Oops! Forgot to ask the question I'd like you to respond to.
Can you tell me about a writing technique/topic/tip that helped you write well?
Look forward to hearing about it.
John Parker
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
hi, fish 'n' chippers!
John Parker here, back from a great week in Southland, visiting schools and teachers and classes. Having lived in Riverton for a while, it was very satisfying to return to this wonderful part of the country.
That title? As I said when I was talking to you, fish 'n' chips go together very well - and so do reading 'n' writing. I've not yet met a good writer who's not also a good reader. So get stuck in and start reading! A reading habit will reward you so much in terms of teaching you about yourself and other people, about feelings and situations and cultures and just about everything on Planet Earth - and beyond. Plus, of course, you develop a sense of language: the sentence, the look and sound of a word, fullstops and commas and semi-colons and apostrophes, paragraphing, sequence, the relationship between illustrations and the text - and so on!
So how about doing your literary fish 'n' chips on a daily basis. And if you've not yet discovered an author you want to read, ask the librarians, or your friends, or just keep looking. I think everyone has an author/book dying to meet you and get acquainted.
I think it's really important, when you're writing to 'own' your topic. That means knowing about it or feeling quite strongly about it so that you can write with confidence, with plenty of things to say about the topic - and also with the confidence to write exactly about that topic with well-chosen words.
And it's very important, too, to list or note down the things you would like to write about. They'll probably be under your nose: the food you like best, the footy try you scored, the great way you beat goal defence to give your tean the victory, your cat's favourite sleeping-place. Or you might like to write to your local newspaper about something that's bothering you and that you want the council to fix. There are many ways of writing creatively.
Lastly, let your writing simmer. If you rush it your subconscious won't have a chance to bubble up with ways of improving your writing. So keep on drafting!
I look forward to hearing about your writing - and your reading.
All the best
John Parker
That title? As I said when I was talking to you, fish 'n' chips go together very well - and so do reading 'n' writing. I've not yet met a good writer who's not also a good reader. So get stuck in and start reading! A reading habit will reward you so much in terms of teaching you about yourself and other people, about feelings and situations and cultures and just about everything on Planet Earth - and beyond. Plus, of course, you develop a sense of language: the sentence, the look and sound of a word, fullstops and commas and semi-colons and apostrophes, paragraphing, sequence, the relationship between illustrations and the text - and so on!
So how about doing your literary fish 'n' chips on a daily basis. And if you've not yet discovered an author you want to read, ask the librarians, or your friends, or just keep looking. I think everyone has an author/book dying to meet you and get acquainted.
I think it's really important, when you're writing to 'own' your topic. That means knowing about it or feeling quite strongly about it so that you can write with confidence, with plenty of things to say about the topic - and also with the confidence to write exactly about that topic with well-chosen words.
And it's very important, too, to list or note down the things you would like to write about. They'll probably be under your nose: the food you like best, the footy try you scored, the great way you beat goal defence to give your tean the victory, your cat's favourite sleeping-place. Or you might like to write to your local newspaper about something that's bothering you and that you want the council to fix. There are many ways of writing creatively.
Lastly, let your writing simmer. If you rush it your subconscious won't have a chance to bubble up with ways of improving your writing. So keep on drafting!
I look forward to hearing about your writing - and your reading.
All the best
John Parker
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Southland Tour - from Claire Vial
Hello!
I am now back in Auckland after a wonderful visit to Southland. This was my first time to Southland and what a wonderful place it is. Friendly people, sunny weather, stunning scenery and delicious food!
I thoroughly enjoyed my time speaking to groups of students and teachers. It is always a delight for me to see peoples faces light up when giving my presentation; as it reminds me how fortunate I am to be able to combine and share my love of photography, knowledge and writing.
I would like to thank all the students and teachers of the schools I visited for their hospitality, great listening and superb questioning skills.
I hope from my visit you were able to take away with you some insight into the amount work and energy that goes into publishing a non-ficition book; plus some new fascinating information about African animals.
All questions or comments are welcome - I will do my best to answer them.
In the meantime, my question to you is "what two things can you do to improve your non-fiction writing"?
Hope to hear from some of you soon.
Claire
I am now back in Auckland after a wonderful visit to Southland. This was my first time to Southland and what a wonderful place it is. Friendly people, sunny weather, stunning scenery and delicious food!
I thoroughly enjoyed my time speaking to groups of students and teachers. It is always a delight for me to see peoples faces light up when giving my presentation; as it reminds me how fortunate I am to be able to combine and share my love of photography, knowledge and writing.
I would like to thank all the students and teachers of the schools I visited for their hospitality, great listening and superb questioning skills.
I hope from my visit you were able to take away with you some insight into the amount work and energy that goes into publishing a non-ficition book; plus some new fascinating information about African animals.
All questions or comments are welcome - I will do my best to answer them.
In the meantime, my question to you is "what two things can you do to improve your non-fiction writing"?
Hope to hear from some of you soon.
Claire
Monday, June 23, 2008
Southland Tour
Hi students and teachers,
I haven't been to Southland for many years and I'm really looking forward to visiting schools in your part of New Zealand. I live in Howick on the outskirts of Auckland, but like country areas as I grew up in a small town called Waipu in North Auckland. Quite a few of the stories I've written have an historical background. I wonder if that's partly because the early settlers to both Howick and Waipu have made them places of historical interest.
I'm looking forward to telling you about becoming a writer, the way I go about producing a story, working with an illustrator, (or doing the illustrations yourself), suggestions for your writing, etc. I also hope to see what writing projects you have done and learn about your school and and the local area.
Your questions are welcome - I'll do my best to answer them.
One question for you from me - what is one very good way to increase your chances of becoming a writer?
See you soon,
Jennifer Beck
I haven't been to Southland for many years and I'm really looking forward to visiting schools in your part of New Zealand. I live in Howick on the outskirts of Auckland, but like country areas as I grew up in a small town called Waipu in North Auckland. Quite a few of the stories I've written have an historical background. I wonder if that's partly because the early settlers to both Howick and Waipu have made them places of historical interest.
I'm looking forward to telling you about becoming a writer, the way I go about producing a story, working with an illustrator, (or doing the illustrations yourself), suggestions for your writing, etc. I also hope to see what writing projects you have done and learn about your school and and the local area.
Your questions are welcome - I'll do my best to answer them.
One question for you from me - what is one very good way to increase your chances of becoming a writer?
See you soon,
Jennifer Beck
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