ANNOUNCEMENT
You will only find full access to all The Happy Book episodes on Spotify for now.
Hello, I’m Tania McCartney. I’m an author, illustrator and editor of children’s books. I’ve always wanted to live inside a book, and now I practically do.
I'm here to share with you over thirty years of writing and publishing experience. This is where you'll find insights, insider info, interviews and inspiration to take with you on your kids' book journey. I’ll be discussing the publication journey in all its incarnations—from baby books to young adult literature—from emerging status right through to taking your career up a level.
I’ll share with you my own journey and experience, and will also regularly pick the brains of some amazing people—authors, illustrators, editors, publishers, booksellers, librarians and other industry professionals.
In Series One, we’ll be covering a wealth of ideas, from sowing story seeds through editing, picture book construction and into illustrator journeys. We’ll look at assessments, plotting and planning middle grade, conferences and festivals—there’s just SO much to cover.
As the series of 10 podcasts goes live, you’ll see details of each one listed in the space below. Content will suit both emerging creators and those who’ve been in the game a while.
If you have any questions or comments, you can say hello at books@taniamccartney.com.
So, let’s get started. Fire up your device, cram in those earbuds and enjoy this foray into the magical world of kids’ book creation. Welcome to this happy place—The Happy Book.
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| HELLO! Click my pic to learn more about me. Photo by Maree Azzopardi. |
Sooo inspiring, meaningful and heartfelt. Listening to them as I create has helped me feel less isolated here in my own little imaginative world. I look forward to each new week!
I'm thoroughly enjoying the Happy Book podcast. Part of today's did more than just resonate with me - I felt the reverberations in my bones. So much so, I took action I've been procrastinating over for several months.
Just tuned into Ep. One! You are always so generous with advice and industry insight, T. A fantastic podcast concept, and one which will benefit creators at any stage of their journey. Bring on Ep. Two!!
Listened to Chapter One this morning- what a lovely inspirational and motivational experience. So excited to have another fabulous Australian Kidlit podcast to delight in!
A gem of warmth, glorious voice giving great advice and reminders. Thanks, Tania. A triumph.
Thoroughly enjoyed listening to this! Tania, you're a renaissance woman!
Great content, fabulous advice. I’m looking forward to chapter 2!
Tania this is such a wonderful podcast. Without meaning to use any writer puns, your voice and pacing are perfect. And it's so interesting. Lucky listeners.
You are AMAZING! Just finished listening to both episodes now that it is on iTunes (Ed: now no longer available on iTunes thanks to sickening financial greed - thanks, Apple). You magically crammed so much into two episodes. I can't wait to tune in for more.
I absolutely love the The Happy Book podcast and I am definitely looking forward to series two! The information Tania generously shares is invaluable and essential to
all, especially aspiring children’s book authors. Now to put all this delicious information to paper.
Seriously, I wish I could listen to it ALL DAY!
Seriously, I wish I could listen to it ALL DAY!
The Happy Book Facebook Page
Please do leave a review/recommendation if you love The Happy Book's content! x
THE PODCASTS . . .
The Happy Book – Chapter 22
Special #StayHomeForLove Edition - Questions and Answers No.2
Air date: 9 April 2020
CLICK TO LISTEN ON SPOTIFY
HELLO!
Welcome to Chapter 22 of The Happy Book—one of a series of shorter podcasts to provide inspirational content during this Covid-19 shutdown. Things are tough right now. Staying home, sticking together, being connected, diving into books – it’s vital. We have lots of fab questions to get into in this chapter.
Fire up your device, cram in those earbuds and enjoy this foray into the magical world of kids’ book creation. If you have any questions or comments, you can say hello at books@taniamccartney.com.
I’m Tania McCartney and I’m an author, illustrator and editor of children’s books. I’ve always wanted to live inside a book, and now I practically do. Welcome to the Happy Book.
SHOW NOTES
00:30 Introduction
01:35 Have you been buying any books? Tag me on Instagram
01:57 Some book unboxings on Instagram
02:29 Book production videos on my YouTube channel
03:09 Question: Sienna – how do you create your book launches?
03:34 Online launches, referencing Dee White
04:18 Bricks and mortar launches – tips and ideas, referencing Nicole Godwin, Shelly Unwin, Cate Whittle
09:24 Question: from Jennifer in NSW – do most picture book authors start with agents or go direct to publishers?
11:33 UK and US markets for agents
12:02 Agents and Australian picture book authors, referencing Christina Booth
13:52 Question: Kellie from Canberra - I’d really like to know about the editing process you take yourself through ... from your initial idea and first draft, through subsequent drafts and right to the 'final' product before submission.
16:11 Working with a professional editor, referencing Evie and Pog
23:32 Question: again from Kellie – what is the editing difference between a picture book and junior fiction
25:50 Question: Meredie from Melbourne – I’m set to attend KidLit in Nov. Is it worth waiting till then to soak up knowledge, meet others, etc, before submitting, or join the slush pile now?
27:05 Question: again from Meredie – When I’m feeling low, I find it very hard to pick up a pen. I would love advice on how to stimulate the creative process.
29:44 Think about writing non-fiction
30:33 Question: Nicole asks for any advice at all on advice for budding creators.
34:40 What to do when your manuscript is no longer inspiring you
35:52 Wrap-up
37:29 The End
Music: Ukulele Whistle by Scott Holmes
PODCAST LINKS
My Instagram
My YouTube Channel
Dee White
Nicole Godwin
Shelly Unwin
Cate Whittle
Christina Booth
Evie and Pog
Instagram Inspo:
Eve Farb
Kate Mainard
Asa Gilland
Jane Newland
Christopher Jacques
Helen Dardik
LINKS
The Happy Book Facebook Page
taniamccartney.com
facebook.com/TaniaMcCartneyAuthor
twitter.com/TaniaMcCartney
instagram.com/taniamccartney
Tania McCartney Illos Etsy Store
The Fantastical Flying Creator
Kids' Book Review
The Happy Book – Chapter 21
Special #StayHomeForLove Edition - Questions and Answers No. 1
Air date: 31 March 2020
CLICK TO LISTEN ON SPOTIFY
HELLO!
Welcome to Chapter 21 of The Happy Book—one of a series of shorter podcasts to provide inspirational content during this Covid-19 shutdown. Things are tough right now. Staying home, sticking together, being connected, diving into books – it’s vital.
Email or message me on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter – send me your questions!
Fire up your device, cram in those earbuds and enjoy this foray into the magical world of kids’ book creation. If you have any questions or comments, you can say hello at books@taniamccartney.com.
I’m Tania McCartney and I’m an author, illustrator and editor of children’s books. I’ve always wanted to live inside a book, and now I practically do. Welcome to the Happy Book.
