Today I participated in the Pay It Forward Toronto Flash Mob. It was part of a global event where readers met in pre-arranged locations to read a book that inspired them, brought them to tears, or changed the way they looked at life. You can watch a video with global organizer Charley Johnson here:
In Toronto, about fifty book-lovers met at Union Station at 4 pm to silently read our books and then “pay it forward” by sharing that inspiring book with a friend or a complete stranger. Why? Just to remind them that the world is an amazing place. My book was The Book Thief by Markus Zusak – a fabulous book.
Thanks to Toronto organizers Nancy Runstedler, Linda Granfield and Christie Harkin!
PIF Toronto organizer Nancy Runstedler
Below are some of the participants of the Pay It Forward Toronto Flash Mob. Our hands are empty because we’ve just given away our books! Other participants included author Marthe Jocelyn, publisher Paul Kropp, author Rebecca Upjohn and many more.
Some PIF Toronto participants, including me, author Mahtab Narsimhan, illustrator Debbie Ohi, and author Cheryl Rainfield.
Just home from a WordPlay Writing Workshop with sixteen enthusiastic teen writers who chose to spend part of March Break writing at the Cedarbrae Library with me. A room full of keen writers – what a treat!
Zombies and other horror stories were popular with this group, as we wrote stories and poems based on the eerie photography of Gregory Crewdson. We also wrote from objects – my collection of old keys – and using my word box, as well as writing from a given sentence.
My word box
There is nothing better than an afternoon of writing games, unless it’s reading what these fine writers can produce in the Toronto Public Library’s annual magazine of teen writing and art – the Young Voices magazine.
Teens between the ages of 12 and 19 who live in Toronto are invited to submit poems, stories, rants, reviews, illustrations, and photography to this quality magazine. The submission deadline is March 31, 2012. For guidelines and how to submit, click here. To read the Young Voices 2011 Magazine, click here.
Last week, hundreds of librarians met up in Toronto for the Ontario Library Association’s Super Conference 2012.
I attended to sign copies of The Yo-Yo Prophet at the Orca Publishers booth. I also I joined 34 other authors to present the book at CANSCAIP’s annual OLA book launch for Canadian children’s books.
It was great fun to meet so many enthusiastic librarians. I can chat all day with people who share my love of quality books for kids and teens.
I also learned some exciting news at the conference. Each year, the OLA Best Bets Committee selects the top Canadian picture books, fiction and non-fiction for children, and fiction for teens. I’m pleased to announce that The Yo-Yo Prophet is a 2011 OLA Best Bets Honourable Mention. For the full list of titles, click here.
It may sound like stating the obvious, but to develop as a writer, one needs to read, read, read. As writers, we need to know the marketplace, particularly the genres in which we write. We can also learn writing techniques and improve our own writing by analyzing what works – and what doesn’t – in the books we read.
To get the most out of your reading, here are a few tips:
Form your own opinion.
Try to approach a book with an open mind. Although you may chose to read a particular book because of a review or word-of-mouth recommendation, try to set aside the opinions of others and determine your own opinion of how well the books works.
Read for pleasure.
Don’t take notes or mark passages when you read a book for the first time. Simply enjoy the ride that the author has created. You can analyze later. With a well-written book, you’ll be compelled to experience the characters’ emotions, and all thoughts of analysis will be banished.
Monitor your reactions.
After you read a book, consider how engaged you were when reading. Where was the greatest energy? Where did your interest fade? Monitoring your reactions will help you determine how well the book met it’s goal of satisfying the reader.
Analyze your reactions.
Ask yourself why it works – or doesn’t. How could it be improved? You may even want to discuss the book with others, or consider the opinions expressed in reviews. How do others view the book differently?
Read it again.
When a book evokes a strong reaction from you, read it more than once. On a second reading, you will likely discover aspects of the story that you didn’t notice the first time. You can also evaluate the details of the story – character, structure, plot, dialogue, and so on.
Pitch the book.
If you had to sell this book to a reader, how would you do it? Try to write a one-sentence synopsis of the story that would compel someone else to read it. Your sentence should answer the question, “What is the story?”
Re-discover the fun of writing at my hands-on WordPlay Writing Workshop for ages 12 to 19 on March 15 from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Cedarbrae Library in Toronto. With fresh and inspiring story-starters, you’ll dive into new characters and create captivating scenes. Come spark your imagination and enjoy playing with words while learning creative writing techniques.
After the workshop, don’t forget to submit your writing to Young Voices – the Toronto Public Library’s annual magazine of teen writing and art. Poems, stories, rants, reviews, illustrations, and photography are all accepted. The submission deadline is March 31, 2012.
For guidelines and how to submit, click here. To read the Young Voices 2011 Magazine, click here.
It may sound like stating the obvious, but to develop as a writer, one needs to read, read, read. As writers, we need to know the marketplace, particularly the genres in which we write. We can also learn writing techniques and improve our own writing by analyzing what works – and what doesn’t – in the books we read.
