2013.

Over to Natascha...





'This conference’s theme is creating stories that last a lifetime, so I wanted to share with you today a bit of the story of SCBWI British
Isles.

It began in 1995 when the first RA, Gloria Hatrick, decided to start the British Isles chapter. A small group of like-minded members met bi-monthly in London. At that time, SCBWI BI was very small, with fewer than 20 members. They launched a newsletter, Words & Pictures, edited by E. Wein, the ARA.

We also did fun things like go punting on the Cherwell in Cambridge . . . where we exchanged mss over a picnic and went to member Jose Patterson’s house for tea and cakes afterwards . . .

I took over as RA in autumn 1998. In 2000, we organized an exchange with SCBWI France, where we hosted Shoo Rayner and visited the Lion and Unicorn Bookshop and an exhibition at the British Library. I went to my first LA conference in 2001 and we hosted an ideas exchange after my return at Gloria’s house.

In 2002, we held our first Writers’ Day in Winchester with keynote Geraldine McCaughrean. At that point, I organized it all from my kitchen table. We also began organizing an Illustrators’ Day in different parts of the country. In 2008, we combined the two and added the Saturday night Mass Book Launch, complete with music, cake and industry guests! Here is what we look like at the MBL party in 2012 with honoured guest SCBWI Executive Director Lin Oliver from LA.

The British Isles region launched the Professional series in 2005 at a member’s house and it was held in people’s living rooms for three years before we could afford to move to a bigger venue. The Networks started in 2006. From then, we have grown so much!

The SCBWI British Isles is the largest region outside the USA and it is known for being innovative. Here are some ways we have made things more exciting for our members:

Our newsletter, Words & Pictures, grew from its original b & w quarterly print publication, edited first by E Wein, then by Eileen Ramchandran and Stephanie Williams. In 2002, a new enthusiastic editor, Leila Bouri, transformed it into a dynamic, thriving quarterly A4 format magazine, with a colour and a slick, new look. She added departments and in-depth interviews in the style of a magazine and, most importantly, sought to reach out to SCBWI BI members and create an active community. In 2010, then SCBWI-BI webmaster, Candy Gourlay, dreamt up the idea of an innovative, interactive online magazine. In 2012, we recruited its visionary new editor, Jan Carr, winner of the 2013 OCA. W & P was re-launched in March 2012 as a blog magazine. It is AMAZING (that’s why you’re reading this!), featuring innovative content every day and building a community of people who are interested in children’s books. The second project for which our region has become known is the Undiscovered Voices, project, which has put SCBWI BI on the map with publishers and agents. In 2014, it will launch its fourth edition, including European authors and illustrators and marketing the book to US publishers. This projects’ track record is incredible!

Thirdly, we have a fantastic website that is constantly innovating. When SCBWI recently re-launched its website so that all the international regions are under one banner in November, we were lucky to have web-guru Candy Gourlay at the forefront of the SCBWI BI site re-design. The new international site features lots of cool new benefits for members, including a searchable speakers’ bureau for schools and libraries wishing to book our members, plus an illustrators’ gallery, which will be a great resource for Art Directors. The British SCBWI website offers members a fantastic way to find out all about our events and member services. Be sure to update your member profile pages and add your books to the bookshop as these features are only as good as our members’ updated content! You can upload images, videos and links to your pages.

So, how do these and other events and initiatives for our members happen? They are ALL put together by volunteers, who put in their time and energy, ideas and enthusiasm to innovate and organize our events. I was recently reading Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Flies Again. This is the illustration of what the car looks like when it is in bits. Overwhelming, huh? It looks like a bunch of bits that would never amount to anything . . .

Well, here are all the ‘bits’ that make SCBWI British Isles work, currently. Over 70 volunteers!

And here’s why some of them do it.

There are currently 17 vacancies for volunteer roles, big and small:

So, we launched a volunteer drive. For each role, there is an advert with a bit more about the position and the benefits SCBWI BI is offering.

Here’s what Chitty looks like whole – amazing!

And if you look all around you, you will see what SCBWI British Isles looks like whole, too. Chances are a volunteer made that happen. To keep growing, we need you! Ask about volunteering today.

Applications should be in by Saturday, 21 December.

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Natascha Biebow has been the SCBWI Regional Adviser for the British Isles since 1998. She celebrated her 15th Anniversary at this year's conference. Not only has she given incredible service to the British Isles Chapter she is also a talented writer, and highly skilled and experienced editor running her own consultancy, Blue Elephant Story Shaping.