SHOW NOTES
00:30 Introduction
01:38 A coffee with cream
02:13 Resources for kids, parents teachers, librarians on my YouTube channel
03:22 Question: Meredie from Melbourne – when submitting manuscripts, what does it mean when we’re asked to compare our books to others in the market?
06:32 Question: Emmeline from Ipswich – Emmeline wants to become an author when she grows up and she would like to know how I practised writing as a child, and what activities I like to do.
09:39 Question: Kim from Melbourne – I’ve love to hear more about your skills with typography
10:27 How typography makes or breaks a book – sizing
10:53 Typography for comprehension and literacy – size and font changes, short paragraphs, etc, referencing Evie and Pog
12:38 How my typography journey began, referencing Riley and the Sleeping Dragon
13:45 The importance of kerning
14:33 Developing typography skills through play and courses
15:02 iFontMaker
15:37 More tips on exploring fonts
16:00 Immersing in books with great typography, referencing Ivy Bird
17:42 About narrative text and its layout with pictures, referencing Mamie
19:52 Question from Kellie in Canberra – plotter or pantser, which one are you and what’s your process?
23:09 Question from Kelly in Brisbane – how do you create your books when writing and illustrating. What is your process, do you write the words first or do both at the same time? Referencing Fauna.
26:22 Practise pictures book with laying out pages
26:54 A coffee with cream
27:19 Another coffee and a big glass of water
28:18 Book inspiration: reviews on my Instagram
30:20 The End
Music: Ukulele Whistle by Scott Holmes
PODCAST LINKS
My YouTube Channel
Evie and Pog
Riley and the Sleeping Dragon
iFontMaker
Skillshare
Ivy Bird
Mamie
Fauna: Australia’s Most Curious Creatures
Email me
LINKS
The Happy Book Facebook Page
taniamccartney.com
facebook.com/TaniaMcCartneyAuthor
twitter.com/TaniaMcCartney
instagram.com/taniamccartney
Tania McCartney Illos Etsy Store
The Fantastical Flying Creator
Kids' Book Review
COMING UP
CHAPTER 22 - more #StayHomeForLove Q+A
The Happy Book – Chapter 20
Promotion 101
Air date: 5 April 2019
CLICK TO LISTEN ON SPOTIFY
HELLO!
Welcome to Chapter 20 of The Happy Book, the last in Series Two. In this very special chapter, we’re going to talk promotion. Promoting you as an author, illustrator and creator, and of course, promoting your books.
We’ll cover branding, online exposure via websites and blogs, online illustrator portfolios, author/illustrator bios and photos, book blurbs, straplines, collateral, how to stand out from the crowd and heaps more.
As a special bonus, I’ll reveal Kids’ Book Review’s best tips for getting your books reviewed.
Fire up your device, cram in those earbuds and enjoy this foray into the magical world of kids’ book creation. If you have any questions or comments, you can say hello at books@taniamccartney.com.
I’m Tania McCartney and I’m an author, illustrator and editor of children’s books. I’ve always wanted to live inside a book, and now I practically do. Welcome to the Happy Book.
SHOW NOTES
00:36 Introduction
01:36 A Middle Eastern mint tea
03:37 The power of word-of-mouth
04:58 Engaging with your readership
05:38 Promotional skills are attractive to publishers
06:20 Creating a brand
08:36 Logos and other imagery
09:16 Jen Storer’s beautiful branding
09:43 Approaching an illustrator for imagery
10:08 My website visuals
11:14 Do everything with excellence
12:12 The amateur, the adequate, the accomplished
14:08 Jennifer Cossins – über pro
14:45 Tips for standing out from the crowd
15:35 Consistency in branding – Kids’ Book Review
18:25 Bubbly, fizzy, sparkling mineral water
18:31 Websites
20:26 To blog or not to blog
22:37 Website look and layout
23:41 Kids’ Book Review website layout
24:16 Website inclusions and content
28:39 GIFS and videos
29:46 A protein bar (salted caramel is my fave)
30:00 Straplines
32:42 Author and illustrator biographies
33:30 Your Unique Offer
35:25 Standard blurb inclusions
36:41 First or Third Person bios
36:55 Word counts for bios
37:55 Author and illustrator photos
41:16 Book blurb
42:25 Book blurb samples
47:20 Tips for writing blurb
49:10 Illustrator online portfolio
50:44 Collateral and addendum product
53:35 A glass of Prosecco
53:44 Getting your books reviewed—tips
1:06:54 A coffee with cream
1:07:41 What’s coming up for me
1:09:28 Wrap-up
1:10:20 The End
Music: Ukulele Whistle by Scott Holmes
PODCAST LINKS
The Fantastical Flying Creator
www.taniamccartney.com
Girl and Duck
A Bear a Day (and scroll down to the bears)
Jennifer Cossins
My fave creator websites
GIF Maker
My woeful YouTube channel – you’ll see a little studio tour!
Stop Motion app
Wonder by RJ Palacio
Beijing Tai Tai
This is Home: Essential Australian Poems for Children
Mamie
Australia Illustrated
My online portfolio
The KIDS section on my website
Riley and the Grumpy Wombat
An Aussie Year
A Kiwi Year
Australia Map Puzzle
LINKS
The Happy Book Facebook Page
taniamccartney.com
facebook.com/TaniaMcCartneyAuthor
twitter.com/TaniaMcCartney
instagram.com/taniamccartney
Tania McCartney Illos Etsy Store
The Fantastical Flying Creator
Kids' Book Review
COMING UP
CHAPTER 21 - the first of a series of special chapters for those who #StayHomeForLove.
The Happy Book – Chapter 19
The Author/Illustrator Journey with Kylie Howarth
Air date: 29 May 2019
CLICK TO LISTEN ON SPOTIFY
HELLO!
Welcome to Chapter 19 of The Happy Book.
In this chapter, I'll be talking to author/illustrator Kylie Howarth
about the author/illustrator journey. I'll be chatting to Kylie about
her wonderful books and how she creates them-you'll actually hear a
behind-the-scenes rundown of how she does it!
We'll also talk about thinking outside
the square when it comes to book ideas, about illustration techniques,
combining writing with pictures, the importance of visual narrative,
character consistency, finding your voice and so much more.
Fire up your device, cram in those
earbuds and enjoy this foray into the magical world of kids' book
creation. If you have any questions or comments, you can say hello at
books@taniamccartney.com.
I'm Tania McCartney and I'm an author, illustrator and editor of children's books. I've always wanted to live inside a book, and now I practically do. Welcome to the Happy Book.
