Hello Children’s Writer’s and friends,
Wow, what an incredibly busy month I’ve had, what between our big FAW Literary Competition, guest speakers, assignments, (one in which I placed first!) grant applications and Book Week preparations and events at the school where I work, it’s been full on. I’m not alone of course. Forget Christmas, this is a Writer’s Silly Season! What with Book Week preparations, short lists and prize winning, library visits, school visits, the many grant offers from late June through to October and many other things I’m yet to become aware of, it’s no wonder authors and editors alike say that writing and even getting a first book published is only half the work.
Half the work or not it still feels extremely busy, stressful, frustrating, exciting, scary and the list goes on. The rollercoaster, though is considered by most as part and parcel of working for this worthy cause, including me which is why I stubbornly and proudly pushed through exhaustion over this last month to get not one but three grant applications in. OK only two were writing related (namely Westwords and IGNITE CF through the Copyright Agency*) but one was actually editing the application of a wonderful young man whose hard work I have thoroughly supported since hearing of him, his story and his work to reduce poverty in his homeland through his passionate support of education for all and more recently micro businesses. He (Alex Bwaluka) inspires me to believe, work hard and just ‘have a go’ get in and get it done.

I have one more grant and two more competitions to compete for in the next month and although I may not get anywhere with any of them I am truly proud of my efforts. I know I have improved in my grant application submission skills, my confidence and my writing in general and that is worth more than any grant or prize; although if any judges and maybe even the odd publisher (I wish) happen to be reading this at the moment… it doesn’t mean I wasn’t seriously seeking success in sending my submissions.

Burning the candle at both ends again. I’ll need to edit this in the morning, but for now I, like all those newly published or CBCA award winning authors, will continue to push through the Silly Season and no doubt look back on it with the rose-coloured glasses of nostalgia… until and probably throughout the next Silly Season.
Edited now. Until next month I wish you Season’s Greetings 😉

Farewell fellow travellers,

Savour the quest

Journeygirl

* For more information on the Copyright Agency and grants in general, check out my post, Granted, Writing Can Be An Expensive Business. or the CKT website’s post on Securing that Grant

PS This has been thoroughly edited, however, WordPress is rejecting the top two paragraph breaks. If any techie friends out their know fix this problem, I’d love to know before I go completely bald from tearing my hair out!