What Are Children’s Agents Looking For?

On October 21, 2011 · In Getting Published

I chaired a most interesting Irish Pen night last week on Writing for Children and Getting Published and I took some notes for you all. (See how nice I am?) The panel included – Anna Carey, newbie author who is on the current shortlist for the Irish Book Awards; Oisin McGann, highly experienced author and illustrator;  and Julia Churchill from Greenhouse Literary Agency, London. Click on that link to read an interview with Julia.

So here goes – what Julia wants – she said she’d love a big love story set in space, but she’s not all that concerned with the market. She loves the slush pile.

This is what she is looking for in a nutshell:

1/ concept 2/ character 3/ story 4/ theme 5/ voice 6/ setting

She wants books with a great hook and premise and she needs to get excited about a book to take it on. She likes books with high stakes and for her, character is vital. She likes books with a strong sense of place like the Northern Lights series (Oxford). Overall, she is a young, hard working, vibrant agent who is worth considering if you are the next Derek Landy or Eoin Colfer.

So there …

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Why Writers Need a Bit of Passion in Their Lives

On October 10, 2011 · In Getting Published, This Writer's Life

Passion. It’s a great word, isn’t it? It conjures up images of Mills and Boon-type heroes with bare, oiled chests; flame haired women in Gone With the Wind ball dresses . . . or maybe that’s just me.

The paranormal romances riding high in the current books charts are all about swoon and passion. In fact, the latest Lauren Kate novel in her bestselling Fallen series is called just that, Passion.

I was at one of Lauren’s talks in Eason, O’Connell Street, Dublin recently and she certainly spoke with passion about her characters and her plots. She based one of the love interests on her own husband, she admitted with a shy smile. And she wants Ed Westwick (Gossip Girls) to play the character in the movie version. I hear you, Kate!

But today I’m talking about passion for your subject, for your writing, for your characters, not romantic passion. It’s so important to write with passion, every day. To approach the page with all the energy, and enthusiasm and sheer ferocity that you can muster. And believe me, I know it isn’t always easy, especially if you’re tired, or feeling a bit glandy, or are in a dark mood. …

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Why Do Writers Teach Creative Writing? Is It For The Money?

On October 7, 2011 · In Festivals and Events, Getting Published, The Writing Coach, This Writer's Life, Writing for Children

There was an interesting conference today in Dublin all about writing classes/workshops which I’ve been following on Twitter. A question came up – why do writers teach creative writing? Is it for the money? Book sales? To find material.

And it got me thinking. Why do I teach?

In fact I was teaching only last night – Writing for Children at the Irish Writer’s Centre. We talked about what makes a good children’s book – unforgettable characters, beautiful writing, a cracking plot, emotion, drama . . . ? We talked about memory and using our past to shape fictional characters. And above all, it was fun. I learned a lot and I hope the other writers did too!

And that’s the main reason I teach: because it’s fun. Writing is a lonely old business, and now and again it’s very healthy to step out from behind the desk and meet ‘real people’. I also teach because I believe in passing things on. I’ve been very lucky in my writing life, many, many people have been very kind and helpful to me. And if I can help someone else, even in a small way, I believe it’s my duty to do …

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How to Drive Traffic to Your Website – Tips and Suggestions

On October 3, 2011 · In This Writer's Life
So you have a shiny new website and you want as many people to visit it as possible. After all, what’s the point of putting time and energy into the whole online shebang otherwise?
I’m a writer, not an internet expert, but luckily I have access to many people who are far smarter and more net savvy than I am, and I’ve picked their brains just for you.
The one thing they have all agreed on is that having a fancy smancy looking website is all very well, but CONTENT IS KING. Content is what drives readers to your website in the first place and it’s what keeps them coming back time after time.
And a WEEKLY BLOG is a great way of adding to that content, and updating your website on a regular basis.
Luckily, I like blogging. I like telling people about books, writing, the publishing world. I have something to say. And that’s so important – having something to say.
When I started my blog several years ago it was originally called ‘The Launch Lizard’. I covered book launches I attended in Dublin and all over. But there aren’t so many of them anymore, and I tend …
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