GUEST - KYLIE HOWARTH
Kylie Howarth is an award-winning,
internationally published children's author/illustrator from Western
Australia. She is also part fish! Kylie has swum with whale sharks,
manta rays and humpback whales in Ningaloo and piranha and pink dolphins
in the Amazon. She has braved scuba diving with lionfish in Egypt,
marine iguanas and hammerhead sharks in the Galapagos Islands, and has
encountered great white sharks in South Africa! Kylie not only draws
inspiration from her underwater travels but also her own two fish-kids
who are ocean explorers, too. Kylie's picture book Chip won the 2018
WAYRBA Hoffman Award, was CBCA-shortlisted, YABBA Awards-shortlisted,
and also won a KOALA Honour Award. She has just released its sequel Chip
the Lifeguard, as well as Fish Kid and the Lizard Ninja, the first book
in her new chapter book series.
SHOW NOTES
00:36 Introduction
01:36 Introducing Kylie Howarth
02:28 Our bevvies of choice—coffee—and lots of pings
04:04 A typical writing day for Kylie
05:59 Does Kylie you have a plan to either write or draw each day?
07:12 The balancing act becomes finessed over time
07:50 Kylie’s first chapter book and the time it takes—Fish Kid
08:22 Rushing to get the next book done
09:18 Writing and illustrating a series—the time it takes
10:22 Kylie’s childhood illustrating
11:06 Graphic design and writing
12:01 Entering the kids’ book arena
12:53 Writing picture books for our own kids, Fish Jam
13:36 Writing in new genres as your children grow older
14:11 How Kylie moved into children’s books—SCBWI
17:50 Books that think outside the square
18:39 The same old themes—my rant
19:14 Kylie’s rant about parents being killed off in chapter books
20:45 What has brought Kylie the most joy as an author/illustrator
21:59 What has been the most challenging thing in this industry
22:38 How Kylie includes her kids in book production, Chip
24:30 Kylie’s book creation processes
25:34 1, 2 Pirate Stew
26:03 Hard to tell the difference between hand-rendered and digital
26:22 Chip process + Procreate
26:44 Illustration tablets
28:16 When new ideas pop in
28:48 Kylie’s illustration software
32:15 Visual narrative in picture books
33:54 Cutting picture book text as image appears
34:43 Adding delight with sub- narrative imagery
36:06 Adding detail for adults in picture books
36:55 How do we bring words and pictures together seamlessly
38:40 Character consistency in illustration
40:33 Showing emotion in character illustration
42:20 Importance of movement in character illustration
44:31 Ensuring all characters are equally stylised
45:19 Production outline of Kylie’s work
48:48 Working with different publishers
49:26 Being precious about your work—collaboration
51:08 Working alone v working collaboratively
52:42 Finding your illustration style and voice
55:08 Tips for submitting author/illustrator book ideas to a publisher
57:31 Going to events to meet publishers and editors
57:51 Kylie’s advice for new author/illustrators
58:49 Kylie’s favourite children’s book right now?
59:50 What would Kylie’s dream project be?
1:01:32 What’s next for Kylie?
1:02:55 Wrap-up
1:03:53 Coming up next week
1:04:15 ANOTHER COFFEE!!
1:05:08 The End
Music: Ukulele Whistle by Scott Holmes
PODCAST LINKS
Kylie Howarth
Fish Kid
Fish Jam
Chip
Chip the Lifeguard
Danielle McDonald
James Foley
My Dead Bunny
All the Ways to Be Smart
LINKS
The Happy Book Facebook Page
taniamccartney.com
facebook.com/TaniaMcCartneyAuthor
twitter.com/TaniaMcCartney
instagram.com/taniamccartney
Tania McCartney Illos Etsy Store
The Fantastical Flying Creator
Kids' Book Review
COMING UP
CHAPTER 20 – Chapter 20 – Promoting yourself and your books.
The Happy Book – Chapter 18
Your questions ... answered!
Air date: 22 May 2019
CLICK TO LISTEN ON SPOTIFY
HELLO!
Welcome to Chapter 18 of The Happy Book. In this chapter, I’ll be taking your questions. And answering them! I’ve had loads of queries and suggestions for podcasts, and I thought it might be fun to respond directly to as many as I can.
I’ll cover rejection (in its many forms), dealing with rejection letters, writing cover letters and crafting an irresistible synopsis for your book, getting your unpublished work and your published books ‘out there’.
I’ll also talk about websites and social media, agents, and how to both find and pay illustrators.
Fire up your device, cram in those earbuds and enjoy this foray into the magical world of kids’ book creation. If you have any questions or comments, you can say hello at books@taniamccartney.com.
I’m Tania McCartney and I’m an author, illustrator and editor of children’s books. I’ve always wanted to live inside a book, and now I practically do. Welcome to the Happy Book.
SHOW NOTES
00:36 Introduction
01:37 Boots, scarves, beanies, gloves and a coffee with cream
02:49 Facing rejection
03:34 Self-inflicted rejection and comparisons and social media
04:57 Trying to be happy for everyone else
05:09 Being careful about how much bragging we do
07:22 Rejection letters
09:27 Reasons why you might be rejected
12:55 Writing cover letters
20:02 Writing synopses
22:58 My synopsis for Hip Hip Hooray!
25:47 Check publisher guidelines for synopses
31:03 Jasmine green tea
31:12 Getting your unpublished work ‘out there’
36:15 The importance of online presence
38:17 Getting your published book ‘out there’
42:08 Agents agents agents
50:11 A glass of prosecco
50:40 Hiring an illustrator
54:08 One-off contracts
56:30 Drawing up a contract
56:44 Royalties-based contracts
59:11 What to pay an illustrator
1:00:06 Trade-offs
1:01:03 The contract for An Aussie Year with Tina Snerling
1:02:25 Negotiating with an illustrator
1:02:46 More advice on hiring an illustrator
1:03:08 Wrap-up
1:03:48 Coming up next week
1:04:45 The End
Music: Ukulele Whistle by Scott Holmes
PODCAST LINKS
Hip Hip Hooray!
Australian Society of Authors
CBCA
SCBWI
Pass It On
Buzzwords
Kids’ Book Review
The 52-Week Illustration Challenge
An Aussie Year
LINKS
The Happy Book Facebook Page
taniamccartney.com
facebook.com/TaniaMcCartneyAuthor
twitter.com/TaniaMcCartney
instagram.com/taniamccartney
Tania McCartney Illos Etsy Store
The Fantastical Flying Creator
Kids' Book Review
COMING UP
CHAPTER 19 – Creating books with author/illustrator Kylie Howarth.
The Happy Book – Chapter 17
The Emerging Author Journey with guest Penny Harrison
Air date: 15 May 2019
CLICK TO LISTEN ON SPOTIFY
HELLO!
Welcome to Chapter 17 of The Happy Book. In this chapter, I’ll be talking to author Penny Harrison about the emerging author journey. I’ll be chatting to Penny about her route to publication, and about the challenges she’s faced along the way.
We’ll also cover working in magazines, about working with illustrators, attending events and getting industry involved, writing across genre, exploring different creator roles, and so much more, including the most challenging and the most rewarding parts of the emerging creator journey.
