May 2021
As an author I love to attend conferences. Learning and discovering is one of my favourite things. There is always something new to learn from others.
Writing and creating is mostly a solitary process. I can't imagine I'd get any writing done if I was sitting in a room with a cohort of authors. The temptation to chat, discuss an idea or scene would be on the cards. Authors do share ideas. While we don't give away a book plot, we do sometimes need to talk about our ideas, get feedback or inspiration.
The last face-to-face conference I attended was in June. It was such a great day.
The opportunity to hear authors and illustrators speak about their creative process is inspiring, encouraging and enlightening.
The Society of Book Writers and Illustrators Conference (SCBWI) ACT 2021
I also love to teach, and share my knowledge and skills with other creatives. Due to lockdown and border closures, I've been busy presenting online sessions to children's authors from around Australia.
The sessions were such fun, and adapting to the new ways of teaching has had some challenges - like mastering the many and varied apps different institutions use in a quick test run. But what an opportunity it also creates with people being able to attend a writing presentation regardless of their location.
June 2021
The last school I was able to visit before lockdown in the ACT, was the Galilee School at Kambah. Maybe you'll be surprised to hear it was a murder mystery workshop! What? You're not surprised?
It has been a busy year of all things crime :)
The weather didn't play fair that day. My mystery workshop is set in the tropics. I try to conjure up the setting and take the students into a jungle dripping in humidity and dangers.
Outside it was teeming, thunder rumbled and it was a typical freezing cold day in June in the ACT. All the same, we got into the mystery, imagined the tropical setting and I enjoyed weaving the intriguing tale and connections of suspects into the story, then watched as the young minds tried to discover the murderer.
Little did I know it was to be the last school visit for the year.