Plans coming to life

In the last couple of weeks, a couple of projects that have been in the planning phase for a while finally came to life.

Last year I was invited to take part in a project with Mid and East Antrim Council during Democracy Week where local schools vote for 'Top Children's Author'. Democracy week took place a couple of weeks ago, coinciding with World Book Day.

This project was a fun way to teach young people about elections with the children reading our manifesto, voting and then taking part in the counting.

Thanks to everyone who voted for me, on this my first foray into elections and congratulations to the winner, Paddy Donnelly.  I'm pleased to say I didn't lose any deposit in this election.

Yesterday I had a busy day in Belfast in the company of children's illustrators and writers. On the way into town on the train I managed to get a bit of writing done.

In the morning we had a good turn out at our local SCBWI Ireland meet up over coffee. It was good to catch up with other creatives and hear how their projects are progressing. It's always inspiring being in the company of other writers and illustrators.

In the afternoon we held a SCBWI Ireland in-person writing workshop at the Seamus Heaney centre at Queen's University. 

I'd been working with Shirley McMillan, current NI Children's Writing Fellow over recent weeks planning this so I was very excited to see these plans come to fruition.

We had a great afternoon sharing and learning new tips and there was also time for a practical exercise writing a synopsis for a MG or YA novel. It was great fun, productive and a very enjoyable way to spend the afternoon.

I'm still buzzing from the creative sparks ignited at both events yesterday. And it's always a bonus to pick up a free book.

Now to get on with a new project  - yesterday's acquisition may just come in very handy.....

 

Writing Round Up

It's been a busy few days with lots of exciting writing activities taking place. Over the weekend I went along to a couple of events in the Look North festival. The first one was a children's writing workshop with Shirley McMillan. It was good to meet other writers there and during writing exercises develop a nugget that could be revisited.

While I missed the main launch of the Translink and Ulster University's 'Poetry in Motion' anthology a couple of weeks ago, I managed to pick up my copy last week and enjoyed dipping into it on the journey home.

Over the weekend I managed to get along to a poetry reading in York Street station where some of the organisers shared contributors' work. It was a lovely event - drinking coffee while being read poetry.

Last night we held another SCBWI Ireland 'Picture This, Write Now' session. It's good to make some time to write and doing this and chatting with other writers across Ireland provides each other with encouragement.

Over the last few days, between rejections I've also received news of an exciting new project I'm going to be involved in - more about that in due course. 

In the meantime I've been doing some spring cleaning and tidying in preparation for World Book Day later this week.

Have a good one when it arrives!