Fire up your device, cram in those earbuds and enjoy this foray into the magical world of kids’ book creation. If you have any questions or comments, you can say hello at books@taniamccartney.com.
I’m Tania McCartney and I’m an author, illustrator and editor of children’s books. I’ve always wanted to live inside a book, and now I practically do. Welcome to the Happy Book.
GUEST – PENNY HARRISON
Penny Harrison is a children's author, book reviewer and lifestyle journalist. She has released three picture books in the past three years, with two more due out in the next year through Little Hare and New Frontier. Penny’s passion for the children’s book industry is reflected in her work as a reviewer with Kids’ Book Review and as secretary of the Eltham Authors' Collective. A professional writer for more than 20 years, she has worked for some of Australia's leading publications, including the Sydney Morning Herald and the Herald Sun Home Magazine, and now freelances for a variety of magazines and newspapers, such as House of Wellness magazine, Yarra Valley Country Life and the Herald Sun Home Living section. Penny lives in a rambling old garden on the edge of the Yarra Valley with her husband, two children and an ever-growing menagerie of plants and animals (and of course books).
SHOW NOTES
00:36 Introduction
01:36 Introducing Penny Harrison
02:31 Our bevvies of choice—coffee, with honey!
03:28 A typical writing day for Penny
05:08 How does Pen balance her many styles of writing?
06:24 Penny’s magazine and journalism career
08:30 What brought Penny to writing for children?
10:18 What drives you to write for children?
11:43 Penny’s emerging career so far
14:38 The difference between journalism and the children’s book industry
15:17 Working with an illustrator
17:21 Never telling an illustrator ‘what to do’
19:15 Publication journey for Emily’s Green Garden
20:30 An upcoming picture book with Little Hare
21:59 What is the most daunting part on this children’s author journey?
23:41 Penny’s recommendations for online groups and courses
24:27 What has brought Penny the most joy?
25:54 School visits as an emerging creator
28:06 The value of industry involvement
29:17 Developing relationships along the way
31:25 The joy of talking shop
31:57 Attending bookish events
33:18 Events afford publication opportunities
34:43 Assessments at conferences
35:17 Choosing which conference to go to
35:43 Grants and funding to get to events
36:39 Limitations that new creators face
37:32 How does Penny carve out her time to create
38:52 The limitations we place on ourselves
38:57 Getting bogged down in what others are doing
40:15 Genre—moving into non-fiction
41:43 Getting bogged down in genre or creative blocks
42:44 Your dream project
43:27 Strategies for pushing through creative blocks
45:45 Pursuing other directions and roles in our career
47:04 What does Penny wish she’d known before embarking on this journey
48:30 Penny’s advice for new authors
50:12 Penny’s favourite children’s book this actual moment?
51:17 What would Penny’s dream project be?
53:15 Wrap-up
54:11 Coming up next week
54:56 The End
Music: Ukulele Whistle by Scott Holmes
PODCAST LINKS
Penny Harrison
The Green Sheep
Dance with Me
The Art Garden
Emily’s Green Garden Evie Barrow
The Australian Writers Centre (AWC)
Jen Storer’s Scribbles Course
The Duck Pond on Facebook
The Fantastical Flying Creator
Kids’ Book Review
Reading Time
KidLitVic Conference (Melbourne)
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
Love Your Body by Jessica Sanders and Carol Rossetti
LINKS
The Happy Book Facebook Page
taniamccartney.com
facebook.com/TaniaMcCartneyAuthor
twitter.com/TaniaMcCartney
instagram.com/taniamccartney
Tania McCartney Illos Etsy Store
The Fantastical Flying Creator
Kids' Book Review
COMING UP
CHAPTER 18 – Your questions - answered!
The Happy Book – Chapter 16
The Emerging Illustrator Journey with guest Penelope Pratley
Air date: 8 May 2019
CLICK TO LISTEN ON SPOTIFY
HELLO!
Welcome to Chapter 16 of The Happy Book. In this chapter, I’ll be talking to illustrator Penelope Pratley about the emerging creator journey—as both illustrator and also a bit of author. I’ll be chatting to Pen about her route to publication, the challenges she’s faced, the highs, lows and joys.
We’ll also cover working intuitively, dedicating time to our work, passion projects, your inner critic, visual narrative, the perfect picture book ending and a lot more. You’re going to love it, especially if you’re new to this journey.
Fire up your device, cram in those earbuds and enjoy this foray into the magical world of kids’ book creation. If you have any questions or comments, you can say hello at books@taniamccartney.com.
I’m Tania McCartney and I’m an author, illustrator and editor of children’s books. I’ve always wanted to live inside a book, and now I practically do. Welcome to the Happy Book.
GUEST – PENELOPE PRATLEY
Emerging Illustrator, writer and educator, Penelope Pratley spends her days creating wonder . . . one illustration at a time. Using watercolour, ink, pencil and mixed media, her particular focus is creating picture books. She adores stories for children and owns far too many pencil cases. Penelope made her illustration debut in February 2018 with The Art Garden, published by EK Books and written by Penny Harrison. Penelope is currently illustrating more books to be published in 2019 and 2020. Living with a surfer, an inventor, a ballerina, three chickens, a rabbit, and an ancient guinea pig, her heart is never short of inspiration.
SHOW NOTES
00:36 Introduction
01:36 Introducing Penelope Pratley
02:26 Our bevvies of choice—a liquorice tea and a coffee
03:50 A typical writing day for Pen
05:20 Multitasking is so over, darling, and so are to-do lists
06:54 Working intuitively—what calls you that day
08:25 Working under pressure
09:09 What brought Pen to illustrate for children?
10:08 Being told her work is too ‘cute’
10:54 Creating things that don’t make your heart sing
11:45 Reconnecting with her illustration again—thanks, husband!
12:12 Inhouse design work
12:31 When children’s books came along
14:05 The 52-Week Illustration Challenge
14:46 The Fantastical Flying Creator
15:48 EK Books—offer of publication
16:06 Having the space for writing and illustrating books
16:50 Feeling envy is a sign you’re not in your path of flow
17:57 How quickly we grow when we put in the work
18:40 Stretching into other roles, beyond illustration
19:09 Self reflection
19:41 Not comparing ourselves to others
20:40 What books Pen has worked on so far
24:10 Every book we create is a different experience
25:01 The varying paths to publication
27:16 Does Pen still feel like an emerging creator?
28:45 What has been the most daunting part of this journey?
30:59 What helped you on this journey?
31:51 Working to a deadline
32:43 Do passion projects take longer?
34:34 Deadlines can help you develop more quickly
34:45 What limitations do new creators face?