Volunteer for SCBWI

Did you know that everything that we do at SCBWI British Isles is run by a team of talented and energetic volunteers?  We asked them why they do what they do. They were so enthusiastic, here are just some of their answers...

Why do you volunteer for SCBWI?

Anne-Marie

To give back. I have received so much from SCBWI, close friends, first publishing opportunity, agent, education, information, the list could go on. I love encouraging and inspiring illustrators at all levels and crafting (with help) more learning and showing opportunities for our membership.

Michelle

I found my agent at an SCBWI event, so I wanted to give something back to SCBWI. Plus, the conferences are so much fun I wanted to be involved with the amazing bunch of people who make them happen!

Louise

Was promised fame and fortune: but am still waiting!

Addy

For the buzzing creativity of like-minded friends, for the sharp insights into an endlessly fascinating writing world and for the total larks.

David

I like to feel part of the industry and volunteering helps me to do that. It motivates me to write – if I’m spending time volunteering then it’s only worth it in the long run if I’m also spending time writing.

Candy

I had an idea - and I wanted to see if it would work. It did, which was rewarding so I volunteered some more. The more I volunteered, the more people I met, the more rewarding it became.

What's good about volunteering for SCBWI?

Mo

You meet fantastic, talented enthusiastic people. That's the best bit. I've made true friends through volunteering for SCBWI and met authors and illustrators that I had admired for years!

Bridget

Volunteering builds confidence, especially if you're a bit shy, and it seriously helps expand your network!

Louise

Learning to deal with the lack of fame and fortune with like-minded people.

Clare

It gives you a chance to get to know people much better and through organising events that you think people would like, you get to have the events that you'd like yourself! It's also great for networking with people in the industry.

Kathy

Friendship, pride, insider knowledge. I might have lied about the last bit but you DO get BADGES!



Candy

Friendship with people you wouldn't meet at your social circles, who are passionate about the same things. Seeing the organisation grow and improve and knowing that you had a hand in it.

What have you gained by volunteering for SCBWI?

Louise

Everything but fame and fortune... (mainly insight, satisfaction, friendship)

John

Loads of new friends and experiences in a wide range of countries – participation in SCBWI workshops and conferences in the US, Bologna, the UK, France, Belgium, Japan, Mongolia and the Philippines – several of these places I was able to travel to thanks to volunteering for SCBWI.

Kathy

Relationships with industry professionals - volunteering for SCBWI is the next best thing to working in publishing

Maureen

A voice in the children’s book world, even as a non-traditionally published author. An increase in my own skills; writing, illustrating, organising, techno, blogging etc. A view of the industry and how it works. I would definitely recommend volunteering.

David

It’s being able to meet and talk with professionals from the industry. Their enthusiasm and advice inspires me to keep going, even when I’m back home I don’t feel alone. I’ve realised that working in Children’s books is a fantastic place to be. I’d love to be there full time.

Lesley

I've met some really lovely writers and illustrators in the SW, and I'd say that's been the very best thing. Oh, and as a frustrated journalist, having the opportunity to write some features for Words And Pictures has been fantastic, as it is another means of sharing and bringing people together through writing and illustrating.

Candy

Friends I love. Access to gatekeepers. Satisfaction and pride in what I've achieved.

Natascha Biebow
Regional Advisor, British Isles

Without this team of talented and energetic volunteers, we would not be able to organize events, such as the Annual Conference, nor create a fantastic blog magazine with new content every day, nor match people up in critique groups. Even our fantastic Undiscovered Voices competition, which has opened the doors to publication for so many authors, is run by a team of volunteers. Not one of us is paid for the many, many hours of initiative and hard work that we put in!

So why do we do it? Volunteering opens up many doors – the door of friendship, the door of craft, the door of the industry contact, the door of new skills.

SCBWI British Isles needs volunteers to do jobs big and small, local and national.

Which doors will volunteering open for you?!

For more information on volunteer positions vacant, look out for the Volunteers’ Station at the registration table at our annual conference, 

pick up a job card,

collect one of these fabulous stickers...

...look for a lovely volunteer wearing one of these

and have a good CHAT.

Then, at 9:30 on Sunday morning, come and meet the Natascha and other volunteers. 

Both of these wonderful designs are by another fabulous volunteer, Amanda Lillywihte.

If you can't make it to the conference, we will miss you but you don't need to miss out, check out the volunteer positions vacant and email Natascha at ra@britishscbwi.org saying you'd like to find out more about volunteering.

We look forward to meeting you!

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