35:07 The inner critic
36:00 Feeling you’ve started too late
36:20 Losing faith in yourself
37:10 Flying blind with this career
38:00 Dips in self-confidence
40:33 Making genuine industry friendships
41:38 Pen’s passion project
44:16 Not rushing to achieve more contracts
45:05 Everything you do creates your career
45:51 Visual narrative
48:27 The placement of picture book text to effect flow
50:29 The importance of a good ending
53:52 We do need ‘quiet’ books
54:32 Pen asks me a question
55:47 How text count has changed over the decades
56:22 Text for non-fiction books
56:47 Those little extra details in PBs, e.g. Mamie
58:33 Pen’s two fave children’s books at the moment
1:00:04 What does Pen wish she’d known before starting this journey?
1:00:50 Taking on other work because you feel you have to
1:01:32 Delaying your creative dreams particular to women
1:02:55 What is Pen’s advice for emerging creators?
1:03:10 People viewing your career as a hobby
1:06:08 What would Pen’s dream project be?
1:08:19 Wrap-up
1:09:01 Coming up next week
1:09:35 A green tea
1:10:14 The End
Music: Ukulele Whistle by Scott Holmes
PODCAST LINKS
Penelope Pratley
The Art Garden
Max’s Dinosaur Feet
The Fantastical Flying Creator Rodney Loses It by Michael Gerard Bauer and Chrissie Krebbs
Mike and the Modelmakers by Miroslav Sasek
Smile Cry
Mamie
The Book of Trees by Piotr Socha, Wojciech Grajkowski (text)
Cocoon by Aura Parker Wish by Chris Saunders
LINKS
The Happy Book Facebook Page
taniamccartney.com
facebook.com/TaniaMcCartneyAuthor
twitter.com/TaniaMcCartney
instagram.com/taniamccartney
Tania McCartney Illos Etsy Store
The Fantastical Flying Creator
Kids' Book Review
COMING UP
CHAPTER 17 – I’ll welcome emerging author Penny Harrison about her thoughts on the emerging creator journey.
The Happy Book – Chapter 15
Digital Illustration 101
Air date: 1 May 2019
CLICK TO LISTEN ON SPOTIFY
HELLO!
Welcome to Chapter 15 of The Happy Book. In this chapter, we’re going digital, baby! We’re going to grab our paintbrushes and our pencils and our cameras and our textures, and we’re going to launch our software and create some digital illustration magic .
You’ll learn about software options, techniques, brushes, patterns, working with colour, light, texture, colour modes, iPads, fonts, finishing art, and how to protect your body from this gruelling creative task, because it can be very hard on the body.
Guests appearing in this chapter include: Heath McKenzie, Danielle McDonald and Kylie Howarth, and international guests Owen Davey and Jane Newland. I know!!
Fire up your device, cram in those earbuds and enjoy this foray into the magical world of kids’ book creation. If you have any questions or comments, you can say hello at books@taniamccartney.com.
I’m Tania McCartney and I’m an author, illustrator and editor of children’s books. I’ve always wanted to live inside a book, and now I practically do. Welcome to the Happy Book.
SHOW NOTES
00:32 Introduction
01:36 Hot water and a squeeze of lemon
01:55 A note on this topic
02:43 The digital illustration world
03:40 Applications and software preferences
04:07 When I first started in digital illustration—the value of play
04:33 Software is now by subscription
05:06 The software I use—Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign
05:43 The difference between Illustrator and Photoshop—what I use them for
06:08 Publishers love the ‘full package’ creator
07:11 Creating my junior fiction series, Evie and Pog
07:59 What I mean by pre-press
08:08 Which digital software to use?
08:48 My personal experience with software—Adobe Creative Suite
09:47 Your software will function differently according to your platform
10:55 Keyboard shortcuts are your saviour
11:14 Platform options
11:32 Graphics cards
12:13 Enormous file sizes—my illustrated maps
13:04 Vector images and pixelated images
13:50 Layers
16:06 Having a platform with enough power for illustration
16:37 Learning—tutorials, websites, YouTube
18:33 Others will give advice but do what works for you; Danielle McDonald
19:49 How I create the pages for Evie and Pog
22:56 A tea break—Earl Grey
23:11 Links and connections between software programmes
24:06 What are your software options
24:25 Photoshop or iPad software on an iPad—pixelated imagery
25:32 Finishing art in Photoshop
26:08 Adobe Illustrator and vector art
28:00 Many of my picture books, including Fauna was created in AI
28:10 Patterns and clipping masks in AI
28:21 Clipping masks—creating a series of leaves
30:20 Which programme is for you? Well, what do you want to do?
30:43 Similarities in tools between AI and PS
31:13 Image trace function in AI for creating texture
31:51 Select some of your books with digital art inside
32:27 Recommended digital illustrators
32:36 Gus Gordon and how he combines digital with hand-rendered and collage
33:08 Creating texture digitally or manually
33:37 Opacity options are glorious
34:49 Laying out a p age digitally using Mamie
35:36 Making part of an image transparent
36:14 Creating scenes with moveable parts is a great time saver
36:43 A green tea
36:54 Pros of digital illustration
38:22 Creating your own patterns, brushes, fonts!
39:42 The cons of digital illustration
42:53 Bias against digital illustration
43:55 Different equipment—tablets
45:06 My Surface Book laptop—pros and cons
46:56 A short AI tutorial on YouTube
47:24 A mineral water and a mandarin
47:53 Colour modes and profiles
48:12 RGB v CMYK colour
48:50 Colour profiles—aligning it to the paper you’re printing on
49:45 Colour issues when printing Australia Illustrated
50:10 True to life colour on your monitor
50:52 Setting colour profiles
51:37 Tips and advice from leading illustrators
51:52 Owen Davey
53:27 Heath McKenzie
55:38 Danielle McDonald
58:05 Jane Newland
1:02:55 Wrap-up and a glass of prosecco
1:04:18 Coming up next week
1:05:27 The End
Music: Ukulele Whistle by Scott Holmes
PODCAST LINKS
Adobe Suite
Lynda.com
Skillshare.com
Some people I follow on YOUTUBE:
Graphic Design and Digital Art Tutorials
Good Creative Academy
Terry Mahy Digital
Tbate54 Tutorials
Tom Froese on Skillshare—one of my absolute faves
Mamie
Marc Martin
Peter Brown
Dietr Braun
Asa Gilland
Barbara Wurst
Digital Art
Gus Gordon
ABC Book tutorial on YouTube
Australia Illustrated
Owen Davey
Danielle McDonald
Heath McKenzie
Jane Newland Jane Newland on Instagram
LINKS The Happy Book Facebook Page
taniamccartney.com
facebook.com/TaniaMcCartneyAuthor
twitter.com/TaniaMcCartney
instagram.com/taniamccartney
Tania McCartney Illos Etsy Store
The Fantastical Flying Creator
Kids' Book Review
COMING UP
CHAPTER 16 – The emerging illustrator journey with guest Penelope Pratley.
The Happy Book – Chapter 14
Funny, illustrated junior fiction with author/illustrator Matt Stanton
Air date: 24 April 2019
CLICK TO LISTEN ON SPOTIFY
HELLO!
Welcome to Chapter 14 of The Happy Book. In this chapter, I’ll be talking to author illustrator Matt Stanton, all about funny, kooky illustrated fiction. We’ll chat about the huge popularity of such books and why they resonate so well with kids.
We’ll also talk about the creation of these books—combining illustration with text so seamlessly and effectively, how illustrated books help with juvenile literacy, and loads more.
Fire up your device, cram in those earbuds and enjoy this foray into the magical world of kids’ book creation. If you have any questions or comments, you can say hello at books@taniamccartney.com.
I’m Tania McCartney and I’m an author, illustrator and editor of children’s books. I’ve always wanted to live inside a book, and now I practically do. Welcome to this happy place—The Happy Book.
GUEST – MATT STANTON
Matt Stanton is a bestselling children’s author and illustrator who has sold more than half a million books. His award-winning middle-grade series, Funny Kid, launched around the world in 2017. Funny Kid for President, debuted as the #1 Australian kids' book and is fast winning legions of fans. He creates his bestselling Fart Monster + Friends picture books and Fart Monster and Me chapter books with Tim Miller and his award-winning Books That Drive Kids Crazy picture books with his wife, Beck Stanton. Beck and Matt live by the beach in Sydney with their three young children and an irritating but adorable cat.
SHOW NOTES
00:35 Introduction
01:35 Introducing Matt Stanton
02:30 How is Matt’s irritating cat going?
03:14 Our bevvies of choice—a sencha green tea and a black coffee
03:39 A typical writing day for Matt
05:37 Working super early—the benefits
05:52 Writing more intense than illustrating?
06:55 Matt’s first picture book There is a Monster Under My Bed Who Farts
07:37 Matt’s desire to learn about publishing led to his career
08:30 Matt’s 13-year career as a book designer and art director with HarperCollins
09:00 Pairing up with Tim Miller to write the Fart Monster books
09:47 Some great advice from a publisher
11:20 Putting yourself in the right place—industry involvement
12:11 Publishers are not your enemy
15:01 Writing between picture books and junior fiction
15:54 Stretching yourself outside genre and exploring new ones
18:24 Funny books—why is humour important in kids’ books?
20:05 The Funny Kid ethos
20:40 All stories have some inherent messaging—subtle is best
20:57 This is a Ball
22:03 Bringing the concept of play into books
24:56 Demanding a response from kids
25:21 The Australian market and ‘left field’ books
28:14 Underestimating a creator’s ability to know the market well
28:36 Thinking outside the square
28:44 Publishing the PBs in the US—the differences
31:02 The Funny Kid series—audience and reading ability
32:33 Kids’ responses to Funny Kid
33:37 Inspiring reluctant readers
34:52 Illustrated fiction and how it connects readers
36:54 Children are reading differently now
37:24 Illustrations helping kids engage with nuance or context
38:50 Behind the scenes with Matt—fascinating!
41:11 Matt’s process with Funny Kid books
47:39 The books that drive kids nuts—working with wife Beck
49:55 The challenges with writing a series
51:30 Some advice from Matt
56:07 What is Matt’s favourite children’s book right now?
57:25 What you Matt’ s dream project be?
58:34 What’s coming up for Matt and Beck?
1:00:43 Wrap-up
1:02:19 Coming up next week—and a coffee
1:03:43 The End
Music: Ukulele Whistle by Scott Holmes
PODCAST LINKS
Matt Stanton
Fart Monsters
Tim Miller
Books That Drive Kids Crazy
Funny Kid
The Book with No Pictures by BJ Novak
The Lorax by Dr Seuss
The Lottie Perkins series by Katrina Nannestad
LINKS
The Happy Book Facebook Page
taniamccartney.com
facebook.com/TaniaMcCartneyAuthor
twitter.com/TaniaMcCartney
instagram.com/taniamccartney
Tania McCartney Illos Etsy Store
The Fantastical Flying Creator
Kids' Book Review
COMING UP
CHAPTER 15 – we’re going digital, baby! Digital Illustration 101 means it’s time to get your virtual brushes out.
The Happy Book – Chapter 13
Making money in this kids’ book game (and accounts … groan)
Air date: 17 April 2019
CLICK TO LISTEN ON SPOTIFY
HELLO!
Welcome to Chapter 13 of The Happy Book. In this chapter, I’ll be talking to you about money money money. How to make money in this kids’ book game, optional revenue earners—both as author and illustrator—and unexpected sources of income you may not have heard of.
I’ll also be covering accounts… yes, yes, groan. But they are important, and there are ways to stay on top of them and still retain every hair on your head. If you’re keen to make this career a fulltime one, this podcast is for you.
Fire up your device, cram in those earbuds and enjoy this foray into the magical world of kids’ book creation. If you have any questions or comments, you can say hello at books@taniamccartney.com.
I’m Tania McCartney and I’m an author, illustrator and editor of children’s books. I’ve always wanted to live inside a book, and now I practically do. Welcome to this happy place—The Happy Book.
SHOW NOTES
00:35 Introduction
01:37 My bevy of choice—mineral water with a whisper elderflower cordial
01:57 Money and the creative arts
02:58 The lion’s share of your income will not come from books (at first)
03:39 Doubling my revenue with illustrating
04:04 The multi-hatted creator and the need to diversify revenue streams
04:19 Writing across genres and styles
04:25 Magazine work
04:36 Editing books and magazine articles
04:48 The School Magazine
04:56 Online sites or reviewing
05:11 Kids’ Book Review
05:35 Monetising websites
06:09 Weighing up gratis work for ‘exposure’
06:32 Doing something for exposure
06:45 Teaching and speaking
07:28 Being paid to speak at events
07:51 Professional development days for teachers
08:08 School visits
08:26 Self-publishing and selling book copies
08:37 Buying book stock from your publisher
09:14 Selling books on my Etsy store
09:34 Selling prints on my Etsy store
10:02 Your copyright to your book illustrations
11:13 Setting up your own online store—some options
12:23 Payment—PayPal
12:37 Selling your books exclusively online
13:41 Addendum products
14:37 Getting self-published books onto major online stores
15:17 Selling your books directly to local bookstores
16:12 Firm sale or consignment
17:10 Venues to sell books other than bookstores
17:57 School and library visits
18:32 Tips for signing books, take bookmarks, addendum product
18:55 Sell at events and markets
19:30 Tips for market stalls
25:54 Keeping a market database
26:06 Other ways to earn money—greeting cards
26:58 Editing
27:27 Mentoring
28:01 Looking for revenue earners that don’t cut into production time
28:49 The Fantastical Flying Creator as a revenue earner
29:50 Laminating and customisation
30:49 Jess Racklyeft and her diversification
32:40 Offering signed books on your website
33:10 Make sales by having giveaways
33:50 Tips for hosting a giveaway on Instagram
36:24 A Bear a Day and a Fleur a Day original art auctions on Instagram
37:58 Crowdfunding—pros and cons
42:33 Dinner and a glass of rosé
42:46 Securing new contracts
43:00 Contracts with net receipts
45:28 Another glass of rosé—why not?
45:38 Your local writers’ centre, manuscript assessments, portfolio
46:20 Earning money with Educational and Public Lending Rights
47:11 Copyright agency payments
48:11 Splitting your ELR/PLR payment with your co-creator
48:36 ELR/PLR publisher payments
49:21 Tips on investing money in your own business
50:12 Most of my investment is in time and energy, not spending cash
50:36 Contradeals with colleagues and friends
51:07 How much to charge
51:37 Cover or make profit on actual costs
52:08 Charging for events, appearances, workshops
52:32 The more experience, the more you can charge
52:44 What to charge for artwork
53:40 A reason you would seriously inflate the price of something
54:00 Your time, energy, expertise and experience goes into everything
54:19 Set a price and double it
54:40 Value beliefs
55:15 Accounts
55:41 Apps and programmes
56:35 How I take care of my accounts
58:52 Get yourself a tax accountant
59:53 Wrap-up
1:00:35 Coming up next week
1:01:35 The End
Music: Ukulele Whistle by Scott Holmes
PODCAST LINKS
Kids’ Book Review
The School Magazine
Lending Rights
The Copyright Agency
Etsy
Big Cartel
Made It
Red Bubble
Ebay
PayPal
The Fantastical Flying Creator
Jesses Mess Etsy Store
Jess Rackleft on Instagram
Tania McCartney Illos Etsy Store
A Bear a Day/A Fleur a Day (scroll down to see the bears)
Australian Society of Authors
LINKS
The Happy Book Facebook Page
taniamccartney.com
facebook.com/TaniaMcCartneyAuthor
twitter.com/TaniaMcCartney
instagram.com/taniamccartney
Tania McCartney Illos Etsy Store
The Fantastical Flying Creator
Kids' Book Review
COMING UP
CHAPTER 14 – Funny, illustrated junior fiction with author/illustrator Matt Stanton.
The Happy Book – Chapter 12
Junior Fiction series, plotting and planning with author Cate Whittle
Air date: 10 April 2019
CLICK TO LISTEN ON SPOTIFY
HELLO!
Welcome to Chapter 12 of The Happy Book. In this chapter, I’ll be talking to author and friend, Cate Whittle. Cate is a junior fiction queen, and I’ll be chatting with her about the inspiring way she creates her books, how she plots and plans so well, yet still manages to pen such evocative and beautiful language, even for younger readers.
I’ll also talk to Cate about how she creates her gorgeous characters, about passion projects, about career trajectory and so much more.
Fire up your device, cram in those earbuds and enjoy this foray into the magical world of kids’ book creation. If you have any questions or comments, you can say hello at books@taniamccartney.com.
I’m Tania McCartney and I’m an author, illustrator and editor of children’s books. I’ve always wanted to live inside a book, and now I practically do. Welcome to this happy place—The Happy Book.
GUEST – CATE WHITTLE
Cate Whittle has been writing for children and young adults for over 15 years, with many articles, book reviews, and short stories published in a range of magazines and anthologies, both in print and online, and her work has been placed in competitions both nationally and internationally. The first book in her series for young readers, Trouble at Home, about a girl and her troublesome dragon, was published by Omnibus Scholastic in 2016. Cate’s latest book, Wyrd, a middle grade fantasy for slightly older readers, was released in August 2018. Next up is Emergency Rescue Angel, another middle grade/young YA title. Also a teacher, Cate has a passion for nurturing a love of stories in her students, and she has delivered workshops for grown-ups, too, working with ACT Writers Centre and SCBWI ACT. Cate lives on a hillside overlooking a beautiful rural valley in New South Wales with her family, a cat, and a whole host of wildlife that visits her backyard.
SHOW NOTES
00:35 Introduction
01:36 Introducing Cate Whittle
02:53 Our bevvies of choice—with ginger and lemon tea with local apple box honey and a creamy flat white
04:18 A typical writing day for Cate
08:20 Cate’s genres – junior fiction and middle grade
09:28 The difference between Junior Fiction and Middle Grade
11:21 Expanding on vocabulary
12:23 Cate’s Trouble junior fiction series origins
14:12 Magic realism—kids adore it
14:44 Age groups for Trouble—younger and older readers
15:54 Not getting caught up in readership age
16:39 Would Cate like to write picture books?
16:30 Word economy in picture books
17:50 Wyrd—Cate’s middle grade fiction
19:01 Relationship exploration
19:37 Writers need to reflect what children experience in real life
21:09 Putting ourselves in the minds and hearts of our readers
22:07 Condensing your message so they work harder at a lower word count
22:57 Beautiful writing and language for younger readers
25:14 The Rule of Three and poetic balance
25:48 Exquisite language—Cornelia Funke
26:58 The Rule of Three
28:17 Fairy tale story construct and Celtic tales
29:15 Sentence structure and rhythm—reading aloud
30:20 Authenticity, especially in dialogue
30:45 Writing a series—the dos and don’ts
32:48 Terry Pratchett
33:36 What has been the biggest challenge writing junior fiction
34:12 Better to have too many words than not enough
35:13 Expositional text—showing not telling
36:17 Sometimes it is okay to tell
36:49 Plotting
38:33 Kate Forsyth and plotting
39:33 Plotter or pantser or a blending of both
39:50 James Patterson and plotting
41:12 Techniques and devices to thread plot points
42:30 Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey
43:16 Learning the rules and then breaking them
44:16 What we should never do
45:48 Character design
46:43 Talking to your character
47:06 Character files
47:34 Channelling characters and stories
48:00 Characters with flaws
49:21 What character traits do protagonists need to have?
50:15 When is a story finished/ready to send a publisher?
52:03 Manuscript assessments can teach so much
53:45 When passion projects bring us joy
54:56 Your apprenticeship as a creator—10,000 hours
56:12 Top three slices of advice for emerging creators
58:13 Getting industry and community involved
59:36 This career is such a solitary existence
1:00:17 Cate’s favourite children’s book right now
1:00:47 What’s coming up for Cate
1:03:12 What would Cate’s dream project be?
1:05:44 Wrap-up
1:06:45 Another coffee
1:08:03 Coming up next week
1:09:04 The End
Music: Ukulele Whistle by Scott Holmes
PODCAST LINKS
Cate Whittle
Morning pages
The Trouble Series
Wyrd
Reckless by Cornelia Funke
The Rule of Three
Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend
Wundersmith by Jessica Townsend
The Mulberry Tree by Alison Rushby
Magic Beach by Alison Lester
LINKS
The Happy Book Facebook Page
taniamccartney.com
facebook.com/TaniaMcCartneyAuthor
twitter.com/TaniaMcCartney
instagram.com/taniamccartney
Tania McCartney Illos Etsy Store
The Fantastical Flying Creator
Kids' Book Review
COMING UP
CHAPTER 13 – How to make money in this kids’ book biz (oh, and accounts … groan).
The Happy Book – Chapter 11
Sparkling School Visits
Air date: 3 April 2019
CLICK TO LISTEN ON SPOTIFY
HELLO!
Welcome to Series Two, Chapter 11 of The Happy Book. In this chapter, I’ll be revealing the ins and outs, ups and downs and roundabouts of sparkling school visits. We’ll cover EVERYTHING, from organising a visit to creating eye-popping presentations that will have kids enthralled, right through to what to charge and all the formal details you’ll need to square away.
You’ll learn about book sales and signing, types of presentations, age groups and numbers, equipment needed, making both teachers and students happy, and my best tips for repeat bookings—it’s all included, yes it is.
Special guests mentioned in this chapter are: Cate Whittle, Susanne Gervay, Belinda Murrell, Frané Lessac, Kate and Jol Temple, and Michael Gerard Bauer.
Fire up your device, cram in those earbuds and enjoy this foray into the magical world of kids’ book creation. If you have any questions or comments, you can say hello at books@taniamccartney.com.
I’m Tania McCartney and I’m an author, illustrator and editor of children’s books. I’ve always wanted to live inside a book, and now I practically do. Welcome to this happy place—The Happy Book.
SHOW NOTES
00:32 Introduction
01:36 A big thank you
02:11 The Happy Book Facebook Page
02:20 A long black with cream, yes cream and a keto/health update—eep!
04:09 The creator and their multi-hatted journey
04:31 A variety of school visits
04:52 My school visits
05:30 Learning and creative inspiration from school visits
07:08 The boring stuff—requirements for school visits
07:26 Public Liability Insurance
07:46 Author business insurance
09:01 State and territory requirements—Working with Vulnerable People card
09:40 School reluctance
11:16 Randomly approaching schools
11:42 Organising visits well in advance
12:12 Approaching your target age group
13:07 Visual presentations to fit many ages
13:32 Book signings
15:48 Order forms for books
17:14 Which schools to visit
18:20 Interstate school visits
18:54 Cold-calling schools and their response
19:27 Different types of schools and what they focus on
20:21 Staff enthusiasm
20:57 Keeping notes on each school
21:56 What to charge
22:30 Exposure bucks
23:50 Doing school visits for free
24:34 Charging a higher fee for the first presentation of multiple sessions
25:23 Adding value to your visit—speaking to larger groups
26:00 What does the school want from your visit?
26:23 Creating a single presi that will stretch across grades
27:52 Equipment
29:20 Ensuring your presentation will work properly
30:07 Confirm the age groups and numbers
30:16 Navigation information and directions
30:39 Timeframes
31:15 Timing your sessions through the day
31:41 Try to be flexible
31:53 A lovely glass of sparkling mineral water, and no food!
32:10 Presentation content
32:45 Writing new presis for new books
33:10 When schools ask you to create something specific
33:55 PowerPoint presentations
35:33 Content and themes/engaging children with interactivity—Australian Story
36:57 I Love Books presentation interactivity
38:13 Be yourself
38:39 Presi ideas
39:30 Use visuals and props
39:42 Question time
39:53 Have fun, be silly, ham it up
40:28 Tips on making your presentation truly pro
46:55 Dealing with extreme nerves
47:17 My severe anxiety at my first CBCA conference
48:26 Tips for anxious speakers
53:57 When you finish your school visit, asking for feedback
54:39 Green tea with dandelion—good for your liver!
54:57 My top tips for school visit success
55:12 Appropriate content
55:27 Adjust tone and language to suit age groups
55:48 Use humour and audience involvement
56:00 Use props
56:15 Ask kids questions
56:27 Don’t ignore the adults in the room but ignore detractors
56:55 Make it about the kids
57:10 Stick to time
57:29 Don’t always choose the loud kids
57:56 Be dynamic; change your tone and inflection and volume
58:17 Tips to regain control of kids
58:44 Asking teachers to step in
59:39 Watch for boredom
1:00:20 Keep an eye on the time
1:00:20 School Tips from some amazing authors and illustrators
1:00:43 Cate Whittle
1:02:04 Susanne Gervay
1:02:34 Belinda Murrell
1:03:53 Frané Lessac
1:04:58 Kate and Jol Temple
1:06:48 Michael Gerard Bauer
1:07:40 Wrap-up—with a glass of champagne
1:08:19 Coming next week
1:09:14 The End
Music: Ukulele Whistle by Scott Holmes
PODCAST LINKS
The Happy Book Facebook Page
Keto
Autophagy and intermittent fasting
16:8 Regime
Dr Gundry’s The Plant Paradox—lectins
Jaw-dropping lectin facts and leaky gut/inflammation
Australian Society of Authors
Duck for Cover PLI
AAMI Author Business Insurance
Australian Story
Cate Whittle
Susanne Gervay
Belinda Murrell
Frané Lessac
Kate and Jol Temple
Michael Gerard Bauer
LINKS
taniamccartney.com
facebook.com/TaniaMcCartneyAuthor
twitter.com/TaniaMcCartney
instagram.com/taniamccartney
COMING UP
CHAPTER 12 – Author Cate Whittle joins us to talk about writing junior fiction, plotting and planning.
Series One aired in the first three months of 2019. Click here for the full outline of each chapter.
Chapter 10 : Conferences, festivals and other kids' book events
Chapter 9 : Plotting and planning a middle grade novel with author Sheryl Gwyther
Chapter 8 : Illustrator Next Level
Chapter 7 : Story Seed Ideas, Faction and Research with author Dee White
Chapter 6 : The Creative Life Balance—your setting, schedule, health, confidence and more
Chapter 5 : Editing Your Work and Working with an Editor with author/editor Irma Gold
Chapter 4 : Next Level - taking your career up a notch
Chapter 3 : Picture Book Creation and Illustration with Jess Racklyeft
Chapter 2 : Picture Book 101
Chapter 1 : The Many Routes on the Publication Journey, and Submitting Your Manuscripts
1 comment:
A timely initiative for many writing or contemplating writing & illustrating children's books. In the past year I've decided that podcasts are the most efficient way of learning and of sharing relevant experiences.
Hazel Edwards
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